8 Steps to Build a Real Estate WordPress Website

08 Nov 2017 Posted at 16:13h by Marvin 0 Comments

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WordPress is one of the most popular website platforms on the Internet. And with good reason as it can help you build powerful, beautiful website.

WordPress is especially useful for real estate agents due to the number of plugins and themes available.

Here are 8 steps to build a real estate WordPress website:

1) DOMAIN
The first step to build a real estate WordPress website is to choose a domain name. You will want to consider SEO when choosing your domain as it will help you attract new website visitors from search engines: https://realtyna.com/blog/best-wordpress-idx-for-seo/
Think about your business model and the types of properties you plan to display on your site. Include these keywords in your domain, and your website will be more likely to rank highly for relevant web searches. There are numerous domain services on the web and plenty of information on how to register your domain, so we won’t get too much into the details here, but if you have any questions you can contact us at: (302) 525-8222.

2) IDX
The next step to build a real estate WordPress website is to choose an IDX technology. There are generally two available: Framing and Organic.

Framing will provide an iframe of property listings on your site for a low up-front cost, but it comes with several disadvantages: https://realtyna.com/blog/what-is-idx-framing/

As an alternative we recommend, Organic. Under an Organic system, each property listing on your MLS will be copied to your site, affording you maximum control and SEO: https://realtyna.com/blog/9-reasons-to-do-organic-idx-integration/

We have more details in our video blog: https://realtyna.com/video-blog/

3) HOSTING
Your hosting package will depend on the IDX technology you choose. Under an Organic system, the number of listings available in your MLS will determine the type of hosting you will need. Here is what we recommend: https://support.realtyna.com/index.php?/Default/Knowledgebase/Article/View/529/28/system-requirements-for-using-wpl

4) RETS FEED
The next step to build a real estate WordPress website is to connect your site to your MLS. For this, you will need a RETS feed. A RETS feed is a data from your MLS that will populate your site with listings, and update it at a regular interval. To get a RETS feed you likely will need to fill out a separate application with your MLS. We have a guide here: https://realtyna.com/blog/how-can-i-get-a-rets-feed/

5) RETS PLUGIN
A RETS feed consists of raw property data. To build a real estate WordPress website you will need a plugin that can read this data and display it on your site for front-end searches. Realtyna’s Organic MLS Integration, provides this exact function: https://realtyna.com/mls-integration-for-wpl/

6) THEME
The next step to build a real estate WordPress website is to choose a theme. This is where you get to have some fun choosing the style and layout of your site. There are no wrong answers here. Pick a theme that is compatible with your RETS plugin and style it in anyway you choose. For inspiration, check out some of our client sites: https://realtyna.com/portfolio/

7) LEAD TRACKING
To maximize your real estate WordPress website, you should consider lead tracking tools. This could include saved search, forced registration, CRM, and others: https://realtyna.com/blog/7-reasons-why-you-should-track-the-leads/

Contact your IDX provider to see what tools they offer or check out the third-party plugins available across the WordPress platform.

8) BLOG
To complete your real estate WordPress website you should consider a blog. A blog will help you produce original content for your site. Take some time and think about the type of information your clients might be looking for. Provide this on your blog, and you attract more users and keep them coming back. We have more real estate blogging tips here: https://realtyna.com/blog/boosting-real-estate-business-blog/

There is a lot you can do to build a real estate WordPress website. If you would like more information or a free trial of our Organic MLS Integration software, contact us today.