Third-party listing syndicators, like Zillow and Trulia first appeared on the web just as the housing market hit its peak, and Realtors around the nation have been both happy and wary about sharing their listings with these national sites as a way to help sales. Today, there seems to be a growing backlash from Realtors who say that the service is neither helping their company nor their buyers and sellers, citing inaccuracy of data as a major complaint. In the video below, San Diego broker, Jim Abbott argues that inaccurate listing details, along with contact information for agents not associated with a particular property, often frustrate...

No longer can you build a website that only looks good when viewed on a computer monitor. With new smartphone and tablet technology, it’s all about making your website “touch-friendly”. And it’s not just websites that are headed toward a mouse-free environment. Even the next Windows Operating System will be touch-activated. We’re moving into a world where touch is king, and websites of all kinds eventually need to follow suit. The way forward is to create designs that work well on all platforms, rather than having a multitude of different designs for each device and operating system. Touch technology won’t...

Your email signature is just a fraction in the grand scheme of your marketing plan, but it’s not something that should be overlooked. It’s as much a part of your identity as your business card, if not more so. E-mail is probably the single, most-used form of communication between you and your clients and coworkers. Here are some tips on presenting a good e-mail signature… DO: Create multiple file formats of your signature (HTML, Plain Text and Rich Text), so that it will be optimized correctly for different users. Use web-safe fonts that are easy to read and look professional. Include full contact information: name,...

A 2010 survey of Internet users focused on website Live Chat features. The report details the use of Live Chat with certain demographics, as well as how influential a Live Chat feature is for consumers to make decisions. Bold Software funded the blind survey of more than 1,000 U.S.-based internet users. Here are 5 key conclusions that can be drawn: 1. There is a relationship between live chat and certain demographics. Those who engage in an online chat are more likely to have higher household incomes, be older than 30, and be college educated. 2. Households with an annual income of $100,000 or more had the most positive attitude toward Live...