# Website Planning Guide — Condensed Reference (UK Adapted)

Serhant + Luxury Presence guide to building a lead-generating estate agent website.

## Why Your Website Matters
- 78% of buyers and vendors begin their search online
- Every touchpoint (social, business cards, signage) points back to your website
- Your website = centrepiece of credibility + lead generation

## Step 1: Define Your Brand

### Your "AND"
What are you passionate about OUTSIDE of property? This differentiator sets you apart.
- "I am property AND [hiking/cooking/community/renovation/etc.]"
- Your AND creates connection points with potential clients

### Three Brand Adjectives
Choose three words that describe your unique value — avoid generic words like "trustworthy" or "reliable" (those are expectations, not differentiators).

### Unique Value Proposition
Combine your brand + target audience: "I specialise in helping [target client] achieve [outcome] through [unique approach]."

## Step 2: Define Your Target Audience
- Property types, price ranges, postcodes/areas
- Demographics: income, education, life stages, interests
- What do they need from an agent?

## Step 3: Baseline Metrics
Track your current funnel: Monthly traffic → Leads → Qualified → Appointments → Clients → Under Offer → Completions → Fees

## Step 4: Domain Name
- firstnamelastname.co.uk (preferred)
- Concise, memorable, easy to spell and pronounce
- Purchase early

## Step 5: Lead Magnets

### Buyer Magnets
- Property alerts by postcode
- Area/relocation guides
- First-time buyer e-books
- Buyer's step-by-step guide

### Vendor Magnets
- Free home valuations
- "Prepare your home for sale" guide
- Recent sales in your postcode
- Market trend reports

Always collect: Name, email. Optional: qualifying questions.

## Step 6: Homepage Best Practices
- **Opening:** SEO-optimised title ("Monmouthshire Property Expert"), high-quality hero image, IDX/property search
- **CTA:** Low-commitment first ("Search properties" or "Download free guide"), not "Book a call now"
- **Testimonials:** 3-6 client quotes + key accolades
- **USP:** What makes you different from every other agent?
- **Separate funnels:** Buyers → property search page. Vendors → valuation/seller resources.

## Step 7: Key Pages
- **Just Listed/Just Sold:** Showcase best properties with stories and results
- **About Me:** Compelling biography (WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW, WHY). Not a CV. Include your AND.
- **Property Websites:** For premium instructions only — dedicated site with unique branding, virtual tour, neighbourhood guide

## Step 8: Metrics to Monitor

### Lead Generation Metrics
- Bounce rate (not always bad — unqualified showing themselves out)
- Number of conversions (raw lead count)
- Conversion rate (per magnet and overall)
- Keywords (branded vs generic — measures brand recognition)

### Credibility Metrics
- Average time on page (content engagement)
- Average pages per session (site exploration)
- Returning sessions ("warm" prospects coming back)

### Leading vs Lagging Indicators
- **Leading (you control):** Ad spend, click-through rate, conversion rate, SEO content published, monthly sessions
- **Lagging (you track):** Visitors → Leads → Qualified → Appointments → Clients → Under Offer → Completions → Fees