Search results for: “credibility”

  • 16 Best Real Estate Agent Websites With IDX

    16 Best Real Estate Agent Websites With IDX

    Do real estate agent websites with IDX perform better?

    There isn’t a quick answer. But, listing feeds like IDX appeal to agents because they’re quick and easy ways to get the most out of your listings on your website.

    IDX has become a standard piece, and in many cases, listing feeds have gone from a nice feature to a necessity to stay with your competition.

    We all know home buyers and sellers are searching the Internet as their number one source of education. They know how to browse from website to website, and they know what they want to see from each website they visit.

    They’re quick to leave if a website doesn’t offer exactly what they expect.


    What, though, when they visit your real estate agent website, are they (and everyone else, for that matter) expecting?

    Well, they’re probably expecting to find some information about your real estate business and you personally, testimonials promoting your service, and, perhaps most importantly, house listings.

    If you neglect any of these elements, your website will likely have a higher bounce rate and lower lead volumes.

    The digital world is that simple.

    While some online naysaying articles — like Why It’s Time to Look at Real Estate Websites Differently — claim that you don’t need IDX integration on your website, we here at Carrot think they’re wrong.

    Before we dive into the 16 real estate agent websites with IDX options, let’s talk about IDX quickly.

    What Is IDX?

    IDX stands for Internet Data Exchange. That sounds complicated. Though, it isn’t.

    With IDX integration, real estate agent websites can pull house listings up natively on the real estate agent’s website.

    Here’s what this looks like on one of our Carrot real estate agent websites, for example.

    real estate agent websites with idx

    That’s what IDX looks like on the surface, at least. On the back-end, IDX works by automatically pulling from the MLS and collecting location-qualified listings to publish on your website.

    What is IDX?

    16 of the Best Real Estate Agent Websites With IDX (With Examples)

    You understand what IDX is and why it’s essential for real estate marketing.

    But where can you find the best IDX tool for your website? 

    Here are 16 great options for adding IDX to your real estate agent website — with a summary, features, pricing, and examples. 

    1. Ballen Real Estate Websites

    Website Description

    Ballen Real Estate Websites were built by agents, for agents real-time in the field, and without any contracts! These websites are optimized for lead generation and lead capture. With new design options, integrated tools for calls to action, and built-in optimization. Based on years of testing and measuring of what works in the real estate industry with hundreds of agents using the platform, our BREW is always evolving so you can get more leads online and best of all, you own it.”

    Features

    Here are some of the main features.

    • Complete WordPress Website
    • IDX Integration
    • Property Search
    • Real Estate Lead Capture
    • Community Showcase Pages
    • Buyer, Seller & Hyperlocal Blogs
    • Home Valuation Form
    • Built For SEO
    • CRM Available

    Pricing

    Starts at a one-time payment of $1,495. Plus ongoing monthly costs of at least $149 per month. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool.

    Ballen Real Estate Websites

    2. IDX Broker HOME™

    Website Description

    Each IDX Broker HOME website begins with an exclusive, premium WordPress theme. From there, our team will work with you to personalize any of our mobile-responsive, visually stunning designs, ensuring your REALTOR® website looks unique and up-to-date.

    We will include your logo and favorite photos, adjust the color scheme to mirror your branding, and add featured listings to create a personalized and professional website.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features.

    • Simply & Effective Search
    • Fully Customizable
    • Lead Metrics
    • Protect Your Site With SSL
    • IDX Plugin

    Pricing

    Their plans start at $50 per month and go up to $150 per month. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool.

    IDX Broker HOME™

    3. Carrot

    Description

    We serve over 7,000 real estate investors and agents at Carrot. As a part of that, we offer high-converting websites with IDX for real estate agents.

    Features

    Our features include… 

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Standard Website Subscription: $89/mo
    • Add-ons range from $29 to $69 per month

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool. Scroll down through the page to see it fully.

    4. iHomeFinder

    Website Description

    The IDX search you’ve been looking for. Fast, sleek property search with advanced lead capture technology. Keep visitors coming back with a search experience they’ll love. Display listings anywhere on your site with the search criteria you select.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this tool offers.

    • Property Search & Lead Capture
    • Market Stats & Reports
    • Email Marketing
    • Blog Content
    • Real Estate CRM
    • Real Estate Agent App
    • Integrations
    • Custom IDX Data API

    Pricing

    Pricing starts at $59.95 per month and goes up to $199.95 per month. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool.

    iHomeFinder

    5. IDX Central

    Website Description

    “Regardless of which IDX Solution you select, there will always be something that doesn’t quite work/look the way you expect it. These issues will require some code modifications. We can save you time by knowing just how to fix those issues and offer creative ways to make them even better.

    We can also provide you with code we have used in the past to help speed up your development/integration time. Even if you are an experienced programmer or have one that manages your site, our knowledge and experience can save you time from experimentation/trial and error.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this tool offers. 

    • Advanced IDX Property Search
    • Map and Polygon Search
    • Lead Generation Forms
    • Lead Nurturing App
    • Automated Market Reports
    • Real Estate CRM
    • SMS Autoresponder
    • Email Marketing Automation
    • SEO Friendly with Indexible Listings

    Pricing

    Pricing for IDX solutions starts at $44.95 per month. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool.

    IDX Central

    6. BoomTown

    Website Description

    Expert lead generation, IDX websites, intelligent CRM, lead management services, and more, come in flexible packages that scale with your success. See why BoomTown is the #1 user-rated real estate CRM year after year.”

    Features

    Here are some of the main features this tool offers. 

    • Success Assurance
    • Consumer Website
    • Lead Generation
    • Predictive CRM
    • Success Management
    • HomeSearch Now
    • Coaching

    Pricing

    Can’t find pricing on their website. Looks like you have to book a demo to learn more.

    Example

    We couldn’t find any examples of websites they’ve built. But they have a lot of success stories over here.

    7. Real Geeks

    Website Description

    IDX websites that convert. Real Geeks offers highly optimized, easy-to-use websites, designed to generate the highest conversion rate in the industry. Our Property IDX is updated every 15 minutes, so your Real Geeks website has the most up-to-date property data available.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this tool offers.

    • Mobile Optimized
    • Fully Responsive
    • Easy-to-Use
    • High Return Rates
    • A/B Testing
    • Fast Load Times
    • High Conversion Rates
    • Search Engine Friendly
    • Custom Landing Pages
    • Fully Editable Pages
    • Built-in blog

    Pricing

    Can’t find pricing on their website. You need to request more information. 

    Example

    Can’t find an example of their website. But they have a lot of success stories over here

    8. Placester

    Website Description

    Get the website you’ve always wanted! Placester is the best option for agents & brokers who want a unique website but also need speed and the flexibility to adapt as the market changes.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features this tool offers. 

    • Responsive Website
    • Site Editor
    • IDX Listing Display Tools
    • Simple CRM
    • Unlimited Posts & Pages
    • Online Support

    Pricing

    Pricing starts at $64 per month and goes up to $1,250 per month. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool. 

    Placester

    9. Agent Image

    Website Description

    Agent Image creates the best real estate websites for REALTORS®, agents, and brokers. We have launched over 20,000 sites for top producing companies in the country and we’re proud of our long list of loyal clients. Whether you’re looking for an affordable agent website built on WordPress or looking for a custom design for your brokerage office, we’ve got you covered. Put our 20 years of experience to the test.”

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this tool offers. 

    • Hosted WordPress Site
    • Mobile Optimized
    • Fully Response Design
    • IDX Search Features
    • Listing Display Features
    • Property Details
    • Lead Generation
    • SEO Friendly

    Pricing

    They don’t have pricing on their website. You need to contact them if you want to find out more. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool. 

    Agent Image

    10. Showcase IDX

    Website Description

    Make your site sticky with a portal-quality search for agent and brokerage websites. Modern search options that buyers and sellers love. Showcase IDX’s proprietary indexes to let you search seamlessly across multiple MLS feeds. The Fastest, easiest way to search.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this tool offers. 

    • IDX Search & Results
    • Real Estate Listing Pages
    • State-Of-The-Art Mapping IDX
    • CRM Tools
    • Premium CRM Integrations

    Pricing

    Pricing starts at $59.95 per month and goes up to $99.95 per month. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool. 

    Showcase IDX

    11. AgentWebsite

    Website Description

    First impressions matter. Showcase your services. Promote your listings on your own real estate website. One that’s easy to update and optimized for search engines.

    Generate qualified leads. Impress sellers, and catch buyers early in the process.

    We make it easy. Agents are always telling us how easy AgentWebsite is to use. Expect fast activation and competitive features. Toll-free help is available every day, right here in the USA.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this tool offers. 

    • Free 15 Day Free Trial
    • Website & Hosting
    • Free Domain Name
    • Free Property Search (IDX)
    • Toll Free Support
    • Control Panel
    • Search Engine Optimized (SEO)
    • Buyer & Seller Articles
    • 1 Email Mailbox
    • CMA Lead Page
    • Relocation Lead Page

    Pricing

    Pricing starts at $29 per month, not including the set-up fee. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool.

    AgentWebsite

    12. Ylopo

    Website Description

    Our mobile-optimized IDX home search website is the hub of your buyer’s home search activity.  Delight your consumers with a clean and beautiful site design, as you gather 24/7 intelligence on their search behavior to hone in on exactly what each buyer wants to see.”

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this tool offers. 

    • Mission Control
    • IDX
    • Branded Website
    • Lead Generation
    • Listing Rocket
    • Lead Nurture
    • CRM

    Pricing

    Pricing isn’t mentioned on their website. You have to request a demo if you want to learn more. 

    Example

    They don’t have any examples on their website. But they do have some case studies on their homepage. 

    13. Union Street Media 

    Website Description

    We build award-winning websites for real estate professionals. Our sites are IDX-integrated and responsive, meaning they will always be up-to-date with the latest MLS listings and will look great and perform well on any device or screen size.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features this tool offers. 

    • Search Tools
    • Lead Dashboard
    • Neighborhood Reports
    • Automated Home Valuation Tool

    Pricing

    Pricing isn’t mentioned on their website. You’ll need to request a demo if you want to learn more. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool.

    Union Street Media

    14. Luxury Presence

    Website Description

    A brand-new home search experience for your clients. Our IDX tool provides award-winning design, cutting-edge search features, and compelling use of data and lead capture functionalities.

    Our IDX home search experience provides two things: an exceptional search experience for your visitors and a high-converting lead generation platform for your business.

    With multi-feed support, fully-responsive designed, spiderable and organic IDX, and lightning-fast multi-field search capabilities, our home search tools give your visitors an experience they’ll love.

    Pulling from your MLS feed, our control center allows you to layer high-resolution photos, videos, and virtual tours on top of your MLS listing date to create stunning featured listing pages for your website.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this tool offers.

    • Split-Screen Map
    • Lead Capture
    • Saved Searches
    • Multiple-MLS Feeds
    • Saved Listings
    • User Accounts
    • Multi-Field Searches

    Pricing

    Pricing isn’t mentioned on their website. You’ll have to request more information if you want to learn more. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool.

    Luxury Presence

    15. Sierra Interactive

    Website Description

    We only build real estate websites. Our platform has evolved over the past decade to become the most powerful content management system for real estate websites in the market.

    The Sierra search tools separate us from our competitors and you from yours. We are always improving these features and keeping ahead of the curve.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this tool offers. 

    • Real Estate Websites With IDX
    • Real Estate CRM
    • Real Estate Ad Management

    Pricing

    Pricing starts at $299.95 per month and goes up to $499.95 per month. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool.

    Sierra Interactive

    16. Pro Agent Websites

    Website Description

    Our designs are responsive for a pleasant user experience from desktop to tablets to mobile. Each design is created with the agent in mind. Your photos, logos, and artwork will be incorporated into the design. Designs can be built with any requested modifications.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this tool offers. 

    • Extremely Fast Search Results
    • Interactive Map Search
    • Industry Best Lead Capture
    • New Listing Email Alerts
    • Price Change Email Alerts
    • All Listings Available on Search Engines
    • Save Searches, Save Properties
    • No Framing or Wraps, Totally Integrated
    • All Lead Activity Tracked

    Pricing

    Pricing starts at $79.95 per month and goes up to $149.95 per month. 

    Example

    Below is an example of the type of IDX website you can create with this tool.

    Pro Agent Websites

    Why Do Real Estate Agents Need IDX?

    ON THE OTHER HAND, without IDX website integration, visitors have to go somewhere other than your website to view house listings.

    And when prospects leave your website to browse through homes, there’s naturally a lower chance of them choosing to work with you.

    Ideally, you want them to stay on your website as long as possible — searching for potential homes and learning about your business.

    Then, those visitors are more likely to work with you instead of the competition- thus improving your credibility!

    Of course, there are no stopping prospects from regularly visiting Zillow and Realtor.com, and other massive MLS websites.

    This is exactly why some online thought-leaders believe IDX is outdated — there’s no way, after all, that you can compete with the giants of MLS.

    Still, at Carrot, we believe IDX is a must for serious real estate agents. And that isn’t just an opinion built on smoke and mirrors.

    Here are four specific reasons why the best real estate websites for agents have IDX integration and tend to perform better than the competition.

    1. Prospects Stay Where You Want Them — On Your Website

    Property listings are the foundation of your real estate business and ultimately, you want people who visit your website to work with you. With the most accurate property data and photos, your IDX can cover 99% of MLS listings.

    But, of course, the story doesn’t start there. Most people, for instance, start by educating themselves on the house-buying process. Then, they might look at some listings to get an idea of what price-point they can afford.

    Eventually, they’ll start seeking out an agent to work with.

    There’s no better place for them to be during that entire process than on your website.

    Unfortunately, you have very little time to grab and keep their attention. One study by the Nielsen Norman Group found that most internet users stay on a website for less than 59 seconds.

    That’s not very long.

    Why do people leave so quickly, though? Well, in the words of Cody Ray Miller over at The Daily Egg, one of the main reasons is that “Users leave your site when they don’t get what they expect.”

    Imagine if you were looking to buy a house and stumbled upon a website that didn’t have listings.

    What would you do? Would you stick around and see what this website has to offer?

    No. You wouldn’t. You’d leave within the first few seconds of arriving.

    The point is, when people visit your website, they naturally expect certain things. If you don’t give them what they expect, they’ll bounce.

    What, though, do visitors to your real estate agent website expect to see?

    A few things.

    Visitors expect to see…

    1. An agent bio of who you are and why you’re fantastic.
    2. A clear CTA for how they can get in contact with you.
    3. Social proof (testimonials, case studies, and reviews) of why they should work with you.
    4. House listings.

    Think about it. What’s the first thing you would do on this website?

    real estate websites with idx roseburg oregon example

    First, you’d view the featured listings a bit down the page.

    idx featured listings

    If you saw something you liked, then you’d probably look into it more. If you didn’t, then you’d likely go to the search bar, enter the information, and click “Search.”

    real estate agent website builder with idx

    Which would then bring up something like this.

    realtor websites with idx

    Or maybe you’d first spend a bit of time learning about the realtor, only after that diving into the listings on their website.

    Either way, house listings tug on the visitor’s attention and encourage them to spend more time on your website.

    And that’s a good thing.

    After analyzing 948,286 visitors to our Carrot member websites over a three-month period, a compelling fact revealed itself: the longer someone spends on your website, the higher chance that they’re going to convert.

    The average session duration of converters was 6:39 and the average session duration of non-converters was only 1:25 — a whopping 471% difference.

    Still, most people leave a website in just under a minute. Unfortunately, that doesn’t give them much time to convert.

    So how does IDX integration help solve this dilemma?

    With real estate listings on your website, people spend more time browsing and less time bouncing, increasing the chance that they’ll become a paying customers.

    It’s not a complete solution. But it’s a simple strategy for keeping visitors right where you want them — on your website.

    Plus, visitors expect to see house listings on your real estate agent website. You don’t want to disappoint them.

    2. You Can Quickly Promote Remarkable Listings

    Maybe you’ve already noticed, but not all IDX plugin solutions are equal.

    Some real estate IDX providers allow you to “list” — if you can call it that — houses on your website… except that the listings aren’t really on your website.

    Instead, with these low-level tools, the IDX integration sends people to another MLS site to view the listing — which, of course, kind of defeats the purpose of IDX in the first place.

    Ideally, you want to use an IDX integration tool for your website that has the following four features.

    1. Visitors should be able to search natively on your website for house listings in your area of operation.
    2. Visitors should be able to view each house listing on your own domain as an individual page, rather than traveling to a 3rd party listing website.
    3. The entire experience should be seamless. You don’t want visitors to feel like their viewing someone else’s listings, photos, and house descriptions on your website. You want them to feel as though each listing is unique to your business.
    4. You should be able to easily choose properties to feature on your website using the IDX integration.

    Carrot’s real estate agent websites with IDX include all of the above features. That way, you never fall behind the competition.

    And on the fourth point, no house sells like a featured house.

    Here’s an example of what this can look like when you’re able to easily choose featured properties from your IDX integration for the front page of your website.

    real estate agent website idx feed

    More than likely, you’re busy enough contacting prospects, answering questions, and meeting with customers to show them houses. Frankly, you don’t always have the time to create a listing on your own.

    With IDX integration, you can simply choose a website to feature and, in just a few clicks, that property is on your front page.

    If nothing else, IDX saves you time.

    But, of course, time is money.

    Pro-tip: When choosing featured properties for the front page of your website, try featuring some of your most expensive properties. That way, people see those first and then perceive other high-priced listings as less expensive (because they see the price relative to the featured houses they saw). In sales, this is called the contrast principle.

    3. Each Listing Gives You Another Opportunity To Rank Your Real Estate Website In Google

    With high-quality IDX integration on your website, each house listing becomes a new page.

    And each page, as you probably know, becomes another chance to rank in Google.

    However, I know what you’re thinking: “There’s no way I can compete with Zillow and Realtor.com in search engines!”

    Related Content: How To Beat Zillow in Google With Your Real Estate Agent Website – Case Study + Guide

    You’re right. There’s no way you can.

    But, there’s another benefit to having those SEO-ready houses on your website beyond just trying to beat Zillow and Realtor.com.

    Namely, when people search Google for your real estate name and an address, you’ll show up.

    Like this, for example.

    google search for real estate websites

    Why would they ever do that, though?

    Let’s imagine that there’s a certain prospect named Joe. From his friends, Joe has heard some really great things about you and he’d like to work with you in the future. But you don’t know this yet because Joe hasn’t contacted you.

    One day, Joe drives by a house for sale that he really likes and he wants to see the inside of — or, at least, some pictures.

    Since he knows about you and he knows about the house listing, he types in “4000 Awesome Avenue [your real estate business].”

    Whose website comes up?

    That’s right. Yours!

    Joe clicks the result, views the house, decides he wants a tour and gives you a call.

    If Joe had viewed the house on Zillow or Realtor.com — if he hadn’t arrived at your website first — then he might have seen an ad for another realtor and chosen to contact them out of convenience.

    And the realtor who gets the first contact usually wins the prospect.

    In other words, IDX integration allows you to attract prospects that you might not even know you had. Sure, this type of prospect might be few and far between — but each client can generate tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars for your business.

    You don’t want to lose that much money because your website didn’t show up when someone typed in your name and an address into Google.

    4. You Can Send More Personalized Follow-up Emails with IDX

    What if you knew that person’s desired price point, number of bedrooms, and square footage for each person to visit your website?

    How would that kind of immediate information change your marketing strategy?

    For one, you’d probably send increasingly personal listing updates and recommendation emails to your prospects.

    Which is a good idea. The click-through rate on personalized emails is 14% higher — and conversions, 10% higher — than their impersonal counterparts.

    And, generally speaking, personalized emails also have six times higher transaction rates.

    But that dream of knowing your website visitors by house preferences is just… well, it’s just a dream, right?

    Wrong. At least, not if you use IDX.

    With some IDX services on your website and Google Analytics, you can track visitors’ listings and even exactly what they search for.

    In fact, one real estate website tried to capture my email like this when I searched for a property on it.

    real estate website listing tracker

    Then, you can either set up an automatic and personalized email update system to contact prospects with relevant house listings. Or you can do so manually.

    Either way, you’re now contacting prospects with things they care about rather than trying to shotgun blast one (or several) listings to loads of people who may or may not be interested.

    Of course, this isn’t a new strategy. Many real estate agents do this. Here’s one real estate email script, for instance.

    Hi Cindy,

    I noticed you recently registered for e-Alerts on my website. I’m glad you signed up as this is the quickest way to receive up-to-date information on listings in your area. Since our website is refreshed every hour on the hour you will be the first to know when a home that fits your preferences hits the market.

    Over the past 7 years, I have worked in the area selling homes and helping buyers find the perfect property. Buying a home is an exciting time and I am here to help you navigate through the process. Below I have linked to one of my blog posts about preparing to buy a home and how it is different this year over the others.

    Have a lovely day,

    Annie Agent

    IDX just makes doing this a whole lot easier and more streamlined than it would be otherwise.

    Conclusion

    If there’s one thing that visitors to your website are expecting to find, it’s house listings.

    You’re a real estate agent, after all. People go to your website to learn about your business and view houses. That’s pretty much it.

    You need to let them do both of those things as quickly as possible.

    Now, you understand how IDX can help and you understand why you need a real estate agent website builder that includes IDX integration.

    Namely, because, with IDX integration, prospects stay on your website longer, you can easily promote featured properties on your front page, each listing helps you rank in Google, and you can send more personalized email updates to prospects.

    However, some online critics believe differently — that real estate agent websites with IDX have an unnecessary crutch.

    What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

  • The Importance of Excellent Real Estate Agent Bios + 9 Examples

    The Importance of Excellent Real Estate Agent Bios + 9 Examples

    The Importance of Excellent Real Estate Agent Bios + 9 Examples

    Ready to learn how to write a killer real estate agent bio?

    You’re lucky because we are going over the steps from start to finish.

    A well-crafted and compelling agent profile can be an invaluable asset when it comes time for clients or potential buyers to research their next property investment.

    Write with energy and creativity!

    Why Should You Perfect Your Real Estate Agent Bio?

    Anyone looking to buy or sell their house wants to know they will work with a real estate agent they can trust.

    They want to know that the agent they choose has their best interest in mind, will negotiate the best price possible, understands their market, and has a healthy track record of buying and selling homes.

    Without that – without trust – the prospect will never work with you.

    And since 70% of buyers and 75% of sellers find their real estate agent by searching the web, it makes sense that your real estate agent bio is vital to growing your business and converting website leads into clients.

    Your real estate agent bio is where website visitors go to decide if they will work with you.

    Seem like a tall order?

    Well, it is.

    But crafting a real estate agent bio that builds trust and credibility and resonates with your target market isn’t as tricky. It’s just six steps.

    Here are those steps – each with pertinent examples to illustrate my point.


    5 Free Agent Bio Templates

    Grab 5 free real estate agent bio templates + examples for your agent website.

    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.


    How to Write a Winning Real Estate Agent Bio with Examples

    Step #1: Understand your market

    This might upset you…

    But one of the worst things you can do with your real estate agent bio is to copy and paste one of those short personal bio samples online with your name and data plugged into the blanks.

    The problem is that every market is different. Your market is different from the market that that free template you found online was created for. You need to create a bio (pic and copy) that resonates with your market, not someone else’s.

    And who knows your market better than, well, you?

    To get a better understanding of what I mean, read through this bio from Irene Dazzan-Palmer:

    “For nearly 30 years, Irene Dazzan-Palmer has been hailed as ‘the queen of coastal real estate.’ A consistent top producer in Coldwell Banker’s Malibu Colony office and an Estates Director for Coldwell Banker Previews International, she has amassed nearly $2 billion in career sales and a history of selling some of the nation’s most significant coastal homes alongside her partner and son, Sandro Dazzan.

    These achievements have helped Irene earn a prestigious membership in the Society of Excellence, Coldwell Banker’s highest honor for the top 1% real estate agents nationwide. Irene’s record listings and sales have been the subject of international attention over the last three decades and span from Forbes and the Wall Street Journal to the Los Angeles Times.

    She has also been widely recognized in the media as a luxury real estate authority, appearing in national television broadcasts such as NBC’s ‘Today Show’ and prestigious publications like Los Angeles magazine.”

    Irene has a niché, and she knows what it is. She isn’t afraid to exclude people uninterested in her niché. By doing so, she speaks directly to her market and resonates with those interested in high-ticket coastal homes.

    So how do you write an amazing bio?

    Don’t be a generalist.

    Find your niché and represent it with confidence in your real estate bio. Here is another example of an agent who understands her market: Leslie Woods.

    real estate agent bio example

    (Image Source)

    “Representing Mid-Peninsula homeowners and future homeowners, Leslie is committed to listening to her clients’ needs and utilizing her keen negotiating skills to ensure a successful transaction.

    Raised on the Peninsula, Leslie understands the numerous intangible benefits of living in Silicon Valley, with its unmatched weather, culture, and diversity. Leslie graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science and Nutrition and subsequently returned to the Bay Area to excel in pharmaceutical sales with Wyeth Laboratories for over ten years. She joined the Real Estate profession as her three children approached their middle school and high school years.

    In the past eight years, Leslie has become an esteemed realtor, highly regarded by her clients and professionals in the field. A current Menlo Park resident, she is well-connected and actively involved in the community. Her contacts and life-long residency leverage her enthusiasm and expertise, enhancing her client dedication.

    Leslie showcases her homes on her website and utilizes a team of professional service providers to assist with her clients’ buying and selling needs, including stagers, painters, designers, handymen, and inspectors. She is communicative, thorough, and detail-oriented — and she’ll be alongside you every step of the way.”

    Speaking to the middle- to high-class homebuyers, Leslie puts herself in the marketing pit of “representing Mid-Peninsula.” Not a wrong move since that is the exact market she operates in.

    The point is, that you want to speak directly to your market. Here’s a list of questions to get you thinking about who your market is (Hint: it’s not necessarily the same as other real estate agents in your area):

    • Do you serve first-time homebuyers or people who’ve bought several homes before?
    • Do you prefer working with buyers or sellers?
    • What price point do you want to target?
    • What market area do you want to focus on selling homes in?
    • Is your market primarily liberal or conservative?
    • How old are the people in your market, generally speaking?
    • Do you serve males or females or both?

    You don’t necessarily have to answer all these questions about your market, but the better you understand the people you’re serving, the more your new real estate agent bio will resonate with them.

    This leads us to step 2…

    Step #2: Make a list of your market’s primary objections

    One of the best ways to get your new real estate agent bio converting website visitors (or at least getting them to call you on the phone) is to make sure your bio addresses all the big objections they have swimming around in their heads.

    What are they worried about with buying or selling a home? What concerns do they have about choosing a real estate agent? What might they be worried about when considering working with you?

    The answer to those questions should be addressed in your bio.

    Ease their fears and explain why you’re the perfect person to help them through their specific challenges.

    (Again, you can only answer the above questions if you understand your market well)

    For instance, many buyers and sellers have one objection: how well you – the real estate agent – know the area. How familiar are you with the market, and are you the best expert for their needs?

    Here’s how Elizabeth Putnam addresses that objection in her bio

    “As an Asheville native, I witnessed its great transformation – from a boarded up and desolate downtown into a bustling metropolitan city that retains its small-town feel.
    My intimate knowledge of this region, and my experiences of having lived here all of my life, give me enthusiasm and a desire to make my home, your home. Truly, I love Western North Carolina and I love my job!”

    Another common objection from home buyers and sellers is regarding how much experience the real estate agent has or doesn’t have.

    Consider how Cyndie Gawain addresses this objection in her bio:

    “Cyndie Gawain is a dream catcher. She helps new friends catch their dreams of buying and selling a wonderful home. A resident of Dallas for more than 30 years, she has lived and worked in many areas in Dallas-Fort Worth.

    Her business is based on more than 80 percent of referrals from satisfied clients. Most important to Gawain is providing the most excellent service to buyers and sellers in order to earn their trust, referrals, and repeat business.

    Gawain has sold homes in all price ranges from starter homes and high-dollar estate properties to uptown condominiums, ranch properties, and investment properties.

    Clients appreciate her flexibility, low-pressure sales, patience, ability to listen and hear what a client wants, negotiation and analytic skills, and her ability to accurately price and market a home.”

    While many of the objections from different real estate markets overlap, your market’s buyers and sellers might have concerns unique to your area.

    Whatever the case, list all the significant objections your market will have. Use the 80% rule. If 80% of your market has the objection, then diffuse it in your bio.

