Finding the right CMS for your agency

Is it possible to create, edit and manage web content without being a coding wizz? The answer is yes. A Content Management System (CMS) allows users to lift the bonnet of their website to update their site’s content with little to no experience required. 

Being in the real estate industry you’ll frequently be publishing and editing listings, so selecting a reliable CMS is one of the most crucial decisions you can make for your website. 

Elements of a great CMS

• Easily update and publish content
• Manage asset library, including images and videos
• Create and manage contact forms
• Multiple-user access and use with the ability to assign different levels of permissions
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) features - to help achieve better rankings in search engines. 

Choosing the right CMS for your agency

With so many options available it can be tough to decide which CMS platform to choose, but there are a few key factors you need to consider.

User friendliness

Your property listings are the keystone of your real estate business and your website will need to be regularly updated with every new listing and property detail. Website content updates need to be quick and seamless for busy real estate agencies. A user friendly CMS will allow you to quickly and easily add new content to your website without the need to reach out to your developer or acquire coding knowledge.

Design & functionality

As we’ve already mentioned, a good real estate website should be carefully curated to ensure the best possible experience for customers. While you need to make sure your website is easily navigable, focusing solely on functionality with no personality will make your website forgettable. For this reason, it is crucial your CMS permits you to get creative with your branding to stand out from your competition!

Help & Support 

No matter how user-friendly your CMS there will be times you have questions, particularly when you’re starting out. In the event you have a problem with your website you’ll need a reliable lifeline you can call upon that will save you from a world of stress and sleepless nights. 

It’s critical that the CMS provider you choose offers adequate customer support to help you through these moments.

Security & Privacy

As CMS systems have become more widely used, so have the threats to their privacy and security. Protecting your company’s data is always a first priority. Before selecting a CMS make sure it has robust user authentication and authorization controls, data encryption at rest and in transit, access control lists (ACL’s) to restrict who can access what, activity logging to track changes and detect unusual activity and regular software updates to patch vulnerabilities.

To get your agency set up with a real estate website that ticks all-of-the-boxes, book a demo with our team at Rex. Or, Download our FREE buyers guide to real estate website optimisation to learn more.