| General |
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What do I need to create a SmartSite? All you need is Internet Explorer or Firefox and an Internet connection. For ease of use, we highly recommend a broadband connection. |
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How often can I change my SmartSite? You can change anything about your SmartSite until you publish it. Once published you can still change almost anything, with a few exceptions: e.g. the Website address. You can change the Website address for a fee, for example, if you have mis-typed it. |
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How do I represent a multi-unit building with a SmartSite? You can put zeros in the bedroom and bath fields so they will not show and use the headline, summary description and/or "Home Page Message" to state multiple units. You can also use the property features section to list the units and use the property features section to list the units, and the property documents section to upload documents about each unit. You can upload floorplans of each unit, as well. |
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What is a license? A license permits you to create one SmartSite on one Website address for one property. You can purchase as many licenses as you need. Call us at (866) 704-6907. |
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How long is a license valid? A license is valid for 12 months from the date of activation. You can purchase additional years at publication time or anytime during current license period. After that they may be renewed. |
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Can I re-use my Smartsite for a different listing? No. The license fee includes the domain name, one year of Web hosting, and one year's use of the SmartSite Software for one property. Please see our Acceptable Use Policy. This information was provided when you activated your SmartSite. If you have any further questions, please contact your Account Manager. |
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| Can I remove my SmartSite from Public View for awhile? Yes, it's easy to take a site offline for awhile, and then make it live once again:
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| Marketing | |
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How can I show an unpublished SmartSite to a prospective Seller? We have provided guest user access to unpublished sites, so your prospective seller can login and directly view the SmartSite. To create a guest user account, select the unpublished SmartSite, go to Marketing, then Client Access. The same Client Access can be given to a seller for a Live SmartSite, so that they may view the SmartSite Statistics. |
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How do people find my SmartSite? SmartSites are submitted to several search engines and other marketing outlets via our Lighthouse Marketing System. You may include your SmartSite URL (Website address) in all your printed brochures, ads, flyers, and so on. You can add a sign rider with the SmartSite URL to your signage. Link to your SmartSite from your personal and company Website. |
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What are Metatags? They are information inserted into the "head" area of your web pages. Other than the title tag (explained below), information in the head area of your web pages is not seen by those viewing your pages in browsers. Instead, meta information in this area is used to communicate information that a human visitor may not be concerned with. Meta tags, for example, can tell a browser what "character set" to use or whether a web page has self-rated itself in terms of adult content.
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Can I add an existing Virtual Tour to my SmartSite? Yes. To add an existing virtual tour to your SmartSite,
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Can I add my SmartSite to my MLS listing as a Virtual Tour Link? Yes. The SmartSite automatically includes an MLS ready page for easy inclusion. If you would like to use your SmartSite as a virtual tour on your MLS listing,
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My MLS doesn't allow "Agent Branding" - can I still use my SmartSite slideshow as the Virtual Tour link on my MLS? Yes! We have provided a non-branded version for this purpose. You may want to send it to "the powers that be" at your MLS before you try to post it – just to be sure. The link is http://www.yourpowersitename.com/mls.aspx (it is simply the SmartSite name with mls.aspx at the end). This removes your company and agent contact info, which is already available on your MLS listing (usually). If your MLS requires a standardized link, use: http://www.smartstreets.net/mlst/yourpowersitename.com. |
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How do Realtor.com Virtual Tours work? Once you activate your SmartSite, you may choose to add your SmartSite as a virtual tour link on Realtor.com. Users of Realtor.com then see the "spinning house" logo on your Realtor.com listing. When they click on it, up comes your SmartSite's Photo Tour - with up to 100 photographs of the home - and of course access to all of the detailed information you've added to your SmartSite. SmartStreets staff must add your SmartSite as the virtual tour link on Realtor.com. It works that way as only vendors registered with Realtor.com may add those links. Your Virtual Tour is usually added within 24 hours. Your actual listing is added to Realtor.com by your MLS. The listing must appear on Realtor.com before we can add the Virtual Tour Link. Sometimes the transmission from MLS to Realtor.com can take as long as 72 hours. To add your Smartsite to Realtor.com:
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Does SmartStreets provide sign riders? Yes! You may order a sign rider when you Publish your SmartSite. The cost is $19.95 including first-class postage. Sign riders are 6" x 24" and made of white corrugated plastic with black lettering on each side. The font size will depend on the length of your Website address. Orders are processed Monday through Friday at 1 pm eastern and require a 36-48 hour turnaround for production. If your site is already Published, you may order a sign rider by going to My Account and clicking on 'Buy Sign Riders'. |
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| Media and Documents | |
Is there a limit to the number of photos that may be uploaded? You may upload six photos at a time, up to a total of 100 photos, to your SmartSite. Bear in mind when you are uploading that the system can only upload 6 megabytes of data at a time, so if you have large files, you may only be able to do two or three at a time. We recommend a photo size of 640 x 480 for best results. |
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How do I rearrange my photos?
