“To continue, you must login to your account or register for a new account.”
…to many users, that sentence may be the most frightening (not to mention annoying) screen they will see on your site.
That said, although capturing leads with your site may be your ultimate goal, forcing registration on your visitors can be an unwelcome alarm to some. However, your dsSearchAgent admin area has some pretty customizable options to help you encourage your IDX users to provide you their information, without the risk of scaring them off.
To begin, go to the “Options” area of your IDX admin. Towards the middle of this page you should see your “Visitor Options”; this is where you want to be to edit your registration requirements.
You have three choices for your “Registration Level”, and the option you choose will determine which of the next two boxes you will need to complete.
Results Page
This option restricts the number of searches a user can perform before they are required to register. If you select this option, type how many searches you want to allow before registration in the “# of Searches Before Registration” box. If you type in “5”, users will be able see as many results as they want, but they can only do five searches; on their sixth search they will be required to register prior to viewing the results of their search. Additionally, a user will be required to register if a user clicks on any listing to see more details on that property. If you select this option but do not type in a number, the user will be required to register when they make their first search.
Listing Page
If you want to allow many searches but simply limit the number of listing pages they can view (ie property detail pages), use this option. Simply select this option from the list, then type in the number of listings you would like to allow the user to view in the “# of Listing Views Before Registration” box. Again, for example: if you type in “10”, the user can perform unlimited searches, but can only view ten listing detail pages. Once they have viewed ten they must register to view any more. Also, just as above, if you do not type in a number the user will be required to register as soon as they try to view any listing page.
Never
Users can search and view listings as they please without registering. If they want to receive email updates, subscribe to an RSS feed, save a search, or other advanced features, they will need to create an account. However, regular searching and property viewing will not require any registration.
Ultimately, the decision is up to you, and determining at what point you want to require registration can be a tricky one. One school of thought says the requiring registration helps weed out those who are “not serious.” Others agents adhere to the principle of making their site so simple and non-intrusive that not only will visitors stay on their site, but they will return.
Clearly, finding a balance between these two attitudes can be a tricky one; but with dsSearchAgent, you can easily experiment with your options.
Perhaps some different language could be used on your form that states:
The benefits of registering allow you to saved your custom searches, favorite properties and more….Fill out this quick form to continue searching for a property. We respect your privacy and will not sell or transfer your information to other companies. (With a link to your privacy policy)
Jay
I agree with Jay. There is tons of research that the language and even the color of the sentence that requests registration effects the registration rate. Red is the worst. – Sam P.S. I’ve been experimenting with using DS platform for other services http://www.MoneyMergeCenter.com and http://www.RealEstateEF.org and would like some feedback. Thanks!
I also agree. If we could customize the language to our specific needs, that would be great. My MLS unfortunately requires log in immediately, so something for me that states why we are asking for their information would be helpful.
Thanks everyone for your feedback. The registration process is soon on the list of re-vamp, and we’ll be using your valuable input when we do so.
Marketing Sherpa studies show that when a Privacy or Security logo is placed next to the registration form … lead capture ratios go up. In fact, when the logos are placed in the top left of a page (which heat map studies show gets the most views from visitors) registration can jump even higher because you are addressing visitors #1 concern about providing their data FIRST (and they see the icon). It may look ugly as hell, but it works. That said, I still need to do that on my site. ; ) sheesh.
I say its time to stop being so scared to give out information. If you are not aware, every single major website like Realtor.com, Zillow, or the large real estate companies like Coldwell Banker or Zip Realty already give the information for free.
Don’t worry about giving away information. Instead focus on making you website a source they can not live with out. The only difference between my website and the “major sites” is I have local info and information. I feed my clients all the FREE information they want!
Of course other Realtors and people using another Realtor use your site to look for homes. BUT so what! It happens but maybe just maybe if you build a great site they will tell others about it!
Never be afraid to give it away. After all if you do the serious users will register anyway! Beside what do you want, a bunch of super motivated clients that want to do business with you and see you as a neighborhood expert or do you just want the internet to be fair only for you?
It’s like going to the Best Buy website and them telling you to register before they will tell you have they have for sale and for how much. Think about it!
Great guidance. I can’t tell you the number of REALTORS that I work with that spend thousands of dollars to create a static web page with no data-capture or even calls to action.
-4MySales
http://realtorleads.blogspot.com
I view many agents’ and brokers’ websites even tho’ I’m not in the market to buy or sell anything. When I see something like ZIP Realty’s “sign in to view photos,” or others that require registering to see the details, and especially ones that require me to sign in again to see different properties, I shy away.
No, that’s not correct: I immediately go elsewhere.
Lead capture is, as I’m sure we all know, only valuable if we act on it immediately, or at least quickly. In visiting one of my client-broker’s sites (I used to run a virtual tour company, did a lot of work for them over the past 10 years), I signed in again and got an email from an agent that I’d only ever done one tour for suggesting that we had “a lot to talk about.” I was confused. She was actually acting on the lead she’d received.
Good … but.
Figuring that was straightened out, I returned a couple of days later and got a phone call from another agent in the firm. All I had done was to go onto the site to, well, not even to kick tires and I’d already gotten two calls from two agents in two days. I did not indicate that I intended to move, that I had was interested in any particular property or anything.
Because of the professional association, I understood and can deal with it. Someone else might not, just knows they’ll get a phone call from an agent every time they log onto the site.
Has anyone ever done a study on how many “John Doe” users there are with emails like “[email protected]” and phones like 123-456-7890 for sites like these?
Give the information away. Give them an easy way to say “I’m interested in this property” on the detail pages. DON’T require them to tell you who they are just to browse your listings.
VOW is dead, and didn’t apply to most brokers anyway. It’s time website vendors realized this.
We are all spending valuable time on our sites for a reason. I think a capturing technique is best and agree with Jay, Sam and Mike. It must be tactful. I don’t think anyone is “afraid” to give out info. At the same time don’t be afraid to ask for the info either.
Duke is right. There are many [email protected] I like this because it helps me decide which ones to delete or keep… who wants idiots and jerks for clients!
Users can register to receive not only good information, but valuable help as well. They need to know that after they register once they are free to use the site as much as they want and of course under no obligation. And should they need any additional information or help… well then contact me of course!
Last note: ~ Purchasing a home is a tremendous decision to make and very complex. So most visitors to your site need more info and help. Offer this to them right away and focus on trying to help them. The good clients will surface. And when they are ready… you will know because you will be part of their decision making process.
~ Microtuff
Hey everyone, we updated the registration based on your input. Check it out on your idx, or the following sceenshots.
http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/registration.png
http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/registration-required.png