I have worked with a number of custom, spec, and mass homebuilders over a number of years, helping to create customized new home builder websites and portals. Many of these sites have included digital marketing campaigns with direct communications to potential new home buyers.
Why Every New Homebuilder Needs a Custom Website
In today’s digital age, a strong online presence is as much a requirement for new home builders as a 2 car garage at minimum is for their clients. While generic, templated websites might seem like a cost-effective option, a custom new home builder website offers a multitude of advantages that can dramatically enhance your marketing efforts and convert website visitors into future homeowners.
Here’s why a new home builder website is an essential tool for any new homebuilder:
Standing Out from the Crowd
The internet is flooded with generic new home builder websites that all blend together. A custom website allows you to showcase your brand identity and differentiate yourself from competitors. With a unique design and targeted content, you can create a compelling first impression that resonates with your ideal customer. This helps to drive interest in your work, offers current customers a link they feel great about recommending to friends and family, and helps to maximize the value of your investment in modern technology.
Showcasing Your Work
- Visual Appeal: High-quality visuals are crucial for capturing the attention of prospective buyers. A custom website allows you to showcase your floor plans, model homes, and communities through stunning photos, interactive 3D tours, and captivating videos. Highlight the architectural details, interior design finishes, and desirable features of your homes to make a lasting impression.
- Compelling Storytelling: Go beyond just pictures with captivating narratives. Use your new home builder website to tell the story behind your company, highlighting your commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and customer satisfaction. Feature testimonials from satisfied homeowners, showcase awards and certifications, and create a sense of trust and confidence in your brand.
Marketing and Lead Generation
- Targeted Content: Develop targeted content that speaks directly to the needs and aspirations of your ideal customer. Use blog posts, case studies, and community information to establish yourself as a local expert and resource for homebuyers.
- Lead Capture Forms: Capture valuable leads by strategically placing easy-to-use contact forms throughout your new home builder website. Offer incentives like downloadable brochures, virtual tours, or free consultations in exchange for contact information.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimize your new home builder website content and structure to improve your ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). This ensures potential buyers searching for new homes in your area will find your website first.
- Call to Action (CTA): Make it clear what you want visitors to do on your website. Include clear CTAs throughout your website, encouraging visitors to contact you, schedule a tour, or download valuable resources.
What Your Custom New Home Builder Website Should Contain
- Compelling Homepage: Create a captivating homepage that grabs attention and clearly communicates your brand identity. Use high-quality visuals, a clear value proposition, and easy navigation to keep visitors engaged.
- Detailed Floor Plans: Showcase your floor plans with clear layouts, interactive 3D tours, and detailed descriptions of features and finishes. Allow visitors to personalize floor plans and explore different design options.
- High-Quality Photos and Videos: Invest in professional photography and videography to showcase the beauty and functionality of your homes. Highlight desirable features, interior design styles, and community amenities.
- Community Information: Provide detailed information about the communities where you build, including location maps, school districts, nearby amenities, and unique selling points of the neighborhood.
- Awards and Recognition: Display any awards, certifications, or recognition your company has received to build trust and credibility.
Testimonials: Feature positive testimonials from satisfied homeowners to demonstrate your commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. - The Building Process: Offer a clear and informative guide to the new home building process, outlining the steps involved, timelines, and what to expect from start to finish.
- Financial Options: Provide information on financing options available to potential buyers, including working with lenders and understanding mortgage options.
The Power of Customization
- Unique Design: Stand out from the crowd with a website that reflects your brand identity and design aesthetic. A custom website allows you to tailor the look and feel of your website to resonate with your target audience.
- Targeted Content: Develop content specifically aimed at your ideal customer. Highlight the features and benefits that matter most to your target market, attracting the right kind of leads.
- Integrated Features: Integrate tools and features that enhance the user experience and streamline the sales process. This could include online mortgage calculators, virtual assistants, or appointment scheduling tools.
- Content Management System (CMS): Give yourself the flexibility to easily update and maintain your website with a user-friendly CMS. This allows you to keep content fresh, add new listings, and respond to inquiries quickly.
- Scalability: As your business grows, your website should be able to grow with you. A custom website can be easily scaled to accommodate an expanding portfolio of homes, communities, and services.
Why Responsive Design is Essential
In today’s mobile-first world, a responsive website design is non-negotiable. Here’s why:
- Mobile Domination: The majority of web browsing now happens on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. A responsive new home builder website will automatically adjust its layout and content to display optimally on any screen size, ensuring a seamless user experience for visitors on the go.
- Improved Search Engine Ranking: Responsive design is a major ranking factor for search engines like Google. A website that displays well on all devices is more likely to rank higher in search results, leading to increased website traffic.
- Enhanced User Experience: Visitors expect websites to function flawlessly on their chosen device. A responsive website is easier to navigate, read, and interact with on any screen, leading to a more positive user experience.
- Reduced Bounce Rate: Websites that are difficult to navigate on mobile devices often experience high bounce rates, meaning visitors leave the site quickly. Responsive design keeps visitors engaged and encourages them to explore further.
Mobile Marketing Campaigns and Leveraging Your Website
Mobile marketing campaigns play a crucial role in reaching today’s tech-savvy homebuyers. Here’s how your custom website can be leveraged to make these campaigns effective and worth the cost:
- SMS Marketing: Capture mobile phone numbers through website opt-in forms and use them for targeted SMS marketing campaigns. Send updates on new listings, special offers, or virtual tours directly to potential buyers’ phones.
- Mobile Wallet Marketing: While both SMS marketing and mobile wallet marketing utilize mobile devices to reach potential customers, they differ significantly in their approach. SMS marketing relies on text messages to directly communicate promotions, updates, or reminders. It offers a personal touch and boasts high open rates, but its reach is limited by character count and can feel intrusive.
Mobile wallet marketing, on the other hand, leverages the capabilities of mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay. Here, brands can push targeted offers, loyalty programs, or digital coupons directly to a user’s mobile wallet app. This method offers a less intrusive but highly contextual way to engage customers at the point of purchase, potentially influencing their buying decisions in real-time. - Social Media Integration: Integrate social media buttons throughout your new home builder website to encourage visitors to follow you on social media platforms. Share visually appealing content from your website on social media to drive traffic back to your site.
- Targeted Mobile Ads: Invest in targeted mobile advertising campaigns to reach potential buyers who are actively searching for new homes in your area. Link these ads directly to relevant pages on your website that showcase your offerings.
- QR Codes: Use QR codes strategically throughout marketing materials like print ads or brochures. When scanned with a smartphone camera, these codes can take potential buyers directly to specific pages on your new home builder website.
- Website Analytics: Utilize website analytics tools to track user behavior on your mobile site. See which pages are most visited, where visitors are dropping off, and how long they’re engaged. Use this data to optimize your site for mobile users and improve conversion rates.
By creating a custom website that is not only visually appealing but also optimized for mobile devices and integrated with your mobile marketing strategy, you can transform your online presence from a static brochure to a powerful lead generation machine. A custom website positions you as a leader in your market, attracts qualified leads, and ultimately drives sales for your new homebuilding business.
