According to research, there are over 1.3 million real estate agents in the US as of 2018, and that number is steadily climbing. Keeping up to date with the latest in real estate digital marketing will help you to stay ahead of your competition and ensure you have a lucrative career.
These days, more and more people are finding their real estate agents through online searches, sifting through a sea of realtors until they find the one that they feel suits them the best.
If you are not on top with your real estate digital marketing, you will fall short of the other realtors who are. So how do we stay on top of the latest trends in real estate online marketing, and what exactly are the trends right now?
Keep on reading to learn the latest trends in real estate digital marketing, so you can stay ahead of the competition, and help numerous clients find a home.
1. Make Sure Your Content Is Shareable
When posting listings on Facebook, make sure that you have the content available to the public. Otherwise, only your friends will be able to see the listings. Also, make sure your website has responsive layouts and excellent photography so that people want to share it because it is that attractive.
2. Market Yourself on Zillow
Zillow is a giant database that is like a search engine for all properties. It contains an approximate 80 million homes with only 2 million Realtors. When you advertise, you are put in front of thousands of potential customers, who all have a buying or selling agenda in mind.
Your information on Zillow will contain:
- Headshot
- About section, with a minimum of 100 characters
- Company name
- Screen name
- Locations in which you are licensed
- Languages you speak
- Contact information, your phone number, fax, email, and website.
- Office information
Pricing is only according to the subscription package you prefer, or the number of contacts you receive.
3. Get on Facebook
Using Facebook for real estate marketing is the best way to get the most out of your budget; they are cost-effective with a great return on investment if done correctly.
Facebook gives you a platform to show your true character; it is a foresight of what it will be like to work with you. Show people that you understand and can relate to their problems, by offering insight and solutions by working with you.
Make videos that show your personality, while looking professional at the same time. Add some unique flavors such as cool marketing buttons, or film beside a bright centerpiece in an open house to draw in attention.
Other ways you can use Facebook to your advantage is by creating groups for real estate, starting up a page for your business, going live on location at open houses, sharing 360 pictures to show people the feel of the home.
4. Create Facebook Ads
Creating multiple Facebook ads are also a foolproof way of getting new clients. Make sure that every add is streamlined to a specific client and not too general, that way you can target the right people and adjust each Facebook Ad as you need.
Some people to target would be:
- Age demographics, millennials or golden age?
- Personal traits, children, education, profession, interests
- People similar to those you have worked well with in the past
- Specific areas you enjoy selling in
While you may think that you want more people to see your add, it is best to narrow your target audience as much as you can. You want authentic clicks from people who are interested in your services.
5. Start an Email Newsletter
The best way to stay in touch with old customers and generate new leads at the same time is by starting an email newsletter. You can notify people of any exciting news, market trends, and beautiful properties that are up for sale.
Email newsletters are also a great way to share your recent blog posts and get people to view your website, this way they will not only read your blog but also start cruising on your recent listings posted on your website.
Use a strong subject line to capture the attention of your readers, with a precise call to action (CTA) at the end of every email.
6. Use Google Adwords
By using Google Adwords remarketing, you can target people who have recently visited a relative website, or have searched for a relative topic to your business on Google. Even people who have recently looked at a competitor’s website or the local MLS listings will be targeted.
You can target specific keywords that people have typed into Google such as “buy a house,” “realtor in ____ area,” “sell my house,” etc.
Just go to the Google Adwords Campaign dashboard and search for those keywords and interests, and your banners will be seen by people who are only interested in either buying or selling houses in your targeted areas.
7. Use Search Engine Optimization
Perhaps one of the best online real estate marketing skills you could use is to optimize your website with Search engine optimization (SEO). You could have the best website online, but if you have not worked SEO into it, no one will see it.
Use local keywords such as “houses for sale”, “FSBO”, “MLS”, “realtors in ___”, “houses for sale in ____ area”.
Implement these and other local keywords into your articles on your website. Make sure your articles are written clearly and easy to read, with these keywords added naturally throughout.
Learn More About Staying of Top of the Latest in Real Estate Digital Marketing
Use these real estate digital marketing tips to keep ahead of your competition, find your ideal clients and have a very lucrative career in the real estate business.
Once you have sold many houses because of your new online marketing skills, check out our article on which gifts to give your new clients to show your appreciation in their business.
This will keep your reputation as a great realtor high and help you get more referrals in the future.
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