By Thane Tennison, Advertising Manager, BDX

Last month the BDX network served over 2.8 million clicks. However, not all of those clicks were sent to an advertiser’s website. Many of those clicks were identified as Bots and filtered out of our reporting. The Bot Filter is just one of the services BDX provides to help optimize performance for our builder advertisers. 

Bots are a piece of software that scan websites and follow web links to create an index for major search engines. They’re not something a consumer would notice in their regular online activity but can have a profound affect for a webmaster looking at traffic and click trends.

In our BDX Ad reporting we typically see Bot Traffic as spikes in click thru activity for a builder.  For example, a builder may average a .20 Click-Thru Rate (CTR) but occasionally performance will spike to five percent over a short period of time.  By cross referencing the domain and IP we can typically identify and block the bot. However, other Bot Traffic is not as obvious and may appear as regular click activity.  This is especially true if an advertiser is running GIF/JPEG files that will record all click activity (the Javascript in a SWF File or Ad Tag will typically filter the bot click).

In our review of Bot Traffic BDX has identified a series of browsers and IPs that represent three percent of all traffic but as much as twenty percent of the clicks for our builder advertisers. These clicks are recorded in our ad server but may not appear in a builder’s Google Analytics (After all, Google runs several bots of their own and automatically filters that traffic).  The result is a natural discrepancy between publishers’ reports and what a builder sees in their analytics. Meaning publishers could report a high number of clicks & high CTR but the advertiser sees relatively little value.

By implementing the Bot Filter BDX is able to provide more accurate reporting that closely aligns to a builder’s backend reporting across all of the BDX advertising products from BeBack to Realtor.com. With more accurate reporting, we can better work with our advertisers to optimize their campaigns and improve our product offerings.

Many publishers and ad severs do have a bot filter included in their service and will only capture known bots identified by the Interactive Advertising Bureau. They don’t actively manage new bots regularly introduced into the market nor do I think most publishers apply the same level of scrutiny as BDX to identify these occasional spikes in click traffic.

If you’re working with a publisher and running online campaigns I’d recommend auditing performance to ensure numbers closely align to what’s reported.  Setting up UTM tracking codes and developing campaign goals in Google Analytics are some easy ways to help track performance across different channels and optimize your media flight. As many of our advertisers work with limited resources it’s important that they have accurate data to make the right decisions regarding their marketing efforts.  At BDX we work with several of our advertisers to help set up campaign goals allowing them to truly understand the value of their online advertising. 

If you’d like additional information on some of the unique services BDX provides to optimize builder campaigns or assistance in setting up tracking in Google Analytics please contact me at traffic@thebdx.com.

Thane Tennison is the Advertising Manager for the BDX and manages hundreds of home builder brands across a network of over a dozen real estate websites.

Mike-Blake-Internet-LeadsFrom Mike Blake, The Mike Blake Group

We know that nearly every home buyer is using the Internet in their buying process and in 2013, “best in class” builder organizations will attribute 25-30% of their net sales to direct Internet leads.

Best-in class performers realize that to be successful requires a paradigm shift.  Previously, the purpose of building organization marketing departments was to drive leads to model sales centers.

This made sense because builders controlled the information prospects needed to buy a home, which also allowed salespeople to maintain control of the sales process.  The basic paradigm was “I’ll give you the home information you need in exchange for your buying criteria”.

Today’s best-in class builders realize that they no longer have exclusive control of the information.  In fact, almost all information like, community, school, tax, planning and zoning, home design, home features, etc. is now easily accessible on the Internet.

This shift in information control gives prospects greater control of the sales process.  Potential homebuyers are exercising that control by moving further down the buying cycle before ever reaching out and contacting an onsite salesperson.  As a consequence, salespeople are left in the dark many times up until the point the prospect is ready to purchase.  The end result is on-site salespeople have less leverage to obtain the buying criteria and are in a weakened position to negotiate a purchase.

Best-in class builders now realize that in order to regain influence they need to reach prospective customers earlier in the buying process, while they are still in the “research” phase of the buying cycle.

They are quickly learning that to be successful requires becoming as “prospect focused” as they are “customer focused”. Best-in class builders understand that Internet leads regardless of the source are the lifeblood of the company.

These builders soon recognize that onsite salespeople are not the best suited to manage Internet leads.  They rightly have come to the conclusion that the face-to-face selling process is significantly different from the process required to convert Internet leads.  In essence, it is a difference in mentality.  On-site sales people are “hunters” versus online sales people are “farmers”.

In conclusion, to be one of the best at converting Internet leads, become hyper prospect focused and hire dedicated and highly trained Internet sales staff.  Lastly, develop efficient processes to effectively perform these four basic functions; lead generation, lead capture, lead dialogue and lead management.

To hear more from Mike about managing Internet leads, join him for a webinar on March 28th. Click here to register.

 

Mike Blake

The Mike Blake Group

www.mikeblakegroup.com

“Inspiring Top Performers”

mikeblake@ultimatesalesdriver.com

By: Builders Digital Experience

As housing continues to recover, it is important to make sure you are building homes with features potential buyers actually want.  The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently surveyed 3,682 home buyers to see “What Home Buyers Really Want” when purchasing a home.  The results were quite interesting, as people’s preferences and priorities have changed quite a bit over the past couple of years. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the size of new homes has steadily increased over the past three years to 2,524 sq. ft. in 2012.  Additionally, the number of homes with three or more baths and three car garages has gone up.  And as you might expect, the average sales price of homes has increased for the last three years since bottoming out in 2009; the average price in 2012 was $279,000.

