The world of sales is now being ruled by digital marketing. This is not a new concept but has been incorporated by different industries since the beginning of the internet era. Recently, digital marketing has had its claws into the real estate sector. In this article, we will go into depth about what it means to market real estate digitally. It will also include the best practices that agents should follow.
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Traditional Marketing in the Real Estate Sector
Times have changed. The world we knew before COVID-19 doesn’t exist. Different industries have been changing sporadically, and real estate is no exception. To understand the scope of this revolution, we need to assess what defines traditional marketing. Techniques such as direct mail marketing and print ads are common in this sector.
But these methods come with their own set of restrictions. These limitations, although previously ignored, were brought under the spotlight during the pandemic. As lockdown restrictions increased, conventional marketing methods were no longer sustainable.
This marketing method was only feasible if you wanted to acquire clients locally but not globally. Sure, you can get in touch with local buyers and sellers, but that’s it. There’s little to no scalability of such marketing techniques. To top things off, traditional ways of marketing are expensive. This makes it a not so feasible option for agents who are just starting out.
Do Agents Need to Market Properties Digitally?
The limitations of the conventional marketing of real estate were identified and eliminated through digital marketing. However, some cynics in the market deny the importance of digital marketing. We aim to change that.
Why such a marketing method is a need rather than a want? Firstly, through digital marketing, you can run ads via video and mobile devices. This is an effective strategy, as backed by various studies. Nowadays, everyone owns a phone making mobile ads an easy option. Through videos, you can expect an increase in conversion rate. Think of it as an investment with fewer risks and higher returns.
As per Hubspot’s report, 80% of conversions come from video content displayed on the landing page. Simply put, watching a video is easier than reading through monotonous texts. This measure inevitably leads to individuals making favorable decisions. When hiring you as their agent. To top things off, incorporating video content can rank you higher on Google. This means that when someone types in ‘best real estate agent in Wisconsin?” your name would be on the top.
Secondly, when you invest in digital marketing for real estate, it helps you track performance. Such as the property’s current status and how long it has been on the market. Have you heard of PPC? Through this technique, you can track your website’s performance over time. It lets you observe how prospective buyers/sellers can interact with your landing pages. It’s a good measure for real estate professionals to measure their success rate. Through performance tracking, agents can get an overview of what strategies work and which ones don’t.
How to Get Started
Digital marketing may seem like a very technical word. But it really isn’t. Agents can get started with this strategy through the following means:
Create Listings on Online Portals
Individuals don’t just magically get to know about your website or if the services you are providing are authentic. Online portals are the answer to any kind of uncertainties by prospective clients. Such a resource covers listings from multiple sources. The listings under online portals are authentic and thoroughly vetted. It has a powerful search algorithm. This allows for features such as contact forms and accessibility to image and video content. I would suggest researching the top five real estate marketplaces in your area. It’s a smart and highly targeted digital marketing strategy. Be creative when writing details about the prospective property. Add images and video content where necessary, although be careful not to overcrowd the page. The information should allow clients to make informed decisions before making an investment. Ideally, the page should include a link to the agent’s website or portfolio.
Inbound Marketing
Inbound marketing is a great way to attract leads. It particularly relates to property developments in the locality. Visitors can look at your social media to gain in-depth knowledge about your services. Individuals can also subscribe to your newsletter. This measure helps you compile an email marketing list. Through which you can reach out to prospective clients easily. Once marketers have a comprehensive list of prospects, it becomes easier to segment them. Different parts of the market can be targeted much more effectively. You can create segments such as age, gender and location.
Before sending out the email, keep personalization at the back of your mind. This measure allows you to build connections with prospective customers. In your email, don’t give specifics about the cost. Instead, include a CTA button that says, “Call us for consultation .” During the call, be transparent about pricing and how it would vary. Like how amenities and neighborhoods differ from one state to another.
This type of sales strategy is consultative rather than agents being pushy. Real estate professionals should convey that they want what’s best for the clients, not them. Each stage of the inbound marketing campaign should segment the audience. It ensures that information is being delivered in a particular manner. Even if your subscribers aren’t looking for properties, a newsletter will keep them in the loop for any upcoming projects.
Upcoming Trends
When it comes to digital marketing, here are some trends that real estate professionals should look out for:
Chatbot Marketing
This type of marketing is synonymous with text messaging advertising. The best part is that it’s backed by AI technology. Users would no longer have to wait to receive information from sales agents. As the same data could be retrieved from chatbots much more quickly. You can easily implement this type of marketing through Facebook. This can be implemented through the Facebook Messenger chatbot. But if you have a pre-existing website, it’ll just take 5 minutes to set up a chatbot. Such a technique allows users to get in touch with the brand without having to share their phone numbers. In terms of customer acquisition, chatbots are a better option than email marketing.
PPC Automation
Manual bidding on properties is a thing of the past. In 2022 and beyond, automation will take over the real estate sector by storm. PPC advertising would be synonymous with this industry. Google Ads will provide prospective buyers and sellers with
relevant recommendations. Agents would use geo-location services to streamline targeting strategy. This will inevitably lead to increased website traffic, meaning a higher conversion rate. If you follow this trick you can improve your Google Ranking.
Digital Marketing x Real Estate, Does It Make Sense?
Gone are the days when agents had to go door to door to sell their services. This method was ideal for acquiring local clients. But now, as the world is turning into a global village, this strategy is no longer feasible. Digital marketing is the way to go as it helps agents improve their visibility. This marketing method has disrupted the entire industry, and this is just the beginning.
