You could spend hours customizing every little feature on your Premier Agent® Website, but it only takes a few minutes to get the essentials set up. That's the beauty of the product - its simplicity and ease of use. At its core, a Premier Agent Website is basic yet powerful. It provides all the must-haves, including an IDX home search and personal branding. It's also a useful tool for those who already have a website and are looking to build extra Web presence. Savvy agents are finding creative ways to take advantage of it.

If you aren't a Premier Agent yet, you'll first need to register on Zillow for your new website. If you are a Premier Agent, you can get started by clicking My website on the Agent Hub menu. This opens the website dashboard. Note the menu on the left side, which you can use to customize every aspect of your website. We'll stay away from that for now. Let's focus on the middle of the page - the Initial Setup Checklist.

1. Confirm your personal info

First, let's make sure your contact and business information is accurate. Click the first item in the checklist. Fill out as much of the information as you can, but keep in mind that all the fields on the Site Information page are optional. You can always come back to this page later.

2. Set up your domain name

Your domain name is the address or the ".com" for your website. If you already have your own domain that you love, that's great. You can transfer it to your Zillow website by entering the domain name and clicking the I Own This Domain button. If you don't, Zillow will buy you a new one for free. Just enter a domain and click the This Is a New Domain button, which will walk you through checking its availability and confirming your selection. The free domain name is custom, meaning you get to keep your personal brand front and center - not Zillow's. And don't worry - if you decide to host your website elsewhere in the future, you keep the rights to the domain.

Bonus tip: Best practices for choosing a domain name say to keep it short and easy to remember. Don't feel like you need to pack your domain with all the keywords you want to rank for in search results. If you're drawing a blank, try something simple such as your firstnamelastname.com or firstnamelastnamehomes.com.

3. Add an MLS listing feed

Connecting an IDX (Internet Data Exchange) feed from your local association or MLS is the backbone of your website. After all, most visitors go to real estate websites to search for homes. IDX feeds allow them to search all listings on the MLS, just like agents do. Some associations charge their members for IDX feeds, so be sure to check before starting the approval process. Each MLS is a little different with what forms they need to get IDX approval, but the dashboard will guide you through the necessary steps. After completing the IDX approval, it typically takes several days for the feed to activate on your website.

4. Customize your theme

The theme determines the design template of your website - color scheme, fonts, and general layout. Some of my favorite themes include the Tom Ferry theme and Villa. Before choosing one, think about what you want to highlight on your website. If you plan on having your blog front and center, then themes like Ribbon or Wooden are best. If you want a quick home search bar at the top of your website, then go with themes like Blocks or Highlight. Keep in mind that you can always change your website's theme, so there's no need for commitment anxiety.

5. Customize your home page slideshow

Most of the themes support a home page slideshow, which is the photo display at the top of your website. You can change it to display any pictures you want. High-resolution images of home interiors, exteriors, or your local area work best. Make sure you don't use someone else's photos without their permission, as you could face copyright issues. If you're struggling to find some good images to use, there is a ton of free stock photography on the Web - check out websites like Pexels and Stock Up. You can include as many slideshow images as you want, but I recommend limiting it to four or five.

That's it! Your new website is up and running. Pretty simple, huh? Now your clients (and potential clients) have a one-stop home search center where you're the sole agent to contact for help. Advertise your domain name on your business cards and other marketing collateral to help get your new website seen. To go beyond the basics, check out the Premier Agent Website video tutorials. I like this one on adding widgets, which is a quick way to add content to your website - the cornerstone in building search engine traffic.

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