Now you can drive traffic to your website at the same cost as the big boys do. ActiveRain announces wholesale auction-based pricing directly to real estate agents for the first time ever.
Today we upgraded our Hit Router pay per click marketplace from a tiered pricing plan to an auction-based platform. This change takes away the predetermined pricing for Hit Router clicks and lets the market dictate what the price should be.
Why buy clicks to your website?
Consumers are getting smarter. In a time gone by, large lead generation companies could drive high volumes of consumers to their sites based on economies of scale. They would then convert this traffic to a lead and sell that lead to an agent. Today, the idea of converting leads on a massive scale is much tougher. The new 'lead' has become traffic to your website!! The Hit Router marketplace allows ActiveRain members to buy traffic to their websites without facing the retail mark-up. We are partnering with companies in the industry that specialize in generating consumer clicks and offering those clicks to ActiveRain members at wholesale prices.
This new shift allows you to control how much traffic you drive to your own site. It also puts you in the driver seat for determining how you convert that traffic into a lead. The entire consumer experience of searching for a home can take place on your own branded site.
ActiveRain's hit router is a way to drive traffic to your IDX (home search) site.
Is this your first time hearing about Hit Router?
I beg you, if you are not familiar with the hit router concept on ActiveRain, take the time to watch this video and read the additional posts linked to on the bottom of that page. After watching the video and reading the accompanying links, you should have a good idea what hit router is about.
How did it work? How does it work now?
When we initially launched Hit Router, we put set pricing on the cost of clicks in each market. Members could then decide to purchase traffic from Hit Router at the set price and the traffic would be dispersed on a rotating basis. If Jon and Jeff both agreed to pay $2.89 per click (the price we set) for traffic in Seattle, Jon would get click one and Jeff would get click two and it would continue in that fashion until one of them hit their budget.
The new upgrade to Hit Router has transformed the pricing into an auction based model. Pricing is now set by what someone is willing to pay for clicks for that market. In a majority of markets across the country, Hit Router will deliver clicks and traffic to our agents far below market value. Not only that, but as a buyer of Hit Router clicks, you only pay for traffic that is delivered to your site. In addition you can set your budget, make changes in real time and there is no contractual obligation. You can start and stop campaigns any time you choose.
Auction-Based Pricing:
Auction-based pricing allows our members to take advantage of the remnant traffic we were selling at wholesale rates. It also allows the market to set a price for the traffic. No longer do we have set pricing. The person who decides to bid on traffic and has the winning bid will get first crack at the traffic for that market. They will continue to get the traffic for that market until their budget is met.
One other upgrade:
An additional enhancement has been made so that you can now edit existing campaigns to change the bid price, maximum spending limit and URL.
Additional Links for information:
The ActiveRain Listing Router
Listing Router - How To Setup & Save Your Own Traffic
How To Setup Your Own Click Campaign
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Great blog. This is quite useful information. Keep up the good blogs!
We will have to look this over and see if it fits in our marketing budget.
Bob...
What about clicks for our cities from our blog pages? Are we going to be paying for those clicks?
Bob,
Thanks for the post. I was thinking og this the other day and your post just reminded me to look into it further.
Thanks need to look at this
Richard,
If you have set up the 'my markets' portion of your listing router account all clicks from your own blog pages and your profile go to you for free
You just keep giving me more work to do! Let me breathe! I still have to set up so much more stuff on Localism, behind on activeblogs, ok, just send me an assistant!
Bob- Just went to edit my campaign. Your min recommended bid for my market is $0.49. However, if I put in anything less than one dollar, it turns it into a dollar amount. e.g. $0.75 becomes $75 CPC. Could get pretty expensive!
WidowMaker...
Parking :)
TLW...ROAR!
Marilyn,
I just tested it on my end and it allowed me to bid under $1.00. I am going to call you right now and see what's going on.
Hey Bob! We'll check it out and see what's up - you're bookmarked. I'm like Katerina - can't keep up with all I have to learn now. I'm taking Katerina's webinar on SEO right now and she's keeping us more than busy but I'll put this on my list! Thanks for the info! Go Huskies!
