How do you build an online following for your realty business? According to Jim Lee, a Knoxville Realtor with Realty Executives Associates, at least part of the answer lies in maximizing online exposure through multiple sites and listings.

Lee maintains two different URLs operated by two different ISPs, however site content and design are identical. These sites, in turn, are tied into such major realty portals as Realtor.com and HomeAdvisor.

Lee is not only listed on Realtor.com, he also maintains an "i-LEAD" site with that system. The i-Lead program allows him to include links to his sites as well as e-mail. Lee uses Realtor.com to promote "featured homes," homes which are automatically updated (and deleted) by his local MLS. i-Lead lets Lee upload his own photos and also write his own remarks and headlines. In addition, Lee's pages feature links to his school reports and other services.

Lee, who says he has received a number of commission-producing listings from his Realtor.com postings, likes the i-Lead concept because it allows him to quickly change the format by adding links back to his pages, electronic newsletter, and other online promotions.

In addition to Realtor.com, Lee also likes sites where he can be featured in visible locations. For instance, he likes Relocate America, ired.com, adnet, and HomeScout.

Lee also uses the Realty Times Agent Locator System and the free onsite newsletter made available to realty professionals by RealtyTimes.

Another online site is 2001 Beyond, a site which offers school reports.

Lee says that web design is important to get good search engine placement, and that a web designer should be familiar with search site submission services as well as the proper use of meta tags. Lee uses a site submission specialist to monitor his search engine positioning.

Published: December 21, 1999

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