    Step #3: Make a list of your market’s primary desires

    So how do new real estate agents get leads?

    They paint the picture that their audience is picturing.

    Every home buyer and seller has an image of what they want their agent experience to be like.

    They likely want it to be a smooth experience, one where the agent negotiates vigorously on their behalf and one where they walk away with more money in their pocket (or the keys to their dream home without breaking the bank).

    It’s not enough to understand your market’s fears. You also need to understand your market’s deepest desires.

    Answer this question: What does your market hope to get from working with a real estate agent? 

    What are the most important things to them?

    Once you answer that question, you can make your bio resonate with your market by stroking their desires within the copy.

    Consider, for instance, how Greg Noonan paints a picture for his market of what it’s like to work for him:

    painting a picture with your real estate agent bio

    (Image Source)

    #1 Top-Selling Agent of La Jolla Homes Overall -and #1 La Jolla Listing Agent* Greg Noonan gives you the best chance to succeed in this complicated market with sub-communities varying widely in value.

    As Coastal San Diego’s “Go-To” agent and the consistent leader with a reputation for tenaciously protecting his clients’ interests, Greg is dedicated to serving you with savvy client-focused negotiations and state-of-the-art marketing strategies joining uncompromising integrity as the hallmarks of his service.

    Greg is exceptionally well-respected in La Jolla, not only for his unparalleled professional track record and high ethical standards but for being an honest, hard-working family man who does absolutely everything in his power to ensure his clients’ success and satisfaction.

    Thanks to his loyal clientele, personal referrals, and repeat business form the foundation of Greg’s career. To ensure efficient, complete service for you including cutting edge technology and genuinely caring performance, Greg’s associates have been carefully selected from the very finest agents in the business to form a close-knit “family” offering seamless assistance to you for every aspect of your home purchase or sale.

    Please call Greg anytime without obligation. He is ready to go to work for you today!”

    Write down everything your market wants from experience with their chosen real estate agent. Again, use the 80% rule. If 80% of your market desires it, then mention it in your bio as something you provide.

    Get 5 Free Agent Bio Templates Now

    Grab 5 free real estate agent bio templates + examples for your agent website.

    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    Step #4: Use a bio photo that resonates with your market

    Your bio photo says a lot about who you are and what service you provide.

    Let me show you an example.

    Look at this bio photo from Shane Inman…

    real estate agent bio photo

    And now look at these bio photos(s) from Landon Clements (yes, she’s a real estate agent, and this is from her “About” page, right above her bio).

    real estate agent bio photos

    (Image Source)

    The first picture communicates professionalism, expertise, and seriousness. The second is fun, inspiring, and at least a little dreamy.

    Here’s the thing, though: both of these are perfectly fine.

    There’s no cookie-cutter way to take a perfect real estate agent photo.

    It’s all about what your market wants and expects.

    For instance, if you’re serving first-time homebuyers, you probably want to use a friendly and approachable bio picture. But a more professional vibe might be better if you’re serving multi-millionaires.

    Once you know your market and who you’re serving, you can take the perfect bio photo for your market. Should it be friendly? Should it be serious? Should it be professional? Should it be flippant?

    That’s a question only your market can answer.

    What does your market want?

    Step #5: Write a bio description that resonates with your market

    Now that you understand your market – from steps 1-3 – you can write a bio that resonates with that market’s desires and addresses that market’s objections.

    We’ve already touched on this a few times within the article, so rather than beat a dead horse, I’ll show you a few more examples of real estate agent bios that do a wonderful job of keeping their market in mind:

    Aaron Kirman Real Estate

    (Image Source)

    “Aaron Kirman, President of the International Estates Division of Pacific Union International is one of the leading real estate agents in the USA and has repeatedly been named Top Agent in Los Angeles. With over $4.5 Billion in sales, Kirman represents the finest estates across the globe and was ranked #5 in the U.S by the Wall Street Journal. He has an extensive client base featuring those who seek the luxury lifestyle including heads of industry, celebrities, royalty, major lending institutions, and foreign investors.

    As a prominent figure in the luxury real estate market, Aaron has received International acclaim for record-setting sales across Los Angeles. Aaron has crafted his career from representing the most prominent Architectural and Luxury Estate communities across the globe as well as representing the most exclusive residences owned by some of the world’s most rich and famous…”

    Here is a fantastic bio addressing her market (albeit a very different market than Aaron’s); here’s part of Shemeika Fox’s bio…

    Shemeika Fox

    “Shemeika Fox: Realtor/Owner Exceptional Service… All of the Time!

    With a fresh and unique approach to real estate, Shemeika is incorporating 21st-century digital marketing strategies, used by fortune 500 companies, to enhance the real estate experience for her buyers and sellers alike. She’s a social media marketing guru, constantly showing up where buyers and sellers are, educating them with her amazing video content. “The market is forever changing and I want to make sure that I am ahead of the change, always evolving, using cutting edge techniques, and constantly being a student of my craft.”

    Shemeika works with sellers, buyers, and investors and is known for her quality service and stellar reputation, ensuring great experiences for every client she represents. For sellers, Shemeika spends thousands of marketing dollars to showcase her clients’ homes properly. “I don’t just put your home on the MLS and hope that it sells…I can create the sale through my own digital marketing!” With professional photographers, stagers, videographers, virtual tours, single property websites, and intricate advertising techniques, Shemeika prides herself at getting her sellers multiple offers at top dollar, usually resulting in less time on the market than her competition. Her social media presence reaches tens of thousands of Santa Cruz County locals and beyond every single week.

    As for buyers, being a CMNE (Certified Master Negotiating Expert) plays a huge role in how Shemeika Fox goes to bat for her buyers. She writes her contracts with the expectation of getting the absolute best price with the best terms. She educates her buyers, helping them through every phase of the transaction, making sure that they have the proper budget, adequate financing, understanding each aspect of the payment and loan, and how to look for the best property to suit their needs. With earning her clients’ trust and respect, Shemeika continuously builds her real estate career on referrals and repeat business. “It’s about finding a REALTOR you trust to manage and/or secure your largest asset.”

    Step #6: Get feedback from people within your market

    Wondering if your bio is as good as it could be?

    Well, the only people who’ll have the answer to that question are your market. So get out there and ask some of them (ideally, people you trust will be honest with you) what they think.

    Does it resonate with them? What objections might they still have after reading it? What would keep them from calling you after reading it? Was it inspiring enough? Did it speak to their desires and the things they would want to get from working with a real estate agent?

    Don’t spend forever on this step, though. Get your bio as well as possible, set a deadline, and hit the publish button.

    One thing is for sure: your bio won’t do any good sitting in a Windows Doc somewhere.

    FREE Real Estate Bio Template

    Hi, I’m [name], and I work with [your target audience] in [markets you serve] who [what your target audience typically wants or needs].

    I’ve been a Real Estate Agent for [number] years and have helped over [number] families to date.

    One of the best compliments I’ve ever received from a client was: [“amazing testimonial goes here”].

    I love helping members of my community to [describe the results that you’ve helped clients get]. It’s what makes me jump out of bed each morning!

    If you’re looking for a Real Estate Agent who [describes what your target audience typically seeks], then I’d love to work with you!

    I’ve [list 2-3 of your most impressive credentials].

    When I’m not helping people, I can be found [list 2-3 hobbies or passions such as volunteer work].

    If you’d like to learn more about how we can work together, please call or text me anytime! .

    It would be an honor to work with you!

    Conclusion

    What your real estate agent bio says, how it says it, and who it’s crafted to speak to are all very important.

    This is why getting it right the first time is so important.

    How do you do it?

    By knowing your market and by speaking directly to them.

    You can use the above steps to write a real estate agent bio that resonates with your specific market – addresses their specific objections, and speaks to their specific desires.

    Once you do, your ideal market won’t have any choice but to work with you… because you’re the perfect fit. For more resources and real estate marketing materials, click on the link!

  • Top 12 Real Estate Investor Website Templates (+ Tips & Tools)

    Top 12 Real Estate Investor Website Templates (+ Tips & Tools)

    In today’s competitive market, the impact of underperforming real estate investor websites cannot be underestimated. The consequences of such websites can result in substantial financial losses, potentially costing you thousands of dollars in missed investment opportunities.

    This is precisely why using a high-performing real estate investor website template is crucial and demands immediate attention. With so much at stake, there has never been a more pressing time to prioritize the effectiveness of your online presence.

    A high-performance website gives your business more visibility, authority, and credibility to persuade people to work with you.

    If you’re like the majority, most of your marketing has been offline – bandit signs, direct mail, cold calling, driving-for-dollars, and maybe even door-knocking.

    But now you’re considering getting a real estate investor website because other investors are seeing excellent lead generation results on their website, and you want a piece of the pie.

    However, there’s much to consider when building your websites to find investment properties online.

    Conversion optimization, SEO, content and messaging, and backend coding are just a few things to consider.

    With all these factors in mind, you must start your real estate investor website journey with the right partner that will set you up with the tools and expertise for success.

    Why Real Estate Investor Website Templates Can Impact Your Business – Especially in Today’s Real Estate Market

    Don’t get me wrong – offline real estate marketing methods are still powerful today. Direct mail, bandit signs, and cold calling can work wonders in the right hands and market.

    But. that doesn’t mean you should limit your marketing strategies exclusively to offline tactics.

    In particular, here are some reasons all real estate investors need a website.

    1 – Online marketing will save you time and money during the lead-generation process.

    2 – SEO leads (Search Engine Optimization) tend to be higher quality because they’re inbound leads – which is a cute way of saying that prospects come looking for you rather than you looking for them.

    Our data show organic leads convert 2x-3x better…

    Carrot member organic leads august 2021-august 2022

    3 – Online and offline marketing strategies work best together. Our highest-performing Carrot members use both in harmony rather than in exclusion.

    4 – Build your online and offline credibility. It would be best if you separated yourself from the clutter. Having a high-performance, personally optimized website can get you there.

    So, now you know why you need a real estate investor website.

    But you’re new to online and inbound marketing with a website and don’t know where to start…

    Good news! You’re in the right spot to learn everything you should consider when building your real estate investor website. Let’s continue…

    Real Estate Investor Websites | What's Important?

    What Website Options Do Real Estate Investors Have?

    Now, you’re probably asking yourself questions like, “Should I…

    1. Buy a website template?
    2. Design my website from scratch?
    3. Use or purchase a service?

    Those are great options, and your mind is on the right track! It all depends on your goals, your budget, and how much flexibility you want with your real estate investing website.

    Option 1: Real Estate Website Templates

    The definition of a template can vary drastically. At Carrot, a “real estate investor website template” is split into two parts:

    1. Your site type – Your investor strategy focus and the type of leads you want to attract (motivated sellers, cash buyers, etc.).
    2. Your template – Your website’s structure and design (images, videos, testimonials, etc.)

    You might be worried that you will look the same as everyone else by having a site focused primarily on conversion performance and design secondary. Yet the truth is that by focusing on conversion, your site will end up standing apart from the rest, unique to your brand. Conversion and design go hand in hand.

    Real estate website templates are great because you can still customize your website, but the back-end design is already done for you.

    Often, templates come with your hosting accounts. The first website I built for my real estate business was from a basic template from our host company.

    You can now find templates or WordPress themes that give you a look and feel to start with your website. You can buy these from the price of “free” (free is all relative – read below for my thoughts on that) to a couple of hundred dollars.

    A template gets you a jumpstart, but you’ll need to dive in and build the site content, structure, lead generation pieces, and SEO and conversion testing from scratch.

    These are great for someone who:

    • have zero to little (under $20) money to invest in their website,
    • have more time than they do money,
    • who has some technical knowledge (or is willing to learn basic HTML and image editing and learn the ins and outs of basic search engine optimization)?

    If you buy a website template, it’s just a template. Here are the pros and cons.

    Pros:

    • Cheap. You can get into a real estate investing website template pretty cheap regarding out-of-pocket expenses, under $100 usually.
    • If you are a technical person or are willing to invest time in learning how to build a website, this can be a great place to start.

    Cons:

    • After you get a “template” or WordPress theme… you have to invest time into building the content, structuring the site, and hiring a web and graphics guy to help you finish things. Then you must maintain the site and files on your server each month to ensure it’s up-to-date and secure from hackers.
    • “Cheap” doesn’t always mean low cost. Whenever we go into a new project, we always ask questions… “How much money does this cost? And how much time and effort will it cost us to get it where we need it?” Too many people only consider how much money they’re paying and forget to value their time. Often these template routes cost you more than hiring it out or using a service that does it for you.
    • The most significant part of determining an effective real estate investing website isn’t necessarily how it looks. It’s how it’s structured, the words on the site, and the strategy behind search engines optimizing the site for your keywords. Many templates look pretty but don’t deliver when it comes to results.

    Option 2: Create a Website From Scratch

    Ok, there’s always the option of hiring a web designer and having them design a website for your real estate business from scratch. To design the prototype, they can use the mockup generator they prefer and seek your approval for the final result.

    This is an option that many big players in the real estate game choose (by big players, I mean companies that do multiple million-dollar transactions per year… up to institutional investors). Is this the best route for you?

    If you want 100% control over every detail of your website from start to finish and want custom elements that you can’t find in pre-made websites… then you’ll want to go the custom real estate investor website route.

    However, you’ll need a consistent budget for hiring a developer and designer to upload new content, make relevant changes, and consistently A/B test your conversion rate. Naturally, that’s going to be a big budget.

    real estate investing website split test ideas
    Real estate investors split test data.

    Pros:  

    • You get everything you want, exactly as you want it (so long as you can find a solid web designer who knows what they’re doing.)
    • Custom means custom… you build it from the ground up with your web guy.
    • You can have custom elements or functionality that most real estate investor website templates don’t offer.
    • Your site will look 100% unique. i.e., no one else will have a site exactly like yours.

    Cons: 

    • Hiring a web designer who knows what they’re doing can be expensive. You probably won’t get a quality custom design that will be search engine optimized, look good, and be designed to convert your visitors to leads for under $5k.
    • If you don’t accurately communicate precisely what you want to the quality web designer, you can have a vast bill to continually tweak and fix the site until it’s what you want.
    • You’ll have to pay more as technology improves to redo your website to get it up “in the times.”

    We did this for our own business because we couldn’t find anything on the market that would do what we wanted — look clean, crisp, professional, and work to generate leads. So we paid a web developer about $7k to build it from scratch for over 18 months.

    That soon became the first REItheme (Carrot’s old name) platform. Because we saw options didn’t move us, we felt we had a better solution we’d love to share with investors like you.

    The same thing happened to Carrot member Carter Steph.

    He didn’t realize his “pretty” $8k+ custom website cost him $200k/yr in lost profits.

    custom vs. Carrot real estate investor website

    Related Reading: Carrot Vs. Other Website Builders For Real Estate Investors: An Honest Comparison

    Option 3: Real Estate Investor Website Platforms & Services

    This option is a hybrid between a template and a custom-designed website. There are a handful of credible options in the market — all have different pros and cons — many are not so good, but a few are solid, and they can be an excellent way to get your real estate investor website up.

    And they aren’t just great because you get your website started, but because these services continue to support your website with SEO, security, conversion testing, and support.

    So long as your website exists, these services will give you the support and resources you need to succeed.

    As I mentioned above, a website template is where you buy just the HTML files (or WordPress theme), then you’re left to fend for yourself, putting them on your server, doing the updates and customization yourself, etc.

    Suppose you don’t want to do all that work but don’t have the budget for a custom website design. In that case, you’ll want to sign up for a service with pre-built websites for real estate investors and other fancy features, and you’ll pay either an upfront fee and hosting or just a monthly fee to access the service.

    Take Carrot’s Visual Editor as an example. After picking your site type and template, you can customize everything to your liking using our simple and intuitive drag-and-drop editing capabilities.

    Not the most creative type? Then maybe checking out our Concierge Setup services would be the best route for you. Here you’ll work with our highly capable Professional Services team build-out.

    Carrot visual editor
    Carrot Visual Editor

    For many of you, this option will make the most sense. It’s relatively inexpensive and has most of the benefits of a custom-designed website and template.

    Here are all the pros and cons.

    Pros:

    • Depending on the service you sign up for, you can get websites that look custom and let you customize many of the site elements easily. Just make sure you look for a service that gives you 100% control over how the site looks and your content quickly.
    • It may include other features that would cost you thousands to build yourself. Like email marketing systems, squeeze pages, search engine optimized pages (this one is tricky, our real estate investor website system does get excellent search engine results… many systems say they’re SEO’d… but rarely show up in search rankings for their customers. Do your research)
    • The service usually maintains the websites on their servers, saving you money and time and putting the technical stuff in the hands of the techie guys and gals who like that stuff (and are good at it). This helps you, so you don’t have to worry about hackers, your site code going out of date, etc.)
    • You can usually set up your websites quickly… the same day or within a couple of days for most services.
    • Website services also allow you to gather traffic data from sources such as Google Analytics or custom dashboards to make more informed changes to your website.
    • Full-service website builders can also offer custom blog posts, CRMs, training courses, strategy calls, and multiple design templates and are constantly testing and innovating their products.
    • You won’t need to worry about adding plug-ins and potentially messing up your site. Most real estate website providers use custom plug-ins that add value to your website and eliminate the risk of “breaking” your site.
    • They can also offer templates such as cash buyer websites to list and sell properties faster, rent-to-own tenants websites to fill your rent-to-own / lease-purchase houses faster, land buyer or land seller sites, plus many more options.
    • Social media integrations. Most services make it easy to post a blog post to Facebook with a simple button click.
    • Websites are mobile-friendly. Sites don’t just look good on mobile. They consistently need to drive more leads and conversions. This is extremely important. Over 64% of Carrot member leads come from mobile devices.

    Cons:

    • A monthly (or annual) fee is usually associated with services like this.  They can range from $25/mo – $200/mo+ depending on the number of websites and features. But, you need to decide whether the time it saves you, its features, etc., will help you save enough time to offset the cost… or do enough extra deals to pay for the service. Usually, one deal can pay for the service for a lifetime.
    • Most services that offer real estate investor websites were built 5+ years ago, look like a 10-year-old made them in his basement, and won’t let you customize your website’s look and feel… or content very easily. Make sure you research to see how easily you can customize your websites and how much you can customize (without paying extra) before diving in.

    Top 12 Real Estate Investor Website Templates for 2025

    You’re an investor, not a web developer. 

    So, where will you find great user-friendly software to build a high-converting website? Fortunately, you’ve got a lot of options. 

    And we’ve laid them all out for you below… starting with our software explicitly designed to help real estate investors grow their businesses. 

    So, what is the best website builder for real estate investors? Dive in!

    1. Carrot

    At Carrot, our mission is to enable real estate professionals with a high-performing website that acts as a Lead Generation Hub.

    Carrot websites are optimized for Google Core Web Vitals, page speed, and SEO best practices.

    But you don’t have to take our word for it. 

    Check out these Carrot reviews

    Carrot reviews
    Carrot Reviews

    We also have data to back it up.

    On average, 7x higher lead to deal conversion AND $13,930.15 in EXTRA profit per deal.

    Carrot member lead to deal conversion rate

    Leads that come through a Carrot site convert 7x better and are 2.5x more profitable than non-Carrot leads (learn why over here). 

    Our tech stack outperformed WordPress, GoDaddy, Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace in a third-party test

    Carrot real estate websites Google page speed score

    We live all of our core values. When it comes to the success of our members… Adapt, Evolve, & Always Improve and Add Humanity To Business… are never taken lightly.

    We’re constantly staying ahead of influences impacting lead generation, from creating new lead generation templates to staying ahead of Google’s algorithm updates to testing, testing, testing. We’re always finding new and innovative ways to increase the performance of our members’ websites.

    Carrot Websites Hero Test Results = Increase Conversion Rates on Mobile Devices
    Carrot Websites Hero Test Results = Increased Conversion Rates on Mobile Devices

    If you want to compare Carrot to some of the other options, check out our guide here or keep reading. 

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that a Standard Carrot Subscription comes with:

    • High-Converting Website
    • Carrot Lead Manager
    • 3 Campaign Tracking Links // to help you track how well your marketing channels are doing
    • 3 Keywords to track // to help you track how well your target search terms are performing
    • Basic website analytics
    • Visual Editor and Landing Page Builder
    • Chat and Email Support

    The SEO Tools add-on will help you research, plan, and executive effective SEO and SEM:

    • Keyword Rank Tracker // track 25 keywords in your Carrot dashboard
    • SEO Dashboard // the most important SEO data at your fingertips to help you might the right adjustments to your strategy
    • On-page SEO recommendations // to help you make faster, better decisions in SEO

    The Content Tools add-on will unleash AI and Automation to save you time when scaling your content marketing.

    • Automated Content Library // to help you Build Authority in your market through content
    • VideoPost // transcribe your videos into Authority-Building content
    • AI Rewrite Tool // rewrite your content to help you create content faster and stand out in your market
    • Niche Authority Builder // launch multiple Authority-Building blogs on a single niche per month
    • 25 Auto-Location pages // scale your SEO lead gen by creating location pages for your surrounding markets

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Standard Website Subscription: $89/mo
    • Add-ons range from $29 to $69 per month

    Example

    Here’s a brief look at some of our member sites. They’re a testament that not “all Carrot sites look the same.”

    Carrot real estate investor website examples

    These are only a fraction of the 7000+ members we have at Carrot. Learn more by taking a free demo.

    2. Squarespace

    Website Description

    You can choose from a set of “best-in-class” website templates—customizable designs to fit personal style and needs. Every Squarespace website has integrated features and useful guides that help maximize prominence among search results.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this website builder offer… 

    • Websites
    • Marketing Features
    • Analytics
    • Templates

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Personal – $14 Per Month
    • Business – $23 Per Month
    • Commerce – $27 Per Month
    • Advanced – $49 Per Month

    Example

    Here’s an example of the website builder’s templates… 

    Squarespace for real estate investors

    3. Duda

    Website Description

    With Duda, you can quickly create sites without compromising creativity. Keep your brand front and center with your prospects by applying your logo, colors, and style to our platform. Flexible drag & drop templates and sections, with full access to JavaScript, HTML, and CSS if needed.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this website builder offer… 

    • Design Control
    • Site Widgets
    • Widget Builder
    • Templates and Sections
    • Website Personalization
    • Content Library
    • Blog
    • SEO
    • Dynamic Pages

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Basic – $14 Per Month
    • Team – $22 Per Month
    • Agency – $44 Per Month

    Example

    Here’s an example of the website builder’s templates…

    Duda real estate investor websites

    4. Wix

    Website Description

    Wix offers an all-in-one website builder. Just pick a template and customize it. Or, you can answer a few questions and get a free website designed just for you, plus a personalized SEO plan.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this website builder offer… 

    • Templates
    • Design Freedom
    • SEO Tools
    • Mobile-Optimized
    • Unlimited Fonts

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Combo – $14 Per Month
    • Unlimited – $18 Per Month
    • Pro – $23 Per Month
    • VIP – $39 Per Month

    Example

    Although most Wix real estate templates are agent-focused, we’ve known investors use this service. Here’s an example of the website builder’s templates…

    Wix for real estate investor websites

    5. GoDaddy

    Website Description

    Like some “cookie-cutter” website builders, GoDaddy offers many site designs. It’s an all-in-one builder designed to help you grow your business.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this website builder offer… 

    • Email and social media marketing
    • SSL certificate to keep your site secure
    • 24/7 customer support
    • Branded content creation with GoDaddy Studio

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Basic – $6.99 Per Month
    • Standard – $10.49 Per Month
    • Premium – $13.99 Per Month
    • Commerce – $14.99 Per Month

    Example

    Like Wix, GoDaddy offers many real estate templates geared toward agents. Real estate investors will need to adjust the content to fit the industry. Here’s an example of the website builder’s templates…

    GoDaddy designs for real estate investors

    6. WordPress

    Website Description

    The world’s most popular website builder. 43% of the web is built on WordPress. More bloggers, small businesses, and Fortune 500 companies use WordPress, a low code platform, than all other options combined. It offers thousands of easy‑to‑install add‑ons. Collect leads, create contact forms, automatically backup your site, and more.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this website builder offer… 

    • Themes
    • Mobile-Friendly
    • Plugins
    • Everything You Need to Build a Website

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Personal – $4 Per Month
    • Premium – $8 Per Month
    • Business – $25 Per Month
    • eCommerce – $45 Per Month

    Example

    Here’s an example of the website builder’s templates…

    WordPress sites for real estate investing

    7. REI Blackbook

    Website Description

    REI Blackbook offers many tools to grow your real estate investing business. You can build a sales system with their all-in-one marketing and sales tool kit.

    Their CRM is built to work with your front-end marketing and sales tools, so leads won’t slip through the cracks.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this website builder offer… 

    • Websites
    • Phone System
    • Property Pipeline
    • Marketing Automation
    • Property Marketing

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Solopreneur – $97 Per Month
    • Small Business – $197 Per Month
    • Accelerator – $297 Per Month

    Example

    Here’s an example of the website builder’s templates…

    REI Blackbook real estate investor websites

    8. InvestorPro

    Website Description

    InvestorPro websites are designed for investors, specifically for the creative real estate business. Their websites are “foolproof,” so anyone can use them.

    You can create a professional-looking site to attract motivated sellers in no time.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this website builder offer… 

    • Professionally designed and maintained website
    • Fast and Easy Setup
    • Personalized Email Address
    • Leads from highly motivated sellers are sent right to your E-mail box
    • Autoresponder
    • Search Engine Submission
    • Social Media Property Listings
    • “Ask an Expert” pages
    • Pages for attracting money partners
    • Earn Extra Cash page
    • List your properties on your website
    • RSS Feed
    • Advertising Pages
    • Your Own Domain

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Bronze – $39 Per Month
    • Silver – $49 Per Month
    • Gold – $59 Per Month

    Example

    Here’s an example of the website builder’s templates…

    InvestorPro real estate investor websites

    9. LeadPropeller

    Website Description

    LeadPropeller has been a staple in the industry for many years.

    If you have more time than money, a LeadPropeller website can be for you.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this website builder offer… 

    • Free website domain with Whois protection (you own it).
    • Free unlimited custom email addresses.
    • Lightning-fast web hosting.
    • Several beautiful, high-converting templates to choose from.
    • High-converting, SEO-optimized default website content included.
    • A streamlined process so you can have your site live in minutes.
    • Click and change the website editor so you can make edits yourself.
    • Customize the form questions with our form editor.
    • Text notifications when the seller submits a form.
    • Customized text autoresponder.

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Starter – $49 Per Month
    • Professional – $79 Per Month
    • Franchisor – $299 Per Month

    Example

    Here’s an example of the website builder’s templates…

    LeadPropeller real estate investor website builder

    10. REI Leadz

    Website Description

    A newer service in the investor space, REI Leadz claims to “Get A High-Converting Real Estate Investor Website – 100% Done-For-You.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this website builder offer… 

    • No Monthly Fees
    • Email Notifications
    • SEO Tool
    • Lead Storage
    • Complete Control
    • Suite of Integrations

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Pro Package – $197 one-time
    • Custom Build – $500+

    Example

    Here’s an example of the website builder’s templates…

    REI Leadz Real Estate Investor websites

    11. Weebly

    Website Description

    You can build a free website that grows with your business. Access customizable webpage designs and useful tools to build your website and grow your business. It’s easy to build a free website to help you get discovered and grow your customer base.

    Features

    Here are some of the main features that this website builder offer… 

    • Builder
    • E-commerce
    • Mobile Apps
    • Photos
    • Templates
    • App Center
    • Domain Names
    • SEO

    Pricing

    Here are the website builder’s pricing options… 

    • Free – $0 Per Month
    • Personal – $6 Per Month
    • Professional – $12 Per Month
    • Performance – $26 Per Month

    Example

    Weebly directly doesn’t offer “real estate” templates, but they do have numerous “business” templates to choose from. Here’s an example of the website builder’s templates…

    real estate investor websites using weebly

    12. Minute Pages

    Website Description

    Minute Pages is a recent inbound real estate lead generation platform. 

    The main focus of Minute Pages is to provide a lead generation website in “minutes.” It does that by breaking the process down into actionable steps.

    Features

    • 1 site for the basic plan
    • Visual editor
    • Automated blog library
    • SSL certificate
    • Free hosting
    • Live chat
    • Keyword tracking

    Pricing

    • Pro Plan – $49 (1 website)
    • Additional websites can be added for 10-25% discounts the more you need

    Example

    Here’s an example of the website builder’s templates…

    Minute Pages real estate investor websites

    Real Estate Investor Website Examples

    What does a high-performing real estate investor website look like?