Mary
Its a great tool. I need to check into this auction feature.
This is a good idea but does anyone have an estimate on what kind of budget will be effective??
Oops,
I was over seeing if Mary and Bruce had set up their free 'my market' area and they hadn't......so I thought I should come here and let everyone know......but I forgot to log out as them. What I meant to say was:
Everyone that has commented here:
There is one component of listing router that you HAVE to set up and it's free. That component is called 'my markets' and it allows us to route traffic on your own blog or from your profile to your IDX site for free. If you have not done this yet. Do it right now!! And as always, you can call me if you need help
425.753.7340
I love auctions, but can't even figure out how to access my Localism now that it's not on my home page.
Dear anonymous commenter:
I think that answer is a function of how well your landing page and website are set up. Let's say you have a website that converts 10% (this is an excellent conversion rate btw) of visitors on your site to a lead. So 10% of people that land on your site give you their contact information. And let's say that your wholesale per click rate is $0.49 (like Marilyn's was since I just helped her get hers figured out).
So if she set her budget at $50 and we were able to deliver her $50 worth of clicks, she would have had 100 people land on her site. (I rounded for simplicity). If she converted at 10% then she would have gotten 10 leads essentially. Would you pay $50 for 10 leads? I would.........
This forces you to take a look at your website and see if they are actually tools for helping you generate business or if they are just a shell that you put up because everyone said you need a website......
Hi Bob, this is interesting...
So, if we get outbid...then we won't get leads?
Just making sure I'm understanding. Pretty cool concept actually.
Bob, thank you I did not know about it and will watch the video link. Thank you for including it.
Stephanie,
You wrote: "So, if we get outbid...then we won't get leads?"
First off, they are not really 'leads' but it is traffic that is getting sent to you. Hopefully your website has mechanisms to make them a 'lead' once they land on your site.
But if you get outbid, then yes, the person with the highest bid will get the traffic for that market until their budget is met, then the next person would get the traffic at the price they have bid.
We do notify you if someone has beat your bid.
Kelly,
You are welcome!
Bob - sounds like a great improviement. I would like to hear more about how listing router is actually working. Can;t say I have seen much fro folks who are using it to know whether the value is there for the money. Any insights?
Jeff
Hey Bob,
LOL. Yeah, I meant traffic.
Thanks for the clarification. I'm going to have to go check mine out. I haven't set up any campaigns yet...
Hey Bob,
Sorry, just thought of another question.
Those of us on Market Leader. Can we somehow use the link from our site so if they sign up they go in to Vision?
This is great news guys. I just wish there were more hours in a day to plan the campaign and create a landing page.
This is great (I'm sure cuz I totally trust y'all ;-) But I, too, am a little confused with how it works with Market Leader...or do they work together? Also, If I have a credit for the Listing Router (which I'll assume I do since I've received one lead/inquiry in 6 weeks or so), does that transfer somewhere? Can it still be used/applied??
Okay, I'm sure you'll get a few hundred more questions...hope you get some sleep too! thanks for the info and all the work!
Bob, I promise to delve into this much deeper. My head is spinning with all the new additions. I did just cancel my billboard...you don't want to know how much money that was burning. The net is the only place to be nowadays.
I'm truly interested in your Market Leader program too. I simply have some catching up to do! You guys are pulling off some amazing programs. Thank you!
Later in the rain~Deb
Interesting. I saw that there was two prices on the listing router today and was wondering.
Ok... I was already "in" with Listing Router, so you're saying I need to do something more now? Could you make it step by step (you may already have done that, but it's over my head if you did).
Jeff,
We sent over 100,000 clicks out to people in the month of January. It's kind of tough to track how it is doing for the people we are sending the traffic to. Once the consumer clicks over to the agents website, it's really up to the agent to get that click to convert to a lead. Every day I work with multiple people to show them the most effective place on their site to land a consumer.
