Attracting the attention of homeowners and prospective buyers should be the primary focus for agents across the country.
How do you make yourself known to potential clients when attention is hard to find and even harder to keep?
Why is real estate marketing important?
Realtors still have a vital part to play in the process of buying or selling a home; that will never change. But, studies have shown that over 90% of all buyers search for a new home on the internet.
Any business that fails to engage, network, and be active online will inevitably miss out on opportunities to attract more listings.
The advice you need to boost your marketing success starts with our top 40 tips to help you showcase your real estate business and get out there in front of the most relevant market.
At Curaytor, we work exclusively with the best agents and teams in North America to help them get their marketing done right so that they can attract more listings. Schedule a quick 1:1 with our sales team to find out if we have availability in your market.
1. Create a professional website
Our top piece of advice may sound obvious, but it's surprising how many agents still don’t realize the potential of having a website.
While many real estate agents recognize the need to establish an online presence, all too often, their websites lack the professional touch.
A website that is only a simple business page isn't sufficient in today's real estate market.
Instead, well-crafted web pages that create an easy-to-use online journey and appeal to your target audience are where you'll win.
Additionally, it's essential to familiarize yourself with search engine optimization so your relevant content is what appears at the top of the search rankings.
User experience and quality content take the cake in today's online market.
Why?
Because it's how brands separate themselves from their competitors. By going above and beyond with:
- The depth and breadth of content.
- The speed and design of the website.
- The cross-device experience.
- Owning your brand and showing why you're the right choice.
The best real estate websites draw potential buyers and sellers back and generate organic traffic.
2. Harness the power of social media
Social media content is vital for real estate agents.
More properties are being sold on social media platforms than ever before.
When we used to think of social media, we used to think of disruptive and irrelevant ads but, now, the game has changed.
Now, agents are creating native and exclusive content on their social media accounts that naturally engage their audience.
Who do you think that audience is?
That's right: buyers and sellers.
People are looking for a new home in their area, a new city, or a new state.
That's why it's important for your social media posts to cater to what a larger audience is looking for and transform visitors into leads.
New subscribers to your social media channel may not become a client right away, but if you use an effective digital marketing strategy and post on a regular basis, potential real estate clients will come to trust your expertise and they will turn to you when ready to pursue their next real estate deals.
The emerging trends are:
- TikTok shorts (video tours of available homes make great content!).
- Online webinars through Facebook or Instagram Live.
- YouTube series (check out Ryan Serhant's channel).
- Instagram Reels are becoming more popular.
- Establishing social proof via micro-influencers.
Having a solid social media strategy means moving fast. It's more than just the appearance of your social media profile, it means paying attention to what generates referral traffic on which platform and doubling down.
Here are a few agents that are crushing it on social media with phenomenal real estate content:
3. Target unique opportunities
A lot of real estate agents are doing similar things to attract potential sellers.
Try a unique approach by finding unusual (but potentially lucrative) targets.
One great way is to give back to the community.
Offering educational seminars for college or high school students might be an interesting angle to take.
These could be done as Facebook Live offerings which would enhance your social media presence.
By partnering up with universities or schools, your business can gain legitimacy and credibility very quickly.
You can even mention such affiliations in your email signature along with links to your next university speaking engagement.
It'll open up your brand to a new network of people. College and high schools are community-driven.
It might be one of the best ways to generate local interest that you've never thought of.
The point is getting your brand in front of your audience in creative ways. Opening doors you never knew existed before.
4. Content Marketing
A tried and tested online marketing strategy is to create an engaging and relevant blog, which holds equally true in the real estate market.
Real estate blogs are an effective content marketing tool because they leverage search engine marketing, transform visitors into leads, and help you attain a larger audience if you pack your blog with useful information.
A well-thought-out and carefully planned blog can be boosted with strategic email campaigns and deliver massive value in building up a solid and loyal following over time, so it should form a key component in your online marketing plan.
Of course, it isn't enough to simply create a blog.
It needs to be helpful and exciting to be successful.
Address your audience's pain points, answer their questions and provide the knowledge that homebuyers, sellers, and investors are seeking, and you'll find that your marketing campaigns take off in a big way.
5. Be accessible
You can create a fantastic website and fill it with fantastic content, but if prospective home buyers and sellers can't get in touch with your agency quickly and effortlessly, they'll go elsewhere, regardless of the quality of your marketing materials.
Here's a very quick checklist to go through to improve accessibility:
- Do you have a contact form that's easy to find and fill-in?
- Are your contact details listed on all social media platforms and your website?
- Do you have a Google My Business listing, and is it up to date?
- Can people reach out through online chat?
- Does your website function the same on mobile devices?
The simpler it is to contact your business, the more likely people will interact with your brand.
6. The business card isn't dead
Although a business card may be a traditional real estate marketing effort, it's far from being dead in the water.
Social media and online marketing may have taken precedence over more traditional marketing options like a direct mail campaign.
