Client Spotlight: FloridaChoiceHomes.com
This month in our client spotlight series we highlight Blake Smereczynsky, whose website focuses on great “above the fold” content without being cluttered or compromising a professional look. Blake started his site floridachoicehomes.com with a basic AgentCast template, but he has spent time editing his site and adding idx elements to create a fully customized web presence.
One of the first things you’ll notice about his site is the homepage sticks to the “above the fold” guideline. He has a customized quick search module, links to searches for each area, and various other calls to action; all within the top portion of his homepage. Keeping important content and links “above the fold” helps visitors find what they came for without needing to scroll or go to another page.
This screenshot shows what Blake’s site looks like on different monitors. You’ll notice you can read all his navigation buttons plus see his quick search, a slideshow promoting his map search, a call to action for sellers, and at least part of a list of local communities; all on initial page load without scrolling. Anything “above the fold” creates a visitor’s first impression of your website, so it’s important to place an idx search along with some call(s) to action towards the top of your homepage.
In addition to the quick search on his homepage, Blake has created large buttons inside his header linking to search pages for different market areas. Each button loads up a page with dsSearchAgent pre-zoomed into a specific area. Large buttons that appear on every page help reinforce certain areas you specialize in and make it super easy for visitors to jump right into a search.
Blake also works to capture the attention of sellers with a “Looking to sell your home?” button on the right side of his homepage. An ad like this just needs to link to a home finding form or something something similar for sellers to use. This kind of call to action is simple to add and can be very effective in capturing leads.
Another feature unique to Blake’s site is an added “Login” button in his navigation bar that links to his dsSearchAgent visitor login page. This lets visitors log back in to their previous IDX account and furthers integration of his IDX into his website.
A slideshow of area maps that link to his map search, a large list of local community “Quick Links”, and other small customizations come together on Blake’s site to create a great look with fantastic “above the fold” placement. As always, we hope this month’s client spotlight helps give you ideas and inspiration for your own site.
If you need help implementing any of the IDX or website features found on Blake’s site, please let us know, we’ve happy to help!