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Operations ManualLocal Real Estate and Homeowners PortalThe Local ZillowIntroductionWelcome to the Local Zillow program.The goal of the program is to create a hyper local real estate portal for your town or neighborhood. The portal will include simple listing data for every home in your area (not just homes for sale) and a membership area for local residents.Your portal is really two websites rolled into one – a real estate portal and a homeowner’s portal.The public facing side of the website is the real estate portal that includes real estate search, real estate data and general real estate information.The private facing homeowners site is located behind a membership wall and includes specific information about owning a home and living in a local area.The Real Estate Portal OverviewThe real estate portal is build with WordPress, using the Equity Framework and Must See Child Theme from Agent Evolution.CMS (Content Management System): WordPressTheme: Equity by Agent EvolutionChild Theme: Must SeePlugin: IMPress ListingsPlugin: Agent Evolution Listing TemplateThe Must See Child Theme can be changed but this will require significant time to reconfigure the portal. Please do not change the theme without first talking with me.The Must See Theme can also be reconfigured and customized so as to personalize the website with your brand and contact details and to change the look and feel of the site. The look and feel can be changed by moving and / or changing the widget set up within the website dashboard.The Homeowners Portal OverviewThe Homeowners portal is located on the same WordPress website and the same domain. The main difference is that we use membership software to require visitors to register to access content that we publish behind a membership wall. This is critically important because this is how we easily and quickly build a local residents list. The second difference is that we use a different plugin to build the member pages. CMS (Content Management System): WordPressPlugin: OptimizePress 2 (to build pages)Plugin: Wishlist Member (membership software)This complicates things a little but the main pages have already been set up and loaded into your portal.How to Log In To Your PortalThere are a number of ways to login to your portal.1. The login url will be you simply add /wp-login.php to the end of your domain name.If your domain name is then your login will be 2. There is a quick login link at the very bottom of your home page.After you login to your portal you will get access to your website dashboard.NOTE – Your website dashboard may not look exactly the same as my dashboard as I am the super administrator and can see everything (see dashboard screen shot below). You have an Editor’s account that allows you to change any content but limits access to the core website structure.After you login to your dashboard you will be able to manage your website using the dashboard controls located in the left sidebar.If you don’t remember your password hit the reset password link on the login page.Phase 1 – Set UpStep 1 - Update Your User ProfileThe first thing you need to do is update your user profile.You can access your user profile 2 ways:1. Login to your dashboard and look at the top right of the page. There will be a link that says “Howdy YourName”. When you click on the link it will show a link to your profile.Dashboard > Howdy User > Edit My Profile2. Scroll down the left side of your dashboard until you find the User link.When you get to your profile make sure you add all your contact and brand details. Step 2 - Customize the Equity ThemeThe next step is to customize the Equity Theme by clicking on the Equity link in the left sidebar.Dashboard > Equity > Theme SettingsThe Equity theme settings allow you to add all your Agent Info, including your contact details and social media accounts. Add all your info as soon as possible.You can also customize your website footer by clicking on the Equity link and then Footer Settings. This is the content you see at the bottom of your home page and is the place where you can add your legal compliance info like your name, broker, address and license number.Dashboard > Equity > Footer Settings Step 3 - Customize the Must See Child ThemeThe next step is to customize the Must See Child theme … but only if you want to change the format that I set up. If you like the website the way it is then please don’t change anything.Remember that we’re using WordPress as our CMS (Content Management System). WordPress is the structure of our website that allows us to build websites with no html or coding skills.To customize the look and feel of our website we use a Theme.In our case we’re using the Equity Theme but we’re also using the Must See Child Theme to further customize the look and feel of the site. Warning – DO NOT change the theme in the theme settings. If for any reason you want to change the theme please contact me to discuss.There are a number of themes preloaded into the themes dashboard. We are using the Must See theme.I have already done the main customization but you may want to change a few things like the color of the website or how and where content is displayed on the website.To customize the Must See Theme go to your dashboard and click on the Appearance link and then Customize.Dashboard > Appearance > CustomizeWhen you click on the Customize