Creating a Web Presence

Well, it's very possible to go without a website and succeed in this business but it really helps.

As soon as you talk to someone about what you do they will google you, and having a website provides legitimacy.  The first time a seller asks for your site and you say you don't have one they feel you might not be a real business.

Create a Seller Website

Now that you have a market picked out you can create a website.  The reasoning behind picking out a market first was to give you an option to include the market you invest in within the name. Not necessary as much as it used to be but it can make sense.  Either way you still need to know your market for the website content.  Get some ideas of names by googling any market name followed by buys houses, or sell house fast "example market"  Check out the names and visit some of the sites.  Get ideas but don't think too hard about it that you don't get a site picked out.  If you have a business name already consider it.  Pick something that sounds friendly and is easy to say.  

My pick for real estate sites

After years in this business I have found that Investor Carrot creates the best or at least very close to the best out of the box websites for investors (they do agent sites too but agents likely have a site from their broker - that being said agents that also have an investor site as well will get a leg up on other agents and Ill explain later in the marketing module)

Check them out:  Investor Carrot and see the different options they provide.  They also have really good search engine optimization training to go along with their already search engine friendly sites think top ranking in google.  If you don't believe their sites are great, google a few markets for investor keywords and likely one or more of their sites are ranking on the first page.

I can build my own site?

Yes this is definitely true. These days it's easier than ever and I'm not going to tell anyone on a strict budget it's not an option.  If you feel qualified to do this go ahead but keep in mind this is a business and you should treat it that way. If you can't create a site that converts what is the point and if it takes you two years to build it you are defeating the purpose of starting a site now.  This is the long game for getting to the free rankings in google and it starts today.  It can take 3 months to a year to get your site ranking (even following carrots search engine training), if you don't get your site done in two years that google ranking clock doesn't start for 2 years.

So here's the task

Get your site up today.  Unless you are a web developer really consider carrot, their sites rank easier and convert better than just about anything out there. I recommend either of the first two (less expensive) options. If you have tons of money and want the extra help they provide then by all means choose the 3rd plan.  I feel the second option is probably the best for beginners as they will give you enough extra content on your site to speed up the ranking process as well as the extra training they provide is top-notch.   That option also gives you 3 sites, which I think if you go that route consider a company site, and a couple market-specific sites (such as sellnowgeorgia or georgiahousebuyers)  or save the other two and decide later.  They will suggest a cash buyer site and investor site with the other two but it's really not that important for those to rank. It's better to spend time ranking your seller sites.  

Cash buyer sites can be built in bitrix for free, as well as freedomsoft.  So keep that in mind.  It's very easy to get cash buyers for very low cost or free with squeeze page sites like Bitrix and freedomsoft can make.  But ranking those sites for long-term free traffic is not likely to happen that's the benefit of carrot.

Budget minded website option

Ok, those on a tighter budget should still consider the least expensive carrot site.  You will have to add extra content on your own and won't get the top level training they do for the other programs but it's still a good option.  You might even buy the mid level package just for a few months then opt back down for the single site least expensive offer after.  (but I didn't tell you to do that :) )  The long term advantage of having a carrot site outweighs the cost.  You are in this because you wanted a business right?  There will be a few costs but you're saving money by not buying the 5k or 25k coaching (which most of them aren't that great) so use it wisely on your business.

Really budget minded?

If you absolutely can't do the lowest price plan you can use the free sites in bitrix or freedomsoft.  They aren't the best for getting ranked (not really good at all actually without a lot of work) but they look nice and convert well when built right.  Plus they tie into your CRM so your leads go right into the correct location.  You probably won't build much ranking power but having a site name purchased and working over time helps.  So if you switch you need to be able to keep the name.  You will need to buy a domain name with bitrix24 for about $12 a year or something from godaddy.com

Tracking For your Sites

Now you have a website you will want to track where visitors come from.  This is important to do right away so that you can start building lists of people that have visited your site and which pages.  Later you will be able to use specialized ads that are really inexpensive to market online to the people that have already visited your site and didn't convert.  This is called remarketing.  There are also several other reasons for adding the tracking codes, probably the most important of those is the ability to anaylize where the traffic is coming from and how it got there.

