The newest trend in Real Estate today is the .Realtor and .RealEstate Top-Level Domains.
You may by wondering what a Top-Level Domain is, but I can assure you it’s not as complicated of a topic as it sounds. I’m sure you are used to seeing “.com” attached to the end of a website as with most individuals who use the internet. A Top-Level domain works in a very similar way. Users can enter in the URL to the search bar and it will take them to your website. Top-Level Domains have been around for years now and are considered more useful because they allow businesses to associate a specific purpose with their website. A couple examples of companies already using these domains are Nike (Nike.Clothing) and Hotels.com (Book.Hotels). There are actually over 1,500 Top Level Domain Extensions for purchase across a variety of industries.
Anybody can purchase these Top-Level Domains and I have invested in a few industry specific domains myself, but that’s a discussion for another time. The Real Estate industry was a little late to the game due to the National Association of Realtors locking down .Realtor and .RealEstate domains up until today. This news is a great opportunity for you!
I highly recommend all Modern Day Agents visit Get.Realtor to secure your .Realtor and .RealEstate domain names as soon as possible. You can check out the video walk-through after reading through this article so you are fully informed on the proper tips and methods to do so!
As of 2017, NAR suggests that Gen Y accounts for 66% of the Real Estate Buyer’s Market and a whopping 99% of this motivated generation are starting their home searches online. Therefore, it’s important you make it easy for your audience to find and/or discover your business online. Here are some helpful tips on how to dominate your digital presence using Top-Level Domains:
Brand – Your Business & Yourself
First you should make sure your brand is fully developed and you’ve identified your audience. Only 3% of individuals don’t follow a brand online so it’s important to be able to identify with your audience if you plan on staying top of mind in your community.
Purchase TLDs through NAR
After solidifying a brand, you are now ready to purchase your Top-Level Domains. Whether you want to use .Realtor or .RealEstate will be up to personal preference depending on how you structure your brand. If you are using your website to represent yourself personally as an agent then .Realtor would make more sense. On the other hand, more abstract brands will likely find the .RealEstate extension to be more useful when it comes to brand recognition. You can head over to Get.Realtor to log in to create or log in to your account to purchase your domains.
Strategize – Think Outside “The Box”
This is a huge opportunity for Real Estate Brokers and Agents to invest strategically in domains that they can use to be “campaign specific” just like the other online brands mentions before. I’m not saying you need to re-invent the wheel but doesn’t purchasing TraverseCity.RealEstate just sound like a brilliant idea? Just purchasing the name won’t automatically bring your business traffic, but it sure is a great first step in the right direction. When I think about successful Real Estate brands I think of the ones that target niche audiences and provide a tailored experience. Some local domains I can think of in my local area would be: TC.RealEstate, NorthernMI.RealEstate, UpNorth.RealEstate, GrandTraverse.Realtor, Millennial.Realtor, Luxury.Realtor, I think we’ve all got the point so far – The opportunities are endless!
I’m sure these domains are already locked up by those who jumped on the opportunity fast, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go to the drawing board and develop your own creative strategies using any of the available Top-Level Real Estate Domains.
At the end of the day a Top-Level Domain isn’t going to make or break your Real Estate business. It’s always important to remember that technology allows you to open yourself up to more opportunity to create relationships that matter and is not meant to replace your business. As long as you have a solid brand you can stand by and a community alongside you can connect with, the internet will always be there as an extension of your business to help you grow and stay top of mind with your audience.
But, making it easy for them to find you online can’t hurt!