    That’s what we want to share with you here.

    At Carrot, we’ve researched and tested to determine what website design converts best for real estate investors.

    And the easiest way to show you what we’ve found is to show you what our high-converting templates look like. Our templates include the phone number on the front page, simple navigation, and the opt-in CTA as the primary header.

    Carrot real estate investor website hero section

    All those elements working together get more conversions than any other layout we’ve tested (and we’ve tested a lot of different layouts).

    Here’s another example…

    House Full of Cash Website
    The Sierra Group Carrot Website
    real estate investor website example in Portland Oregon

    All of those websites are Carrot sites.

    Notice how different they look, but they all have the same fundamental high-converting elements.

    That’s our goal. To give each of our members a fresh look that makes their brand feel unique while also providing a website that converts traffic into leads.

    Things to Keep in Mind When Searching for a Real Estate Investor Website Template

    Regardless of which option to build your real estate investor website, you should keep these six primary things in mind.

    1. Budget

    How much money do you have in your budget?

    This will have a big impact on which option you choose. If, for instance, you only want to spend between $500 and $1,000, then a well-designed custom site is probably out of the picture (unless you have a friend who’ll do it for less than usual).

    A custom website might be your best bet if you are willing to spend $5,000 to $10,000 and have a consistent relationship with your web developer (or your tech team).

    When it comes to the budget, you must also consider how much time the option you choose will save you. Don’t just consider how much it’ll cost you…

    Consider how much time it’ll save you…

    Find a ratio where the money spent, results received, and time saved work in your favor.

    2. Conversion Optimization

    You could find a WordPress website, pay minimal money, and have your website up and running in the next 5 minutes.

    But you know as well as I that that isn’t what you’re looking for.

    You want a website that drives traffic and generates leads passively. WordPress will give you a website, but they won’t promise much more than that… because they won’t give you much more than that.

    Having a website doesn’t equal being a great online marketer.

    You don’t just need a website. You need a website built to convert visitors who arrive at it at a consistent and promising rate. At Carrot, we specialize in building just those kinds of websites.

    3. Design

    Yes, you want a website that converts visitors and drives results. And you want a website that falls within your budget.

    But… it’d be nice to have a website that looks pretty, too…

    Or at least a website that appropriately expresses that you’re a professional who knows what you’re doing, not some scammer looking for innocents to exploit.

    A WordPress website might get you a nice-looking one, but it won’t be optimized for conversion or SEO. And a custom-built website is just so darn expensive and challenging to maintain.

    Carrot Real estate investor website design

    4. Load Speed

    The faster your website loads, the better the chance people will stick around to see what you offer. With a slow website, though, people will leave before you shout, “Give me a chance!”

    40% of people will leave your website if it doesn’t load in 3 seconds.

    That’s a big chunk of your visitors – almost half!

    How do you know if the website you choose loads fast?

    Well, the easiest way is to go to PageSpeed Insights and test it for free. Or you can get yourself a Carrot website and guarantee fast load speeds. :-)

    real estate website page speed

    5. Search Engine Optimization

    Nothing is as powerful as search engine optimization when driving traffic to your website. This SEO for real estate is the practice of optimizing your website to drive passive traffic through search engine queries (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.).

    And it can be a business-changing strategy for your real estate investor website. By optimizing your website for search engines, you don’t just set yourself up to drive traffic today (like with paid ads), but well into the future.

    So long as you rank in Google, you’ll drive traffic.

    A big part of driving passive traffic to your real estate investor website via SEO is the backend coding of your website and the keyword placement. Most website companies will give you… well, a website.

    At Carrot, though, we give you a primed website that is primed to rank in search engines. This means passive traffic for your website and more revenue for your business.

    6. Features

    What do you want to be able to do with your website? Do you need specific integrations that fit your email service provider or direct mail service?

    Make sure you pick a website builder with all the features you want in a few months.

    With Carrot, for instance, you can do tons of cool stuff. You can add a credibility bar to your website with a few clicks.

    Carrot website credibility bar

    You can change the style of your homepage opt-in form between three different styles, quickly upload your logo and custom brand images, and customize your sales copy as much as you like.

    If you sign up for the Grow plan, we will even provide you with monthly blog content for your website. That means you get more chances to rank in Google (and possibly drive free traffic to your website), which means your website will feel more active to visitors.

    Learn more about Carrot’s features. 

    So, Get Out There and Get Your Real Estate Investor Website Template Rolling!

    All right, now that you know the best options for websites for real estate investors and the things you should consider, it’s time for you to do some research on your own to see what’s right for you.

    Here’s a quick little guide to help you make that decision.

    Pick the one that fits you best.

    1. Technical (can do graphics and some HTML or PHP), have a lot of spare time and have a very low budget (under $100 total). A Template may be a great route for you to go. Google search “real estate investor website templates” to see your options.

    2. Have a hunk of cash (at least $3k – $7k), know exactly what you want and can relay that in detail to a sharp web developer, have found or can find a sharp web designer who has experience (and can show you samples and client testimonials) on website conversion and search engine optimization. If this is you, you may consider building your site from scratch by a web designer.

    3. Want custom features but don’t want to pay thousands, want the ability to customize your site so it can look unique, don’t want to learn the ins and outs of SEO or web design, and would instead piggyback on those who have created systems that do it already.

    They would rather have someone else do the heavy technical work so you can focus on doing deals… you may want to look at website services like Carrot.

    In full disclosure, you’re on the Carrot blog… and we are a company (started by real estate investors) that created a website system because we felt the options out there didn’t meet the needs of real estate investors. But, with that said, we don’t want to “trick” people into going with our service… because we know that our service isn’t suitable for everyone, and frankly, we don’t want to work with everyone.

    We Believe in total transparency – It’s one of our core values.

    So, do your research… find the best solution if it’s Carrot… awesome! If it’s not, fantastic! All we care about is that you find the solution that fits your needs for your real estate investing business.

    And if you have any questions, please throw them in the comments. :-)

  • Strategies to Rank Your Google Business Profile for Real Estate Investors | PRO TIPS & Optimizations

    Strategies to Rank Your Google Business Profile for Real Estate Investors | PRO TIPS & Optimizations

    Google Business Profile PRO TIPS & Optimization for Real Estate Investors 2023

    Want to rank higher on Google EASILY and attract more motivated house seller leads? Today, we delve into the secrets of optimizing your Google Business Profile for real estate investors (FKA Google My Business!)

    In this video post, we’re diving into the treasure trove of knowledge shared during an exclusive, previously live-recorded session at Carrot Summit. Join Keith Sant of SEO Meets REI and Brady Winder of Carrot.com as they unveil the secrets to optimizing your Google My Business profile.

    Google Business Profile for Real Estate Investors

    Unlocking the Power of Google My Business (0:00)

    Picture this: You could swiftly ascend the Google rankings and easily attract motivated house sellers. Keith’s insightful session began with the crucial significance of optimizing your Google Business Profile. This optimization, Keith emphasized, is a direct route to achieving top rankings.

    Use Tracking Links (0:30)

    One of the first optimizations you should do is add a UTM link. With UTMs, you can see how effectively your GBP brings traffic to your website! If you are a Carrot Member, you can use your Campaign Tracking Links to track your conversions by getting the number of clicks and leads from your Google Business Profile.

    An image showing Carrot's Campaign Tracking Links as a way. to track conversions from a Google Business Profile.

    As Keith mentions in the video, “… this Make Appointment button was getting a lot of leads vs. the website button because I was tracking both of them. Tracking using Carrot’s campaign links is super important and very valuable.”

    Carrot members get unlimited Campaign Tracking Links, so don’t be shy about using them to your advantage!

    Consistent N.A.P. (1:39)

    Consistency is the cornerstone of credibility. Keith advocates maintaining a consistent Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP.) across all online platforms. Why? Because trust begins with uniformity in your brand. Your potential customers and search engines are likelier to perceive you as a reliable and legitimate entity.

    Many real estate investors make the mistake of adding keywords to their Google Business Profile name like “XYZ Company – Cash Home Buyers,” but this is a significant mistake. Don’t do that! Your business name is the first and most crucial part of your NAP. So, it needs to be the same everywhere online.

    Physical Locations – A Real Address, A Real Advantage (2:20)

    The allure of a physical address is undeniable. Keith revealed the magic behind having an authentic address rather than relying on a P.O. box or UPS box. A physical address enhances your visibility on Google Maps and elevates your position in local searches.

    TIP: Having an address in a more densely populated area tends to perform better than a town with a lower population, according to Keith Sant.

    What should you do if you are new to real estate investing or working at home? You could use Service Areas instead of a physical address, or you could rent an office in a co-working space – just be sure that your office or suite number is added to your address.

    While Service Areas prevent using NAP, they can still be successful without a physical address.

    County Vs. City – Mastering Your Service Areas (4:47)

    Expanding your service areas? Keith’s got you covered. His expert recommendation is to opt for counties over individual cities. This tactical decision broadens your reach, making you a relevant choice for a broader spectrum of potential searches.

    How does this work? It’s all about incorporated vs. unincorporated addresses. An unincorporated address falls just outside of city limits. So, one way of telling Google that you buy those unincorporated houses is to use counties as your service areas.

    “24/7 Open Hours – Your Gateway to Round-the-Clock Success (7:00)

    Want to supercharge your leads and interactions? Keith introduced an unconventional yet powerful strategy: set your business hours 24/7. Doing so signals your unwavering commitment to serving your clients, resulting in increased engagement and leads.

    Even if you don’t answer the phone after 5 pm, you can still accept form submissions for leads! If you put yourself in your prospect’s shoes, who would you pick to contact if you were reading about selling your house in probate at 7:45 pm on a Sunday? The company that’s closed until tomorrow or the guy that’s open 24/7?

    Posts = Views – Igniting Engagement Through Updates (10:06)

    Do you know the secret to higher impressions and views? After getting a steady supply of reviews, it’s consistent updates. Regularly fuel your Google Business Profile by posting once a week. Each update isn’t just an announcement; it’s a spark that ignites engagement and propels your search ranking upwards.

    You can use very low-cost tools, like Publer, to schedule these posts weeks in advance. You could also outsource the task to your team!

    Optimize “About Us” – Crafting a Compelling Narrative (11:22)

    Your “About Us” section is more than a placeholder. Keith’s advice: seize the opportunity. Fill the full 750 characters with impactful content and relevant keywords. This optimization transforms your narrative into a search engine-friendly beacon.

    But be careful here; changes to your Google Business Profile need to be approved before they are public, and we have seen several examples of investors who try to stuff too many keywords into their “About Us” section, only to get the edit denied by Google.

    Geotag Images – Pioneering Visual Localization (13:49)

    Visuals can speak louder than words, especially in local searches. Keith introduced a simple yet potent strategy: geotag your images using this free tool. This geo-infusion aligns your visuals with local relevance, capturing the attention of potential customers near you.

    TIP: This tactic doesn’t work for your website images because WordPress strips away geo data from the images, but it does work for GBP posts!

    Reviews! – The Pillars of Trust and Credibility (15:00)

    Rave reviews aren’t just testimonials; they’re your stairway to success. Keith accentuated the immense value of garnering reviews and striving for a minimum of 10. With reviews in your arsenal, you elevate your search ranking and construct pillars of trust and credibility.

    If you’re having difficulty generating reviews, try incentivizing people to leave you honest, detailed reviews by mailing them a pre-paid gift card. Trevor suggested that Keith email his clients requesting a review of his Google Business Profile and a mailing address to send the gift card. To Keith’s surprise, most people who left reviews never sent him a mailing address!

    A recent case study by Joy Hawkins and her team suggests that hitting ten reviews on your local listing will result in a ranking boost in Google local results. However, getting more than ten reviews does not help you rank better in Google Maps or the Google Local pack. 

    Joy said, “There does appear to be a ranking boost once a listing has ten reviews. So, it is important for a listing to get a minimum of ten reviews. However, continuing to get more reviews does not yield the same ranking boost.” But reviews are still critical as they build trust and help with conversions, Joy explained.

    The fact that there is a specific number of any kind, such as 10, is very un-Google-like.

    TIP: Be sure to respond to EVERY review your GBP receives promptly – especially negative reviews.

    Enable Messaging – Conversations and Google’s Grace (17:59)

    A final gem was unveiled as the session ended: enable messaging and chat features on your Google Business Profile for real estate. Keith’s wisdom was clear – embracing this engagement channel opens the door to more interactions and even some love from Google.

    While these strategies are helpful, their effectiveness can vary based on individual circumstances and market dynamics.

    Get Started with Google Business Profile for Real Estate Investors Today

    The secrets are out! Carrot Summit unveils the path to Google prominence with exclusive insights from Keith Sant and Carrot’s Brady Winder. Their combined expertise offers you theories and a concrete roadmap to success.

    By implementing these strategies today, you’ll be well-positioned to seize new opportunities, connect with motivated sellers, and dominate the Google Business Profile landscape for Real Estate Investors.

  • NAP – One Simple Thing That Will Make or Break Your SEO

    NAP – One Simple Thing That Will Make or Break Your SEO

    N.A.P. - One Simple Thing That Will Make or Break Your SEO

    If you’re just getting started in SEO, there’s one thing you can’t afford to sleep on! 😉 It’s you’re NAP – Name, address, and phone number!

    We’ll outline why this is critical and provide a few simple steps you can take to ensure the success of your NAP and local SEO efforts.

    Importance of SEO

    Having a strong online presence is paramount for the success of any business, and real estate investors are no exception. As the competition in the home services market continues to grow, leveraging Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become a crucial aspect of any investor’s marketing strategy. SEO is optimizing a website or online content to rank higher in search engine results, attracting more organic traffic and potential clients.

    SEO offers a unique opportunity to reach a targeted audience and gain a competitive edge in their local markets. With prospective buyers, sellers, and homeowners actively searching for services online, appearing on the first page of search engine results has never been more important.

    Purpose of this blog post – How to leverage NAP for better search engine rankings and online visibility

    The primary purpose of this blog post is to equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to harness NAP’s full potential to improve its search engine rankings and online visibility. We will delve into the importance of NAP consistency across various platforms, such as their website, Google My Business, online directories, and other crucial marketing channels.

    Throughout the post, we will explore the strategic implementation of NAP in local SEO, focusing on essential practices and techniques to ensure accurate and consistent NAP data across the web. Following the guidelines and tips, you can strengthen your digital presence, enhance your local relevance, and ultimately attract more leads and clients in your target markets.

    The following sections will provide a comprehensive guide on mastering SEO for home services businesses, including real estate investors using NAP. This guide will empower you to take charge of your online visibility and rise above the competition in the ever-evolving landscape.

    Let’s dive in!

    Table of Contents

    Definition of NAP and Its Components

    NAP, an acronym for Name, Address, and Phone Number, is fundamental in online marketing and local search engine optimization (SEO). Understanding NAP and its components is crucial to building a strong and consistent online presence.

    1. Name: The name represents the official title of your business. It is the primary identifier sellers and search engines use to recognize and distinguish your brand from others. When providing your business name, it’s essential to consistently use the same spelling and formatting across all online platforms and directories.
    2. Address: The address refers to the physical location of your business. This could be your main office address or the address of a specific property you are marketing. Accurate and up-to-date addresses are essential for clients who may want to visit your office or property, and they play a significant role in local SEO.
    3. Phone Number: The phone number is the contact number sellers can use to reach you for inquiries, appointments, or consultations. As a home services business, having a direct and reliable phone number helps establish trust and accessibility for potential clients.

    The Significance of Accurate and Consistent NAP Across Platforms

    Maintaining accurate and consistent NAP across online platforms and directories is important. Here’s why:

    1. Trust and Credibility: Consistent NAP instills trust in potential clients, demonstrating that your business is legitimate, reliable, and committed to providing professional services. Inconsistencies in NAP, such as variations in spelling or address details, can lead to confusion and erode trust.
    2. Search Engine Rankings: Search engines, particularly Google, use NAP data as a critical ranking factor in local search results. When search engines encounter consistent NAP information across multiple platforms, it enhances the credibility of your business, leading to improved local search rankings.
    3. Local Relevance: Targeting specific geographic locations and consistent NAP is essential for local relevance. When your NAP details align with local search queries, search engines are more likely to display your business in relevant local search results, increasing your visibility to potential clients in the area.
    4. Accurate Directory Listings: Many online directories and platforms require businesses to provide NAP information to create accurate listings. Consistency in NAP ensures that your business is accurately represented in these directories, making it easier for clients to find you.

    How Search Engines Use NAP Data to Determine Local Search Rankings

    Search engines, especially Google, place a significant emphasis on local search results for location-specific queries. When users search for opportunities or services in a particular area, search engines use NAP data to verify the legitimacy and relevance of local businesses.

    By cross-referencing NAP details from various online sources, search engines can confirm the existence and consistency of your business. Accurate NAP information strengthens your local SEO strategy, as search engines consider your business a reliable and trustworthy choice for users seeking services in the targeted location.

    Understanding NAP and its components is crucial for businesses looking to establish a strong online presence and improve their local search rankings. Consistency and accuracy in NAP across platforms play a pivotal role in gaining the trust of potential clients and increasing online visibility in the competitive market. Embracing NAP optimization as part of your overall SEO strategy will help you attract more leads and grow your real estate business effectively.

    Local Competition and the Need to Stand Out in Search Results

    As a home services business owner, you know the fierce competition within your local market. Whether buying residential properties, commercial spaces, or managing rental properties, standing out from competitors is essential. Local SEO empowers you to do just that by positioning your business at the top of local search results.

    When potential clients search for services in your area, search engines use various factors, including NAP consistency, to determine which businesses are most relevant to display. If your business is not optimized for local SEO, you may lose valuable leads to competitors who have implemented these strategies effectively.

    Investing in local SEO and ensuring your NAP information is consistent across platforms can help you outperform competitors and attract more clients to your business.

    Leveraging NAP to Target Local Keywords and Capture Local Leads

    One key component of successful local SEO is leveraging NAP to effectively target local keywords. Local keywords are search terms that include specific location-based phrases, such as “real estate investor in [your city]” or “companies that buy houses fast in [your city].”

    When you maintain consistent NAP across your website, Google Business Profile, and various online directories, search engines recognize your business as a relevant result for local search queries. This, in turn, boosts your rankings for relevant local keywords and ensures that your business appears prominently when potential clients are looking for services in your area.

    Furthermore, providing accurate NAP information makes contacting your business easier for local leads. Whether they find your phone number on your website, Google Business Profile, or an online directory, having consistent NAP ensures that they can reach you without any confusion, ultimately increasing the likelihood of converting them into satisfied clients.

    By optimizing your online presence for local searches, you can target a specific audience, outperform competitors, and capture more local leads. As the market evolves, incorporating local SEO strategies into your marketing efforts will pave the way for sustained growth and success in your local market.

    Ensuring Accuracy in Business Name, Address, and Phone Number

    Implementing NAP effectively starts with ensuring the accuracy of your business name, address, and phone number. Inconsistent or incorrect NAP information can confuse potential clients and search engines, negatively impacting local SEO efforts. Here are some key steps to ensure accuracy:

    1. Double-Check Data: Verify that your business name, address, and phone number are correct and up-to-date. Ensure that there are no typos, misspellings, or outdated information.
    2. Consistency Across Platforms: Ensure that your NAP details are consistent across your website, Google My Business, online directories, social media profiles, and any other online platforms where your business is listed.
    3. Local Formatting: Use the local formatting style for your address, including the city, state, and postal code. This helps search engines associate your business with specific geographic areas.

    The Role of a Website in Displaying Consistent NAP

    Your website is a lead generation system for conveying essential information to customers and search engines. Consistently displaying your NAP on your website reinforces its legitimacy and reliability. Here’s how to implement NAP on your website effectively:

    1. Contact Page: Create a dedicated “Contact” page on your website, prominently displaying your business name, address, and phone number. This page should also include other relevant contact details, such as email addresses and office hours.
    2. Footer Section: Add your NAP in the footer section of your website. This ensures that the information is easily accessible to visitors across all pages.
    3. Schema Markup: Implement schema markup for your NAP. Schema markup is a structured data format that provides search engines with specific information about your business. It helps improve the display of search results and may lead to rich snippets, making your listing more attractive to users.
    NAP on Contact Us Page
    NAP in the website footer

    Optimizing Google Business Profiles for Maximum Impact

    Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a powerful tool for local SEO and online visibility. It plays a significant role in enhancing your NAP’s impact and reaching a broader audience. Here’s how to optimize your profile listing effectively:

    1. Step-by-Step Guide to Claiming and Verifying the GBP Listing
    • Log in to your Google account and navigate to Google Business Profile.
    • Click “Manage Now” and follow the prompts to claim your business.
    • Google may verify your business through a postcard, phone call, or email. Complete the verification process to gain full control of your profile listing.
    1. Importance of Adding NAP to GBP and Other Relevant Details
    • Ensure that your business name, address, and phone number match exactly with the information you provided on your website and other platforms.
    • Add relevant details, such as business hours, website URL, and services offered, to provide a comprehensive overview of your business.
    1. Responding to Reviews and Managing Customer Interactions on GBP
    • Regularly monitor and respond to customer reviews on your GBP listing. Engaging with customer feedback shows that you value their opinions and helps build trust with potential clients.
    • Use the messaging feature on GBP to interact with customers and address inquiries promptly. Timely responses demonstrate your commitment to excellent customer service.

    By effectively implementing NAP, ensuring consistency across your website and GMB, and optimizing your GBP listing, you can bolster your local SEO efforts and strengthen your business’s online presence.

    Google Business Profile Example

    Identifying Authoritative and Relevant Online Directories

    Creating citations and listings on authoritative and relevant online directories is a crucial aspect of local SEO. Citations are instances where your business name, address, and phone number are mentioned on external websites.

    Search engines use these citations to validate and verify the accuracy of your NAP information, contributing to higher local search rankings. Here’s how to identify the right directories:

    1. Local Business Directories: Look for popular local business directories specific to your area. These may include Yelp, Yellow Pages, Local.com, and Chamber of Commerce directories.
    2. Niche Directories: Find directories focusing on home services. These niche directories attract a targeted audience interested in transactions.
    3. Industry-Specific Platforms: Consider directories catering to specific aspects of the industry, such as commercial or rental properties.
    4. Location-Based Platforms: Explore directories that target your specific location or region. These platforms can increase your visibility among local clients searching for services in your area.

    Consistency in NAP Across Citations to Boost Local Rankings

    Consistency in NAP information across citations is critical for enhancing local search rankings and reinforcing your business’s credibility. Search engines reward businesses with accurate and uniform NAP data. Here’s how to achieve consistency:

    1. Audit Existing Citations: Audit your existing citations to identify discrepancies or outdated information. Update all inaccurate citations to reflect your current NAP details.
    2. Use a Standard Format: Maintain a standardized format for your NAP across all directories and listings. Consistency in punctuation, abbreviations, and spacing is essential.
    3. Verify Accuracy Regularly: Regularly check your NAP information on all platforms and directories to ensure accuracy. Changes in contact details or office locations should be promptly updated to maintain consistency.
    4. Avoid Duplicate Listings: Duplicate listings can confuse search engines and potential clients. Monitor and merge duplicate citations to prevent any negative impact on local SEO.

    While numerous directories are available, focusing on the most popular and reputable ones can yield the best results. Here are some popular directories and platforms to consider:

    Yellowpages.com
    BBB.org
    Yelp
    YouTube
    SuperPages
    City-Data
    Citysearch
    Yellowbook.com
    Yahoo Local
    Angie’s List
    Facebook
    MerchantCircle
    Dex Knows
    HomeAdvisor
    Manta
    Bing Places
    FourSquare
    LinkedIn
    Hotfrog
    InsiderPages
    Your Local Chamber of Commerce

    By strategically choosing authoritative directories, ensuring NAP consistency, and leveraging popular platforms, you can boost your online visibility, attract targeted leads, and establish a strong presence in your local market.

    As you build and maintain citations, remember that accuracy and relevance are key factors in optimizing your local SEO efforts.

    Regular Audits of NAP Information on Various Platforms

    Once you have implemented NAP across different platforms and directories, the journey doesn’t end there. To ensure continued success in local SEO, monitoring and maintaining NAP consistency is essential.

    Regular audits of your NAP information on various platforms help identify any discrepancies or inaccuracies that may have arisen over time. Here’s how to conduct effective NAP audits:

    1. Set a Schedule: Establish a regular schedule for conducting NAP audits. Depending on the size of your business and the number of platforms you’re listed on, audits can be performed monthly, quarterly, or biannually.
    2. Check Major Directories: Focus on popular and authoritative directories where your business is listed. This includes Google Business Profile, Yelp, possibly Zillow, and other industry-specific platforms.
    3. Verify Accuracy: Ensure that your business name, address, and phone number are correct and consistent across all platforms. Look out for typos, outdated information, or duplicate listings.
    4. Update Changes: If your business undergoes any changes, such as a new office location or phone number, immediately update the NAP information on all platforms.

    Tools and Techniques to Track NAP Citations and Performance

    Tracking NAP citations and performance is crucial for understanding the impact of your local SEO efforts and identifying areas that may require improvement. Fortunately, several tools and techniques can assist you in monitoring NAP consistency:

    1. Local SEO Software: Various local SEO tools are available that allow you to manage and track NAP information across multiple platforms from a single dashboard. Examples include Moz Local, BrightLocal, and Yext.
    2. Google Analytics: Use Google Analytics to track website traffic and understand which directories or platforms drive the most visitors to your site.
    3. Google Search Console: Google Search Console provides insights into your website’s performance in terms of Google’s search results. It can help identify issues with NAP consistency or indexing problems.
    4. Manual Searches: Conduct regular manual searches using your business name, address, and phone number to see how your NAP information is displayed in search results. This can help you spot any discrepancies that may need attention.

    Addressing and Correcting NAP Inconsistencies and Errors

    During NAP audits or through monitoring tools, you may discover inconsistencies or errors in your NAP information. Addressing and correcting these issues promptly is crucial to maintaining a strong online presence. Here’s how to handle NAP inconsistencies:

    1. Update Directories: For directories or platforms where your NAP information is inaccurate, log in to the platform and update your details to reflect the correct information.
    2. Contact Webmasters: If you encounter discrepancies on third-party websites or directories that you cannot edit directly, contact the webmasters or site administrators to request corrections.
    3. Merge Duplicate Listings: If your business has duplicate listings on certain platforms, merge them to avoid confusion and improve NAP consistency.
    4. Monitor Changes: Monitor your NAP information regularly to ensure that any future changes are promptly updated across all platforms.

    By performing regular NAP audits, leveraging tracking tools, and promptly addressing inconsistencies, you can maintain the accuracy and consistency of your NAP information.

    Staying Up-to-Date with NAP Changes During Relocations or Office Moves

    As a home services business, you may experience changes over time, such as relocating to a new office or opening additional branches. During such transitions, staying proactive in updating your NAP information across all online platforms is crucial. Here are some best practices for managing NAP changes effectively:

    1. Update Website: If you have a website, ensure the new address and contact details are promptly reflected on the “Contact” page and in the website footer.
    2. Google Business Profile: If you have a verified Profile listing, update the address and contact information through the GBP dashboard. Remember also to verify the new location to maintain your credibility with Google.
    3. Online Directories: Access relevant online directories and update your NAP details. Pay attention to popular directories and platforms where your business is listed.
    4. Outreach to Webmasters: If you can’t directly update NAP information on certain third-party websites, contact the webmasters or administrators to request updates.

    By staying vigilant during relocations or office moves, you can ensure that your NAP remains accurate and consistent across the web, preserving your local SEO efforts and maintaining customer trust.

    Leveraging Customer Reviews and Testimonials for NAP Credibility

    Customer reviews and testimonials play a significant role in establishing your business’s credibility and reliability. Leveraging these reviews to reinforce your NAP information can boost your local SEO efforts. Here’s how to do it effectively:

    1. Encourage Reviews: Request reviews from satisfied clients and direct them to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing and other relevant directories.
    2. Respond Promptly: Engage with customer reviews by responding promptly and professionally. Express gratitude for positive feedback and address any concerns raised in negative reviews.
    3. Include NAP in Responses: When responding to reviews, include your business name, address, and phone number in the response. This adds a layer of credibility to your business.
    4. Showcase Testimonials: Feature positive customer testimonials on your website and social media channels. Ensure that these testimonials include NAP information to enhance their authenticity.