The two most important tracking codes

This is an opinion but I feel there are two tracking codes that should be added immediately.. They are the google and facebook tracking codes (often called pixels).  There are definitely others but we want to at least get these two up.  There is also a code that I like to use on all sites called Google tag manager.  This code acts as a container code that is installed on your site, once installed all other codes can be installed in your tag manager account which is on googles servers.  Adding this will make adding other codes later much easier and when everything is done through your google tag manager account you no longer need to give others access to your site directly. If you have a developer they can add any needed code to your tag manager account.

Install google tag manager https://www.analyticsmania.com/post/how-to-install-google-tag-manager/
Install Facebook pixel onto a carrot site https://help.carrot.com/tutorial/how-to-add-a-facebook-pixel/
Install Google analytics onto a  carrot site https://help.carrot.com/tutorial/adding-scripts/

Try to utilize Google tag manager. Watch the videos but install it in the carrots <head> script area.  If you do this you can install the google analytics tracking code in the tag manager as well as the facebook pixel.  Don't add add scripts to both locations
If you add tag manager try to put all scripts there but if not you can utilize the carrot tutorials above to add them directly in carrot. 

If using bitrix or other website software there will most likely be a script area where you can add the tag manager code.  From there add the rest of the code within tagmanager.

Some other videos below will help for other sites that aren't carrot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28d60ejfk3s for installing google analytics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkaERODqV3w  for the facebook pixel

Get the above code installed and setup on your site so you can start tracking right away. One more thing to go over (very important)

Conversion Tracking

Once you do the above, your site is now able to track visitors.  The next step is probably next in importance.  Setup conversion tracking. You will need to go into your new google analytics account as well as your facebook account and set up what are called conversion goals (google analytics) or conversion events (facebook).  What this does is let google and Facebook know when someone not only comes to your site but whether they fill out a form or do something else specific you want to track specifically.  Start with an event or goal that monitors when someone fills out a form.  Other ideas are things like did they visit certain pages and much more.  Let's get the form fill conversion event and goal then call it a day.  

Great video that explains how to add facebook conversion events or custom conversions.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvOYTeOO2rQ
Another great video showing how to add goals/conversion tracking in google analytics.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhPJRmvvIBA
Don't worry about the end of the analytics video where it talks about adwords. It will come later.

Create your cash buyers website

You will want to consider building a buyers list even if you are a buy and hold investor.  This website will help you build that list. There are a few options that work pretty well.  Choose the one that is best for you.

Investor Carrot Buyer Site

If you opted into the middle or top option when reviewing the investor carrot sites you have the ability to use one of the extra sites as a cash buyer site.  This is the easy button method and not much to explain here.  It's a great option but isn't as important as having them for your seller site. Your buyer site will work great with any of the first two options below (the third isn't bad but depends on your ability to make it blend with your existing site)

Using your Bitrix24 or Freedomsoft's built in websites

Using your new crm's built in website capabilities are great options.  They create great sites that when geared to one thing convert very well. They just aren't the best for long term search engine traffic and thats why they work better for buyer sites.  Free traffic or really cheap traffic is much easier to generate when targeting buyers than sellers so the need to rank cheaply isn't going to make or break you.  It's always good to try for but better spend that time on your seller site.

Build a landing page or squeeze page on your seller site

This option isn't probably the best unless your ad copy skills and web development skills are pretty good but it is viable.  Simply add a page that is hidden and you can promote to cash buyers only.  The issue is that if your sellers stumble upon this page while searching your seller site it might confuse them or drive them off.  This can be avoided by writing a good message on that page but the above options are a little safer.

Track your buyer sites

Just like the seller sites you should add the same tracking from the tracking email earlier.   Don't forget the conversions.  

This is a pretty large amount of work for one day so feel free to break this up.  If you need to break this up leave your self a task (in your crm) to complete the tracking scripts later.   (they aren't as important on the buyer sites, are you seeing a pattern yet?)