Websites – expense or investment? 

Are you looking at your next website as a business expense or do you see it as a long-term investment? Those who fall into the latter category and are prepared to invest in marketing services will typically see the biggest returns. It takes a little financial bravery when buying a new website, but the long-term results can be more than worth it.  

How much does an estate agent website initially cost? 

The initial cost to develop a new estate agency website can vary depending on the complexity of the website and its functionality. Some estate agents just want a simple website that shows their current listings, which is automatically updated using specialist technology. Other estate agents may want a more comprehensive site that includes video tours of each property and more.

The costs can differ significantly. But the decision that will most affect the cost is if you choose a semi-bespoke website template or a completely bespoke one. The former is made with set templates, whereas a bespoke website will provide you with anything you envision. Thus, it’s impossible to say how much it will cost initially because so many factors need to be considered. However, we at WEBPRO Estate can advise on the best solution for your business, and your budget.  

Marketing your new website 

Unfortunately, you can’t just launch your new polished website and expect visitors to come flooding in. Websites take time to attract traffic and even the best ones don’t receive lots of traffic unless they’re marketed effectively.

A selection of online and even offline marketing campaigns can be used to start building awareness of your website and your brand, such as social media marketing, Google Ads and leaflet drops.

Google Ads can be especially beneficial to businesses with a new website. These campaigns work within your pre-set budget to put you near the top of search engine result pages. They’re a shortcut to the top and can offer great returns when researched and executed well.  

Website – expense or investment? 

The initial cost of making a website and investing in the marketing campaigns to get the website seen should not be overlooked. However, these initial costs are nothing compared to the amount of money an estate agency could generate by owning a professional website that receives stable traffic each month.

You should be looking at your website and ongoing marketing costs as an investment with potential for excellent returns, rather than viewing the website as just another business expense.  

How profitable can my website become? 

According to the Google Economic Impact, on average a Google Ads campaign makes 8:1 on its investment. That means that the average website owner is earning £8 for every £1 spent on their Google Ads campaign, making it one of the most effective marketing strategies and can easily help estate agents recover the initial cost of their website development.

Although websites may need updating and tweaking every few years, those initial website costs and ongoing marketing fees can easily be dwarfed by the money the website brings in over a longer term. The only people who don’t get to own a successful website are those who refuse to invest in professional web designers and digital marketing services.

Those who see their website as an expense rather than an investment will fail to avoid this pitfall. A simple change in perspective could be the turnkey solution to creating a more profitable business. 

Estate agency web design services 

WEBPRO Estate is a creative agency that works for estate agents. We can create a website that meets your industry needs and can even help you market the site, all from under one roof. Your project will be managed by an experienced project manager and carried out by leading web developers and expert marketers to ensure excellent results. Contact us now to learn more about our stellar services.

Recap: You could see your estate agency website as a business expense, or you could see it as an investment. Those who choose to look at their website as an investment are more likely to invest in ongoing marketing services. As a result, their websites become more profitable and can provide excellent returns. But you’ll still need to find an experienced web designer and choose results-driven marketing services.

P.S. WEBPRO Estate offers bespoke web design services exclusively for estate agency businesses.