link you will be able to customize the look and feel of your website, including the color, where content appears and background images.ColorThe Preset Colors tab gives you a limited number of preset color options.Dashboard > Appearance > Customize > Preset ColorsYou may want a different color like something that matches your brand. To fully customize your website’s color you can use the Custom Colors tool.Dashboard > Appearance > Customize > Custom ColorsYou can either use the color picker tool or add a specific hex code.Background ImagesEach website comes preloaded with stock background images. You can replace the images with local images from your area.Be aware that the size, color and scale of your image impacts the look and feel of the website. The ideal size is an image that is 1400 x 600 pixels so high quality definition photos work the best.To change the background images click on the Home Page tab.Dashboard > Appearance > Customize > Home PageNote – If you want to add your own photo make sure you don’t “remove” the old photo and view it in the preview mode before you save the change.MenusYou can change or edit the menus that appear on the top left, top right and main top toolbar.Dashboard > Appearance > Customize > MenusWidgetsYou can change where and what content appears on the website by changing or moving widgets.Think of widgets as small content blocks that you can move around and use to rearrange content.We have already set up the widgets so you don’t need to change anything … unless you really want to.Phase 2 – ContentStep 4 – Add ContentThe portal contains a number of different content types and areas. For the most part the content is ranked by hierarchy and is designed to map out your local real estate market in a way that makes it easy for Google to index your website and for your visitors to find local real estate information.As an example we use a hierarchy like:Town Name > Neighborhood > Subdivision > ListingThe bad news is that we may need to create a great deal of content during the set up of the portal. We need content about the local real estate market, types of real estate, neighborhoods, schools and every home.Note – this is your area of expertise and is the reason why you can compete with Zillow and dominate your competitors. The key is to get all that amazing content out of your head and into print so it can go to work for you.I can add national content to the site but you need to add expert local content. It needs to be in your voice and showcase your expertise.The good news is that once we have created the initial content we will have a huge market advantage over our competitors and maintaining the portal becomes relatively easy. After the initial set up we really only need around one post per week. That’s easy.WARNINGFollow Federal and State Equal Housing laws and avoid discriminating against any protected class when you describe neighborhoods etc.Step 4a - PagesWe use pages to layout the main fixed content in the site. The primary page structure is included in your portal but you need to add your own content to the pages. As an example, we created a page for every neighborhood but you need to add content about the neighborhood.We created different menus to manage and display pages.You need to add content to each page. Step 4b - NeighborhoodsCreate a neighborhood list or check the neighborhood list that we created and add your own content to describe each neighborhood. Take at least one photo that represents the neighborhood and add it to each neighborhood home page.It can be the neighborhood entrance sign or a street scene that represents the look and feel of the neighborhood. Try to take a high definition photo that won’t “stretch” when we add it to the website.This is juicy SEO stuff that will pay off for a long time.When you have finished adding content to each neighborhood page we will collate all the pages and create a neighborhood report.NoteCheck Wikipedia to see if they have a page for your neighborhood.Check the U.S. Census for general census info about you neighborhood. You can link to the Census page to provide demographic data and at the same time avoid any commentary that may violate Equal Housing laws.PhotosYou can’t have enough high quality neighborhood photos. Although we only need one photo per neighborhood we can use photos to create a photo gallery using the Soliloquy slider; Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram posts; and in our downloadable Neighborhood Report.As a website administrator you can add a Soliloquy photo slider to your neighborhood page.Page TitleIn the title box name the page after the neighborhood name.“Somerset”DescriptionIn the main text area use the first paragraph to include the neighborhood name, the city, state and zip code. This is important for SEO purposes.“Somerset is a luxury neighborhood in Niwot, Colorado 80503.”Give a general description of the neighborhood and surrounds in the second paragraph.In this paragraph you need to answer the question “why would I live in this neighborhood?” This is the part where you can really personalize the experience for your reader. Try not to sound like Wikipedia!Take a look at the neighborhood page from :TagsNotice how Compass uses tags to describe the neighborhood. You can add tags to the tag box on the right sidebar.