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Photo sizes The photos you upload in SmartSites 4.1 will be larger than those that were converted over from SmartSites 3.0. If you want your older photos to appear larger, try this:
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Is there an easy way to resize images? If you use Windows XP, you can go to Microsoft's Website and download a small file that makes it easy to resize your photos.: Microsoft Powertoys If you scroll down this page, you will see a download for an Image Resizer Tool in the column on the right. Download and run the executable called "Image Resizer.exe" Once installed, it's very easy to use: Right click any image and select 'Resize Pictures' in the context menu. By default, if your original photo was called photo.jpg, the resized one will be called photo (small).jpg (or similar) and placed in the same directory. When resizing, you can choose from one of four standard sizes. You can also choose to resize the original image or create a new one. |
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Can I link a video to my SmartSite? It's possible to link to an offsite video using a regular custom link (go to the Smartsite, then Edit Smartsite Menu, and click on 'create a new menu link'). If you upload a video to Google Video ( http://video.google.com/ )or You Tube(http://www.youtube.com/ ), you can then place a link to the video's URL on your site. |
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| SmartSite Statistics | |
What is a "hit" on a Website? Also called a page hit. A "hit" is the retrieval of any item, like a page or a graphic, from a Web server. For example: when a visitor calls up a Web page with four graphics, that's five hits, one for the page and four for the graphics. |
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What is a "page view" on a Website? A Page View is a Web page that has been viewed by one visitor. Page views are often used in online advertising, where advertisers use the number of page views a site receives to determine where and how to advertise. Source: webopidia.com. |
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How can I transmit SmartSite Statistics to my Client? We have provided guest user access so your Client can login and directly view the SmartSite. To create a guest user account, select the SmartSite, go to Marketing, then Client Access. When the Client logs in, they will have the ability to view the SmartSite Statistics. Alternatively, you may login to your account, go to Marketing, then SmartSite Statistics, and print or email the Statistics to your Client. |
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Does my website have a hit counter? No, we do not provide a publicly-visible hit counter on the SmartSites. Most agents do not want to display it, especially if the home isn't getting much traffic. The SmartSite Statistics are available to you within your personal account, and you may email them to your seller if you wish. To view them,
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| Website Addresses (Domain Names) |
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How do I know if the website address/domain name I want is available? When you click on the Publish button, our software will ask you for the desired website name. In the next step it will check to be sure the name is available. If the name is not available, you will be asked to provide another choice. If you simply must have a certain name, we recommend you publish the SmartSite, and go back to fill in the details once the name is secured. Alternatively, Type your desired Website address (e.g. www.123anyst.com) into a Web browser. If it has been registered and there is a Website you'll see the site. It is possible though that the Website address has been registered but not Website created in which case you'll need to do the following. Go to this Website - http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/ and where it says "Enter a search term:" – enter the desired domain name and click "Search". If it is taken, information about the site's owner will be displayed. Please be aware however of something known as "Whois Hijacking" described below. If you need further help please contact Technical Support at (866) 704-6907 |
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Can I change my Website address/domain name once I have published my SmartSite? Yes. To change a Smartsite Website address please contact our support team at: (866) 704-6907 or support@smartstreets.net. There is a $15 charge for the new Website address. |
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What is DNS? Short for Domain Name System (or Service or Server), DNS is an Internet service that translates domain names into IP addresses. Because domain names are alphabetic, they're easier to remember. The Internet however, is really based on IP addresses. Every time you use a domain name, therefore, a DNS service must translate the name into the corresponding IP address. For example, the domain name www.example.com might translate to 198.105.232.4. The DNS system is, in fact, its own network. If one DNS server doesn't know how to translate a particular domain name, it asks another one, and so on, until the correct IP address is returned. |
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What is DNS Propagation? For SmartSites, this is the time it takes for changes to Website addresses (also referred to as a domain name or URL) to update across the Internet. Typically 24-72 hours but may be sooner depending on your Internet Service Provider (ISP). |
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How can I delete the website header and/or footer when printing a brochure In Internet Explorer Go to File - Page Setup. Remove the codes that are displayed in the header and footer fields and click OK. |
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Why isn't my SmartSite live yet? We register all SmartSite Website addresses through eNom who are part of register.com. The amount of time it takes to register is dependent on how many registrations are being processed at any one time. If your SmartSite is not live after 24 hours, please contact Technical Support at (866) 704-6907. |
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I checked my Website Address to make sure it was available before activation my SmartSite, and now it's not available? What happened? A few of our clients have experienced a problem where they "lose" a domain name that they attempt to register. This has nothing to do with the SmartStreets system. If this happens, you may have been a victim of "Whois Hijacking". The best solution is to register the SmartSite domain name immediately through our tool and do not check it separately via a Whois page. |
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Can I own my Website address? This is technically possible but we strongly discourage it. The reasons are:
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How can I buy my Website address from SmartStreets? You can submit a transfer request through any Website address registrar to transfer your SmartSite Website address to your ownership. We will agree and then you will have to (a) pay to extend the registration period (with the new registrar) and (b) build a Website and connect it to the Website address. |
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Can I publish a Smartsite to a Website address that I already own? Yes. In order to activate the SmartSite, you must first go through the activation process and register it to a different, new Website address. Only after the SmartSite is activated can we "point" it to a Website address that you already own. |
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How do I extend (renew) a SmartSite? You will receive notices at 90, 60, and 30 days for expiring sites, which will include the name(s) of the expiring site(s). You now have the power (!) to extend your sites -
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How do I redirect a Website address I already own to my SmartSite? To redirect a Website address you already own to a SmartSite, you must log into your account with that registrar (For example, GoDaddy, Yahoo) and redirect it to the SmartSite's Website address. Since you purchased the domain name, that's not something we can do for you; you must either login and take care of it, or call the Domain Name Registrar's tech support and ask them to redirect it for you. |
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