    By incorporating customer reviews and testimonials that mention your NAP, you will reinforce the consistency of your business information and build trust with potential clients seeking services in your area.

    Combining NAP Optimization with Other Local SEO Strategies

    NAP optimization is fundamental to local SEO, but it’s most effective when combined with other strategies. Here are some additional local SEO practices to complement your NAP efforts:

    1. Local Content: Create valuable, location-specific content on your website, such as market reports, neighborhood guides, and local news. This enhances your local relevance and attracts a targeted audience.
    2. Local Keywords: Incorporate local keywords throughout your website, content, and meta tags. This helps search engines understand your focus on a specific area.
    3. Backlinks: Obtain high-quality backlinks from local businesses, chambers of commerce, and associations. Local backlinks boost your authority and visibility in local search results.
    4. Social Media Engagement: Engage with your local community through social media platforms. Interact with followers, share local news, and showcase your local market expertise.

    By combining NAP optimization with other local SEO strategies, you create a comprehensive approach that strengthens your online presence, improves search engine rankings, and establishes your business as a local industry leader.

    Final Thoughts on Building a Strong Online Presence with NAP Consistency

    Maintaining a consistent NAP is not just about complying with search engine algorithms; it is a strategic approach to building a robust online presence and reinforcing your brand identity. Presenting accurate and reliable NAP information to potential clients establishes trust and credibility, which is vital in competitive markets.

    NAP consistency extends beyond your website and Google Business Profile listing; it encompasses all online platforms where your business is listed. Whether local directories, social media, or online portals, ensuring uniform NAP details across the board contributes to a unified and recognizable brand identity.

    As we conclude this blog post, we encourage you to embrace NAP optimization as an integral part of their local SEO strategy. Consistent and accurate NAP data will improve your search engine rankings and enhance your reputation, customer trust, and online visibility.

    You can position your business as a trustworthy and reputable local industry leader by staying vigilant during office moves, leveraging customer reviews, and combining NAP optimization with other local SEO practices. Embracing NAP strategies will attract more targeted leads and create a solid foundation for sustainable success in your local market.

    Remember, mastering SEO with NAP is an ongoing process. Continuously monitor and maintain your NAP information, adapt to changes, and keep your online presence fresh and engaging. By incorporating NAP best practices into your marketing efforts, you will remain competitive, relevant, and visible in the ever-evolving world of home services marketing.

  • EP 456: Virtual Wholesaling 3-4 Deals Per month w/ Carrot SEO & TV w/ The Russos

    EP 456: Virtual Wholesaling 3-4 Deals Per month w/ Carrot SEO & TV w/ The Russos


    Virtual wholesaling in the market you live in? Yep, that’s Chris. After 30 years of investing, 11 of those living in Brazil, Chris & his wife are constantly innovating their marketing & how they close deals.

    He’s consistently closing highly-profitable deals in a competitive market with Carrot. So, we had a bit of a nerd-out to hear what’s working from their SEO, TV, and direct mail efforts. Enjoy!

    Mentioned in this episode:

    The Russo’s Carrot Site
    Jerryll Noorden’s SEO Service
    InvestorFuse.com
    Velocity BPO


    Episode Transcript (This is an automated transcript by robot carrots – please mind the typos 😉)

    00:00:00:00 – 00:00:18:05
    Chris Russo
    I do one thing when A comes in from Google, they’re ready to sell. You know, I’ve tried Facebook before and you’re like putting yourself in front of them and then maybe they’re interested in selling here and there. It takes a little longer, but Google. That’s why when they call the call or or they email me, I pick up right away. Right away.

    And then if if for something I pick up and they’re not there, I’ll leave a message, I’ll text them, I’ll email and I’ll do it like for three or four days straight, because I want them once I speak with them, and then I’m, you know, more or less that’s my goal, is to contact them right away.

    00:00:39:05 – 00:00:50:25
    Brady Winder
    Hey, friends, welcome back to the CarrotCast podcast. I’m your host, Brady Winder, and I have my friends, my new friends today with me, Chris and Rosangela Russo. How you guys doing?

    00:00:50:28 – 00:00:52:17
    Chris Russo
    Good, good. And yourself?

    00:00:52:19 – 00:01:12:01
    Brady Winder
    I’m doing good. I’m doing good. Thank you. This is going to be a really good conversation. It’s a little bit unique because we’re it’s success story month at Carrot. We’re going over the different ways people are using care to be successful. We’re talking to people that are consistently generating leads and closing deals with SEO and with Carrot and Chris and Rosangela are virtual wholesaling. But what’s interesting is that they are whole, their virtual wholesaling in the market that they live in. And so we’ll get into that and why and how they are doing that. But yeah, we’re going to go over that and we’re going to go over what’s working for them marketing wise with SEO, with direct mail, with TV, the different things that they’re doing and their team structure, how they’re using VAs, all of that.

    So tune in. It’s going to be good. And if you want to catch some of our other content are the success stories. Go to Carrot.com/success. And one more thing. Carrot Summit. Carrot Summit is coming up July 12th. So go to carrotsummit.com. Check it out. It’s going to be amazing. We just announced that we would love to see their totally free event.

    00:01:59:21 – 00:02:11:29
    Speaker 2
    So before we have done this podcast Chris, Rosangela, y’all were telling me about one of the deals, one of the first deals you closed with care. Would you mind sharing that little story with me? The 60/40 deal?

    00:02:12:01 – 00:02:36:29
    Chris Russo
    Sure, sure. She she found this on, on Google. And I always ask, well, how did you hear of us? And she said, Oh, Google. And I go, Why did you pick us? I always ask, what keywords that you put in. She gave me all that information. She called me and I asked her information about the property. And and then what happens is I said, okay, I’ll get back to you with an offer, and then I get back to with the offer.

    00:02:37:03 – 00:02:58:25
    Chris Russo
    And I called it like three or four or five times. I always like to call them back a few times because in this way, establish a relationship with them. I become their friends. And then she decided, You know what, Chris, based on your voice, you sound transparent and looks like I can deal with you. Set up great. And so what I did is I sent her a contract and it was through email and she sent it over.

    00:02:58:27 – 00:03:24:01
    Chris Russo
    She I think she had a brother and a sister and they all looked it over. They agreed. She sent it back and I start working on it and that’s how I started with her. And then when their end up making like I think a $64,000 and by the way, I do everything virtual. I didn’t see the seller, I didn’t see the buyer about a week afterwards, once I signed her up, she goes, Chris, by the way, we have another house we want to sell.

    00:03:24:01 – 00:03:41:14
    Chris Russo
    So sure, I’ll buy. I buy as many houses as possible. So she sent me to her, her other brother who was working on that house and that one we closed and we made like 40 something thousand. So between both of them, I think it was like $102,000. And then what happened? I didn’t see the seller, I didn’t see the buyer.

    00:03:41:16 – 00:04:03:03
    Chris Russo
    And I felt really good. And so what I did is I were lunch for the title company. I said, Listen, you know, I made 102,000 like you closed the same time a couple of days apart. But within a week, some 102,000 so I bought everybody lunch. He was happy. And that was the story with that one. And she just said no, I think she said we had a five star rating.
    And then she went into my website and she saw my face, my wife’s face, my family. And we have, you know, in our website, it’s, you know, it’s a lot of credibility involved. So and she felt comfortable with me. And then it goes, Do you need to see the property? No, basically, just tell me about the property. So you know how old this I always ask, how old is the roof, The AC?


    Those are the big ticket items and and the condition of the property. And so, yeah, that’s fine. I gave her my offer. It was accepted and that was it. So I do everything virtual and I, I used to like drive to the property, but between the traffic I can only do maybe see two properties in a, in a day.

    And with virtual I’m able to close more properties. So I’m really comfortable and I know a lot of people are very uncomfortable with virtual, but I’m very comfortable and it works for me. So and I’m able to do more deals and yeah, that’s the main thing. Yeah.

    00:04:57:13 – 00:05:04:16
    Brady Winder
    And how long after, like for context, how long after how long was this deal after you started doing SEO?

    00:05:04:18 – 00:05:28:17
    Rosangela Russo
    It was okay. We start with Carrot. It was September. We set up everything. It was in December. We start working really hard and from January on and then we have like the routine, how you do like every day we do something. Every day we post something and every day we work in the blogging and we have a routine in the office.

    Meet and make, and everyone is responsible for some areas. And then we use in the night to watching videos and learn more about what we doing a and that we this li the specific was in December we closed just before Christmas.

    00:05:46:28 – 00:06:08:11
    Brady Winder
    Which is wild. I asked that because I want people to hear like you need to have the context. SEO is a long term is a long term strategy. You know something you put in the work for or, you know, pay someone else to put in the work for. But I think it’s so cool to share that because it’s you’re usually expecting the results of like 3 to 6 months, you know, the fruit of all that work.

    You then putting in. But it’s you know, we also get people closing deals off the bat, like launching a carrot, say, out of the box. And so all of the stories.

    00:06:17:11 – 00:06:35:18
    Chris Russo
    I do one thing when lead comes in from Google, they’re ready to sell. You know, I’ve tried Facebook before and you’re like putting yourself in front of them. And then maybe they’re interested in selling here and there. It takes a little longer. But Google, that’s why when they call, they either call or or they email me, I pick up right away.
    Right away. And then if if for something I pick up and they’re not there, I’ll leave a message, I’ll text them, I’ll email and I’ll do it like for three or four days straight, because I want them once I speak with them, and then I’m, you know, more or less and that’s my goal, is to contact them right away because I know they’re calling two or three other people, but I know they’re ready to sell. They’re hot. That’s why I like Google leads.

    00:06:57:00 – 00:07:12:07
    Brady Winder
    Or you had mentioned that last time we talked before we recorded on the podcast that, you know, you guys are close in about 3 to 4 deals a month, but those are they’re bigger spreads than some of the other marketing methods you guys have been doing. Like they’re big deals.

    00:07:12:09 – 00:07:13:08
    Chris Russo
    Yes.

    00:07:13:10 – 00:07:29:22
    Rosangela Russo
    If you want to talk about the numbers, last month we close 87, 89,000 A actually, we we closed one yesterday for 53. And these month we have we we spec to receive one or three.

    00:07:29:24 – 00:07:32:06
    Brady Winder
    Sheesh. That’s a good month!

    00:07:32:08 – 00:07:52:01
    Chris Russo
    You know you know it’s funny the last week I’ll be closing for 7500 which is a lot of money. It’s great. I don’t mind doing like five of those a month but to me is like, oh that was a small one. After that it wasn’t 52, it’s 57 actually, it’s 57 550. Right. And then we’re closing one on I think the next couple of days for 27 and another one for ten.

    00:07:52:04 – 00:08:15:22
    Rosangela Russo
    So but I think one thing is okay because every time, okay, what we do, for example, our YouTube, I believe, you know I’m I’m not the marketing I am just a wife and you know mom and but I believe is that people need to see us and then that we have a hitting the office crews need to do some videos for week Every time we close we make a video.
    This one he’s make only 7500. He and the winter do a video for this one. I said, Why not?

    00:08:22:15 – 00:08:38:22
    Chris Russo
    Because she’s always on me or Chris. Another video, another video, Another video. And what do we do for videos? We just think of people calling in deals. We’re closing deals. We’re about to close new deals coming in. So I talk about that. So it’s easy to do videos. And there was like a minute, 2 minutes.

    00:08:38:22 – 00:09:16:11
    Rosangela Russo
    Yes. One thing is we do hear these. Okay, Everything happened. Heating the office. Actually, we work from home, but everything happened here between us is as juice for SEO means when somebody call us for the information, probably somebody else has the same problem. And, you know, the more we talking about what we do and we put these in as a SEO in videos or even we do in the blogging, now we see the videos and I know it’s not perfect because my English is not perfect, but I try to keep out of what we do because I believe the more we talk what we do, the more the people can find us.

    The more people can find us, the people. Because I say, Chris, 30 years buying, selling houses, and Chris knows a lot about probate, even we have investors where there cannot close because, you know, probate is really and Chris has words all his leads, all his deals, has hairs is doesn’t have any any lead is like so we actually we have one very good one was like really smooth but usually it’s really you know it’s very hard and this people usually their call was unfortunately they are is not like really sometimes they have problems, sometimes they need somebody to listen and you know is is usually they are selling a problem.

    And and Chris is really good with patient with this people and talk and always returning the call the same time and.

    00:10:06:27 – 00:10:14:01
    Chris Russo
    Yeah they call me a night weekends I’ll answer it and you’ll pick up right away on text I’ll text right back. So they feel confident.

    00:10:14:03 – 00:10:20:02
    Rosangela Russo
    Yeah. What think you know like when you start calling like 11:00 and that is maybe that’s not nice.

    00:10:20:04 – 00:10:38:06
    Brady Winder
    Well, I want to I want to talk about some of the specific things y’all are doing. Like you mentioned the videos and getting video reviews while being virtual. So I want to dig into some of that. But real quick, tell me tell me about your team structure, because you I mentioned you have VAs.

    I love to know what specifically you have Vas doing so that people can understand. We can paint a full picture for what the business looks like and then kind of what the past, what the wholesaling or sorry what the virtual wholesaling part look like and your your journey in Brazil.

    00:10:52:09 – 00:11:09:23
    Rosangela Russo
    Yes, yes. All right. We are like a long time ago we used to have ten people making calls. We have like that small office in Philippines and we have all of these people making calls for us. But then, you know, if all the things then we don’t do this anymore. We stop this like four or five years ago.

    And right now what I have I have three VAs, one VA specific I work with me SEO and he is the one like him. Our we have I have these crazy ideas and, you know, he’s keeping up with the routines and that’s what he does. And then I have one is like a shadow of Chris, where he’s always helping Chris with, you know, the follow ups and getting the price for the property.

    And I have another one. What she does, she does do follow up for between cold and warm leads, because even though we don’t cold call anymore, we we have like 300,000 people in our data where actually we just sign up for the Investor Fuse because it’s too many leads and it’s kind of hard to keep everything in the same place because we use a bunch of tools, you know more.

    I know we have a vastly we have a look when it was a constant contact put all this together demands is just too much and then we sign up for Investor Fuse. We had a meeting with Carlos and I used to use Investor Fuse many years ago but I understand the now is much different, is much more close and much easier to use and we just sign up to get a because Greece does a lot actually we work many hours per day.

    We go to the basketball game, we are in the phone, we will have a computer. We always working.

    00:12:34:12 – 00:12:51:00
    Chris Russo
    I believe 80, 80% of my business is in the follow up. So follow up is very important. Very every once in a while you someone to call, you get them right away. But majority of it is then the follow up and you need a good follow up system. And we had mojo, which is more of a dialer than a CRM.

    So that’s why you switched Investor Fuse because with all these leads coming in. So I need a text, some I need to email them, I need a mail, so I want to be in front of them. So on. Let’s say Chris, not bother me. I’ll take them off the list of not others. Keep doing it but nicely. So that helps a lot.

    00:13:08:05 – 00:13:29:11
    Rosangela Russo
    Yes. One thing is is very important when we decide to go back to Carrot with Chris because we had somebody else taking care of our SEO. He did like for two years. He was trying hard. I you know, I believe that, but was like one lead here, one lead over there and after while was costing money because no leads.

    And then let’s see, I mean, me and Chris, because we try to, you know, talking about everything and then okay, let’s go to try do ourselves. I said, okay, how are you going to do that? And then we start looking, Who can help us? We sign up we for Jerryll.

    00:13:46:02 – 00:14:01:19
    Chris Russo
    A Jerryll Noorden of SEO for Real Estate Investors. What happened is we had the person like I’m sure everybody knows someone that will do it for you. They’ll pay him a couple hundred dollars. But what happened if he does well, and then also he slacks off and then he does well, he slacks off. So then we went with Jerryll.

    And what he does, he actually gives you the blueprint and how to build your SEO, which is great. So you actually know what he’s doing when you hire someone paying them a couple hundred dollars a month, he’s doing everything for you. So if he leaves or something happens to him, or if he doesn’t do a good job, you’re back to square one.

    It’s like, I don’t know what to do. So with Jerryll, he gives you the blueprint how to do it, like building house from the ground floor up. And that’s why we like that.

    00:14:25:02 – 00:14:41:21
    Brady Winder
    Right? Which is important for y’all, because I can see y’all. Really? You guys are marketers. You want to understand the fundamentals of what you’re doing as opposed to, like, just throwing money, have someone else do it, which I think for a SEO is is really the sweet spot. You can go total DIY or you can go, you know, total paid.

    But if you can understand it and know how to manage it, know how to implement it, but then also, you know, pay for the training, but have a VA like yourself where you’re guiding the VA, you’re telling them what to do. I think that’s just like the best bang for your buck.

    00:14:57:00 – 00:15:21:13
    Rosangela Russo
    Exactly. And the other thing is, you know, me. I mean, always, always, even though sometimes is a little bit but I trying to be the media’s is important. I think I watch most of the Carrot videos. You know, I watch you all the time because sometimes, like, for example, we have we have a routine for be post every day in Facebook, Instagram and all the social media.

    But I got these from one of the videos I watched from you guys to see how important we be there all the time, because if you not be there today, somebody else is going to be in front of you. Yes. And yes, they are. They’re trying to learn a little bit about how working, blogging, landing page and, you know, I know my keywords and I know my website is not perfect.

    I know that because it’s a lot to improve. I never did college. I’m doing everything to watching videos and getting ideas. But it is very important to educate yourself because this is even though we not pay somebody else is money. You investing because you have the VA, you have all this system behind the scenes to make this work.

    00:16:06:17 – 00:16:23:12
    Brady Winder
    I appreciate it. It’s really cool to hear you know, somebody like actually doing all the things we teach because it’s like you can learn it all. But to implement it is another thing. Yeah. So I want to, you know, in a second we’ll dive into like the different marketing channels you guys are doing. So we talked about SEO.

    I want to dive into, you know, the TV and the probate mailers SEO mentioned. But one other thing real quick, I was going to ask you is, is there anything else specific you’re doing to like I was going to say, build credibility, you know, for virtual wholesaling, but you’re doing the videos.

    Is there like have any tricks to get these deals to close when they’re they’re all virtual and you’re doing ones in your own market where like you and the seller both know you’re there in the market, but you’re not going out to the properties, how do you get that trust?

    00:16:58:13 – 00:17:15:10
    Chris Russo
    How? Just being honest. Listen, listen and just speak with them and find out what their pain is. Basically, when they call in, you know, if they call in, I’ll I’ll ask them what the address of the property. And a lot of time you go on site, they don’t really have the true like how many bedrooms and bath.

    So I need to know that that’s important and then ask them. You know, it’s very simple. I don’t like I know those people. They have like 12 questions, 13, 14. I’m very simple. So what’s the address of the property? How many bedrooms and baths and the condition of the property. And and basically the big ticket items are like the roof and the central air.

    So how’s the roof? If I know it’s 15, 20 years old and there’s no way they’re going to list listed with a realtor, go retail. So they need to replace the roof right there. You know, they have to go with investor. So I said, Why are you going to go with the realtor? Pay seven for six or 7% commission and then end up selling it to an investor.

    So right there I can do that. And then and then asking about the questions, you know, about the property. And that’s a very simple I don’t even ask him about the mortgage or anything. Just, you know, you know what repairs needed and that’s it. And I don’t think go into the detail very quick and fast. And then basically then I do my comps, I get back to them, I give them an offer, and then if they like it, fine, or they might negotiate a little bit. Sure.

    You know, hey, listen, I’m not going to make as much on this one. That’s fine, ultimately. And that’s it. And then I send him the contract via email, a DocuSign, or if they’re an older person, that they don’t have email, everyone has email now. I’ll send it ups the next day. And so and they sign it, they send it back.

    And then my little trick, what I do is I set him to me favorite. He take pictures of the outside in the inside of the property for me so I can get a head start before I send my inspector out there. And I let the front, the two sides, the back and every room on the inside, the AC unit, inside the electrical panel and the water heater.

    Sure, I could do that. For some reason I don’t. I have this company called Velocity BPO. They’re nationwide, I think for what, $70 or 50? Sometimes they’ll take a video of pictures. That helps a lot because it’s cheap. All cash buyers ask for pictures and sometimes they’ll do a sight unseen. So, you know, we’re buying properties sight unseen, which is great also. So there’s all the little tricks I do.

    00:19:11:20 – 00:19:15:18
    Brady Winder
    I never thought to ask the seller to have the do the or to have the seller are.

    00:19:15:18 – 00:19:17:03
    Chris Russo
    More than happy to do it. More than happy.

    00:19:17:03 – 00:19:31:15
    Brady Winder
    I love your answer because it was I was asking, what are you doing? And you’re telling me, Well, here’s what I’m not doing. I’m not asking the the regimen like 13 questions that everybody goes through. I’m not staring at a sheet and it’s much more of a patience.

    00:19:31:15 – 00:19:33:17
    Chris Russo
    You know, when I get right to it, right to it.

    00:19:33:17 – 00:20:00:27
    Rosangela Russo
    What you think is very important. I think that’s what make Greece different than the other people that anybody call is most people they’re really passionate about high time. They really more sometimes there need somebody to listen. Sometimes you know, we have a lady she even did a testimonial for us. She when I heard how much you’re making this one with Mrs. Cooper.

    00:20:00:28 – 00:20:03:00
    Chris Russo
    COOPER Yeah, that that was.

    00:20:03:03 – 00:20:03:24
    Rosangela Russo
    He didn’t make any.

    00:20:03:26 – 00:20:19:28
    Chris Russo
    Yeah, that was like five months. It was just one headache after another. We finally closed it. And what I do this. Another thing I discovered, what I do is, like at the closing, I’m having the title company which have a good relationship with them. So number one, it’s always good to have a good title company.

    Yeah, we use Independent’s title out of Fort Lauderdale. They deal with investor. You have to be investor friendly. You have to work with investors. So I have them take I have them take a video. They use dirt because they’re not computer literate or whatever. So the title company Girl videotapes are for one minute and she talks about me and then they send it to me. And then that’s a it’s a great video. It works like a charm. It’s perfect.

    00:20:47:10 – 00:20:47:28
    Brady Winder
    I love that.

    00:20:48:03 – 00:20:52:18
    Chris Russo
    Girl’s actually videotaping her talking about me. And then after the closing.

    00:20:52:18 – 00:21:05:03
    Rosangela Russo
    Yeah, this lady, you know, she has so many issues and she has dogs and she has she’s a kind of old lady. Is nobody going to do What if it wasn’t even for money? Because we didn’t make, like, twice?

    00:21:05:06 – 00:21:20:23
    Chris Russo
    Yeah, it was. I know it’s 9000 and up having a dog at the end. The buyer want the dog out. I said, okay, here’s $200 for some guy to take the dog out. Then she needed a ride to the taro company. I paid her 50. Then she called me Chris. Aren’t you going to pay for a return trip back? Oh, whatever it is. Yeah. We’ll do whatever it takes just to get it.

    00:21:26:09 – 00:21:29:06
    Rosangela Russo
    And she was alone, you know, like, you know, she has done.

    00:21:29:06 – 00:21:30:05
    Chris Russo
    She’s very happy now.

    00:21:30:06 – 00:21:34:27
    Rosangela Russo
    Yes, She has grandkids, kids. And they actually used to call her. Yeah. See how she’s doing.

    00:21:34:28 – 00:21:46:20
    Chris Russo
    What we do is every holiday we said, you know, happy Memorial Day epic Labor Day, 4th of July, Christmas, just to be in contact with them. And we always ask, do you have any other properties or if you know of anyone looking to sell.

    00:21:46:23 – 00:22:08:23
    Rosangela Russo
    You know, this or converting this thing. Last year we sent was a Thanksgiving. We had this lead was canceled. The lady laughed because, you know, it was very hard to sell the house because the house was just a shell, like just the walls. And we like was very complicated because she had so many. So with the title, if they had to say the code violation, we couldn’t sell.


    And then she kind of okay, she didn’t like too much, you know, because of what’s happened. And then we said that Thanksgiving for her, she call us back and we closed it for her.

    00:22:18:22 – 00:22:31:17
    Brady Winder
    Oh, that’s awesome. I love what you’re doing. Even after the fact, after you close the deal, you’re still keeping in touch. And yeah, I mean, yeah, there is strategy to it, but it just shows that personal touch and probably helps a lot with word of mouth too. That’s really cool that you guys do.

    00:22:31:18 – 00:22:35:07
    Rosangela Russo
    Yes. We get a bunch of leads like these, the people. Yeah.

    00:22:35:07 – 00:22:40:28
    Chris Russo
    So and it’s it’s free leads. That’s free leads. The best kind of leads.

    00:22:41:01 – 00:23:05:06
    Brady Winder
    So we talked about it, talked about, you know, how you’re doing it virtually. We talked about how you’re building credibility. I love the simplistic, just like friendly attitude in nature you bring to that. We talked about SEO getting big, fat, juicy SEO deals and then what other marketing are y’all doing? You mentioned you’re doing TV, right? And then driving to the website.

    00:23:05:08 – 00:23:26:29
    Chris Russo
    Yes. We even have a QR code on our TV commercial. So we have our phone number, which is like a simple number like 954 209 3000. So I came up with that the to country for the three and the 3000 easy for them to remember and then has our site 123 web address 123.

    So capsicum and add a QR code so there’s yeah they’re going to have to call us between all the three different options.

    00:23:34:13 – 00:23:50:16
    Brady Winder
    Yeah. And so this a just a big fat QR code on the screen and it’s working. I mean I was looking before I went on the podcast is looking at the nails curious site in the back and you’re getting, you know consistent leads from the from the commercials. How long have you been doing that for TV?

    00:23:50:16 – 00:23:51:11
    Rosangela Russo
    More than a year.

    00:23:51:17 – 00:23:53:01
    Chris Russo
    Yet the year and a half.

    00:23:53:03 – 00:23:57:15
    Brady Winder
    A year. And did you guys go DIY or you find a TV agency to do it?

    00:23:57:18 – 00:23:58:29
    Rosangela Russo
    We do everything ourselves.

    00:23:59:02 – 00:24:06:08
    Chris Russo
    Well, yeah, we thought we thought of that and then we said, you know, let’s go to the TV station. And we went direct and it’s been working for us.

    00:24:06:15 – 00:24:13:29
    Rosangela Russo
    We have some assistant behind us to help us. We pay outside to drive us, but we do everything ourselves.

    00:24:14:02 – 00:24:15:22
    Brady Winder
    Yes, that’s awesome. That’s really.

    00:24:15:22 – 00:24:18:29
    Rosangela Russo
    Cool. So as you can see, we do everything right. The SEO, the TV.

    00:24:20:23 – 00:24:23:01
    Chris Russo
    Yeah. We don’t act like a third person, right?

    00:24:23:03 – 00:24:28:20
    Brady Winder
    Well, you’ve been at it for a while. I don’t think we mention this in the beginning. But you’ve been investing for, what, 30 years? You said.

    00:24:28:23 – 00:24:45:15
    Chris Russo
    Correct? Correct. Back in the day I started. I was a mortgage broker. I did the BC loans, and then I bought and sold here and there. And I was a real estate broker, but I always been sold in wholesale, but I strictly I wholesale 100%. I don’t remember. I don’t do anything. I wholesale everything.

    00:24:45:18 – 00:24:47:11
    Brady Winder
    Yeah. Okay. Nice, nice.

    00:24:47:18 – 00:24:58:00
    Rosangela Russo
    One of these time we are living 11 years in Brazil and because we have our kids and we raise our kids over there, I’m a Brazilian. Brazil can speak Portuguese.

    00:24:58:03 – 00:25:18:21
    Chris Russo
    Right? And what happened in 2008, we had the economic crisis. And so what are we going to do? So I have two babies. I want my wife because what are we doing? What to do? Anything else? Well, we’re going to stay here or go to Brazil. So we went to Brazil. And so I was there 11 years and we started like a sunglass business importing sunglasses. And that was okay. But it’s very hard to open a business in another country. So then I went back to virtual wholesaling and I did everything virtually from Brazil.

    00:25:27:24 – 00:25:33:14
    Brady Winder
    MM Okay. And any complications with that or something? You just. Oh yeah.

    00:25:33:15 – 00:25:36:09
    Chris Russo
    Yeah. Well they would say, When are you going to come see the property? I said.
    Well.
    You know, I was using Magic Jack that had like a 954 305 area code.