For instance......is your home page the best place to land someone? In almost every instance I would say NO. You should be sending them to the page on your website where someone can actually search for homes. Yet you can only do that if that page has a unique URL on your site. Then if your home search page has a unique URL is there a unique URL for a search for a specific city? If there is, sending the consumer to that page specific to the city becomes even more effective.
At the end of the day though, if you have no mechanisms for converting traffic into leads, then what's it really worth sending traffic there?
Another level of complexity is: do people know where the traffic on their site came from? And if they do convert a lead, do they know who sent that visitor or how they got there? Unfortunately, for the vast majority of agent websites I see on a daily basis, I don't think that is happening.......
Stephanie,
If I were you I would be using the Growth Leader website without question. Those sites are converting traffic at 14% right now and I am fairly certain you have the ability to grab a unique URL for a search in a certain city. Landing someone directly on homes for sale in the city they were just typing in is FAR SUPERIOR to landing them on a page where they have to perform another search to get what they want.
At the end of the day, the fewer clicks you make someone perform to get the information they were after the higher likelihood that they will stay.
Hi Bob,
Is there any documentation on the listing router properties with the new AR team blogs?
Example question: Do team blogs allow each blogger to get credit for the traffic generated via their own indivdual posts on the team blog, or do all clicks default to the team blog owner preference?
Mara,
You can give me a call tomorrow if you have free time and we can take a look at where you are......
Margaret,
You don't have to do anything additional for the stuff you have set up. You have your 'my markets' area set up and that is sending all the traffic on your blog and profile interested in searching in your market to you for free. This new pricing structure has to do with anyone that has a paid Listing Router campaign set up.
You are not taking advantage of that and if you would like a more detailed explanation of that component of things, you can call me as well.
Lance,
A team blog set up is only able to route traffic currently to the team blog owner by way of how they have their listing router account set up. However, that listing router box on the team and individual blogs can be removed via the 'widget' management option on the team blog.
Hey Bob,
I'm having a good email conversation with Jen right now on a completely unrelated topic...I'll ask her to see if she knows how to grab the unique link...
And I'll play around with the site to see what I can find.
I would MUCH rather use it than our mls system...
Thanks.
Bob,
I will have to check this out. BTW I love your son. He reminds me of a picture when he was a baby.
He had on a hat that looks similar.
Bob,
I MEANT he looks like Elvis when he was a baby.
This is way cool. I need to get my campaign back up. I really like that we can tweak the campaign without closing it. That is why mine went down - I had to change urls. This is so much better!
wahoo we can edit. Sorry to have bugged you guys so much about that. I love listing router and going over to go play with the new pay feature.
Bob... question.... maybe I need to go back and read these... but the listing router is for realtors only, right? thanks
I am going to go check that out now. thanks for that info!
Off to research listing router... So much to learn, so little time.
Bob..you're a good man. And a gentle dad. And from talking with you I know you are sincere, want folks to do more and succeed. You are a good guy. But when this was rolled out, and $2.00 per lead and then some mystery rebate without example was batted around the plot thickened. And we were told to just sign up, putting in $50 budget and we'll let you know when we need more started more of the uneasy, unanswered what are we getting into questions. And then the other charges of $19 for this..and then was it $18 and communities we serve for $9 or $9 each which made many of us wonder why did we set up 15 subcommunities in our towns, etc? Have talked with others who felt we built the communities with hard work, blogs, images, links defining each aspect of what makes our towns /cities unique. Now to turn that work around to get us to compete for leads and placement in the middle of all that hardwork gives more of that queasy feeling. Wondering what's up next?