However, there's still room for some of the old tried and tested techniques, and handing out well-designed business cards at every opportunity is one of them.
Any opportunity you have to leave a business card, do it.
Whether you're hosting an open house, meeting with a homeowner or a property developer: always give them a reason to call you back.
Not only will it improve your chances of being top of mind, but it's also a statement.
You care about your brand, you care about your clients, and you're personal enough to let them know that.
7. Let social media influencers work on your behalf
Social media influencers are everywhere these days, and there are plenty within the real estate sector who can help promote your business.
Social media influencers represent a cost-effective way to put your business under the noses of potentially millions of prospective clients in a short time.
You can rely on micro-influencers with high levels of engagement or bigger influencers who can bring more eyeballs to your properties.
Real estate influencers you can find on Instagram:
- Barbara Corcoran - @barbaracorcoran
- Josh Altman - @thejoshaltman
- Grant Cardone - @grantcardone
- Ryan Serhant - @ryanserhant
- Fredrikeach Eklund - @fredrikeklundny
8. Use images of your local area
Many real estate agents service a particular neighborhood, so you need to showcase it.
It's important to understand that you aren't only selling properties; you're selling your region or town.
Using high-quality images of local landmarks, familiar neighborhood sites, and famous beauty spots will help prospective homebuyers decide that your area is the best place for them to live.
9. Use a professional photographer
While we're giving you tips about using images, it goes without saying that you should always use a professional photographer for your listings.
Successful real estate marketing campaigns rely greatly on impressive photography.
A poor-quality photo will do nothing to persuade prospective homebuyers to take interest no matter how beautiful the property may be in person.
You may save money in the short-term by taking the images yourself, but you could lose thousands of dollars overall if your shots don't make the grade.
There are times to spend and times to save, and this is one of the former.
10. Add virtual tours to your marketing plan
Your prospective clients are busy people.
Homebuyers in the 21st century don't want to wait to get the information they seek about a property.
Showing them what they can expect from a house before visiting it in person by creating virtual tours is a fantastic solution.
Listings are the lifeblood of a thriving real estate business. If you want help building a brand that focuses on attracting sellers, set up a 1:1 call with our team now.
11. Consider local sponsorship
One of our top tips for real estate marketing is to go all-out when it comes to getting your brand name out there.
When people recognize your brand at a glance, they'll be more likely to use your business the next time they want to buy or sell.
One great way to do this is by sponsoring a local sports team, school event, or festival.
Not only will you be putting your real estate business name on the local map, but you'll also be demonstrating in an obvious way that you care about your community and play an active role in it.
12. Implement an email marketing campaign
Email marketing campaigns are highly effective tools to generate leads and bring in more traffic to your website.
You can nurture your clients by tailoring new email interactions with them that are based on the previous actions that they've taken.
So if, for example, they came to your open house at a particular property, you could sign them up to your newsletter. That way, you can always let potential buyers know about nearby properties for sale.
You can speed this process up by using Curaytor's email templates designed to mirror each stage of the buying or selling journey.
13. Create regular newsletters
Newsletters are practical email marketing strategy tools that can work wonders for real estate agents.
They're an excellent way to generate more interest in your brand and drive up traffic to your website by sending information to subscribers that they're likely to be interested in.
For example, notices about any upcoming open houses they may want to attend or the most recent market data with your interpretations and advice.
14. Think mobile-first
The latest Google search engine algorithm gives the greatest weight to mobile-friendly websites and you don't even have to pay for Google ads!.
It's pretty crucial for agents who are serious about getting their site to the top of the search engine rankings to ensure they're thinking mobile-first while designing and implementing their web pages.
Even better, create a designated free-to-download mobile app that allows prospects to check out the latest properties that you're advertising.
15. Capture the power of video content
Videos are becoming increasingly important real estate marketing strategy for any agent who is keen to maximize their advertising campaigns.
Evidence has shown that people are more likely to click on and share videos, so it makes sense to leverage this form of media to obtain more referrals and engage with a broader audience.
Simply adding a video to your landing page boosts conversion rates by as much as 80% , and the inclusion of videos in emails boosts click-through rates by up to 300%.
It has been reported by the NAR that of all the homebuyers using video as part of their property search, 86% are using it to find out more about specific communities.
Therefore, video area tours are a great addition to your content.
Drone footage is also a valuable tool to harness.
RISMedia surveys showed that using drones to sell properties increases interest levels in listings by up to 73%, and the number of actual sales increases by 68%.
360-degree videos can also win agents more listings, with almost ¾ of all agents who use Matterport's system reporting an increase. 95% of prospective buyers are more likely to contact an agent about a properties that include 360-degree virtual tours within their listings.
Amazingly more than half of buyers have said they'd purchase a home even without physically visiting it if they could watch a 360-degree tour online!
16. Become the industry expert
We've already offered you tips about creating valuable content for your target market.