    00:25:43:15 – 00:25:48:00
    Brady Winder
    I remember the infomercial for the, as you know on TV I can picture in the the fast lane at WalMart. Yeah the magic Jack.

    00:25:51:01 – 00:26:13:07
    Chris Russo
    Yes the Magic Jack I still have it I don’t want to leave it but you know yeah I use magic champagne They would call me and it’s oh, I don’t need to see the property. I could see it online. Just tell me information about your property, the condition, and that’s fine. And sign the contract again. Email, UPS or doc, you sign and then they would sign it, send it back, and then I would last it out to my cash buyers.
    They would go take a look at it and then I would send a contract to them. So everything done by email.

    00:26:18:19 – 00:26:38:27
    Rosangela Russo
    When you are in Brazil, we had a very funny deal where Greece bought this house. The guy used to live in the Bahamas and he has this house for many year, was a probate. He got, I think for his grandparents. We signed up the contract and then we started sending buyers over there. But then the buyer said, Chris there is no house here.
    They have a house? Yeah, the house was on fire two years ago and we couldn’t check because.

    00:26:44:29 – 00:26:48:02
    Chris Russo
    This is a deal in virtual. But majority of time it works perfect.

    00:26:48:08 – 00:27:12:28
    Rosangela Russo
    Because what we do when this time we used to have the ten, the ten villas in the Philippines and usually they are go Google Street and see any house was abandoned or any house like you know, with the grass or something. We skip these people this time. Well, but it was more than five years ago. Seven years ago we used to do these.

    Also. We look in the area, some of the houses was, you know, like nobody’s taking care. But usually now Google is much faster. But before I take one or two years to get Google Pass again and take a new pictures, that was the problem.

    00:27:29:00 – 00:27:41:05
    Brady Winder
    Yeah, I’m still I just built the house and I’m still trying to get Google to show that it’s not just a hill with dirt on it in my house doesn’t show up. It must not be driving around Roseburg, Oregon, very much.

    00:27:41:07 – 00:27:43:21
    Rosangela Russo
    Is going to think that. But now Google is much faster.

    00:27:43:21 – 00:27:44:05
    Brady Winder
    Oh, yeah.

    00:27:44:12 – 00:28:08:09
    Rosangela Russo
    There’s another deal where we got to this house. But, you know, one side is even number. In the other side is old number. And we got to this deal. But I don’t know what’s happened in this address us opposite interesting And then we putting the flier the wrong house Yeah we had this house we said to find a buyer device and then somebody knocking the door said, no, it’s not my house.

    It was the housing, the front. And then you get a fix. The flier. We found your picture because of what?

    00:28:13:01 – 00:28:14:11
    Chris Russo
    The majority of time it works.

    00:28:14:11 – 00:28:15:01
    Speaker 3
    Yes.

    00:28:15:03 – 00:28:38:09
    Brady Winder
    Are you are still driving for dollars virtual or. I don’t know, clicking for dollars virtual driving for dollars now? Not anymore. Yeah. No, it’s all inbound right now. Yes. I want to talk about two to specific things. They were pretty much covered. You know, most of what I wanted to ask you all about, a couple of things on the experimentation side.

    So y’all are in Orlando, Florida, and, you know, you’re working you’re doing deals in southern Florida. You had mentioned some specific scenarios. You’re cooking up some ideas on ways to reach people. More specifically, instead of just, hey, we buy houses or anything you guys are trying out as far as like, you know, you mentioned like floods or immigration.

    00:29:01:17 – 00:29:28:07
    Rosangela Russo
    Yes, it’s true, because what we do is we have some campaigns in what we do, Google. We look in what’s happened in the area with that, because, you know, for example, we have a float floating in Broward and happened a month ago from this time when just happened. As I told you, we have a control board. That’s something we get a need to really get better is when we something happen.

    For example, happened today, we trying to make something for tomorrow because asked when I have control of the the how the say the advertising I can really target these people. Yeah because I know for us that people have a flow probably you’re going to look for I don’t know a fan or something to help to to clean the or even move in this area because you know.

    00:29:52:04 – 00:30:11:24
    Chris RussoSo she has a way of like so there was a flooding a month ago in Broward and in fact we got a lead that I got to keep following up that she had flooding They want to sell the property to inside a let’s hit that area where people had flooding. So now we’re trying to be creative to figure out how we can we hit them to say, hey, we buy houses besides the normal way of direct mail.
    So you kind of like thought of something I it individually.

    00:30:15:00 – 00:30:25:00
    Rosangela Russo
    Yes. Because for example, we’ve now we have these you know, the immigration is getting the people move out. And that’s something we trying to work in to see if they.

    00:30:25:00 – 00:30:25:17
    Chris Russo
    Want to sell their house.

    00:30:25:17 – 00:30:31:14
    Rosangela Russo
    Yes. Because a lot of these people, they are need to move out fast and they need the money to move.

    00:30:31:16 – 00:30:37:05
    Brady Winder
    You mentioned reach to them visually. What did you mean by that? Like a TV commercial, A certain mailer?

    00:30:37:07 – 00:30:53:29
    Rosangela Russo
    We do. We do mailing also. But what we do, we we do a YouTube in that we put Chris in front of these people. With these I’m going to say this message is asking for these kind of messages that what we trying to do right now.

    00:30:54:00 – 00:30:59:03
    Chris Russo
    Will be YouTube videos in the Broward area, in that area where the flooding happened. Okay.

    00:30:59:08 – 00:31:03:05
    Rosangela Russo
    I just have a here. Yeah, just happened to have a heated I haven’t been script.

    00:31:03:05 – 00:31:06:16
    Rosangela Russo
    You got the script. I love that. I love it And so because.
    You know like yeah because usually this people they speak another language but they’re going to move out You know we have in Spanish and Chris can speak a little bit and you know is something that we trying to do because experiment.

    00:31:17:25 – 00:31:36:06
    Brady Winder
    Yes so I love that you guys are doing targeted timely YouTube ads. So you’re you you’re like you’re paying attention to what’s going on in your markets and you’re saying these are the events. How can we deliver like a tailored and timely message, record the video and then get it into YouTube ads and serve that up to those markets.

    So I want to follow up on that later on in the in the future, let me know how that’s working out for you guys and you know how that goes. But I think it’s cool. Your experience experimenting with new marketing. Yeah. So I mean, we’ve covered a whole ton here. I mean, I could I could talk to you guys all day.

    I love talk in marketing. I think it’s been super valuable here and, you know, all the things you guys are doing. Props to you guys for putting in the work and just, you know, putting your head down and doing the SEO and learning what we teach. I think it’s amazing. So good job and we guys are doing Keep it up.

    00:32:10:05 – 00:32:10:25
    Chris Russo
    Thank you. Thank you.

    00:32:10:25 – 00:32:35:07
    Rosangela Russo
    Thank you very much. Was really when we came back to we take from the people was doing for us and our intention was okay how how do we start with if you don’t start getting crazy and you know like putting together and learn how we put this together, I think most of the investors somehow see how you do it.

    I said, first, you know, go the Internet and listen carrot and listen. SEO with Jarrod. And then, you know, like having educate yourself because the more you learn. And the other thing I want is very important when you do doing your doing your website, doing your your history, your company, talking about what exactly you do. Because when the people call crazy is is for sure exactly what the people see the website, that’s exactly what we are.
    And that’s make the people and we.

    00:33:08:25 – 00:33:22:16
    Chris Russo
    Give value to them. And that’s what Jerryll teaches us. You know, he’s getting value by the information in his website. That’s why when people go there, they all this is interesting. So that’s why anything is given value to you, to the sellers and to, you know, that’s.

    00:33:22:18 – 00:33:31:00
    Rosangela Russo
    Explain exactly what you are and what you do. And all these people, when they’re called, they are know, okay, I want to sell for a huge company, right.

    00:33:31:00 – 00:33:43:04
    Chris Russo
    Like an open door. And these big companies, you know, who knows who you’re going to get. You’re getting me. And when they when they get me and say, oh, by the way, I’m the I’m the guy on TV or whatever. Oh, really? Okay. So instant credibility.

    00:33:43:06 – 00:33:55:25
    Brady Winder
    I love that you mention that you’re providing value. It’s Evergreen Marketing 101. And sometimes marketers forget that. It’s like you’re there to provide value, not just explain what you do, like, you know, help out the sellers.

    Where can people where can people find you if they’re wanting to connect with you, hit you up for advice, anything like that.

    00:34:03:21 – 00:34:21:00
    Chris Russo
    The easiest way is our website. It’s very simple 123soldcash.com. And you know, if anybody wants to contact me, I’ll be able to help them if they have a deal. It’s hard to close a probate, whatever it is. Give me a call and maybe I can help them. Yeah, if you want. Maybe I’ll partner up with you.

    Whatever you want to do, You know, I’m willing to help people because I know if you help people, you know, good things come back to you. So I’m a given person. So you want to contact me. The easiest way is one, two, three. So cash scam and contact me. I’ll be able to help you out whatever situation you have.

    And my wife also, she handles more of the SEO and I handle more of the acquisitions.

    00:34:42:18 – 00:34:51:11
    Brady Winder
    Okay, I love that. Well, thanks for sharing that. I appreciate y’all’s hearts and just willing to share all these things you’re doing and and help people out in your market. I love that.

    00:34:51:14 – 00:34:57:00
    Rosangela Russo
    We got to work together. That’s the thing. The more you work together, demand you learn, the more you can share.

    00:34:57:02 – 00:34:58:00
    Chris Russo
    It’s exciting.

    00:34:58:02 – 00:34:59:19
    Rosangela Russo
    Yes, very excited.

    00:34:59:21 – 00:35:19:16
    Chris Russo
    And I’m working on new ideas with TV. Also the digital like, you know, you have direct mail you sent to a list where I think I’m able to maybe instead of sending a direct mail or maybe do a digitally, you know, where like, for example, I can hit a zip code and then my TV commercials will show up in that zip code or a mailing list of probate or code violations.

    And so my, my commercials will show up on their streaming devices. So I’m working on that also. That’s something that I’m working on.

    00:35:26:00 – 00:35:52:19
    Rosangela Russo
    And the other thing is like Greece does a lot these a lot of these, even the new people, they’re get this leads from probate because Greece is really good in probate and they get this lead and all because the seller yeah with me or somebody you know because I’ve yet to understand all these people they’re really stressed their county for this money most the people and you know Chris with okay let’s go straight let’s talk really how how you can resolve that and you know.

    00:35:52:24 – 00:36:06:13
    Chris Russo
    Give it probate. I have a good probate attorney that I work with. You can close fast, so I can call him any time. I can email him. In fact, he works seven days a week and I’ll give me the answer if I don’t have it all the of the cell, I don’t have the answer, but I’ll get back to you.

    00:36:06:16 – 00:36:09:26
    Rosangela Russo
    Yes. And we work. We really like that. Our title companies the best.

    00:36:09:29 – 00:36:27:24
    Chris Russo
    You know the title of independence title they’re great they work with. That’s important. If you’re an invest in business, you need a title company that works with investors. We do assignments, double closing, no basis, whatever it is. So they’re very experienced and they deal with me now they call it, you know, I don’t know. They close 50, 70, I think 100 deals a month.

    And they they seen the situation. So I’m very confident they deal with my sellers and there’s.

    00:36:32:29 – 00:36:33:16
    Rosangela Russo
    Even call.

    00:36:33:20 – 00:36:41:17
    Chris Russo
    There’s an issues they’ll tell me Chris what do you know so you got to work with a great title company, a great probate attorney That’s brave.

    00:36:41:21 – 00:36:49:27
    Rosangela Russo
    SEO company, great insight. Yes. Because I always see the website over there asking how I do these, how I do that. Yeah.

    00:36:50:00 – 00:37:05:17
    Chris Russo
    Right. And one thing, don’t worry, the team don’t reinvented and that the rights is I have like a philosophy copy someone else if they’ve been doing it a couple of years and it’s working for them copy them why are you going to spend money and time? So every time I go on the internet, I see parrot all over the place.

    So you guys must be do something right. Everyone knows yourself if that’s the case, then go with carrot, because I look, I got a scroll down to the bottom and every sponsored or or by carrot. So that’s how we came across you guys also. So that’s what I do is if someone’s work and they’re been doing it for a couple of years, obviously it’s working for them.

    00:37:23:27 – 00:37:26:12
    Chris Russo
    Do the same thing. It’s very simple.

    00:37:26:14 – 00:37:33:19
    Brady Winder
    Yeah, well, I appreciate you saying that for everybody listening, watching. And we didn’t pay them to say that. A promise. You know.

    00:37:33:21 – 00:37:42:17
    Rosangela Russo
    We use carrots much like five years ago. But I’m going to say when we came back, it’s completely different. Before I was like really caring, user.

    00:37:42:17 – 00:37:44:18
    Chris Russo
    Friendly, very easy, scrappy.

    00:37:44:19 – 00:38:02:18
    Rosangela Russo
    Yeah. Even like you guys when I cannot do something. And I saw that you guys call this now, did you see that You fix that. You know, it’s really is like a going to see like a family working together is it’s not easy business this is because all these people with problems coming to us we try to resolve this problem.

    00:38:02:20 – 00:38:11:06
    Chris Russo
    Yeah they’re coming to us. So we got to, like, relax, you know? Yes, they bring their problems on to us, but that’s okay. That’s the nature that make us stronger.

    00:38:11:09 – 00:38:33:04
    Brady Winder
    Yes, I love that. I love it. So my biggest takeaway from this conversation, everybody listening. Take take their advice and go listen to every episode, every YouTube video we have ever put out. Go listen to the entire back catalog of the characters, all 400 some, and just get one. Soak it all in now. Thank you guys again for your time.

    I appreciate you hopping on and everybody watching, listening – If you got value out of this share it with a friend. Give us a positive review on Apple Podcasts if we deserved it. Go ahead. Give us a rating. I would appreciate it very much. Helps us grow the podcast. So until next time, we will see you all later.

  • How to Wholesale Real Estate for Beginners: Ultimate 2025 Guide

    How to Wholesale Real Estate for Beginners: Ultimate 2025 Guide

    Are you ready to step into the ring and take on the world of real estate with NO money down, NO experience, and NO traditional financing?! That’s right, folks—if you’ve been sitting on the sidelines, dreaming of making it big in real estate, NOW is your moment! And I’m here to show you how to dominate the game with one of the most powerful strategies in real estate: wholesaling!

    Wholesaling is like body-slamming your way into the real estate market. You find deeply discounted properties, lock them down with a contract, and then tag in your cash buyer to close the deal—without ever owning the property yourself! You’re the ultimate middleman, connecting motivated sellers with hungry cash buyers and raking in the profits. No heavy lifting, just smart moves and fast wins.

    This is the best entry point for beginners who are ready to crush it. You don’t need a mountain of cash, years of experience, or a bank begging you to borrow. What you need is hustle, heart, and a great strategy. And the best part? Wholesaling sharpens your skills in negotiating, deal analysis, marketing, and building a buyer’s list—all while keeping your risk low and your potential high.

    In this step-by-step guide, I’ll break it all down for you. From finding motivated sellers to analyzing deals, securing contracts, and building a cash buyer’s list, this is your ultimate playbook to score your first wholesale deal in 2025.

    Are you ready to step into the spotlight and make your real estate debut? Let’s get to work and get you on the path to your first wholesale victory! The time is now!

    Here’s an example of how Ryan Dossey — a real estate investor in Indiana — found just one of his great deals…

    List of Topics

    What is Wholesaling Real Estate?

    Wholesaling real estate is one of the simplest and most accessible strategies for getting started in real estate investing. At its core, wholesaling is about finding distressed or discounted properties, putting them under contract, and then assigning that contract to a buyer for a profit. Unlike traditional real estate investing, where you actually purchase and hold the property, in wholesaling, you’re simply acting as a middleman between motivated sellers and cash buyers. The goal is to profit from the spread between the price you negotiate with the seller and the price your buyer is willing to pay.

    The key to wholesaling lies in assigning contracts for profit. When you find a property that’s deeply discounted, you sign a contract with the seller agreeing to purchase the property. Instead of closing on the property yourself, you assign that contract to a buyer—usually an investor—who pays you an assignment fee. This way, you can make money without ever taking ownership of the property or needing large amounts of cash to close the deal.

    How Wholesaling Differs from Traditional Real Estate Investing

    In traditional real estate investing, you typically buy a property, make improvements (if necessary), and either rent it out or sell it for a profit. This requires capital, the ability to get financing, and often a longer time commitment. With wholesaling, however, you’re not buying the property—you’re securing it with a contract and selling that contract to someone else. It’s a much faster process and typically requires far less money upfront.

    Benefits of Wholesaling Real Estate

    1. Low Capital Requirements: Since you’re not buying the property outright, you don’t need large sums of money or traditional bank loans. In many cases, all you need is an earnest money deposit, which can be as little as a few hundred dollars.
    2. Quick Deals: Wholesale transactions typically happen in a matter of weeks, not months. Once you have the property under contract, it’s all about finding a buyer and assigning the contract, which can lead to fast payouts.
    3. No Need for Property Ownership: You never actually own the property in a wholesale deal, which means you avoid the headaches that can come with owning real estate—like repairs, maintenance, and tenant issues.

    Wholesaling is the ultimate strategy for beginners because it offers quick, low-risk entry into real estate investing. By focusing on finding motivated sellers and building a solid buyers list, you can generate profits without the complexity and capital demands of other investment strategies. Let’s move forward and dive deeper into how to execute your first wholesale deal.

    Understanding the Wholesaling Process

    Wholesaling real estate is all about following a repeatable process. Once you understand the flow, you can rinse and repeat, building a profitable business from scratch. Here’s a simple breakdown of the wholesaling process:

    1. Finding Motivated Sellers

    The first step in wholesaling is finding motivated sellers—people who need to sell quickly and are willing to accept a discounted price in exchange for speed and convenience. These sellers are often in distress, facing situations like foreclosure, divorce, inherited properties, or simply owning a property in poor condition they don’t want to fix.

    To find these sellers, you can use a variety of strategies:

    • Driving for Dollars: Physically driving through neighborhoods to spot distressed properties.
    • Direct Mail Campaigns: Sending postcards or letters to absentee owners or homeowners in foreclosure.
    • Online Marketing: Building a Carrot website to capture inbound leads.
    • Cold Calling & Texting: Reaching out to potential sellers directly with targeted lists.

    Finding motivated sellers is the foundation of wholesaling success. Without motivated sellers, you won’t find deals worth wholesaling.

    2. Getting the Property Under Contract

    Once you’ve identified a motivated seller, the next step is to negotiate a purchase price and get the property under contract. The contract is the tool that gives you control over the property, allowing you to assign that contract to another buyer.

    In this step:

    • Negotiate the deal: Focus on solving the seller’s problem. Many motivated sellers are more concerned with speed and convenience than getting top dollar.
    • Use a solid contract: Make sure the contract includes key terms like the purchase price, closing date, and assignment clause, which allows you to assign the contract to another buyer.

    The goal is to get the property under contract at a price low enough to leave room for your end buyer (an investor) to make a profit while still allowing you to make your fee.

    3. Assigning the Contract to an End Buyer

    Once you have the property under contract, the next step is finding an end buyer—usually a cash investor—who’s willing to buy the contract. This is where your cash buyer list comes in. By building strong relationships with investors, you’ll have a network of buyers ready to close quickly on properties you bring them.

    To assign the contract:

    • Present the deal to your buyers: Share details about the property, including price, potential ARV (After Repair Value), and any necessary repairs.
    • Negotiate your assignment fee: The assignment fee is the amount you’ll make from the transaction. This could range from $5,000 to $20,000 or more, depending on the deal.

    The buyer steps into your place on the contract, and they’ll close on the property directly with the seller.

    4. Collecting Your Assignment Fee

    The final step is collecting your assignment fee. Once the end buyer closes on the property, you’ll receive your fee at closing. This fee is the difference between the price you contracted with the seller and the price your buyer is willing to pay.

    For example:

    • You get the property under contract for $100,000.
    • You assign the contract to a cash buyer for $110,000.
    • You collect a $10,000 assignment fee at closing.

    That’s it—you’ve successfully wholesaled a property without needing to buy, fix, or finance anything.

    Building Your Wholesaling Business Foundation

    To succeed in real estate wholesaling, you need to treat it like a business from day one. Many beginners make the mistake of seeing wholesaling as a side hustle, but if you want long-term success and consistent income, you must approach it with the right mindset and structure. Let’s break down how to build a strong foundation for your wholesaling business.

    Developing a Business Mindset: Treat It Like a Business from Day One

    Wholesaling isn’t just a way to make quick cash—it’s a real business. From the moment you decide to wholesale, you need to think like a business owner. This means:

    • Setting clear goals: How many deals do you want to close in your first year? What kind of revenue do you want to generate? Having clear goals helps you stay focused and measure your success.
    • Being consistent: Consistent action is key in wholesaling. Whether it’s marketing, following up with leads, or networking with buyers, daily efforts compound over time.
    • Tracking your results: Start tracking everything from day one—leads, calls, offers made, and deals closed. This data helps you see what’s working and where you need to improve.

    A solid business mindset also means understanding that you’ll face challenges but being prepared to push through them and stay committed to the process.

    Setting Up an LLC for Legal Protection and Credibility

    One of the first steps in building your foundation is setting up a Limited Liability Company (LLC). Wholesaling is a business; just like any other business, you want to protect yourself from legal risks. An LLC separates your personal assets from your business liabilities, which is crucial if something goes wrong in a deal.

    Here’s why setting up an LLC is important:

    • Legal protection: If a deal goes south or you face a lawsuit, your personal assets (home, savings, etc.) are protected because the LLC is the legal entity, not you personally.
    • Credibility: Operating as an LLC also makes you look more professional to motivated sellers and cash buyers. It shows that you’re serious about your business, which builds trust and increases your chances of closing deals.
    • Tax benefits: An LLC can also offer tax advantages, such as write-offs for business expenses like marketing, travel, and software tools.

    Setting up an LLC is easy and affordable, and it gives you the peace of mind and credibility you need to operate your wholesaling business confidently.

    Tools and Software You Need (CRM, Marketing Platforms, etc.)

    Running a successful wholesaling business requires more than just hustle—you need the right tools to stay organized, automate tasks, and scale your efforts. Here are the essential tools and software you should consider:

    1. CRM (Customer Relationship Management): A CRM helps you manage your leads, track communication, and follow up with sellers and buyers. In wholesaling, follow-up is key, and a CRM ensures that no lead falls through the cracks. Popular CRMs for wholesalers include InvestorFuse and Podio.
    2. Marketing Platforms: You’ll need marketing tools to generate leads and find motivated sellers. Here are a few essential platforms:
      • Direct Mail Services: Use platforms like Ballpoint Marketing or Yellow Letters HQ to send direct mail to targeted sellers.
      • Carrot Website: A Carrot site can be one of your most powerful tools for generating inbound leads online. By optimizing your website for SEO and running paid ads, you can attract motivated sellers who are ready to take action.
      • SMS and Cold Calling Tools: Services like Batch Leads or Launch Control make it easy to reach out to potential sellers via text or phone calls.
    3. Deal Analysis Tools: To evaluate deals, you’ll need tools to run comps and calculate the ARV (After Repair Value). Platforms like PropStream or Batch Leads allow you to pull property data, analyze deals, and determine the right price to offer.
    4. Transaction Management: Once you have a property under contract, you’ll need a system to track the closing process. Platforms like Dotloop or DocuSign allow you to manage documents, contracts, and signatures online.

    By investing in the right tools and setting up systems from the start, you’ll be able to operate more efficiently, scale your business, and focus on the highest-value tasks—finding deals and closing them.

    In short, building your wholesaling business foundation means treating it like a real business, protecting yourself with an LLC, and using the right tools to streamline your process. This solid foundation will set you up for long-term success. Let’s move on to finding motivated sellers and getting deals under contract!

    Finding Motivated Sellers

    In wholesaling, finding motivated sellers is the foundation of your success. A motivated seller is someone who needs to sell quickly, usually because of financial distress, personal reasons, or because they simply don’t want to deal with the property anymore. These sellers are willing to accept a lower offer for the convenience and speed that a cash sale provides. As a wholesaler, it’s your job to find these people, offer a solution, and turn their property into a profit.

    Motivated sellers are key because they create opportunity. The deeper the discount you can negotiate with a motivated seller, the larger your potential profit when you assign that contract to a buyer. Without motivated sellers, your deals won’t have enough margin for you or your investors to make money.

    Here’s how you can find motivated sellers using tried-and-true strategies.

    Strategies for Finding Motivated Sellers

    1. Online Marketing: Using Carrot Websites to Attract Leads

    Your Carrot website is a powerful tool for attracting inbound leads—people who are actively searching online to sell their homes fast. Sellers who visit your site and fill out a form are often highly motivated and ready to take action. By creating content optimized for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), you can rank your website on Google for key terms like “sell my house fast ” or “cash home buyers in .”

    Here’s how to make the most of your Carrot website for lead generation:

    • Create hyper-local content: Write blog posts or pages targeting specific cities and neighborhoods where you’re looking for deals.
    • Run paid ads: Google Ads and Facebook Ads can drive immediate traffic to your site, generating leads even faster.
    • Optimize for conversions: Make sure your website is easy to navigate, with clear calls-to-action (CTAs) that encourage visitors to contact you for an offer.

    A well-optimized Carrot website can automatically produce motivated seller leads, helping you scale your business while you sleep.

    2. Direct Mail Campaigns: Targeting Absentee Owners, Pre-Foreclosures, and More

    Direct mail remains one of the most reliable ways to generate leads from motivated sellers, especially when you target specific groups like:

    • Absentee owners: People who own properties but don’t live in them, often landlords or investors who may be tired of managing rentals.
    • Pre-foreclosures: Homeowners facing foreclosure are often highly motivated to sell before they lose their home.
    • Probate properties: People who inherit properties may want to sell quickly to avoid dealing with maintenance or taxes.

    To run a successful direct mail campaign, you’ll need a targeted list of homeowners. You can get these lists through services like PropStream, ListSource, or Batch Leads. Craft a compelling postcard or letter offering a fast, hassle-free cash sale, and send it out consistently. Many wholesalers close their first deals through this strategy.

    3. Driving for Dollars: Spotting Distressed Properties

    Driving for Dollars is one of the most direct ways to find properties that may belong to motivated sellers. This involves physically driving through neighborhoods and looking for distressed properties that are showing signs of neglect, such as:

    • Overgrown lawns
    • Boarded-up windows
    • Peeling paint or damaged roofs
    • Notices on the door

    Once you spot a potential distressed property, write down the address and do some research to find the owner. You can then reach out to them directly to see if they’re intereste

    4. Cold Calling & SMS Marketing: Scripts and Tools for Outreach

    Cold calling and SMS marketing are direct, proactive approaches to reaching potential sellers. With the right list and tools, you can contact homeowners and start the conversation about buying their property. This method can be especially effective when targeting lists like absentee owners or pre-foreclosures.

    Here’s how to get started:

    • Cold Calling: Use a dialer like Batch Dialer or Mojo Dialer to quickly make calls to your targeted list. When cold calling, it’s important to have a script that introduces you, explains your interest in buying their home, and offers a solution. Keep it short and to the point:
      • “Hi, I’m [Your Name], a local investor, and I’m looking to buy a few more houses in your area. Would you be interested in a cash offer for your property?”
    • SMS Marketing: Texting is less invasive and often gets higher response rates than cold calls. Tools like Batch Leads or Lead Sherpa allow you to send bulk messages to your target list. Keep your message short and clear, like:
      • “Hi, this is [Your Name], I’m a local buyer interested in purchasing properties in . Would you consider selling your home for cash?”

    These outreach methods are all about volume—the more people you reach out to, the more opportunities you’ll have to find motivated sellers.


    By using these strategies—online marketing through Carrot, driving for dollars, direct mail, and cold calling/SMS marketing—you can consistently find motivated sellers and build a steady pipeline of deals. The key is staying consistent and persistent, even when you don’t get immediate results. Now, let’s talk about how to get the property under contract once you’ve found a motivated seller.

    Analyzing and Making Offers

    Once you’ve found a motivated seller, the next step is to analyze the deal and make an offer. Knowing how to correctly evaluate a property and make a competitive offer is essential for your success in wholesaling. Here, we’ll break down the key components of analyzing deals: running comps, estimating repair costs, and using the 70% Rule to determine your Maximum Allowable Offer (MAO).