Confusing, not spelled out, rolled out before talking to someone with ppc back ground or too many of you at AR doing this, checking with someone else to do that. I had emailed Jeff and Jonathan but did not get anything back or any questions answered or situation explained. I started with Brad who said all the money is so small and because just peanuts to him, just trust him. I was told to email you and then call you, then referred to Jeff or Jonathan and then today we see the big glass AR building. Glad you are not set up in a shack on the poor side of town over a crack house but makes me think...expensive days ahead during the wrong time to just give out a credit card number. I have search, reread blogs from each of you and tried to piece it together and with all the changes and now this reversal of sorts wondering when the boat stops rocking. Discount point program still in place? What did I read about 2.75 million or correct me if my memory recalls the wrong number, that AR used to buy another struggling company ? How is all this platform financed? Thanks Bob for the information and clarification we all benefit from. We all have inquiring minds and just need it explained clearly. Clarification will help streamline the path we are all on, or think we are on or want to be on.
Thanks for keeping us updated. I need more money to do all of this
Great refresher and I'm considering it. The challenge will be to figure out what is appropriate to pay.
Bob- I just stopped back to thank you for your help, earlier this evening. I saw your example, using my site, above. I like your math. $50 for 10 leads sounds like a pretty good deal.
Bob, the hits on my website have dramatically increased since the complimentary listing router was activated on my blog and my sponsored city. Thanks for that, BTW! And I don't have any stats for you, but I am working on leads from that.
I have never used a pay per click, or any other lead generation, but I have never gone wrong with anything I have done on AR.
So I just started a pay per click campaign with Listing Router - I'll let you know if it breaks me or makes me. :)
I think I have some work to do on my site before I start doing this, but like the whole auction idea.
Bob: You guys and gal are always on top of things and continue to improve the network !
Bob, thanks for posting this...it seems I just get something figured out on AR and then there is something new to learn!
Okay, I just signed up for listing router yesterday. After a 7-month hiatus I am back now and going great guns. If I understand you correctly, Bob, we are going to bid now. That is what an auction is about,right --bidding? We set the dollar amount that we are willing to pay for a click-through. Well, that's great if you have no competition--low prices. But, what about the bloggers who are competing with one another? Yikes. I don't want to invite any other realtors in my area to join AR now. They might cost me a higher price on future click-throughs.
I know this listing router is evolving. I understand that. I'm from the South....and well, ...
if it ain't broke....
Thanks, I've been going back and forth on this...but now will watch the video and read all the links.
There are a few questions on here that I need to get answered. I am at the REBarCamp at Zillow all day but will come back later this evening and catch up.
You can always email or call me directly with specific questions as well
Bob Stewart - ActiveRain (ActiveRain)-This is great Bob. I was going to set up my Listing Router this week. This even makes me more excited. Active Rain is the best. Thanks Bob. Great post.
Bob... hey, are you going to the RE South one in Atlanta in March? I'll be done there... catch up with you later..
Bob...
I have questions and suggestions. The yellow listing router triangle on the right hand top corner is hardly visible. You should highlight it with a colored frame to make it more visible. Many people could miss it otherwise.
Next, if I am understanding correctly the sites that accumulate the most credits are the sites of heavy bloggers because most every potential prospect that reads AR blogs will be on their pages and using their listing router. Nothing wrong with it. They deserve it for being so active but, am I correct?
Next, by trying the "auction route" big companies with heavy dollar budgets will be the ones benefited. When I tested the system and tried to input in other Active Rain members' listing routers the city where I sell, heavy duty companies came up. I did not come up at all. How far can $100.00 bucks per month will take you if you choose ten towns in your neck of the woods?but, am I correct?
I know that we live in a society run by Capitalism and I would not blame you if you would choose the more profitable way, but can you clarify my questions?
Thanks
Sounds great!! I've been wanting to implement LIsting Router, but I've been waiting to switch my account over to my new market, and now that has been complete, and I'll get going on the new stuff, thanks!
Ok, so please don't get offended, but I don't really understand this concept, or that concept about buying the neighborhood thing that came up last year. Isn't this similar to the other lead generating companies that drive traffic to their sites and then make us pay for the leads??? So, instead of paying that company, now I will be paying activerain to drive web traffic back to my own website?
Is hard to keep up with all the updates ! I saw that I was able to resume my campaign which I did earlier today, but I was confused why it stopped at all ?