It is no secret that resale homes are still outselling new.  In order to capture this share of the market, a new home must have the functionality and features that a used home cannot offer.  The survey suggests removing rooms people don’t use from your floor plans and add that space into places where they spend the most time, such as a separate media room or into a larger master suite.  A kitchen continues to be one of the most important rooms in a person’s house.  Make your kitchens more interactive – 85 percent of respondents want a table space for eating and 76 percent still want a central island. 

We live in a fast-paced society that is always on the go, so why not add features that are convenient and meet the needs of today’s lifestyles?  Seventy-four percent of respondents said they like an open floor plan where the kitchen flows into the living room.  With more people being environmentally conscious, green features have become very important.  Ninety-four percent of buyers said they want Energy Star appliances in their home and 91 percent want an Energy Star rating for the entire home – an older home can have upgrades that are energy efficient, but it will never be as efficient as a new home.  Community amenities featuring resort-style pools, hike and bike trails, great schools in or near the community with easy accessibility to shopping can also have a serious influence on buyers. 

Below is the complete list of the most wanted – and least wanted – characteristics home buyers want in a new home, followed by the percentage:

The Most Wanted List

  • Energy Star-rated appliances — 94 percent
  • Laundry room — 93 percent
  • Energy Star-rating for the whole home — 91 percent
  • Exhaust fan in bathroom — 90 percent
  • Exterior Lighting — 90 percent
  • Bathroom Linen Closet — 90 percent
  • Energy Star-rated windows — 89 percent
  • Ceiling fans — 88 percent
  • Garage Storage — 86 percent
  • Table space for eating in kitchen — 85 percent
  • Walk-in kitchen pantry — 85 percent

The Unwanted List

  • Elevator — 70 percent
  • Golf course community — 66 percent
  • High-density community — 56 percent
  • Only a shower stall in master bath — 51 percent
  • Gated community — 48 percent
  • Mixed-use community — 44 percent
  • Two-story family room — 43 percent
  • Wine cooler — 42 percent
  • Wet bar — 41 percent
  • Laminate countertop — 40 percent
  • Two-story entry foyer — 38 percent
  • Laundry chute — 32 percent
  • Outdoor kitchen — 31 percent
  • Game room — 31 percent
  • His & Her baths — 31 percent
  • Glass front cabinets — 31 percent
  • Countertop — 30 percent

We all know that a new home provides a care-free lifestyle so that homeowners can enjoy their home, not work on it.  Let us help you sell that message to today’s buyers by showcasing your homes with area photos, videos and renderings.  To learn more about our packages, please click here.

By: Builders Digital Experience, creators of NewHomeSource.com

As you know the widespread adoption of technology and the internet are dramatically changing every aspect of people’s lives including how they shop for new homes.  Research shows that over 90% of all consumers will use or plan to use the Internet to shop for a home in the next two years. This is why it is important to have your homes listed on NewHomeSource.com and across our network of over 300 real estate sites.

But did you know that you can start to build interest in your communities even before they are built? Let us help you list your communities as “Coming Soon.”  This is a great way to build interest in new communities before they are complete and gives buyers a sneak peak of what is coming to their area.  Start building a database of prospects right away rather than waiting until further in the process.  Imagine having all the homes in the community sold even before it is complete!

Additionally, videos, area photos and renderings can bring your communities to life, engage your website visitors and differentiate yourself from the competition.  Our experienced team is ready to work with you to showcase your communities.  To inquire about our special “Coming Soon” listings packages, please click here.

By Thane Tennison, Advertising Manager, BDX

You may have heard about the newly updated NewHomeSourceProfessional.com (NHS Pro).   The site has recently gone through a complete overhaul and looks great.  The new format, similar to the New Home Source platform, allows builders to better showcase their homes and communicate offers to agents.

Agent outreach is a priority for the BDX in 2013 and a big priority for builders.  Agents represent the “repeat home buyer” and as the BDX expands its relationships with local MLS organizations we’ve seen an increase in traffic and ad impressions.

By advertising on NHS Pro builders have an opportunity to reach this typically “local” audience with unique and relevant advertising. Promoting an agent sales program or grand opening event can convert web traffic to foot traffic and provide measurable results. More importantly, builders are reaching active agents with buyers that need a home, which is a great advantage of subscribing to NHS Pro or one of our MLS partners.

For the past few days we’ve been testing ad performance for local builders and while volume is still building for some markets, we’re seeing consistent performance of a .20 click through rate (CTR).  Performance for individual campaigns ranged from a .44 to a .07 and a median performance of a .19 CTR.  I’m pleased to see that non-agent specific messages would perform so well and anticipate more targeted messagin to show stronger results.

The new NHS Pro allows BDX to clearly identify and isolate active local agents.  This means we can target agents with specific messages and by using re-targeting we can reach them on the sites they visit the most such as celebrity gossip or college football.

If you’ve done online advertising to reach local agents, I’d love to hear about it. Whether it’s Facebook or a pay per click campaign I am interested in the goal and results.  If you’d like to discuss marketing strategies to reach area realty professionals please contact us.

Thane Tennison is the Advertising Manager for the BDX and manages hundreds of home builder brands across a network of over a dozen real estate websites.