While many still believe that real estate is an old-school industry, the truth is that it has undergone massive changes over the years. More people are now interested in researching properties online, which then leads them to home tours and eventually to in-person meetings with realtors. For realtors and other agents, this means that marketing efforts should be adjusted according to the behavior of prospective clients. Here’s how digital marketing may help you compete in the real estate industry:
Make Sure Your Website is Mobile-friendly
A website’s layout that changes to the screen resolution on which it is viewed is referred to as “responsive design.” Responsive websites, as a result, appear amazing on both desktop computers and mobile devices. Indeed, Google has declared that it will begin penalizing website owners who do not make their sites responsive in search results, giving you a strong incentive to make sure your site is mobile-friendly.
Developers will often utilize HTML5 or CSS3 coding techniques to adjust the layout depending on the size of the screen being viewed by visitors to build a responsive website. Fluid layouts expand as needed to occupy all available space, whereas fixed-width layouts remain the same size regardless of resolution (thus the name “fixed”).
Create a Blog and Fill It with Content
- You should create a blog.
- While you can create your own material, hiring a professional writer or editor is a much better option.
- Focus on providing useful material that others will want to share when you’re writing your blog posts.
- Make sure to include relevant keywords in each post title and text if you want people to find and read your blog.
- Share your blog entries on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter (and make sure they’re connected to their respective sites).
- You can also drive traffic back to your site by linking from articles on other websites, such as news sites or magazines that welcome guest contributions from authors with their own blogs (like this one!). I’ve discovered that this increases traffic because readers are more likely to click on links within articles than those on the main page, especially if the links lead them somewhere new!
Leverage Social Media
Social media is a terrific method to connect with future and current clients, build your reputation as an industry expert, and obtain feedback on your company and brand. You may create relationships with your audience by posting relevant material that engages them. This will encourage them to return for additional information or possibly to purchase!
Have a Strong Call to Action
When someone comes to your website, they should be able to see what you want them to do right away. A call-to-action (CTA) is used to accomplish this. A call to action (CTA) is a feature on your website that instructs visitors on what they should do next, such as download a brochure, schedule an appointment with one of our agents, or even make an offer on the home they’re looking at.
Clear CTAs encourage more people to browse your site and then book something with you, resulting in greater sales for real estate brokers. Here are some pointers on how to make effective CTAs:
- When feasible, use high-resolution photos and videos. Before social media, a great image would have drawn attention and helped visitors engage with your brand more rapidly than text alone would have done (and image-friendly). Use video instead of static photos if there is video available from within one of our listings that adequately depicts the space.
Use PPC and Paid Search to your advantage
Paid search and PPC are other effective methods of reaching your target audience. These paid channels can be used to increase traffic, communicate with potential consumers, and collect information about how people find you online.
- Paid Search (Google, Bing, Youtube)
- Bid on terms that are relevant to your business or industry.
- Bids should be adjusted according to the time of day, seasonality, and other factors that affect search volume.
- Monitor performance metrics like click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate (CR).
Use Paid Ads on Social Media
Paid advertisements are the most efficient way to reach a large audience. Paid advertising is available on many social media networks, including Facebook, Twitter, and Google AdWords. You can target specific users based on their age, gender, and location with paid ads, allowing you to speak directly to your target audience. Paid ads also give you access to a variety of analytics tools, allowing you to track how well your campaigns perform over time.
Paid social media ads provide a number of benefits:
- They reach people who aren’t already fans of your company’s Facebook page or website (and may not know about it).
- They enable you to tailor messages to each user’s preferences (e.g., targeting those interested in baseball with offers for tickets).
Optimize for SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Search engine optimization is the process of increasing the visibility of your real estate website in search results. This can help you generate more leads, shorten the time it takes to find a buyer, and make your listing more visible. There are many different ways to optimize a website for SEO. The following suggestions can help you get started:
- Include relevant keywords in your title tag so that it appears when users search for those terms.
- Write a concise description using some of the primary keywords related to your site or listing and include it on both desktop and mobile sites so that users may see it while browsing Google search results pages.
- Use keywords in the body content: It’s important to use relevant keywords throughout all pages on your website because Google will pick up on these words as signals that this page has something valuable about them.