    How to Run Comps: Determining the Property’s After Repair Value (ARV)

    The After Repair Value (ARV) is the estimated value of a property after all necessary repairs and updates are made. This is crucial because it helps you determine how much the property can sell for once it’s fixed up. The ARV guides your entire offer-making process, so getting it right is key.

    Here’s how to run comps:

    1. Use MLS data or online tools: If you don’t have access to the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), you can use tools like PropStream or Zillow to pull comps—comparable sales of similar properties in the same area.
    2. Select recent sales: Focus on properties that have sold within the last 3-6 months to get an accurate picture of the current market.
    3. Look for similar properties: The best comps are properties that are similar in square footage, bedroom/bathroom count, and property type. Stay within a 1-mile radius of the property you’re evaluating.
    4. Adjust for condition: Compare the condition of your target property to the comps. If the comp is fully renovated and your property needs a lot of work, you’ll need to adjust the value downward.

    Once you have your comps, average the sale prices to determine the ARV. For example, if similar properties in the area have sold for $250,000, then that’s likely your property’s ARV.

    Estimating Repair Costs: Knowing What to Offer Based on Repairs

    Understanding repair costs is another critical component of making the right offer. You don’t need to be a contractor, but having a rough idea of how much repairs will cost allows you to calculate your offer and leave enough margin for profit accurately.

    Here’s how to estimate repair costs:

    1. Conduct a walk-through: If possible, visit the property or ask the seller for recent photos. Look for major repairs like roof issues, HVAC systems, electrical problems, plumbing, or structural damage.
    2. Use a repair cost guide: You can use general repair cost guidelines to estimate expenses. For example, cosmetic repairs (paint, flooring, minor kitchen updates) may cost around $10,000-$15,000, while major renovations (roof replacement, foundation repairs) could range from $20,000-$40,000 or more.
    3. Get contractor quotes: If you’re unsure, consider having a contractor give you a rough estimate. Over time, you’ll get better at estimating repairs yourself based on experience.

    The key is to avoid underestimating repair costs—this is where many wholesalers lose deals. Once you’ve determined the repair costs, subtract this from the ARV to get a clearer picture of the property’s value in its current condition.

    The 70% Rule: How to Use It to Formulate a Maximum Allowable Offer (MAO)

    The 70% Rule is a simple formula that helps you determine how much you should offer on a property to ensure there’s enough profit for both you and the end buyer (typically a flipper or cash investor). It’s one of the most widely used rules in wholesaling because it balances risk with profitability.

    Here’s how the 70% Rule works:

    • Take the ARV of the property and multiply it by 70%. This accounts for the buyer’s profit margin (typically 30% of the ARV).
    • Subtract the estimated repair costs from this number to determine your Maximum Allowable Offer (MAO).

    Here’s an example:

    • ARV: $250,000
    • 70% of ARV: $250,000 × 0.7 = $175,000
    • Estimated repair costs: $30,000
    • MAO: $175,000 – $30,000 = $145,000

    In this case, your MAO is $145,000. This is the maximum you should offer the seller to ensure there’s enough profit for both you and your end buyer.

    Remember, your goal is to get the property under contract at a price lower than your MAO. This gives you room to assign the contract to an investor and collect an assignment fee, which is your profit.


    By running comps, accurately estimating repair costs, and applying the 70% Rule, you can confidently make offers that leave enough margin for you, your buyer, and the seller to walk away happy. Let’s move on to the next step—getting that property under contract and finding a buyer!

    Negotiating and Securing the Contract

    Now that you’ve analyzed the deal and determined your offer, it’s time to negotiate with the seller and secure the property under contract. This is one of the most critical steps in wholesaling—if you don’t get the contract right, you risk losing the deal or even facing legal issues down the road.

    Let’s walk through how to negotiate with sellers, the key clauses your contract should include, and how to explain the contract in a way that makes the seller feel confident in moving forward.

    Tips for Negotiating with Sellers

    Negotiation is where many new wholesalers struggle, but remember—your goal is to solve the seller’s problem, not just get the lowest price. If you approach the conversation with empathy and a solution-oriented mindset, you’re more likely to win the deal. Here are some tips to help you negotiate effectively:

    1. Build Rapport: Sellers need to trust you before they agree to sell their property at a discounted price. Spend time understanding their situation and genuinely listen to their needs. People are more likely to do business with someone they like and trust.
    2. Solve Their Problem: Focus on the seller’s pain points and offer a solution. For example, if they need to move quickly, emphasize how you can close fast with a cash offer. If they’re facing foreclosure, explain how you can help them avoid the damage to their credit.
    3. Be Transparent: Let the seller know that you’re an investor and that you’ll likely be working with other buyers. Be upfront about your intentions so they feel comfortable. Transparency builds trust and can prevent misunderstandings later on.
    4. Use the Seller’s Number First: Always ask the seller what they’re hoping to get for the property before you make an offer. This gives you a starting point and allows you to see how motivated they are. You might be surprised—they may name a price lower than you expected!
    5. Know Your Numbers: Confidence in negotiation comes from knowing your numbers. You’ve already run comps and estimated repair costs, so stick to your Maximum Allowable Offer (MAO). If the seller’s price is too high, politely explain why and offer them a fair price based on the property’s condition and the local market.

    The Importance of a Solid Contract: Key Clauses for Wholesaling

    Once the seller agrees to your offer, it’s time to lock the deal in with a purchase and sale agreement. This contract is what legally gives you the right to assign the property to an end buyer and collect your assignment fee. A solid contract is essential to protecting yourself, the seller, and the buyer throughout the transaction.

    Here are some key clauses your wholesaling contract should include:

    1. Assignment Clause: This is the most important part of a wholesaling contract. It gives you the right to assign the contract to another buyer. Without this clause, you won’t be able to wholesale the deal. The clause should clearly state that you (the buyer) have the right to assign the contract to a third party.
    2. Contingency Clause: Include a contingency clause that allows you to back out of the deal if you can’t find a buyer or if unforeseen issues arise during the inspection period. Common contingencies include financing, inspection, or approval by a business partner. This protects you from losing your earnest money if the deal doesn’t go through.
    3. Earnest Money Deposit (EMD): The earnest money deposit shows the seller that you’re serious about buying the property. It’s typically a small percentage of the purchase price. You can often negotiate a lower EMD for wholesale deals, especially if the seller is motivated.
    4. Closing Date: Make sure your contract specifies a reasonable closing date. If you’re wholesaling the property, the closing date should give you enough time to find a buyer. A typical closing timeline is 30-45 days, but you can negotiate this based on the seller’s needs.
    5. Access to the Property: You’ll need access to the property for inspections and to show it to potential buyers. Make sure the contract gives you (or your buyers) the right to access the property during the closing period.

    How to Get a Property Under Contract (Explaining the Contract to the Seller)

    Getting a property under contract can be intimidating for beginners, but it’s simply a matter of walking the seller through the agreement and addressing any concerns. Here’s how to handle the conversation smoothly:

    1. Explain the Agreement: Go through the contract with the seller line by line, explaining each section in plain language. Let them know that this contract protects both parties and outlines the terms of the sale. Highlight key points like the purchase price, closing date, and any contingencies.
    2. Address Concerns: Sellers may have questions about the assignment clause or contingencies. Be ready to explain that you work with partners or investors and that the assignment clause allows you to find the right buyer quickly. Reassure them that you’re committed to closing the deal, and that contingencies are standard in real estate contracts.
    3. Be Patient and Professional: Some sellers may need time to think or consult with someone before signing. That’s okay. Give them the time they need, and don’t pressure them into making a decision. Maintaining professionalism and patience goes a long way in building trust.
    4. Sign and Seal the Deal: Once the seller is comfortable with the terms, have them sign the contract. Make sure you have all the necessary signatures, including both the seller’s and yours as the buyer. Provide a copy of the signed agreement to the seller and keep one for your records.

    By following these steps and ensuring you have a solid contract in place, you can confidently move forward with the deal. With the property under contract, the next phase is finding your end buyer and getting ready to collect your assignment fee! Let’s talk about how to do that next.

    Building a Cash Buyers List

    One of the most critical aspects of wholesaling real estate is having a solid list of cash buyers ready to take the deals you secure under contract. Without cash buyers, even the best wholesale deals can fall apart. A strong buyer’s list ensures you have people ready to close quickly, so you can make your profit and move on to the next deal.

    What is a Cash Buyer and Why They’re Crucial to Your Success?

    A cash buyer is an investor or individual who can purchase a property outright, without needing traditional financing. This means no waiting around for mortgage approvals or bank inspections. Cash buyers are typically investors looking to fix and flip properties or add them to their rental portfolios.

    Having a reliable list of cash buyers is crucial because:

    • Fast Closings: Cash buyers can close deals quickly, sometimes within a week, which is important when working with motivated sellers who need a fast solution.
    • Minimize Risk: By having buyers lined up, you reduce the risk of a deal falling through at the last minute, which can cost you both time and money.
    • Repeat Business: Once you build relationships with active cash buyers, you’ll find that they often buy multiple properties from you, creating a steady income stream.

    Now, let’s break down how to build and maintain a cash buyers list.

    How to Build a List of Cash Buyers

    A solid cash buyers list doesn’t appear overnight, but with consistent effort, you can build one that supports your wholesaling business for years to come. Here are some proven methods for finding cash buyers:

    1. Networking: Attending Local REIAs and Using Social Media Groups

    Networking is key in the real estate world, and one of the best places to meet cash buyers is at your local Real Estate Investor Association (REIA) meetings. These groups are full of experienced investors looking for deals, and as a wholesaler, that’s exactly what you can offer them.

    Here’s how to maximize networking:

    • Attend REIA meetings regularly: Get to know the local investors, share your deals, and exchange contact information. Focus on building relationships—buyers are more likely to work with wholesalers they know and trust.
    • Use social media: Join real estate investment groups on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. Many local investor groups exist where people post deals and connect with cash buyers. When you have a property under contract, share it in these groups to gauge interest.
    • Go to local meetups: Even outside of REIAs, real estate investment meetups, seminars, and conferences are great places to find buyers who are actively seeking deals.
    2. Public Records: Finding Buyers from Recent Transactions

    Another method for finding cash buyers is digging into public records. Whenever someone buys a property, it’s recorded in public county records, including whether it was a cash transaction.

    Here’s how to find them:

    • Search recent transactions: Check the local county records for recent property purchases. Look for cash transactions and record the buyer’s information. These buyers are often investors who are likely looking for more properties.
    • Work with a title company: Many title companies have access to property transaction data and may be willing to share lists of cash buyers who have closed deals in your area recently.
    3. Online Platforms: Using Carrot’s Cash Buyer Leads Feature

    If you want to streamline the process of finding cash buyers, platforms like Carrot make it easy. Carrot’s websites have a built-in Cash Buyer leads feature designed specifically for real estate investors like you.

    Here’s how it works:

    • Create a landing page: Set up a simple landing page using your Carrot website that offers potential cash buyers an opportunity to join your list. Make the page easy to navigate and include a form where buyers can submit their information.
    • Drive traffic to the page: Share your landing page in your local REIA groups, social media, or even in your email marketing campaigns. Once buyers sign up, you’ll start collecting valuable leads you can nurture for future deals.

    This automated approach can quickly grow your buyers list, allowing you to focus more on finding deals and less on manually building your list.

    Communicating Effectively with Cash Buyers

    Once you’ve built your buyers list, effective communication is crucial to maintain strong relationships and ensure quick closings. Cash buyers need to trust that you’ll bring them high-quality deals, and you need to ensure they can close fast.

    Here’s how to communicate with your cash buyers:

    • Provide detailed information: When presenting a deal to your buyers, include all relevant details—ARV, repair estimates, and your asking price. Cash buyers want to know the numbers right away so they can make an informed decision.
    • Be honest and transparent: If there’s something wrong with the property (e.g., major repairs needed), let your buyers know upfront. They’ll appreciate your transparency and are more likely to work with you long term.
    • Stay in touch: Even when you don’t have deals, stay in contact with your buyers. Send out periodic updates, check in on their investment goals, and ask if they’re looking for anything specific. Building a relationship keeps you top-of-mind when they’re ready for their next purchase.

    By following these strategies, you’ll build a strong, reliable cash buyers list that will allow you to confidently secure contracts, knowing you have the buyers ready to close. With a solid buyers list in place, your wholesaling business will run much smoother, and you’ll be well-positioned for consistent success. Next, let’s dive into closing the deal and collecting your assignment fee!

    Assigning the Contract

    Once you’ve secured a property under contract and built a strong list of cash buyers, the next step in the wholesaling process is assigning the contract. This is the moment where you make your profit, so understanding how the assignment process works is crucial for a smooth deal.

    How the Assignment Process Works: From Contract to Closing

    The assignment process is what makes wholesaling unique. Instead of purchasing the property yourself, you’re essentially selling the rights to your contract to a cash buyer. Here’s a breakdown of how it works:

    1. Get the Property Under Contract: After negotiating with the seller, you’ll sign a purchase and sale agreement that gives you the right to buy the property at an agreed price. This contract is the key to wholesaling.
    2. Assign the Contract: Instead of closing on the property yourself, you’ll assign the contract to one of your cash buyers for a higher price. This is known as the assignment fee—your profit for finding the deal.
    3. Use an Assignment of Contract Form: To complete the process, you’ll need an Assignment of Contract document. This form officially transfers your rights in the original purchase agreement to the cash buyer. The buyer takes over the contract and closes on the property directly with the seller.
    4. Close the Deal: The cash buyer will close the deal with the seller, and you’ll collect your assignment fee at closing, typically through the title company handling the transaction.

    The beauty of this process is that you never need to own the property or come up with the funds to close. Your role is simply to connect motivated sellers with eager cash buyers.

    Assignment vs. Double Closing

    In wholesaling, there are two primary methods for closing deals: assignment of contract and double closing. It’s important to understand the difference so you can choose the best approach for each deal.

    • Assignment of Contract: This is the most common method. You assign the original contract to a buyer, and they complete the transaction. It’s fast, simple, and involves lower costs because you don’t have to purchase the property yourself.
    • Double Closing: In a double closing, you actually buy the property from the seller and immediately sell it to your buyer in two back-to-back closings. This method is useful when you want to keep your assignment fee private or if the profit margin is particularly large. However, it can be more expensive since you’ll need to cover closing costs twice.

    In most cases, assignment is the preferred method for beginners because it’s straightforward, and you don’t need any of your own money to complete the deal.

    How to Present Deals to Buyers and Collect Your Fee

    Now that you’ve secured a contract, you need to present it to your cash buyers in a way that excites them and makes them eager to close quickly. Here’s how to do it:

    1. Package the Deal: Present the deal in a clear, professional manner. Include all the necessary details like the property address, the purchase price, ARV (After Repair Value), estimated repair costs, and your asking price (which includes your assignment fee).
    2. Create Urgency: Good deals won’t last long, and you want your buyers to act fast. Let them know that you’re offering the deal to multiple buyers and it’s first-come, first-served. The more urgency you create, the faster you’ll get offers.
    3. Be Transparent About Your Fee: When assigning the contract, be upfront about your assignment fee. Most experienced cash buyers expect wholesalers to make a profit, so there’s no need to hide it. Transparency builds trust and long-term relationships with your buyers.
    4. Use a Title Company or Real Estate Attorney: A reliable title company or real estate attorney will handle the closing process and ensure everything is legal and above board. They’ll facilitate the transfer of the contract from you to your buyer, and they’ll also handle the payment of your assignment fee.
    5. Get Paid at Closing: Once the deal is ready to close, your assignment fee will be paid out through the title company or attorney. You’ll receive your profit without ever having to come up with the funds to purchase the property.

    Mastering the assignment process is the key to consistent, profitable wholesaling. It allows you to leverage opportunities, connect buyers and sellers, and make money without taking on the financial risk of buying the property yourself. Once you’ve successfully assigned your first contract, you’ll see just how scalable and repeatable this business model can be!

    Common Mistakes to Avoid

    When you’re just starting out in real estate wholesaling, it’s easy to make mistakes that can cost you time, money, and even deals. However, by being aware of the common pitfalls and learning how to avoid them, you can fast-track your success. Here are three of the most frequent mistakes that new wholesalers make—and how to steer clear of them.

    Overpaying for Properties: How to Avoid Paying Too Much

    One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is overpaying for properties. The profitability of your wholesale deal relies heavily on securing properties at a price low enough that there’s room for both you and the end buyer to profit. Here’s how to avoid overpaying:

    • Stick to the 70% Rule: This rule helps you determine your Maximum Allowable Offer (MAO) by calculating 70% of the After Repair Value (ARV) minus estimated repair costs. This ensures that you’re leaving enough margin for both your buyer and yourself.
    • Run Accurate Comps: Make sure you’re using recent, comparable sales (comps) in the area to accurately estimate the ARV. Failing to run accurate comps could cause you to misprice your offer, leading to an unprofitable deal.
    • Don’t Get Emotionally Attached: It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of finding a deal, but always remember—real estate wholesaling is about the numbers. If the deal doesn’t make financial sense, walk away. It’s better to lose out on a deal than to overpay and end up stuck with a contract you can’t move.

    Not Vetting Buyers: Ensuring Your Buyer Can Close

    Securing a contract is only half the battle. The other half is ensuring that your buyer is actually able to close the deal. Too many new wholesalers skip the crucial step of vetting their buyers, which can result in deals falling apart at the last minute. Here’s how to ensure your buyers are solid:

    • Build Relationships with Proven Buyers: Rather than scrambling to find a buyer after you have a property under contract, start building relationships with reliable cash buyers before you even begin wholesaling. Attend local real estate meetups, network through social media, and tap into online platforms to grow your list.
    • Verify Proof of Funds: Always ask potential buyers for proof of funds before assigning them a contract. This ensures that they have the cash available to close the deal on time.
    • Ask for References: If you’re working with a new buyer, don’t hesitate to ask for references from title companies or other wholesalers they’ve worked with. A few quick phone calls can give you peace of mind that they’re legitimate and capable of closing.

    Skipping Legal Advice: Why Having a Real Estate Attorney Matters

    Skipping legal advice can be a costly mistake. While wholesaling may seem straightforward, each deal involves legal contracts, and it’s critical to have someone with the right expertise on your side.

    • Protect Yourself with Proper Contracts: A real estate attorney will help ensure that your contracts are legally sound and that you’re protected in case anything goes wrong. For instance, you need to ensure you have an assignability clause in your contract, which allows you to assign the contract to another buyer.
    • Stay Compliant with Local Laws: Real estate laws vary by state, and wholesaling laws can be complex. Some states have specific restrictions on wholesaling, and an experienced attorney can help you navigate these regulations. Failing to comply with local laws could land you in hot water, so it’s best to have an expert in your corner.
    • Avoid Legal Disputes: Having a real estate attorney involved in your deals ensures that everything is handled properly and that both parties understand their obligations. This reduces the risk of legal disputes that could arise from misunderstandings or poorly drafted contracts.

    By avoiding these common mistakes—overpaying for properties, failing to vet buyers, and skipping legal advice—you’ll set a strong foundation for a successful and sustainable wholesaling business. The more cautious and prepared you are, the more smoothly your deals will run and the faster you’ll see results.Next, let’s discuss closing your first deal and scaling your business for long-term success!

    Scaling Your Wholesaling Business

    Once you’ve successfully closed a few deals, the next step is scaling your wholesaling business. To grow, you need to transition from hustling to setting up systems that generate leads and close deals on autopilot. Here’s how to take your business to the next level.

    Systematizing Lead Generation: Automating Marketing and Follow-Up

    At the heart of any successful wholesaling operation is a consistent stream of leads. However, manually handling every part of lead generation can quickly become overwhelming. To scale, you need to automate and streamline your marketing efforts:

    • Leverage Online Marketing Tools: Use platforms like Carrot to build a high-converting website that attracts leads through SEO. Optimize your site for keywords like “sell my house fast” or “cash home buyers,” so motivated sellers can find you online.
    • Automate Follow-Up Campaigns: Many of your leads won’t convert immediately. That’s why having a follow-up system is essential. Use CRM software to set up automated email and SMS sequences to nurture your leads. The more touchpoints you have, the better your chances of closing deals down the road.
    • Use Paid Advertising: As you scale, consider using paid traffic sources like Google Ads or Facebook Ads to generate more motivated seller leads. Set a budget and let your ads run continuously to keep the pipeline full while you focus on closing deals.

    By automating these processes, you can spend less time prospecting and more time negotiating and closing contracts.

    Building a Team: When to Hire a Virtual Assistant or Acquisitions Manager

    As you scale, you’ll reach a point where it’s impossible to handle everything on your own. This is when building a team becomes critical. Two key hires you’ll want to consider early on are:

    • Virtual Assistant (VA): A VA can help with repetitive tasks like cold calling, list pulling, lead follow-up, and organizing your CRM. This frees you up to focus on high-value activities like negotiating contracts and closing deals. Virtual assistants are typically cost-effective and can be hired part-time as your business grows.
    • Acquisitions Manager: An acquisitions manager can help scale your wholesaling business by handling property negotiations and contracts. They’ll focus on getting properties under contract while you focus on running the business and expanding operations. As your deal flow increases, an acquisitions manager will be essential to handling multiple deals simultaneously.

    Building a team allows you to delegate tasks, maximize productivity, and scale your operations without getting bogged down in day-to-day details.

    Reinvesting Profits to Scale

    If you want to grow your wholesaling business, you need to reinvest your profits strategically. Here are three key areas where reinvesting can have the biggest impact:

    1. Marketing: Scale up your lead generation efforts by reinvesting in marketing channels that are already working. Whether it’s paid ads, direct mail campaigns, or online marketing, doubling down on what works will ensure you keep the deal flow consistent.
    2. Technology & Tools: Invest in tools that streamline your processes, such as CRM systems, marketing automation platforms, and real estate software for finding comps and running analyses. The right tech can save you time and make your business more efficient.
    3. Hiring & Training: Use your profits to bring on new team members and train them to run different aspects of your business. This includes virtual assistants, acquisitions managers, and even dispositions managers to help sell the deals. The more you reinvest in your team, the more your business will be able to handle a higher volume of deals.

    Scaling your business takes time, but by investing your profits wisely, automating lead generation, and building a strong team, you’ll be well on your way to growing a successful and sustainable wholesaling operation.


    By systematizing your lead generation, building a reliable team, and reinvesting your profits, you’ll set the foundation to scale your wholesaling business and take it to new heights. With consistent effort and smart decision-making, you can turn your initial deals into a thriving business that operates efficiently at scale! Ready to scale? Let’s talk about closing more deals consistently and making 2025 your most successful year yet!

    Conclusion

    Wholesaling real estate may seem overwhelming at first, but by following these key steps, you’ll be on the path to success:

    • Understand the process: From finding motivated sellers to securing contracts and building a cash buyer list, knowing the steps is critical.
    • Treat it like a business: Set up a strong foundation, use the right tools, and build a reliable team as you grow.
    • Stay disciplined with your numbers: Analyze deals carefully, stick to the 70% rule, and avoid overpaying for properties.
    • Be persistent: Wholesaling isn’t a “get rich quick” scheme—it’s a business that requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes.

    For beginners, remember that every successful wholesaler started right where you are now. The key is to stay persistent, keep learning, and continue taking action. Even when deals fall through or things don’t go as planned, each challenge is an opportunity to grow and get better.

    To help you stay organized, streamline your lead generation, and automate your follow-up, I highly recommend using Carrot’s platform. With the right tools, you can focus on scaling your wholesaling business and closing more deals.

    Ready to take your first step? Use Carrot to help you automate, attract motivated sellers, and build your buyer list. Get started today and make this the year you break into wholesaling!

  • A Look Back At The March Google Algorithm Update – A Win For Carrot Sites!

    A Look Back At The March Google Algorithm Update – A Win For Carrot Sites!

    A Look Back At The March Google Algorithm Update - A Win For Carrot Sites!

    Have you noticed any changes in your site’s search rankings since the March Google Algorithm Update? SEO experts detected significant tremors in mid-March, indicating another large-scale algorithm update by Google. The search giant confirmed the update’s completion on March 28, leaving website owners and SEO professionals to assess its impact on their online visibility.

    As with any significant core algorithm update, the details – and the effects – haven’t been immediately evident.  Generally, experts have indicated that this was a broad update, targeting all types of content rather than focusing on one particular area.  Additionally, it’s believed that this update wasn’t necessarily a penalty but instead a promotion or reward for great web pages.

    So, we dove into data from our Keyword Tracking Tool to answer the question: how did Carrot sites fare?

    First, a little about the data…

    Carrot’s Keyword Tracking tool has enabled thousands of our customers to track tens of thousands of keywords, resulting in a vast reservoir of SEO data that is one of the most comprehensive in the real estate industry.  We can aggregate this data and paint a picture of what happened on our network before, during, and after these large-scale Google algorithm updates.  This data lets us keep our finger on the pulse regarding what it takes to win with SEO in the real estate industry

    That said, this data represents precisely that – aggregate changes.  It’s important to monitor your own sites to see how algorithm updates impact the pages and search phrases you care about most.  

    Carrot’s SEO Keyword Tracking tool – the ultimate solution to skyrocket your website’s visibility on search engines and bring more motivated leads to your doorstep!

    Say goodbye to the hassle of manually tracking your website’s keyword performance and hello to effortless optimization with our user-friendly platform. Our advanced keyword tracking tool monitors your website’s ranking on major search engines and provides valuable insights on how to improve your SEO strategy.

    With Carrot’s SEO Keyword Tracking tool, you’ll have access to real-time data and metrics that will help you:

    • Identify high-performing keywords and optimize your content to rank higher
    • Track your competitors’ ranking and stay ahead of the game
    • Monitor the progress of your SEO campaigns and adjust your strategy accordingly
    • Analyze and improve your website’s on-page SEO factors, such as title tags and meta descriptions
    • Save time and energy by automating your keyword tracking process

    Don’t let your website get lost in the sea of competitors, start using the keyword tracking tool now! Not a Carrot member yet? Join today and start dominating search engine rankings!

    Overall, a positive update for Carrot sites.  Less volatility.  More upside.

    We wanted to look specifically at how Top 10 Rankings fared during and after this update finished rolling out.  Of all URL/keyword combinations tracked through our Keyword Tracking Tool, a little over 40% sit in the Top 10 of Google Search Results. That’s a lot of first-page real estate being claimed by Carrot members!

    And overall, there were more Top 10 Rankings following this update than there were prior to it. In other words, following Google’s algorithm update, even more of that first-page real estate is being claimed by Carrot sites.

    % of Tracked Keywords in the Top 10

    Unique URLs w/ Top 10 Rankings

    Pre-Update

    40.27%

    41.33%

    Post-Update

    3944

    4200

    After finding that there was a net positive in terms of sites and keywords now sitting in the Top 10, we want to paint a picture of how much volatility occurred.  Were there many rankings turnovers, or are the same sites and keywords ranking in the Top 10 now as before?

    Overall, this core algorithm update brought much less volatility and more upside than August’s Helpful Content Update.

    To determine this, we put each URL/keyword combination into one of three groups:

    • The “Maintained” Group – was in the Top 10 before the update and is still in the Top 10 following the update.
    • The “Lost” group – these were in the Top 10 before the update but are no longer sitting in the Top 10 following the update.
    • The “Gained” group – these moved into the Top 10 following the update.
    March vs August Google Updates

    A few things immediately stand out.  First, there was much less turnover and volatility during this update.  Nearly 63% of the keywords we looked at fell in the “maintained” group, compared with only 53% during the August Helpful Content Update.

    When only looking at those in the Top 10 Rankings before the update, 78% of those keywords were still in the Top 10 following the update!

    Next, significantly fewer keywords dropped out of the Top 10 following this update compared to August.  And more keywords jumped into the Top 10 following this update as well.  All that to say, there was a lot more good than bad – which is always a win following a large-scale update.

    The overall impact is a net positive for Carrot sites – with more sites, URLs, and keywords in the Top 10 following the March Core Algorithm Update.

    What ranking positions were most impacted?

    Generally, we saw consolidation at the top of the search results page – meaning that more URLs and keywords improved their rankings within the Top 10 than those whose Top 10 rankings got knocked.

    Average position pre and post March 2023 update

    For positions 1 through 8, more keywords were ranking in that position following the update than before it.  We see this especially play out in the Top 3 rankings results.  The number of first-position keywords tracked through our Rank Tracker Tool grew to 1800+!