I pay a monthly fee for a Localism neighborhood that includes my Listing Router. Do the changes you outlined effect me?
John Keene
I can honestly say honestly I don't understand, BUT I have been at ReBar camp (which was fantastic by the way) and my mind is spinning... so maybe tomorrow it will all fall into place. Thanks for the good job you guys do. Need to take a breath and regroup...
I just signed up yesterday and now it's changed so will take a look at the prices for the areas I wanted next. Couple of questions - what is Market Leader and Growth Leader. Also, it said there was a discount based on accumulated points - is that gone now?
I will set this up and try it. I have a lot to learn still about AR.
I have not set up for the PPC yet but I have some $$ accumulated. I will need to check it out.
bob - can i do this even if my crappy mls doesn't offer idx to agents?
tina in virginia
Is there a min auction bid price per click for a town? Great stuff. Thanks.
I will have to research more, but this Listing Router sound great. I hope Rainers are getting BANG for their BUCK.
Bob - Just wanted to say thanks for all the help lately. I have set up my free idx listing router. Not sure I understand it all completely yet though. I see I've accumulated some moneys in there but I'm not sure what to do with those credits. Have fun at Bar Camp Hi to Rich as well.
Another Bob on the east coast.
Great new pricing strategy. I'm looking into setting up campaings now.
Thank you for the wonderful update.
I thought Kelan explained all of this listing router business perfectly in the video link so I set up a campaign - - now, after reading many of the questions and comments on this post, I'm not so sure I get it at all! You don't know what questions to ask if you just don't know!
Hmmm, my mind is spinning and I think I may get it...well al little. But, I am going to wait and see what happens before I take this next jump. Still many unanswered questions and clairification needed.
I can't believe the level of service you bring to this site Bob. I am sure if this campaign doesn't work you will create one that does.
Listing router seems to have changed again. What do the little red and green thingies beside the CPC mean and if this is a true auction for clicks why can't you set your own bids with no minimums?
There seems to be lots of questions on here; I hope they get answered soon.
Jim,
Specific to your question (although there are others I still need to get back and answer). Originally we allowed you to set your own bid with no minimum. There was something missing from that equation though, and that was our remnant traffic buyers. We have agreements that someone is willing to pay us a $.50 per click price for any and all clicks generated. Previously we were not figuring that in and you were allowed to bid $0.01. However, had you bid that, you would never have gotten a single click. Jorgen reworked the formula last night and now the remnant buyers price is factored in. For anyone that had bid something under the remnant buyers bid, we moved your bid to that remnant buyers price AND SUSPENDED the campaign so you would not be charged.
I'll be back here in a little bit to answer other questions.......and possibly shed some more light on the whole process of bidding. Although it may just be a new post all together.
Thanks Bob,
It's usually helpful to know what's going on.
BTW, what do the little red and green thingies mean?
Jim,
I got an email explanation of the little green and red thingies last night from the developers but it was a little unclear in the email. I am waiting to see Jorgen to get a verbal explanation so that I can better explain it. I will be back once I get that to hopefully provide a clear explanation.
Aren't we still going to get good SEO from the links from our blog to our web site? I've only paid for clicks one time and it was a rip off. After all, isn't that why we spend so much time learning about SEO? We create blogs and insert links from any listing on the web that will allow it, just to get more traffic to our web sites. And if a site (like CraigsList) has the "no-follow" code in it, I don't create a link. Instead, I just type my web site and the visitor will have to copy and paste, and go directly to my site.
Bob, this is good news. Thanks. I have a question about the way Listing Router works. I've noticed some of my local cities end up getting routed to some big boys like Reply.com and Zip Realty. Are they bidding on these cities as well or ar they the 'remnant buyers' you mention? I'm just wondering if I would be competing with the likes of them. I doubt I can afford to.
Bob - thanks for the this information and I will look into it further.
How on earth do you cancel a campaign? I need to turn it off temporarily, and I know I've done it before, but now I can't figure it out- help!