Providing agents with a website boosts recruitment and retention

According to 176 North American brokerage managers and owners recently surveyed by WebsiteBox, real estate companies that provide agents with professional websites and related marketing tools are more likely to successfully recruit, train and retain agents.

Or, as I like to say: “The brokers with the best tools, rule.”

But don’t take my word for it.

Of those we surveyed, 79 per cent agreed that offering websites helps recruit agents; 76 per cent agreed that offering websites helps retain agents; and 79 per cent agreed that providing websites speeds the productivity of new agents.

Who should pay?

With so many survey respondents bullish on the training, recruitment and retention benefits of agent sites, it’s no wonder that 75 per cent also agreed that it is “important” for agents to have websites. However, only 45 per cent felt it was the responsibility of brokerages to purchase or subsidize websites for their agents.

The survey seemed to show a discrepancy. Brokerages recognize that websites increase agent value, but many aren’t willing to foot the bill for their agent sites.

Paying for agent sites would likely justify the control brokerage managers said they wanted to wield over agent branding and customer relationship management (CRM). For example:

93 per cent stated that all brokerage listings should be displayed on agent sites
88 per cent indicated that agent websites should display the brokerage brand
86 per cent said they preferred websites that allow broker-monitored CRM

Such control reduces the risk of conflicting information or poor-quality content on agent sites and also increases the likelihood that potential property buyers and sellers will view a particular brokerage as a market force.

Yes, the brokers with the best tools, rule.

Agents in those brokerages are way more effective if they have sites with quality content and lead-generation tools that bring in deals.