Having a rock-solid real estate digital marketing strategy isn’t optional these days: it’s essential for a successful career. Entrepreneur stresses that today’s home buyers rely on technology for finding properties, and 97 percent of homebuyers used the internet when searching for homes in 2020. The best real estate digital marketing strategies leverage the latest data-driven tactics, nab those leads and provide them with personalized experiences that make them want to see the properties and make offers.
Thrive Agency categorizes the crucial categories of real estate digital marketing, starting with search engine optimization (SEO). This strategy involves using keywords in a content marketing strategy for your website and social media platforms. Local SEO is incredibly important for real estate marketing. Real estate directories can also help with this, and you must also optimize websites for mobile use since most buyers search for properties on their phones. An effective real estate website should also have updated property listings and options like live chats that can confidently guide leads through the buying process.
Social media campaigns are another critical factor in the best real estate digital marketing plans. You can set up a free business account and share your property photos and videos here. These must be well-produced, informative, and engaging, highlighting the homes and surrounding locations; you can also add testimonials from property owners. It’s also essential to engage with your audiences, answer their questions right away, and provide carefully considered, honest answers.
How Else Do You Market Real Estate?
We haven’t forgotten about email marketing: Digital Marketing Institute explains that email campaigns help businesses connect with new leads and stay relevant with their past clients. The average open rate for real estate business emails is 27 percent, with a 3 percent click-through rate, but the email is more likely to be opened if the content is more relevant to that potential lead. Your goal is to funnel in potential clients based on buyer profiles and previous engagements with your agency.
Pay-per-click ads are another way to interest potential buyers, and you target them to people who have searched for related keywords in search engines. You only pay when someone clicks through your ad, which can be very cost-effective. An effective real estate digital marketing strategy will focus on posting valuable blog content, virtual tours, and webinars.
Learning About Real Estate Digital Marketing
If you’re new to digital marketing, the thought of doing all of this can seem overwhelming, to say the least! Color Whistle shares an online guide that covers some basics, like concentrating on local SEO, researching keywords, and posting on social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. They also have recommendations for email marketing software. A digital marketing for real estate course can provide more specific instruction and hands-on skill development if you need more direction.
Columbia College offers a Digital Marketing for Real Estate certificate course that can provide a foundation for agents who need to learn the ropes. The Chicago Association of Realtors also has one, a full-day course that costs $297 for members and $320 for non-members. If you’re looking for something less intensive and less expensive, Udemy has a short online course for just $12.99. Once you become an expert in this niche, some courses can teach you how to start a real estate marketing agency!