Your Real Estate Website Is Your Resume; Here’s Exactly What It Needs to Show

By Zach Mickelson, The Mickelson Team, REAL

When I host an open house, knock on a door, or meet someone through prospecting, I know there’s a good chance that person will look me up afterward. I see it happen all the time. Sometimes someone follows me on Instagram before they even get to their car. Other people go straight to my website.

That’s one of the reasons I take my website so seriously. I think of it as my resume. If someone is considering working with me, they should be able to look me up and get a clear sense of who I am, what I’ve done, and why they can trust me with a major transaction.

The conversation may start in person, but people often do their research afterward. Your website is a chance to show them exactly who you are and what you can do for them.

Give people proof that you know what you’re doing

A professional-looking website can make a strong first impression, but the information on it needs to back that up. Buyers and sellers want to know what you’ve done, what other people say about you, and how you might be able to help them.

I’d start with testimonials. People want to see what past clients say about working with you, and those reviews give visitors a sense of the experience they can expect. They’re especially useful when someone has met you only once and is trying to decide whether to take the next step.

I’d also include numbers that demonstrate your work. For a listing agent, that might mean average days on market or sales price compared with list price.

If you’ve had a record sale or achieved a notable result in a particular neighborhood, make that easy to find. Buyers may be interested in results that show how you help them negotiate or navigate the market.

For example, I’ve been paying attention to the buyer credits my team helps negotiate. If you have a result that matters to the people you serve, it can be worth highlighting.

Just make sure you’re tracking the numbers accurately and explaining what they represent. A specific, supportable result is much more useful than a broad claim about being the best.

If you’re new, show the experience you have access to

I got licensed at 19, so I know what it feels like to start without a long list of personal sales. You may not have years of testimonials or a record sale to feature, but you can still build a website that gives people a reason to take you seriously.

If your team or brokerage has strong results, show them accurately and make it clear whose experience you’re highlighting.

You can also explain the resources and support available to your clients through your team. Those credentials can help a new agent demonstrate that they have people and systems behind them while they build their own track record.

The important thing is to be honest about the distinction between your personal results and the results of your team or brokerage. You’re building your own credibility, and accuracy is part of that.

I’d also make sure the site gives people a sense of your local knowledge and your approach to working with clients. If you know a neighborhood well, show that.

If you have a clear process for helping buyers or preparing a home for sale, explain it. You want a visitor to come away understanding what you bring to the relationship.

Think like the person who is looking you up

I like to ask myself a simple question when I look at my website: if I were a buyer or seller, what would I want to see that would make me want to learn more?

The answer depends on the person. A seller may want to know how you market homes, how long your listings typically take to sell, and what previous clients say about working with you.

A buyer may care more about your knowledge of the area, your ability to find the right property, and the results you’ve helped buyers achieve.

Make that information easy to find. People shouldn’t have to dig through a long introduction to understand what you do or how to contact you.

Put your strongest proof points where they can see them, and make sure the site is current. If your business changes, your website should change with it.

I’m picky about my website and the rest of my branding because I know people are looking at those details. I’ll go back and make five, six, or seven edits to a mailer if I need to get it right. I want the fonts, logos, and overall look to be consistent across the website, social media, signs, and other marketing.

When people see those pieces in different places, I want them to recognize that they’re all connected to the same business.

Your website supports the relationships you build elsewhere

I don’t expect someone to visit my website and immediately become a client every time. I see it as part of a longer process.

I might meet someone at an open house or through a cold call, follow up with them over the next year or two, and stay in touch while their plans develop. Along the way, they may see my social posts, receive a mailer, get a call from me, or visit my website.

Each interaction helps them get to know me and see how I work.

I call some of the resulting appointments “come list me” calls. Someone I’ve followed up with for a year or two might reach out when they’re ready to sell and say, essentially, “You’re my guy. Come list my home.” Sometimes I’ve met that person only once, but they’ve continued seeing my name and my work, and they already feel comfortable choosing me.

Those are some of the best appointments because the trust has already been built. The website helps reinforce it by showing that I’m organized, professional, and serious about my business.

Make your website reflect the business you want to build

Your website deserves attention because it’s one of the first places people go when they’re deciding whether to work with you. Treat it like a resume you would bring to an interview. Keep the information accurate, make your experience easy to understand, and show prospective clients what you can offer them.

Then connect it to the work you’re doing everywhere else. Meet people, follow up, provide good customer service, and give them a reason to remember you. When someone who met you once finally decides to buy or sell, you want them to feel as if they already know who you are.

That’s how I think about the role of a website in an organic business. It helps turn the people who know your name into people who trust you enough to call.