“Somerset is an upmarket community with the most per capita million dollar homes in Boulder County. Somerset enjoys spectacular views of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains, friendly small town charm, easy commuter access into Boulder/Denver and is located within the Colorado’s top rated School District. ”LocationGive the general location of the neighborhood. If the location is important then explain why it is important. As an example you may be in a commuter community and easy access to the bus, train or freeway may be important. Or you may be located on the water, near the shore or mountains.“Somerset is located on the Eastern border of Niwot and is 7 miles from Boulder, 3 miles from Longmont and 25 miles from Denver.”If the neighborhood enjoys a strong real estate market then explain why?“The rapid appreciation and housing scarcity in the booming Boulder housing market has directly and positively impacted the value of homes in Somerset. As a bedroom community to Boulder and Denver, home prices in Niwot have appreciated 4% in 2016 as new homeowners are either priced out of the Boulder market or simply seek more square footage and bang for their buck in Niwot’s small town, family friendly environment. The award winning Niwot schools have also contributed significantly to the growth of the area.“There are a number of key data points that you need to add to the overview of your neighborhood. It’s OK if you don’t have all the data points but be aware of them so you can research them in the future.Neighborhood: SomersetTown: NiwotCounty: Boulder CountyState: ColoradoZip Code: 80503PopulationPopulation: According to the U.S. Census, in 2013 Niwot had a population of 4,100. We estimate that the Somerset neighborhood has a population of 380 people.HousingHousing Units: 152Home Value: $1,000,000 to $6,800,0000Home Size: Plus 4,500 sq.ftLot Size: Half AcreHome Types: Single FamilySchoolsIf your neighborhood enjoys good schools then take the time to talk about the schools. Think about the questions that parents will ask you – awards, class size etc.School District: Somerset is located within the prestigious Niwot School area and is part of the St. Vrain School District:Elementary School: Niwot Elementary – winner of the Governor’s John Irwin Elementary School of the Year in 2012, 2013 and 2015. Students enjoy a relatively small class size of around 26 students per class with a teacher, teacher’s assistant and parent volunteer in each class.Middle School: Niwot does not have a middle school and students are bussed to the nearby Sunset Middle School in Longmont or may open enroll in Altona Middle School. High School: Niwot High – winner of the Governor’s John Irwin Award of Excellence. Private SchoolsAlexander Dawson: Dawson is a grade 1 through 12 private school.CrimeNiwot enjoys a peaceful lifestyle with very little significant crime.TestimonialsIn the testimonial section you can ask your past clients to describe what they like about the neighborhood. This is an excellent opportunity to shoot short video testimonials (max 30 seconds) with past clients and local residents. Focus on the lifestyle angle and try to give a feel for what it’s like to live in the neighborhood.Step 4c - Real Estate TypesWe created a page for each real estate type. We need to add content that describes the real estate type, value, availability and desirability … as it relates to your local area.As an example let’s say your area is a residential neighborhood with a limited number of buildable vacant lots and strict local zoning and building regulations. You can describe this in your page about Vacant Land. You could also get a top local builder to write a report for you.Real Estate > Vacant LotsTo Do: You need to add content to every real estate page.Step 4d - ListingsYour portal has a custom post for every single piece of real estate in your area. Technically we used a plugin called IMPress Listings that allows us to create a custom post (not a page). There is a technical difference between posts and pages that impacts how you display content.Here’s what you need to know and do:Each home has it’s own custom postThe minimum data that we add is the street address but we try to add up to 12 data fieldsYou may need to add additional data for each homeYou need to add a photo for each home.Here is the huge caveat! When I upload your local real estate database my import plugin automatically creates a page for each real estate parcel. Ideally I will use a public record real estate database that has the 12 main data fields that we need, like the street address, owner details, type of real estate, size, lot size, year built, bed, bath and square footage. However sometimes I can’t get all the data and we may need to manually update each listing.That could turn into a lot of work.Step 4e - How to Add PhotosThis is the most time consuming part of the entire project and it may take you some time. But it’s absolutely worth it.We need to add one front photo of every home.It is very important that you own your own photos. Do not scrape photos from the MLS or another website.To get the photos you can take them yourself, hire a photographer or have homeowners upload their own photos.If you use someone else’s photo you must get written permission (an email is fine). As an example you may be friendly with a number of other agents in your office that may agree to let you use their photos.Personally, I’m going to drive down the street and take a photo of every