If you asked someone how to market real estate back in 1980, they'd tell you to run ads in newspapers, make cold calls, send out mailers, and rent space on bulletin boards. Digital marketing trends in real estate are light years away from this, and with a highly volatile marketplace, being focused and staying innovative are the best ways to market real estate and build strong reputations. There are plenty of good ideas on the horizon, and it's not hard to find ones that can work for you.

How Realtors Can Market Themselves

What is the best marketing strategy for realtors? There are many to think about, so devising a plan with a strong foundation that incorporates the latest technologies is the way to go. According to Forbes, high-quality photos and videos are essential for success, and they aren't talking about snapping and sharing some fuzzy pics from your cellphone. They recommend hiring a professional real estate photographer if that's in the budget, but there are more affordable options.

Thanks to modern technology, it's now possible to create your own video walkthroughs with a quality smartphone or a drone. The latter option is one of the current digital marketing trends in real estate and can be worth the investment if you plan to use it for many listings. There's even a specialized camera called the Matterport 3D camera, which creates 3D dollhouse graphics of entire properties that buyers can examine. Its depictions and descriptions are accurate, and buyers close and far away can look through them.

Today's Best Ways to Market Real Estate

Color Whistle describes a great tool that you can use on your website: a home valuation landing page. These allow property owners to get estimates of how much a property will cost, and you get their contact information when they use this free service. Your website should have other information that buyers want to see and read, like school district rates or an explanation about mortgage insurance. If you aren't a great writer or don't understand search engine optimization (SEO), this would be an excellent time to hire a content marketing company, as they have a background that helps them understand how to market real estate.

It's also vital to understand who your buyers are. Millennials were born in the era from the early 1980s through the early 2000s, and they currently comprise a large segment of the home buying market. Realty NA posts that this target market believes in technology and shops for homes online. To get their attention, you'll want HD photos and video and should stress property locations as much as the homes. The main features millennials look for are open floor plans, usable attic space, and updated kitchens and baths. You will want to stress these features in your listings and headlines.

How Else Do You Market Real Estate?

While many real estate agents create websites and rest on their laurels, The Close stresses the importance of interacting with audiences. Not only should you ask buyers for referrals right after they close, but you'll also want to solicit good reviews and testimonials. Get the ball rolling by posting positive online reviews for your buyers and others you work with, like other agents, catering companies, staging companies, photographers, and electricians. If you do it well, they'll return the favor.

When others give you positive reviews, repurpose them by showcasing their words on your website, emails, and flyers. To get more reviews, clearly show people how to do it. Email them step-by-step instructions and thank them for their efforts. You can also have a free offer popup on your website that shows up when people first visit the site. This offer is an effective way to get email addresses, and the reward can be something like a free report on mortgage rates, a recipe, or a 20 percent discount on a local moving company.