    This wasn’t only true because more keywords jumped into the Top 10, either!  The group of keywords already in the Top 10 before the update showed fairly significant positive growth toward the top of the search results page as well.

    Pre vs post Google Algorithm update - maintained group

    Overall, there was no rhyme or reason to which rankings positions were impacted.  The spread of keywords that dropped out of the Top 10 was pretty evenly spread in terms of the position they sat prior to the update.

    March Google Algorithm Update previous position of lost keywords

    Similarly, the keywords that “jumped” into the Top 10 following the update were spread across the board.  Instead of only barely cracking the Top 10, some skyrocketed to the top one to three slots.

    Post Google 2023 update rankings for gained keywords

    Were any specific phrases impacted more than others?

    The short answer is … not really.  

    We took all of the search phrases and keywords that we analyzed, stripped out location-specific information, and performed some topic modeling to get an idea of what general “types” of search phrases were either lost or gained during this update.  There wasn’t a huge difference, but that may tell us even more about the details of this update!

    Note: the phrases in the “theme” column in each of the following graphics aren’t the search phrases themselves.  They’re just general topics representing many of the tracked keywords themselves.

    Theme

    Sell house fast

    Buy and sell houses quickly

    Cash buyers and reviews

    Avoiding foreclosures and wholesale properties

    Homes and properties in specific locations

    Real estate solutions and investment group

    Homes for rent and mobile homes

    Real estate buyers and cash offers

    Worth, homes, and properties in specific locations

    Inherited properties

    Count

    376

    301

    85

    76

    76

    42

    34

    23

    0

    0

    Topic models for lost keywords – as to be expected, we see a lot relating to primary Motivated Seller phrases.

    Theme

    Sell house fast

    Buy and sell houses quickly

    Cash buyers and homes for sale

    Houses for sale in specific locations

    Real estate solutions and investment group

    Inherited properties and selling homes

    Houses for sale in Florida

    Real estate buyers and foreclosures

    Real estate buyers and home buying process

    Real estate buyers and homes for sale in New Jersey

    Count

    560

    406

    346

    198

    127

    125

    88

    72

    43

    0

    And similarly, the topic models for “gained” keywords.  Overall, we see much of the same.

    In theory, we shouldn’t expect a ton of difference in “lost” and “gained” keywords or search phrases during a Core Algorithm Update.  That’s because these core updates aren’t focused on keywords themselves. Instead, they’re more broad-based and focus on website-based factors like E-E-A-T scores, high-quality backlinks using methods like HARO, and good, relevant content all-around.

    How should you respond to this update on your own site?

    There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to a Google Core Algorithm update.  Google certainly doesn’t reveal their “secret sauce.”  But because we know that they are generally focused on website-based factors like E-E-A-T scores, it is always a good idea to take a look at these things if the March Update negatively impacted your site.

    1. Content Quality – Ensure your content is unique, valuable, and informative to users.  Make sure it is up-to-date and in-depth.  Also, make sure it’s still relevant to what the end user may be searching for.  When it comes to SEO, you can never lose by taking another look at the quality of your content.
    2. Write with E-E-A-T in mind – E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness.  Especially in the real estate space, showcasing credibility and expertise is increasingly important to capture top-ranking spots.  Build out your “About Us” page.  Highlight some testimonials from past clients.  Tell readers about how you are uniquely – and authoritatively – positioned to help them.  This matters just like relevant content!
    1. Check your backlink health – Any spammy or low-quality links in your backlink profile?  These could harm your site’s reputation and knock you down the search results page.  Disavow any spammy or low-quality links and make a plan to acquire some high-quality ones.

    We’ll call this round a win for Carrot.

    In the never-ending battle to secure the top spots on the Google search results page, we call the March Algorithm Update an overall win for Carrot websites and customers.

    More customers, more domains, and more keywords are ranking in the Top 10 after the update than prior to it.  And even better, more keywords are in the #1 spot at the top of the page!

    Be on the lookout for more reports like this as we put our first-class Ranking Tool – and the reservoir of data it creates – to use to keep you informed about what’s happening across the SEO landscape.

    Ready to take your real estate business to the next level?

    Join Carrot today and experience the power of a proven platform that generates leads and boosts your online presence.

    With Carrot, you get access to top-notch features like SEO keyword tracking, customizable websites, and lead management tools designed to help you close more deals and grow your business. Our world-class support team can always answer your questions and help you succeed.

    Join Carrot now and start winning in the competitive world of real estate.

  • EP 438: Google Ads/PPC for Real Estate Investors – What You Need to Know w/ Brendan Holmes

    EP 438: Google Ads/PPC for Real Estate Investors – What You Need to Know w/ Brendan Holmes


    Want to generate highly motivated seller leads without breaking the bank? When done right, Google Ads (pay-per-click) can be the perfect supplement to a solid marketing strategy, helping you generate leads fast while building long-term lead gen efforts like SEO.

    Brendan, our in-house Google Ads expert, is here to share:

    • The most common mistakes investors make with PPC
    • ROI, budget & lead expectations
    • How to keep your ads relevant & effective

    and more! Enjoy!

    Let us know what you think of the episode – brady@carrot.com

    Get more content about paid ads at Carrot.com/ads


    Episode Transcript (This is an automated transcript by robot carrots – please mind the typos 😉)

    00:00:00:00 – 00:00:23:06

    Brendan Holmes

    Google ads is how I always related it to two baseball playing baseball through my youth. And our coach always said it’s it’s the little things that can win the game. Yeah. And in Google ads, it’s kind of the same thing. You make these little adjustments and then you can get leads from and those little adjustments for someone just self-managing their campaigns, that that can go a long ways.

    00:00:23:06 – 00:00:33:04

    Brendan Holmes

    It’s not necessarily the home runs and Google ads rarely. It’s something major that you did to a campaign that’s going to drive more leads.

    00:00:37:27 – 00:00:55:13

    Brady Winder

    Hey, friends, you’re listening to the CarrotCast podcast, where we help investors and agents build businesses of freedom and impact by dialing in your marketing, your online marketing. I’m your host, Brady Winder. And today I have with me my friend, my coworker, PC expert, Mr. Brendan. Holmes What’s up? Brendan? How you doing, man?

    00:00:55:13 – 00:00:57:05

    Brendan Holmes

    Hey. Hey. Guess how you doing?

    00:00:57:16 – 00:01:16:15

    Brady Winder

    Brendan has year. Let me. Brendan has been accurate since the beginning, you know, with Trevor when this thing started and he he knows carrot customers. He knows carrot members in and out. He knows real estate marketing in and out. And he’s been running PPC campaigns for. And how many members do you think over the years? Ran campaigns for?

    00:01:17:29 – 00:01:36:29

    Brendan Holmes

    Hundreds. Yeah, hundreds. It’s kind of funny that I mean, before I recall, you mentioned Kylie as on a call with Kylie talking about Cam paid marketing last week and I got out my binder and this is, this is how I learned that that’s that that was Google ads in 2013.

    00:01:37:21 – 00:01:38:11

    Brady Winder

    Yes.

    00:01:38:11 – 00:01:49:19

    Brendan Holmes

    And I read almost every every one of those pages to learn about. And now now probably 90% of the ads probably obsolete. And then the other 10% we we kind of still use.

    00:01:50:08 – 00:02:01:08

    Brady Winder

    Yeah, that’s awesome. So yeah, you’ve been running PPC, Google, PPC, Google Ads for members for years, since before it was called Google Ads when it was just pay per click goods.

    00:02:01:13 – 00:02:04:07

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah. Yeah. Is that was that’s average. Yeah.

    00:02:05:00 – 00:02:26:22

    Brady Winder

    Yeah. Google AdWords it wasn’t even that long ago. So everybody listening and watching, it’s paid ads month at carat. So before you do anything else or I guess after the podcast, go to Care.com slash ads ads and we’ve got a bunch of resources on Facebook ads, on Google ads, YouTube ads, any sort of paid marketing that you want to run to supplement.

    00:02:26:22 – 00:02:48:06

    Brady Winder

    You’re also, you know, if you’ve listened this podcast for any length of time, you know, the SEO, we practice what we preach. It’s the best way to generate leads consistently, predictably, and, and the most motivated seller leads. And so we always teach people, you know, build up your SEO over the long term. If you’re just getting started, it can take 3 to 6 months to start to see some SEO efforts pay off.

    00:02:48:15 – 00:03:13:01

    Brady Winder

    And so pay per click is a paper click. Facebook ads are a great way to, you know, work into your overall marketing strategy. We’ll talk about where that fits in. But this episode is going to be all about like you know, best tips for PPC, getting started, some of the most common mistakes people make, what it looks like to run campaigns yourself versus, you know, hiring out to someone, which will give you options for that as well.

    00:03:14:02 – 00:03:29:20

    Brady Winder

    Budget expectations like what to expect is it varies so much by market and people have no idea, you know, times if they’re getting ripped off or if they’re getting, you know, leads at a good price. And so we’re going to do our best to cover all those things and not, you know, give you too much of a firehose.

    00:03:29:20 – 00:03:49:16

    Brady Winder

    But yeah, we’re going to dive into Google ads and anything else you always want to learn on, on paid marketing character, on slash ads, and also to get our free PPC resource we’ll talk about later in the call that’s going to be on that page as well. So yeah. Brendan Let’s kick it off, man. You’ve been doing PPC campaigns for years.

    00:03:49:16 – 00:04:04:13

    Brady Winder

    Let’s first talk about like, you know, if someone wants to a real estate investor wants to get started in PPC, what’s the best time? Do they need to be in business for a few years? What are the things that they need before they even consider doing this?

    00:04:04:29 – 00:04:40:18

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, consideration number one is a website, so not necessarily do they have to be in business for years. They need to optimize their websites for for conversion. So the optimization side of that is a little bit different than optimization can be a word or term that’s used for more of the SEO side. But for a conversion ad that needs to be dialed in before you’re thinking about any paid traffic, you know, you want to send it to a site that has some credibility now, making sure that looks good on mobile, that’s optimized for the mobile side.

    00:04:41:03 – 00:05:08:21

    Brendan Holmes

    Probably 75% of your leads could come from mobile. So that is one one piece that I think is people get ahead of themselves is that I want to start paid traffic. But when I either audit accounts through our carrot support or, you know, someone’s reaching out to me, potentially looking at Google ads, newer investor, older investor, it doesn’t that piece doesn’t really matter.

    00:05:08:21 – 00:05:31:12

    Brendan Holmes

    It’s they they get ahead themselves and they don’t think about the website first and how it converts and how that and yeah besides the on page making sure their their lead notifications are integrated. So kind of taking a step back and making sure all that is in place before now starting that a Google ads campaign or Facebook or paying or whatever, any kind of paid source.

    00:05:31:12 – 00:05:31:21

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah.

    00:05:32:03 – 00:05:41:20

    Brady Winder

    And just to just to be clear and reiterate, this is a must have right now. I should have like you’re not going to like you’re just going to be wasting money if your website’s not converting.

    00:05:42:09 – 00:06:10:23

    Brendan Holmes

    Yes, it’s a must have I if I’m going to manage a member or if there’s like we audit through the year, we’ll probably audit 20 accounts through our carrier support. So my just reaching out and looking to for me to review, I’ll see a lot of websites they just purchased, Maybe they’ve been a care member for a month or two months and they, they still have the canned website.

    00:06:10:27 – 00:06:37:24

    Brendan Holmes

    Everything is still the same. They have an ad, A and testimonials. They’re about pages came the can content. They still have the stucco house with you in the background. So there’s no personality to it. There’s no nothing to connect, there’s no testimonials. And you know, over the years that testimonials spot is sometimes a little tricky because there is a new investor that maybe they don’t have testimonials to add to their website yet.

    00:06:38:05 – 00:06:52:06

    Brendan Holmes

    So it’s it could be looking outside their industry. If they are just starting out, they probably are in a different industry, have a different career. Maybe they can bring some of that personality onto their website if they don’t have that true, you know, seller testimonial.

    00:06:52:27 – 00:07:16:11

    Brady Winder

    Hmm. Okay. Yeah, that makes sense. And if if, if anyone listening, watching this doesn’t have any testimonials, go to care.com slash convert. We just did a whole episode all about how to get testimonials. You know what they should look like, what you should say, or go to YouTube type and carrot testimonials. One question I had, I might be jumping the gun here, but I feel like it’s relevant for what you’re talking about.

    00:07:16:11 – 00:07:33:06

    Brady Winder

    Like making sure your website is set up. You have to have these things in place before you even start running Google ads and putting money into it. But I want to ask how many, depending on the market or the search phrase, about how many other pay per click ads are you competing with? I feel like it’s more and more now.

    00:07:33:06 – 00:07:48:01

    Brady Winder

    I used to be like, Oh, there’s an ad on Google years ago now. It’s like, Holy crap, is it? Five ads are going to scroll past, meaning like, are there five other investors you’re competing with? And if they all have their site dialed in and you don’t And yes, clicking down everyone.

    00:07:49:00 – 00:08:33:00

    Brendan Holmes

    Depends on market. But I think in a smaller market you might only be competing against one or two other investors for the top four ad spots in a metro market, if you’re statewide or national, you’re you’re competing. Yeah, probably all four of those are other investors. And that could be yeah, somebody who is. Yeah, just an investor I can remember or it can be the national investor that I buy or it they, they drive traffic they’ve kind of pulled out a little bit now like offer pad opendoor those types they were running paid traffic to kind of pull back some over.

    00:08:33:00 – 00:08:35:00

    Brady Winder

    They probably drove up costs temporarily.

    00:08:36:03 – 00:08:36:20

    Brayden Reber

    Yeah.

    00:08:37:19 – 00:09:11:17

    Brendan Holmes

    And it could for sure. It definitely could. I’ve seen if you’re in a specific market and it’s a metro type of market, that could impact that for sure. There’s there’s many other reasons costs could fluctuate. But yeah, I saw definitely in some metro markets that had national buyers definitely turning control in the cost in that back cost could have been more like the top number one and number two ad position where that they were really worried about number three and fourth, they wanted to be at the top.

    00:09:11:17 – 00:09:14:04

    Brendan Holmes

    So they were they were willing to pay for those spots.

    00:09:14:23 – 00:09:36:14

    Brady Winder

    Yeah. Okay. That makes sense. So let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about expectations. ROI, how much are you going to be paying per lead when you’re going into a market? What’s this look like? Let’s say let’s compare. Roseburg is pretty small. Roseburg is like 30,000 people. How big is Klamath Falls? Smaller than Roseburg.

    00:09:36:14 – 00:09:38:23

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, it’s. It’s right about the same size.

    00:09:38:29 – 00:09:52:27

    Brady Winder

    Not the same size. I don’t know. Okay, let’s compare, like, Eugene, Oregon. I don’t know, 500,000 people. I don’t even know. Smaller market to say like Dallas. You know what our expectations as people go to.

    00:09:54:09 – 00:10:23:03

    Brendan Holmes

    Number one is like that smaller market the expectation of let me back up real quick is you talked about the expectations are away and what what the most important metric is, is that your your cost per deal metric and that’s then aligning with you have to know where your leads are coming from. If you don’t have conversion tracking or you don’t have good CRM that really had better could harm a member.

    00:10:23:14 – 00:10:50:07

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, I’ve had members in the past had no idea where their leads were coming from and then I would have to look into their care dashboard and say, okay, this one was a Google ads, this one was organic, this one came direct. And so knowing number one, knowing where your leads are coming from and then to being able to track those that specific lead to, if that turned out to a deal, the the motivated seller terms have pretty much stayed consistent.

    00:10:50:07 – 00:11:14:20

    Brendan Holmes

    It’s the searcher that has changed so that retail searches are are shifting into more of the the motivated seller type of search, somebody that is not necessarily in a hurry, but maybe their house has been listed for two years. And like I use Klamath Falls as an example, we have a very nice golf course with, you know, some million dollar homes out there.

    00:11:15:07 – 00:11:36:27

    Brendan Holmes

    Californians, that they’re they’re not necessarily in a hurry to sell their house. They’re not you know, that they have plenty of means to keep kids in their pay or they’re no hurry, but they’re starting a certain search for that term to sell their house fast. They’re there. They just want to know how to sell their house fast. But that’s not the true motivated seller.

    00:11:36:27 – 00:12:07:24

    Brendan Holmes

    So those are easy to weed out in your leads. It’s more paying attention and focused on those one leads that you know, if it’s a batch of five leads that come in in the past month, pay attention to those and track those through the deal. And yeah, that deal could take three or four months. But keeping track of that specific Yeah lead that is a whatever source page traffic lead and making sure that your ROI over six months a year not in paid whatever paid source you’re using but in Google ads in this case.

    00:12:07:24 – 00:12:46:19

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah. Making sure that your ROI is is you know outpacing how much you’re spending on it. So that’s number one. And number two, kind of using the example of these these types of markets like Eugene compared to Dallas, the expectation, how many leads are possible in those areas? And so I’ve had members in the past who have come into like a Eugene market and they they’ve heard from the grapevine that 20 leads is possible in my area and sometimes I wonder, or I’ve known that competitors have kind of said that like they they think that yeah my competitors getting 20 leads.

    00:12:46:19 – 00:12:56:24

    Brendan Holmes

    Well yeah they might be telling you they’re getting 20 leads. So then you kind of feel like me and maybe you don’t even need to go into it. Or maybe your expectations are a little bit too high.

    00:12:56:24 – 00:13:14:16

    Brady Winder

    And do they know? Because based on what you’re tired about and you know, a lot of members we’ve talked with over the years, not everybody has, I would almost argue, enjoyed a lot of people don’t really know their lead sources and have their KPIs dialed. And to be able to say, I’m getting exactly this money from PPC, this money from Facebook, they just know they’re getting leads in their closing deals.

    00:13:14:25 – 00:13:15:07

    Brady Winder

    You know.

    00:13:15:09 – 00:13:25:18

    Brendan Holmes

    We’re not exactly yeah, in that competitor might be the same case. Like they just we’re getting 20 leads. We don’t know where they’re coming from, but we’re getting 20 leads. And so.

    00:13:25:24 – 00:13:26:10

    Brayden Reber

    In those.

    00:13:26:11 – 00:13:52:27

    Brendan Holmes

    The smaller markets that are probably under like a in Google calls it reach, So it’s not necessarily population. It’s based off of how many devices they can actually, you know, potentially show ads to. So usually that reach is much higher than your population and but a reach under 500,000, I’d say you’re potentially going to either really need great leads because you’re only going to be able to drive this many leads per month.

    00:13:53:00 – 00:14:19:27

    Brendan Holmes

    And hopefully those are quality and you could do something with them. And then I always kind of try to build in. Well, the Google ads gave me a great source for you, but you might need other channels, you might need other paid channels, you might need offline channel, so you might need something else to build, build in. And I think that’s sometimes where they in a market like that, they, they fail because their expectations aren’t set correctly.

    00:14:20:05 – 00:14:43:05

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah. Yeah. Or they, they don’t, they don’t have the marketing budget to be in Google ads and maybe some direct mail and maybe some cold calling or whatever. They’re, they’re putting all of their chips into one thing in that specific lower traffic, you know, area and it doesn’t call them. Yeah, yeah. Okay.

    00:14:43:14 – 00:15:09:23

    Brady Winder

    So we know. Okay so we know we’ve established at this point, you know, if you’re let’s say if you get your website up and running, it’s converting, it’s dialed in and you started working on your SEO, you know, PPC, Google ads is the first thing you want to do to supplement those to get leads. Now, while you work on the long term, one question I have is, you know that we we see all the time people do their marketing.

    00:15:09:23 – 00:15:27:16

    Brady Winder

    You know, Trevor coined the phrase mouth over emotion in your marketing. And so people get emotional and they start you. You’re probably in this day in and day out with, you know, your clients is people see the dollar signs and they see the money going out the door and they’re like, Oh crap, not getting leads. And they get scared and then they pull back.

    00:15:27:16 – 00:15:41:14

    Brady Winder

    And so my question is, how long does somebody need to commit commit? This is a keyword to doing Google ads before you know that they hit pause or reevaluate. Is this three months, six months, a year? You know?

    00:15:42:18 – 00:15:42:29

    Brayden Reber

    Yeah.

    00:15:42:29 – 00:16:18:24

    Brendan Holmes

    I think I if if someone’s asking me to manage their account, I usually say at least three months and that in if not more like if you are getting leads within that three months which you should be anyways, then it’s evaluating those types of leads and it could market and season will also factor into that. So if I start a campaign at the end of November, that’s not the same as starting a campaign at the beginning of May, the market could be totally different.

    00:16:19:14 – 00:16:40:01

    Brendan Holmes

    So that seasonality side of it, yeah, it will factor in. So that’s why I usually say three months. Yeah. And give them the had it, you might need longer if you’re getting leads and we know some of these leads have quality or have been quality but you just haven’t been able to close one. We need to reevaluate after three months for sure.

    00:16:40:10 – 00:16:58:23

    Brendan Holmes

    But then you know cash there is promise here in some markets. So after three months, you just know either that budget isn’t matching, maybe they don’t have enough budget to potentially be in that area and then it could be looking at their locations and what we could potentially do with that. But that, yeah, there’s some other factors in there for sure.

    00:16:58:23 – 00:17:30:27

    Brendan Holmes

    But overall, three months, six months depending kind of what markets they are in Now, timing. Timing is big. It’s I think that’s another expectation that isn’t on a lot of their minds when they’re starting is when am I starting this and what’s my market looking like right now? And it’s hard to I know it’s hard. That’s that’s terribly hard night for investor who is spending thousands of dollars a month on unpaid traffic.

    00:17:30:27 – 00:17:53:08

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah that’s it’s hard right But like you said it’s their emotion side that you try to hire and eliminate as much as possible and have that clear picture. But again there are times that it is just cut and dry after three months if we don’t make these changes to the account yet, honestly, go, go. Try something else. Go, go.

    00:17:53:08 – 00:17:55:02

    Brendan Holmes

    Put your money in a different channel.

    00:17:55:24 – 00:18:09:12

    Brady Winder

    Interesting. Oh, well, I’m glad you brought up seasonality. Does it do you see the same seasonality as or leads overall like as organic leads, awards, you know, slump in the winter and that comes back up the springtime?

    00:18:09:12 – 00:18:35:13

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, I, I do. And but it’s really it’s kind of it’s not across the board it’s very dependent on market too. I have it I mean typically it’s it starts in November kind of like Thanksgiving time this last year in 2020 to kind of a slow down in the paid traffic. We’d started around more around Halloween and then it had kind continued.

    00:18:35:13 – 00:18:46:20

    Brendan Holmes

    But then there were some markets that in December that were like Midwest, snowy, very cold markets that thrived in December. They they crushed their lead volumes.

    00:18:46:20 – 00:18:48:06

    Brady Winder

    They’re not phase two. I went there.

    00:18:48:15 – 00:18:50:08

    Brayden Reber

    Yeah yes yeah where.

    00:18:50:17 – 00:19:10:07

    Brendan Holmes

    The I it and I would anticipate a slowdown is that’s pretty much what always happens and those every year I’ve you know since I’ve been managing campaigns that I’ll get questions what happened what happened to our Google ads campaign. What what do we do wrong. What’s going on? And if we can go back and see the Google ads campaigns.

    00:19:10:15 – 00:19:38:13

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah. Besides the moves that we always make that like the daily, the weekly, the monthly, if if there were no major shifts in the Google ads campaign, what what other kind of factors or there could be a market, it could be competitors, maybe it could be if you made a website changes. I found that too that members didn’t communicate that they had changed the website and I, I, I checked the websites, but I’m not in there.

    00:19:38:27 – 00:20:00:02

    Brendan Holmes

    They had, you know, every other week looking at their websites and especially if they’ve made changes on their within their previous section that now we have the lead gen banner which I think is amazing, especially in Mobile. Oh yeah. But before that we’d have members putting videos in their their hero section and without checking it on their phone.

    00:20:00:15 – 00:20:18:06

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, the video would be pushing their form down and potentially they’re losing out on leads on mobile. So those are those kind of outside the Google ads realm. We can tell Google ads is we didn’t make any changes to really mess up the account. Right. What else could be happening?

    00:20:18:24 – 00:20:39:02

    Brady Winder

    Yeah, it matters a whole lot. We were talking about that a second about that with Brian Driscoll and Chad Keller. And on one of the previous podcasts about conversion and and just the importance of that form placement like having it, we call it above the fold, but near the top of your website so that you know especially if someone’s clicking on a Google ad, they’re usually not going to make it even halfway down the page.

    00:20:39:02 – 00:20:52:10

    Brady Winder

    They’re going to see whatever is at the top, fill out the form, read the information and bounce, and maybe even go to the next ad like they’re finding, you know, they’re looking for exactly what they need. They’re not going to spend the time to usually to browse the whole page. Am I often saying that there’s that.

    00:20:52:17 – 00:21:03:27

    Brendan Holmes

    That’s absolutely right. Yep. Yep. Maybe. Maybe not so much on desktop. Desktop is still important. I still love that. The image and banner on desktop. On mobile. Yeah. So very important.

    00:21:04:16 – 00:21:24:25

    Brady Winder

    Yeah. And it’s funny because we you know it’s it’s crazy because everybody like you mean normal people would look well we visit everything or most sites on mobile everybody’s on their phones but then you build websites on the computer people are you build websites on a desktop and we forget like the main thing. Oh my gosh, Mobile. It has to look good.

    00:21:24:25 – 00:21:45:22

    Brady Winder

    Yeah. Which that’s one of the things it makes easy is making it look good and perform on mobile. So you don’t have to worry about that as much. But let’s talk about I want to talk about the difference between managing ads. If I were to start a PPC campaign, Google ads campaign, and manage it myself versus outsourcing to someone like yourself, what what’s the biggest difference?

    00:21:45:22 – 00:22:07:10

    Brady Winder

    And I guess what I’m asking is like, what is what is the thing you see people mess up or do wrong? Or like, Oh, I should just pass it off to someone else soon or should outsource sooner. And I’m not like, we don’t care. It doesn’t people listening, we’re not greatly benefiting from like we’re not making our bread and butter from getting a few more PPC clients or to have people work with our vendors.

    00:22:07:10 – 00:22:23:11

    Brady Winder

    That’s not our agenda. Our agenda is to help you save your time and money so you can close more deals and have more freedom. I mean that like in full sincerity. And so I have no genuine access. But like when people come to you and they’re like, Oh my gosh, Brendan I did the PPC campaign waste of money, like, Help me, What are they?

    00:22:23:12 – 00:22:25:12

    Brady Winder

    What are they doing wrong now?

    00:22:25:23 – 00:22:50:08

    Brendan Holmes

    And it’s kind of to add to that real quick is that, you know, Google ads isn’t it’s kind of excite, but it’s not what I love. I don’t really love Google ads. I love when people are successful with it. And I trust in in educating the members who who are either managing themselves or using myself or anyone else when they’re successful, that that piece is still, you know, the way I do this.

    00:22:50:08 – 00:23:17:15

    Brendan Holmes

    And yeah, so I love auditing the accounts that come through our carrier support. And most of those accounts are they they’ve had Google. So number one mistake is having Google create your your motivated seller campaign. So I’ll speak to motivated seller campaign specifically. So you when you start up a Google ads campaign, Google pretty much forces you now to create what they call a smart campaign.

    00:23:17:25 – 00:23:45:12

    Brendan Holmes

    And the smart campaign is it’s industry based. So it’s real estate industry based, not real estate investor, not looking for motivated sellers. Now, some of the keywords that are within there are motivated seller keywords, but the other batch of them are just real estate keywords. Yeah. So that’s number one. Number two, you lose control of some of the management within those smart campaigns.

    00:23:46:15 – 00:24:13:01

    Brendan Holmes

    So it’s it’s trusting that when you signed up with Google and they might have had a call with one of the Google ad strategists before and they’re walking them through the stages, they’re building trust with Google then or Goofy and the sales Google salesman, he’s building trust with the member. So they kind of have this misconception in their mind that this is how I should be creating a campaign.

    00:24:13:18 – 00:24:19:02

    Brendan Holmes

    And so that’s number one. Not don’t don’t put that trust in Google to build your campaign for you.

    00:24:19:15 – 00:24:20:13

    Brady Winder

    It’s interesting.

    00:24:20:21 – 00:24:21:07

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah.

