Today, an iHouseWeb representative contacted us, inquiring about the number of leads we received in the past year from our real estate website. Out of curiosity, we decided to engage in the conversation and see what they had to offer. Interestingly, our clients battle these calls constantly. The biggest reason, our clients rank online and are now being targeted (we practically created a lead list for iHouse 🤣)

When we informed the salesperson that we had zero leads, they claimed that it was due to our website's IDX being invisible to Google. We were surprised by this statement since we specialize in IDX and know that using an invisible framed "3rd party" IDX solution is outdated and ineffective. Our system is not built that way, and we are not even a "3rd party," but the "party" itself.

Despite listening to their pitch, we concluded that they were making false claims about our system (and possibly others) to lure in unsuspecting real estate agents to make impulsive decisions to buy their product. They failed to address the actual issue, and we eventually terminated the call after getting to the root of it - it's not the car, but what you put in it that makes it run.

Let's discuss SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and its Importance in the Digital Landscape.

As we were on the phone with the telemarketer, we Googled one of our sites using this search term:   site:havasuareahomes.com and got 1,480 results (go ahead and try it yourself with your website address and see what you get). That’s right our website has 1,480 pages indexed by Google. Now the question to ask is – how did we get so many pages, it’s not humanly possible to write 1400 pages of content in just a few years.

Our Sites

iHouse Site

Here's more evidence to support the fact that the iHouseWeb representative was being dishonest with us. As industry experts, we are well-versed in the technical aspects of our field, and we can easily spot deception. However, non-technical real estate agents may not possess the same level of knowledge, which makes them vulnerable to marketing tactics like this.

Notice this screenshot below of another website of ours, shows results from Google pages indexed, in addition to some of our IDX pages. If we had a framed in IDX our sites would not be indexed on Google for the property pages. The question here is, how are we able to appear in search results if we are embedded? This suggests that we are not just embedded, but rather fully integrated with the search engine optimization process.

Let's discuss the Real Root of the Problem

For years our clients have been getting calls from iHouseWeb where they start with “how many leads have you gotten from your website in the last 12 months?” This type of query can be quite unsettling for most real estate agents. Regardless of the system they are using (including ours and iHouseWeb's), the answer is usually "0," which is precisely why iHouseWeb is utilizing this telemarketing tactic.

We know that iHouseWeb doesn't always deliver as promised because we receive clients who switched from iHouseWeb and complained about their website's ineffectiveness.

Why do many real estate agent websites not get a ton of leads?

There are multiple ways to approach this question, but one starting point is that poor lead production is not necessarily a result of poor website performance. In fact, the website may not be at fault at all, but rather the agent's lack of effort in updating it regularly. While agents may expect to receive leads from their websites, very few take the necessary steps to keep their website content fresh and up-to-date. As a result, search engines like Google tend to overlook such websites, making it challenging for them to compete for web search traffic against competitors like Zillow.

Google's primary goal is to rank the most relevant web pages for a given subject. If a website remains stagnant and fails to receive regular updates, it becomes less relevant to search engine algorithms, which in turn impacts its ranking position. Therefore, it's crucial for agents to maintain an active online presence and consistently update their website content to ensure their website remains relevant and competitive in the online marketplace.

What if the traditional belief that a real estate website should generate leads is flawed and requires a shift in perspective? Consider this alternative view: your website should be an integral part of your business strategy. This brings us to our next point.

Real estate websites typically do not generate many leads because most agents do not incorporate them into their business practices. They neglect to update their websites and fail to utilize them as a business card online, resulting in minimal website traffic and, ultimately, no business.

To attract business through your website, you must increase its traffic. You can achieve this in one of three ways: 

1. by directly advertising through paid ads on platforms such as Google or Facebook 
2. by directing your clients and referrals to your website 
3. by using your saved searches instead of the MLS
4. by appearing in Google search results and having users click on links to your site. This final method, known as organic traffic, is what Agent Elite websites are receiving, as demonstrated by the earlier screenshots.

Agent Elite is active in all 4 of these places of getting traffic to your website. How do we help:

1. The first is called pay-per-click advertising or Facebook ads which requires landing pages and special forms and some time to execute the advertising campaigns and a marketing budget. Our websites can do an unlimited number of landing pages, as well as we provide ‘Done-for-you Facebook Ads”.
2. The second is through directing your clients, referrals, and partners to your website to look at what’s sold or for sale around their respective homes using our CRM system to bring them back.
3. The third is by changing the habit of using your MLS board to set up your clients on saved searches. YOU NEED to use this in your Agent Elite website to bring the clients back to you over and over (driving repeat traffic).
4. And fourth, by doing the second item just discussed and by putting content into your website in the form of market updates which happens in conjunction with our CRM system your site gets exposure in Google. We take things even further with additional Content writing plans and traffic ads.

The practice of turning to iHouseWeb or other real estate technologies, solely based on their claim that it's the fault of your current system, is a deceptive tactic that can result in unnecessary expenses. Even with a new system, without utilizing it properly in your business, with your clients, and updating it, you won't see better results. Such a move will only lead to disappointment with yet another technology that is overpromised and underdelivered.

At Agent Elite, we don't resort to false promises or guarantee leads or business, unlike many of our technology competitors. Instead, we assure exposure on Google and social media, which will amplify your marketing efforts, and provide your clients with a place to get real estate information relevant to their home's value. If you don't offer them such information, they'll find it elsewhere, probably on Zillow.

Don’t Point the Finger at WordPress

The iHouseWeb telemarketer's claim that WordPress is a poor solution because it is not our proprietary software and that any IDX plugin can only embed listings and not integrate is completely false. As demonstrated in our earlier screenshots of the pages that appear in Google as a result of our IDX integration, it is evident that our pages are not just embedded, but fully integrated into our website. Moreover, many other IDX companies nowadays offer integration as well. The outdated frame or embedded technology is no longer prevalent in the IDX market and has not been for at least 10 years, dating back to 2012-13. Integrated pages generated by the IDX appear as part of your website, rather than just being embedded within it.

Final Thoughts

The next time a representative from iHouseWeb, or any other real estate tech company, calls and asks about your website's performance, don't fall for their misleading tactics. However, it's important to understand that simply having a website isn't enough. Just like how the age-old concept of filling up your car's gas tank still applies to the new age of electric cars, having a website that performs requires effort and investment.

There are thousands of car models in the market, but none of them can run without a source of energy. Similarly, there are numerous website platforms and technologies available, but without proper updates, use, and promotion, they won't generate any business. It's crucial to invest in your website and update it regularly to stay competitive and visible to potential clients.

At Agent Elite, we make it easy for you to invest in your website and make it work for you and your clients. And just like how electric cars have revolutionized the transportation industry, our integrated approach to real estate technology has revolutionized the way agents utilize their websites to generate business.