home on the street with my iPhone or iPad. More specifically I’m going to drive down the street and have my daughter stand up through the sunroof and take the photos.My version of Google Street View!Step 5 – Immediately Add 3 PostsWe use pages to create set evergreen content that appears in the same position all the time and posts to create flexible content that is searchable but not locked into a set position on the portal.The type of content that you need to create is quite simple. You need to write about local real estate news, events and anything that impacts the real estate market.You need to showcase your expertise!As an example you can write about recent sales, what you can buy for $400,000, new real estate taxes, school and neighborhood reports etc.You can also write educational articles about buying, selling and owning a home.You can also write local interest articles about living in your area.In reality all you need to do is write down your answer to every question that your clients ask you about the local real estate market. Take the expertise out of your head and write it down.If your client ask you “how’s the local real estate market?” write down the answer as a real estate market report.If your client asks you about the best local schools, write down the answer as a school report.Just remember that CONTENT IS KING and is the reason people will come to your portal and not go to Zillow or another real estate portal.The key is to do the following:Write the first 3 posts ASAPWrite a minimum of one post per weekLimit the post to 200 – 300 wordsInclude a photo or video with the postHow to Create a New PostI’m going to dumb things down a little and go through the steps of creating a post on a WordPress website like your portal.This is the magic of WordPress. It takes the entire technical html and coding and gives you a simple dashboard to create and manage your content without hiring a web developer.Login to your dashboard and scroll down the left sidebar and click on the Posts link.Dashboard > Posts > New PostAnother way to create a new post is to click on the Add New > Post link on the top toolbar (you must be logged in to view the toolbar).You can now view the “blank canvas” where you create your post.The canvas consists of a Title area and a content area.The title is important for keyword and seo purposes so try to include the main keywords in your title. As an example if you want to write a post about the Washington Park Neighborhood Real Estate Market then title your post The Washington Park Real Estate Report.In the content area write your content. We recommend that you write your content in Word and then copy and paste it into your post. This way you always have a backup on your computer plus you can reuse the content by bundling a group of similar posts together as a report.You can add an image to your content.Just below the title area you will see a button called Add Media.When you click on the Add Media button it will give you the choice to upload an image or use an image that was previously uploaded to your media gallery.UpdatesI’ll update this manual in response to any questions you have …. so email them to ross@.Upload an image from your computer or click on a previously uploaded image you wish to use and then describe the image in the description box.You can align the image to the left, center or right side of your content. I like to align images to the left side. You can also change the size of the image. I like to use images around 250 x 200 pixels.You can also hyper link the image to another webpage. As an example lets say you write a post about the highest priced listing in your area. You can link your photo of the home to your dedicated custom page that you created for that home.After you add your photo you then go back to the blog post.Now it gets a little technical. There are a number of important seo features that you need to complete on the right hand sidebar of the post page. This is where you can add categories, tags and a featured image to your post.CategoriesYou can use categories to index and organize your content so that it’s easy for Google and your visitors to find your content. I have already added the main categories for you but you can add or change any category.TagsYou can further organize your content by adding tags. Tags are a deeper way to index and organize your content.Featured ImageYou can add a featured image to your post. This image will be used in association with your post and will appear in summaries and headlines about your post.I like to use the same image that I used in my post but you can change the image.This is the image that will show up in search results and blog headlines.Step 6 – Add One Blog Post a WeekIt may take some time to set up all the initial content in your portal. After the initial set up is completed you need to add at least one post a week. Use the photo and a paragraph method whereby you take a photo (or 30 second video) and write a short paragraph describing the photo (or video).Your iPhone camera works and you should take your photos and videos during the daily course of your normal business day.If it feels like work you wont do it so keep things really simple.Note – You need to become best friends with your listing photographer and always ask for local area shots with your listing packages. ................
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