    00:24:21:07 – 00:24:41:24

    Brady Winder

    And I think but I want to interrupt you just real quick. The thing that pops out to me about that is that, you know, whether it’s Google or not, trusting somebody that’s not industry specific, that doesn’t have industry experience is seems like the key. Google doesn’t know real estate investors, wholesalers in and out.

    00:24:42:21 – 00:25:27:08

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, yeah, yeah. And there are you know I’ve come across over the years some good PPC management companies that aren’t real estate investor specific and yeah, there’s that learning curve though and yeah we’ve anyone that has managed our industry specific ads, we all went through that learning curve and it took that learning curve for Trevor and I was probably 2014 when we had a member in Orlando willing to pay for his ads and we tossed thousands of keywords at Google and this is pretty much what we still use today for our or Quickstart or in the Evergreen webinar we give our Google Ads campaign.

    00:25:27:22 – 00:25:57:24

    Brendan Holmes

    That’s those that’s still pretty much that campaign that we learned from. Yeah, there’s been iterations from it, but that’s kind of where it came from. So no. Yeah. Number one, don’t trust so much in Google. Number two probably would be that again, going back to that expectation of what’s possible and not not learning what or how to self-manage that campaign.

    00:25:57:24 – 00:26:19:14

    Brendan Holmes

    So if you’re managing your campaign, there’s Google ads, there’s you know, night through cares support. If you add that type of means to reach out to somebody who has been managing ads and give you some tips or look over, you know, audit campaigns. So not educating yourself on what the keyword structures are, what that really means, what do broad match keywords mean?

    00:26:19:21 – 00:26:50:21

    Brendan Holmes

    What does that mean? But what kind of traffic am I going to be sending or phrase are exact or targeting options? Yeah, there’s limitations on our industry, on the housing industry that Google kind of sets, kind of limits. Our are what we what we can target. We can we can no longer target zip codes. And a lot of members used to like to target by zip code that was about two years ago that they they removed that.

    00:26:50:21 – 00:27:06:05

    Brendan Holmes

    So that’s probably number two is this educating yourself and if you’re using a specific campaign and maybe number three would be starting to with too too much too much going on two, too big of a campaign.

    00:27:06:18 – 00:27:09:07

    Brady Winder

    So meaning like how many keywords.

    00:27:09:19 – 00:27:33:29

    Brendan Holmes

    Gourmet keywords. Yes, that’s probably a bigger factor to many keywords, maybe using the wrong targeting. You know, there’s a couple different ways you could target your locations. Maybe have a too wide and you’re getting leads from other states or other countries or clicks from those. But the keywords probably is the number one that you’re looking at, the match types and then how many.

    00:27:33:29 – 00:28:03:29

    Brendan Holmes

    So I usually say if you’re doing a manager on a campaign and you haven’t received one like ours. Viviana has been given a campaign start with like 2025 keywords and just get your can get your bearings on what, what that means. And then there’s reports to go look at and in the time to kind of spend, once you have a campaign running and then suspending a little time, maybe getting it going, you’re spending a little time every day and then maybe that goes into every other day.

    00:28:03:29 – 00:28:26:26

    Brendan Holmes

    But that’s it’s definitely being involved in the campaign. Yet. Bailey In the first few weeks, maybe a month and then when you get you see, okay, this is how I need to manage my my campaign. This is these are the key words that are working and aren’t working. And that’s probably number one, don’t use Google to build that number to educate yourself.

    00:28:26:26 – 00:28:31:01

    Brendan Holmes

    And then number three, don’t don’t start so broad. Don’t start with hundreds of keywords.

    00:28:32:05 – 00:28:32:18

    Brady Winder

    Yeah.

    00:28:33:05 – 00:28:54:28

    Brendan Holmes

    One that we’d had in the past that our members used to get a spreadsheet from Sean Terry. So this is good dating back to probably six years ago. And this campaign that you’d get was an amazing campaign for someone who knew how to manage Google ads, but the members who didn’t. So there were thousands of keywords in this in this campaign.

    00:28:54:28 – 00:29:11:20

    Brendan Holmes

    Gosh, yeah. And if you didn’t know what you’re doing, I remember auditing you. It’s through to support a campaign that I think they had wasted about $8,000 and just not knowing what they were doing and using this campaign structure. Yeah.

    00:29:11:28 – 00:29:13:00

    Brady Winder

    So it’s so much it’s a matter.

    00:29:13:00 – 00:29:13:09

    Brendan Holmes

    Of just.

    00:29:13:28 – 00:29:15:29

    Brayden Reber

    Like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

    00:29:16:00 – 00:29:18:22

    Brendan Holmes

    If then that then it gets crazy. Yeah.

    00:29:18:22 – 00:29:38:12

    Brady Winder

    I remember trying Facebook ads myself for the first time and I think this was after working at Care for a couple of years as a go. I’ve got my head wrapped around it and you know, back then, little did I know it was like having your head wrapped around even the the copy and the hooks and the messaging and even the creative and the imagery is, in a lot of cases, not enough.

    00:29:38:12 – 00:29:52:20

    Brady Winder

    If you are going to, you know, target poorly and budget poorly and go after too many keywords or too many areas and it’s like it was not a it was not a fruitful experience. So I’ll just say that. So what you’re saying cannot be any more important.

    00:29:53:04 – 00:29:58:03

    Brendan Holmes

    And those are the ones I usually come in and just say, Google ads isn’t working for me.

    00:29:58:03 – 00:30:02:18

    Brady Winder

    Yeah. And it’s like, well, Google, it’s not. The Google ads is working and you need someone to manage it. Well.

    00:30:03:04 – 00:30:05:13

    Brayden Reber

    Yeah, and that’s anyone.

    00:30:05:24 – 00:30:32:02

    Brendan Holmes

    Managing a campaign that that’s what we do. And we know the ins and outs and some will have different strategies like I have a different strategy when I’m managing a campaign, then I would if, if someone used our our Quickstart campaign and our Quickstart campaign, just because I have many members that I can link into and use all their data if.

    00:30:32:12 – 00:30:57:16

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah. So I use a different strategy, not necessarily. That’s I guess to me it’s yes, it is better, but you can still have success just having your own campaign and managing it correctly. So that could be advantage of someone managing campaign or accounts that they just might have some different data sources. And but the drawback to is then you’re paying a management fee.

    00:30:57:23 – 00:31:19:29

    Brendan Holmes

    But what I think some look at is if if someone is managing a campaign and they can be saving you money by kind of doing it the right way or, or speeding up the process to do it the right way, then might make the member who lost $8,000 if he would have had somebody managing their campaign for however much, he would have saved money.

    00:31:20:08 – 00:31:46:21

    Brendan Holmes

    And so, yeah, there is a cost for the management too, but yeah, it’s I still love seeing members manage their own campaigns if they if they’re willing to to take the time to learn. And and it’s simply like we have a call tomorrow with a Google ads Quickstart just go over like I’m going to train him how to use his his you know, the dashboard.

    00:31:47:20 – 00:32:20:12

    Brendan Holmes

    I always tell them, just get that app on your phone. And for these guys managing their their campaigns, it’s just tick tick 20 minutes through your day and just look on your phone and you could make these simple changes and that’s all the quickstart or a member, you know, that’s all they really need to do. You know, it’s they’re not managing beyond, you know, into the kind of more advanced strategies they’re managing and a strategy that is still effective and can be simple.

    00:32:20:17 – 00:32:44:17

    Brendan Holmes

    And that’s kind of Google ads is how I always related to to to baseball, you know, playing baseball through my youth. And and our coach always said it’s it’s the little things that can win the game. Yeah. And in Google ads, it’s kind of the same thing. You you make these little adjustments and then you can get leads from and those little adjustments for someone just self-managing their campaigns, that that can go a long ways.

    00:32:44:17 – 00:32:55:01

    Brendan Holmes

    It’s not necessarily the home runs and Google ads that you know you rarely it’s something major that you did to a campaign that’s going to drive more leads.

    00:32:55:02 – 00:32:58:07

    Brady Winder

    Yeah, it’s not one keyword. It’s not one line of copy or something.

    00:32:58:09 – 00:33:22:19

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, yeah, yeah. It could be adding in like the trend of the last year and a half or so or members instead of targeting, you’re targeting a specific area, maybe a metro area or just a Eugene area or something. They go statewide where they go multistate. Yeah. So that that could have a big impact. Obviously, you’re getting more leads and your password leads a lot different.

    00:33:22:19 – 00:33:43:27

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah. You’re not looking at 20 leads in a metro area now you’re looking at 100 leads statewide. So that that’s a game changer. But they also have to have the the infrastructure, the business infrastructure to manage those leads and understand the different markets. And so that’s presents its own challenges.

    00:33:43:27 – 00:34:03:01

    Brady Winder

    But okay, I’ve got a couple other things I want to cover here. One technical one real quick. What what KPIs are you looking at for a PPC campaign? I feel like this is important for member too, even if they’re not running them themselves so that they can ask the person they’re outsourcing to say, Hey, what are you looking at?

    00:34:03:01 – 00:34:06:02

    Brady Winder

    What does success look like so that they know they’re working with somebody legit?

    00:34:07:04 – 00:34:30:19

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, within the Google ads dashboard and what we can see cost per lead, number one. And that’s the most important KPI because we can’t see cost per deal in the Google ads dashboard, but that’s the number one cost for lead. And then then it trickles down. And these are still very important metrics, but depending on what kind of bid strategies they’re using the ad, it doesn’t it doesn’t hold as much weight.

    00:34:31:04 – 00:35:06:28

    Brendan Holmes

    But let’s say if a member’s just starting out, I still recommend starting out with manual cost per click instead of using one of the. And that is also to prove out some keywords, get them familiar with what the keyword cost should be, and then maybe changing over to advanced bit bidding, but looking at our cost per click pin and then your click through rates and making sure your click through rate will determine then how you know, potentially ad position, potentially ad copy, those two are going to probably factor into your click through rates, your bids are going to factor in, you collect your rate.

    00:35:06:29 – 00:35:29:05

    Brendan Holmes

    So those after your cost per lead, look at your cost per click, look at your click through rate. And then yeah, just by those, you can have a pretty good idea. You could be looking at impression share and that’s getting pretty deep and you’re getting pretty advanced when you’re looking at your impression share and you’re potentially you’re you’re in pressure lost it.

    00:35:29:07 – 00:35:48:00

    Brendan Holmes

    You can lose impressions here about your budget but those those get more advanced So just keeping it high level, if I’m just managing my own campaign, I just started out I want to know customer lead, I don’t know, cost per click, I know my click through rate and then I am adjusting my bids from the the manual know manual bidding process.

    00:35:48:21 – 00:36:03:09

    Brady Winder

    Okay, that’s helpful. Simple enough. What are you what are you doing to stay relevant and keep the ads fresh or is there a need, I guess like how often do you end up, you know, hey, let’s go change up some of the ad copy? Yeah. What are you doing?

    00:36:03:18 – 00:36:26:17

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, I’ll always a need because Google is what they’ve shifted into what they call responsive ads. So response of ads you have, you could put in 12 headlines if you want and Google is going to now change those headlines. Yeah, maybe not everywhere but they they’re going to frequently change those headlines. So then they look different. And then you have four descriptions so you can.

    00:36:26:17 – 00:36:35:14

    Brady Winder

    Similar to Facebook where it’s where it’s you know, you put in 12 and it’s going to decide the best one and stick with it or is it constantly continue testing.

    00:36:35:24 – 00:37:06:09

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah yeah. It will stick with winners. Yeah. And depending on sorry that’s the drawback to too is that like on our current Google ads we had a yeah, we’re using responsive ads. And what Google doesn’t show you is potentially what combinations were the winners. There isn’t a dashboard yet to show you what was working. So for our ads, for our current ads, we have now just to do ads and we’re always just testing against those two.

    00:37:06:23 – 00:37:26:01

    Brendan Holmes

    And we only had three headlines because you have to have three headlines. So our ad Mad one will have three headlines and two descriptions. AD two has three headlines and two descriptions and you can pin headlines. So we want that headline number one. We always want to show that first headline. Number two, we always want to show that second.

    00:37:26:02 – 00:37:47:00

    Brendan Holmes

    And then so you you have to kind of get a little bit innovative to look at the data a little bit better at or efficiently to make those changes. So response of ads that maybe you don’t have to change them as often as what you had to in the past because of the big limitations with the extended ad copy.

    00:37:47:28 – 00:38:06:16

    Brendan Holmes

    But still important to change your ads and continue to look at ads and the click through rate within ads. Conversions are always yeah, leads are always the most important metric, but you’re also looking at that click through rate and then potentially looking at how much at that cost that the ad cost is too, but yet always, always looking at your ads.

    00:38:06:28 – 00:38:20:27

    Brady Winder

    Making sure would it be like if your click rate drops and you know, like your ads are doing well for a few months and then your click rate sort of taper off, maybe it’s looking at what are other investors doing? Are we all seeing the same thing? And maybe that’s why it dropped off.

    00:38:21:08 – 00:38:51:16

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, that could be absolutely other factors. Budget is a factor, competition factor. I mean, there’s other factors besides just what your ad copy says, but yes. Yeah, it could be. I took a screenshot years ago of another investor page traffic management company and they had well, maybe they didn’t, but there’s three ads. So it was when Google shifted to four ads at the top.

    00:38:51:25 – 00:39:14:21

    Brendan Holmes

    So number one and two and number four were all the same ad copy and I knew this this company. So I could have I could see who was running ads. But yeah, yeah. You don’t really want that, you know. But the other side of this is this response of ads is making sure your ads look and flow correctly.

    00:39:14:21 – 00:39:43:03

    Brendan Holmes

    If you have sell my house fast in a headline and then somewhere else down that line of headlines you have some house fast in Chicago. Well, Google could show those two headlines within the same ad so it starts kind of you can it kind of looks funky if you now off or. Yeah. So trying to make those headlines sound different look different than just having kind of the canned, you know, Copy that.

    00:39:43:03 – 00:39:45:24

    Brendan Holmes

    You just were accustomed to it before. Yeah.

    00:39:46:04 – 00:40:05:26

    Brady Winder

    Right. Okay. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, it’s good. I’m glad you mentioned that. You know, sometimes it’s not the ad copy because, like, as marketers, we think like, oh, it’s not performing. Let’s, you know, it’s got to be the copy. It’s going to be the creative, you know, it could be budget, could be competition, could be market factors, could be other things, you know, besides just what’s in the ad itself.

    00:40:06:28 – 00:40:27:23

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah. AD and trying to make ads unique. I, I still struggle with members giving me unique ad copy, something that makes you stand out. Yeah. We used to be able to use how fast you could make it an offer that was kind of like the kind of battle of ads, how fast people can make an offer. I know.

    00:40:28:26 – 00:40:37:04

    Brendan Holmes

    Express homebuyers who say we can make an offer in 7 minutes. America members reaching out and saying, Can I put that in my ad cut? Yeah, Yeah, you can.

    00:40:37:04 – 00:40:39:23

    Brayden Reber

    And if that if you can really.

    00:40:39:23 – 00:40:40:13

    Brendan Holmes

    Legitimately.

    00:40:40:13 – 00:40:41:03

    Brady Winder

    Make a 60.

    00:40:41:12 – 00:40:41:24

    Brayden Reber

    Minutes.

    00:40:41:24 – 00:41:04:02

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah yeah that’s a good was like this play on how fast we can make an offer I remember some ad said 30 minutes we can make 30 minutes 7 minutes to an hour. 24 hours, 48 hours. Yeah, it was. But if that’s unique to you. Yeah. Okay, test it. Test it in your ad cup and see if it goes but something interesting rather than the canned content.

    00:41:04:26 – 00:41:12:16

    Brady Winder

    Yeah. 7 minutes. I’m almost skeptical on, like 7 minutes. I think that’s the 31 below it. I’m like, these guys sound little midget. Maybe they’re thinking.

    00:41:13:05 – 00:41:20:03

    Brendan Holmes

    They just might. Yeah, that 30 minute one actually worked. It did Well I click through rates went Yeah spiked. Yeah.

    00:41:21:07 – 00:41:44:21

    Brady Winder

    Interesting. Yeah. So that’s a good point You know for the ad copy, think about what you know, what makes your business unique and set apart maybe your hybrid, maybe an investor. And that’s something you can, you know market maybe you can close fast. What’s your unique selling proposition, as we call it? That’s a good point. Any other protests, anything to keep ads interesting?

    00:41:44:21 – 00:41:50:06

    Brady Winder

    Anything you want to mention as far as targeting do’s and don’ts that we feel like people should know what they’re doing.

    00:41:50:06 – 00:41:55:17

    Brendan Holmes

    PPC landing page testing has come up in conversation that fast that I’m.

    00:41:55:17 – 00:42:00:22

    Brady Winder

    Still glad you said that because I was going to ask and I forgot. So yes, let’s dive into it. Yeah.

    00:42:01:00 – 00:42:32:00

    Brendan Holmes

    So that’s more like that advanced move they can go calls and experiments, but you can a test and Google ads putting together ad hoc, abusing your home homepage and then you create another landing page at simplified and you can test that you have a 5050 split and see what performs better for myself I yeah I have yet I know there’s there’s chatter or conversations that you know landing pages or squeeze pages as we used to call them.

    00:42:32:29 – 00:43:03:18

    Brendan Holmes

    Where are more effective than driving traffic to a home page that has a nav bar and some copy to it. And I think the reasoning behind that might be that it’s distracting if you have too much information on your site. But I there are times that maybe I’ve found that to be true. But overall, like if I look at it, yeah, home pages, as long as they have credibility, they’re set for per conversion rate optimization.

    00:43:03:18 – 00:43:11:28

    Brendan Holmes

    I, I still, the home page has always been one of my favorites as long as it has the checks. Those boxes looks good on mobile.

    00:43:12:11 – 00:43:15:20

    Brady Winder

    The quality in ones are still converting. Yes.

    00:43:16:11 – 00:43:33:23

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so I know that’s been a hot topic but that’s like it advanced piece is that creating a squeeze page and routing traffic against your home page and see which one now wins out. So that’s one. Anything to add, Did you want to add anything to that?

    00:43:33:23 – 00:43:53:26

    Brady Winder

    I don’t think so. You know, it’s it’s hard to make a generalization and say, you know, this one works better because there’s so many there are so many factors in general. You do want to give more focus when you already paid traffic because they’re there for a specific reason. But at the same time, you know, if it’s if it’s the right content on the page, then it’s not necessarily a distraction.

    00:43:54:06 – 00:44:15:09

    Brady Winder

    I think that that thought, that methodology, that concept comes from, you know, if you send them to a really cluttered page where you have like sidebar ads that are advertising a lot of the things, or if you have like a blog feed where it’s like, Hey, check out these seven articles. Yeah, that’s super distracting. And I think when people think of the website, they think of all all this stuff going on and check out these products.

    00:44:15:22 – 00:44:41:14

    Brady Winder

    But if we’re talking about a homepage to attract motivated seller leads, that’s different than your average website page. They’re not necessarily distractions. They’re things that are going to help a convert. And so that’s just my my thought as to why the Carrot home page is still converting over all these years. Well, for running page traffic to my only other thought is where, you know, you and I, we’re working on content right now.

    00:44:41:21 – 00:45:08:00

    Brady Winder

    We’re some tasks behind the scenes. So keep it really general because I’m not sure what the content will come out like, but we are working on some tests to look at really slimmed down landing pages versus home pages. And yeah, we’ll see what comes of that. And, you know, follow along guys, go to character on such ads and, you know, check out our blog to see maybe we’ll put up some examples of like what a a really well converting page looks like for sending PPC ads to versus one that’s not dialed in.

    00:45:08:00 – 00:45:29:29

    Brady Winder

    Whether that’s landing page versus home page or whether that’s, you know, good home page versus bad homepage, because like we’re talking all in theory now, you can have a really crappy landing page, squeeze page. It’s not going to convert. Same thing with a home page. And so, you know, there’s not a need to overcomplicate it and go go out and get another piece of software and start building landing pages.

    00:45:29:29 – 00:45:35:28

    Brady Winder

    You could do that with a carrot and have a converter. You know, we’re doing it right now. So that’s what I thought on that.

    00:45:36:28 – 00:46:12:27

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, Yeah, exactly. I I’ve, we’ve tested hundreds of other landing pages over the years and still I, I default to home page as long as it looks good and there have been times that I’ve I’ve created another by another home page basically because they kind of had that messed with their copy or their format more specific and made it just kind of I, I know Trevor Trevor likes to say like ugly websites, but these are really like bad, ugly websites.

    00:46:12:27 – 00:46:15:12

    Brayden Reber

    They’re just they were.

    00:46:15:26 – 00:46:27:28

    Brendan Holmes

    They were good. So you had created a different like home page for them. But yeah, and then that’s just it’s not impacting SEO. They’re there no index, no followed and we just use them for Google ads but.

    00:46:28:27 – 00:46:29:05

    Brayden Reber

    Yeah.

    00:46:30:10 – 00:46:34:09

    Brendan Holmes

    Other Yeah I guess it not necessarily advanced it but.

    00:46:34:18 – 00:46:35:10

    Brayden Reber

    Google.

    00:46:35:25 – 00:47:08:14

    Brendan Holmes

    If you’re managing your own campaign, Google is going to give you recommendations daily though, and it’s also educating yourself on what those recommendations mean. You click yes or to accept them or reply them is some of them can really harm campaigns without understanding the danger. And on occasions one of them specifically pops up lately that I am and becoming a believer in more than I ever have been and are broad match keywords.

    00:47:08:14 – 00:47:42:00

    Brendan Holmes

    And I was always totally against broad match keywords. I had seen too many, you know, bad campaigns with broad match and because of Google’s API algorithm that the algorithm, the pieces that they’re learning from this has gotten him in more advanced or more efficient, more optimized for for motivated seller. And the the combination of these broad match plus good negative keywords can really get lower cost per click and then expand the keyword bubble.

    00:47:42:10 – 00:48:07:08

    Brendan Holmes

    You might be missing some keywords. They just know people are searching for. So using broad match. But Google lately though, you know, in the past probably six months in campaigns, they’ll say shift to all broad match. So you click a button and it will make all of your keywords, your same keyword base, but all keywords are turned into to broad match.

    00:48:07:27 – 00:48:36:13

    Brendan Holmes

    And that’s where you really have to be careful of, especially if you’re in a metro mercury or statewide campaign. Your campaign could go crazy. You’re just getting clicks that really don’t make sense and right. But yeah, testing your way into maybe some of those broad match keywords like take a pick five of them, add the man, see what kind of search terms are coming off of them if they’re good or bad, and then adjusting, not just making all 50 or 100 keywords, they have broad match just automatically.

    00:48:37:01 – 00:48:53:18

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah. So it’s those recommendations, understanding what they mean and how they could impact your, your, your account. And that’s, that’s not necessarily advanced. It’s just like kind of anyone managing their campaigns needs to understand that.

    00:48:54:11 – 00:49:01:12

    Brady Winder

    Yeah it goes back to what you were talking about earlier like don’t don’t always put the trust in Google just because they’re you know just because that’s the platform, you know.

    00:49:01:13 – 00:49:01:22

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah.

    00:49:01:28 – 00:49:03:14

    Brady Winder

    They don’t know what’s best.

    00:49:03:14 – 00:49:35:26

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah they are getting better though I think some of these recommendations are getting that they make more of a positive impact than a negative impact on their accounts. So yeah, but still understanding what they mean and especially like I said, I’ve seen it happen in metro markets where some of you just make all 100 keywords, broad match and all of a sudden they’re getting crazy search terms and in their budgets, you know, wiped out and they just they doubt they’re doing good might their means were good they they just didn’t.

    00:49:36:18 – 00:50:13:24

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah. Make the right choice Yeah yeah yeah. And then there I mean there’s there’s advanced bid strategies you can use, there’s advanced targeting, you know location targeting you could use there’s a lot of advanced to it. But yeah, for someone who is just starting out kind of just don’t, don’t get caught up in what are saying or promising and that is one really common issue that I hear is that I I’ve heard this competitor I just went to this mastermind and this guy’s getting 20 leads from Google ads.

    00:50:13:24 – 00:50:35:22

    Brendan Holmes

    How do I get that? And well, there’s there’s a lot that goes into that. It could be. How long has this campaign been on? Did he say I mean, like his campaign could have been on for a year or two and it’s really dialed in and he might have the best website that it converts where if you’re just starting out, yeah, maybe they strive for that.

    00:50:35:22 – 00:50:57:27

    Brendan Holmes

    But you had Google ads is still it’s still a it’s still a process and it’s still a you have to optimize it. You have to continuously optimize it to get to two points that and yeah, so I have that kind of, that idea of people that once I turn on my campaign, I should be getting leads, right?

    00:50:58:23 – 00:51:01:17

    Brayden Reber

    Yeah, you might. I mean there’s, there’s campaigns.

    00:51:01:17 – 00:51:20:21

    Brendan Holmes

    I definitely could get leads in the first few days and I had a member one down who who got a lead within 10 minutes that turned out to be a deal. But for the next three months, he did not get a deal. He had nothing. And he decided to pause. And that was years ago. But it was that that was one that stuck out.

    00:51:20:21 – 00:51:44:24

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah, you can turn it on. You can get leads right away or you might not. I mean, the likelihood that you’re your first months kind of that ramp up stage month to year, diving more into the data. And then month three, you have this great data set that you can work from. And if if you’re seeing good search terms and you know, caches, this these people look like they should be converting, then it’s okay, go look at your website.

    00:51:45:09 – 00:52:28:13

    Brendan Holmes

    Go see what other kind of changes you can make. Make a my change maker, make a form change, you know, test something within maybe it’s going from, you know, three form fields to two two. We’re adding in the lead gen banner. Yeah. So it’s once you have good data knowing then if that if that data is really looking promising in something that should be turning into deals, you know, then it’s that next stage of testing and landing you’re not by any pieces is, isn’t like squeeze pages, but other pages other or other other headlines within that the the websites I do have more testimonials to use I mean right.

    00:52:28:29 – 00:52:32:03

    Brady Winder

    Trying to get those leads to convert at a higher rate. Yeah.

    00:52:32:09 – 00:52:32:21

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah.

    00:52:33:10 – 00:52:54:06

    Brady Winder

    Well I like that man. I appreciate you sharing that. That’s a good wrap to it. In summary, So educate yourselves whether you’re doing PPC yourself or you’re outsourcing, educate yourself on it so you know what you’re looking at. And yeah, I think that’s one of the one of the best things we covered during the podcast. Man, it’s been fun having you on the podcast.

    00:52:54:06 – 00:53:14:19

    Brady Winder

    One thing I forgot to mention, the beginning is kind of funny. You were running this the podcast before. You know, I’ve, you know, I’ve only been here four or five years and you were running there and I had to, you know, how are we doing shown us how do we hurry this whole production thing? And yeah, you’ve been running this show since before I was even around.

    00:53:14:19 – 00:53:15:28

    Brendan Holmes

    Yeah. It’s been a.

    00:53:16:01 – 00:53:17:01

    Brady Winder

    And a team and.

    00:53:17:03 – 00:53:33:08

    Brendan Holmes

    How amazing it’s been one, especially since you taken over. I just, I, I did some show notes. Yeah, I put on the blog, but now you’ve taken over and really made it into a nice production. A great production? Yeah.

    00:53:33:08 – 00:53:36:20

    Brady Winder

    I’m grateful to be interviewed now. Yeah. Yeah, it’s legit.

    00:53:37:02 – 00:53:38:12

    Brayden Reber

    It’s legit. Yeah.

    00:53:38:24 – 00:53:59:19

    Brady Winder

    Or any of our longtime listeners, you’ll appreciate that. You know, Brendan, the OG producer, is coming on the show, so, yeah, it’s been fun, man. Anyone, if you have any questions on pay per click, if it went over your head, if you have any questions at all, email me, birdie at Care.com, We’ll get you over to Brendan or the right person to get your questions answered.

    00:53:59:19 – 00:54:13:01

    Brady Winder

    Go to character com slash ads, Get our resources. We do our best to give you all of the education you would possibly ever need even to the point of overwhelm so that you just are equipped and we’re here to help. So we want you to know that please reach out if you need help, because it can get overwhelming fast.

    00:54:14:04 – 00:54:48:13

    Brady Winder

    That’s it. If you like this episode, share with a friend. Please give us a review on Apple Podcasts. I don’t ask for them often, but good Apple Podcasts give us a five star review if we earned it and tell a friend about the podcast, help us share the work. But until then, we will see you next week.