I’m focusing on this site, www.lelandrealty.com for a couple of reasons. The first being it’s “View OUR Listings” page. It is very easy to scroll through all their listings. If a person wants more detail he or she can click on a small thumbnail of a property.

Upon clicking the thumbnail, one then see a series of pictures that usually give a person enough information to decide whether or not he or she would like to look at it. On the same page as the photos is list of specifications and essential details about the home. Again, all of this information together, presents a very nice snapshot preview.

The second reason I like this site is that it appears to be well optimized for search engines. In particular, if you type “Albert Lea Realty” into Google, you’ll often find www.lelandrealty.com at the top of the list.

Here’s a great new site in Albert Lea that also uses Wordpress. In addition, the CVB used Brian Gardner’s “Revolution City” Theme. This theme takes Wordpress to another level.

Using the Multi-level Navigation Plugin plugin for dropdown menus, Wordpress becomes more of a content management system than a blogging platform. Why use Wordpress instead of a more traditional cms? Wordpress is, hands down, far easier to use than most other content management systems like Joomla and Drupal. Though Drupal and Joomla are more robust, they aren’t as user friendly.

Another great site in Albert Lea. Check it out.

The first site I’m going to feature is actually sort of a rare find. Not often at the local level do you see something this simple and easy to read.

Most organizations feel like their website has to be full of color and have flashing images and a “unique” design. I actually like uniquely designed sites, but it is not often that they are done well. In most cases readability trumps “unique” and the Albert Lea Abstract & Title Company really gets it. You can find what you’re looking for on this site and you’re not blinded in the process.

Head on over to this site. You’ll see how easy it is to navigate. This is the first of many sites that I’ll feature in the coming months at the Albert Lea Area Website Index (index.albertleajournal.com).

Furthermore, it looks like it is a Wordpress site. Hurray for Wordpress!!