- Use keywords in image tags: According to Moz, when uploading photographs of homes for sale or rental properties, make sure each one has an acceptable caption containing at least one high-volume keyword term.
- Use links – Linking back from other websites containing related topics can improve rankings by increasing authority signals. However, always be sure not to link out too much from any given page since doing so could cause ranking drops.
Ask for Reviews and Testimonials
Existing leads are the best approach to generating new ones. Testimonials, reviews, and referrals are all effective methods for increasing the number of individuals that contact you. When you contact your clients and ask them these questions, they will gladly comply!
Remember that each client is unique, so don’t be hesitant to tailor your requests to their preferences in a home or their previous experiences with your company. For example:
- If you have an agent who’s great at answering questions quickly via text message but not so great when it comes down to time-consuming tasks like scheduling showings or signing paperwork (or vice versa), then make sure your emails reflect this!
- If your client enjoys their favorite TV show about real estate brokers but has never heard of you before meeting you at an open house…? Send them a link, perhaps? Or, even better… Schedule it at around 7 p.m. EST, when everyone else in town will be watching, so there will be less competition for attention during peak hours!
Make an eBook or an Email Course available.
Offer an ebook or email course.
Create a resource that will assist your buyers in making informed judgments about the home purchasing process if you have the time. Consider giving away a free eBook with advice on how to select a real estate agent and what questions to ask, as well as how to manage the mortgage process.
Another alternative is to send out an email series to potential clients that educates them about your industry and improves their chances of obtaining a loan accepted.
Live Streaming Video Chats, Podcasts, or Webinars
Brand recognition can be increased by using live-streaming video chat, podcasts, or webinars. You can use this format to respond to and interact with people in your audience. It can also be used to market your company or items. It’s a fantastic method to demonstrate your knowledge while also providing a free service to people that tune in to the live stream.
Live streaming video chats, podcasts, or webinars also create an opportunity for you to try out new things that could lead to future revenue streams for you, such as selling ebooks or courses before they are published on the market.
Be Creative with Your Infographics and Videos
Infographics are a wonderful choice for presenting statistics and information in a simple manner. Social media posts, email marketing campaigns, blog articles, print marketing materials, and podcasts can all benefit from them.
Here’s how you can get started:
- Choose a theme for your infographic based on current real estate trends. For example, if you have a property management service that specializes in renting out properties for students, then “How to Find Student-Friendly Apartments” would be a great topic for an infographic.
- Depending on the theme of your infographic, conduct research using Google Trends or BuzzSumo.
- Create an outline with bullet points before creating your infographic template in PowerPoint or Keynote so that it’s easier to organize your thoughts when working with visuals later on during the design process.
- Use appropriate visuals to show data points rather than merely presenting them textually; this makes it easier for people who are unfamiliar with the subject matter to consume the content. (e.g., avoid using random stock photos).
Be consistent with your digital marketing strategy.
The key to digital marketing success is regularity. Consistency in branding, SEO, social media, email marketing, paid advertising, and website design will all result in driving more traffic to your site and increasing sales. There are many ways you can do this, including:
- Having a logo that is consistent with your brand
- Having clear, consistent messaging that customers can grasp
- Ensure that all of your advertising is consistent in appearance (color scheme, etc.) so that customers aren’t confused when they see it on numerous websites or platforms.
- Using the same color palette across platforms to create the impression of a single brand rather than several brands
In Summary
The importance of digital marketing is increasing, so real estate agents need to get on board. During the last decade, the number of people using the Internet to search for property has steadily increased. Therefore, if you want to boost sales and give your business a competitive edge, embrace digital marketing and reap its benefits.
Following the twelve tips above will significantly increase your chances of leading the market and winning over potential clients. To gain traction online, consider all possible alternatives and never lose sight of your end goal. With this, you’ll be able to thrive online and reap the benefits of a successful real estate digital marketing campaign.Indeed, homes that get the most exposure from digital marketing are the ones that will garner attention.
Let’s hear from you!
Which of the twelve tips above do you believe you need the most as a realtor or team in your real estate agency, and why?
Don’t forget to write down your comments in the section below. Share your ideas with us so we can learn from you too. Kudos!