But it's essential to understand that you can only truly leverage the full value of your blog posts if you establish your real estate brand as a true authority in the industry.
Each blog post or piece of digital content that you publish must address highly relevant issues to your audience.
Make it easy for them to understand complex real estate concepts and use your platform
17. Start hosting real estate webinars
Potential buyers and sellers are always on the lookout for tips and tricks.
Information from professionals within the real estate industry that could help buyers and sellers is a fantastic way to always be top of mind.
Adding webinars into your real estate marketing plan can turn a passive audience into a list of prospective clients.
This marketing strategy gets your brand out there while also producing valuable video content to add as a permanent traffic-generating resource to your webpage or YouTube.
18. Pay for social media ads on Facebook
Although you may be reluctant to pay for Facebook ads as part of your marketing plan, using the power of paid social media ads can be an effective strategy.
Organic reach can be difficult to attain on Facebook.
Therefore, paid Facebook advertising can be a good way of putting your real estate business in front of a wider audience.
Thanks to the clever ad targeting features that Facebook has implemented, you can ensure that you only pay for qualified lead generation.
19. Use other forms of digital advertising
For ambitious real estate agents, it's crucial to set in motion custom PPC ad campaigns and to include retargeting.
While many real estate agents want to be discovered through Zillow, it's important to consider all your options.
Zillow allows you to advertise as a real estate agent on their site, but this exposure comes at a price and may not be wholly accurate.
For the best ROI, quality leads are the lifeblood of your business - that is, leads that are in your target area and that are supplied with accurate information and intent.
Curaytor represents a better alternative to enable you to obtain the accurate leads that you need.
20. Learn Local SEO
When you're creating your marketing content, take care to add some local-oriented keywords into your copy.
This will enable those seeking out real estate services in your area to find your business quickly and easily.
Signing up for a Google My Business listing and getting positive reviews of your business on Google are all helpful to boost the power of your local marketing content.
It also makes sense to add in some content based on “near me” searches.
Featuring local schools, stores, healthcare facilities, and other amenities in your content will give prospective buyers the information that they need to know.
21. Using reviews as lead generation
When prospective clients need to choose between different real estate agents in their local area, one of the first things they do is Google real estate agent reviews.
They want to read about others' real experiences with local agents to decide whether they are reliable, trustworthy, and can get them the results they want.
If you can show those looking to buy or sell in your area that real people are endorsing your services, you can go a long way towards convincing them that you are the right agent for them.
Each time a buyer has an excellent experience with you, don't hesitate to contact them and ask if they'll leave a review.
Place those reviews strategically on your site and share them via social media networks.
This gives clear “proof” that your business is legitimate and trustworthy and that it has a track record of quality customer service.
22. Leverage Instagram
Instagram is a social media platform that every agent should be making use of. As a highly visual channel, it lends itself perfectly to selling property.
200 million people visit at least one Instagram business profile every day, and every user spends on average just under half an hour on the platform on a daily basis. This is an enormous market to tap into.
It's also still an underused market by agents. Only 14% of real estate agents have an Instagram profile, yet over 80% of prospective home buyers want to see more property images online.
Therefore, you can make use of this resource to post videos and photos of properties on your listings or even use it for capturing relevant lifestyle images that enable you to further your brand advertising goals.
Start by optimizing your business profile with your brand logo, colors and style, and make sure you've used relevant keywords.
Next, use high-quality images each and every time you post.
There are many types of posts that users will engage with, including “behind the scenes” shots of your team, sneak peeks that give teasers for upcoming listings and video posts of open houses. Always remember to tag your location as well as the businesses and individuals featured in your post.
This will drive up followers and engagement.
23. Twitter hashtags give value too
Another medium you can leverage is Twitter. Take the time to search for relevant Twitter hashtags to target in your posts and comment, like and interact with other posts and companies as well as prospects who are keen to purchase or sell real estate.
The Twitter platform is quick and connective by nature, which is a great pairing with real estate. It also enables you to keep up to date with what your audience is looking for. You’re able to follow hashtags and use them so other users can pick up on the topics you’re posting about, while the posts and contents created by other users can be searched on the platform.
You can add the hashtag #realestate followed by your state’s hashtag, and your tweets will appear for anybody searching for a property close to you. This means that you too can carry out the same search and find what other people are posting about your subject. This will give you more ideas about what you can post yourself as well as engage with conversations, and this will get your brand name out there, raising greater awareness.
24. Post-sale marketing
The secret of successful marketing strategies is that they're long-term investments in client relationships.
Your marketing efforts shouldn't come to an end once a buyer has completed their purchase or a seller has completed their sale.
Instead, you should create real and lasting connections with the buyers and sellers that you've helped over the years.
It's straightforward to remain in touch with former clients. In fact, it's one of the best practices for real estate agents to maintain an ongoing relationship by staying in contact regularly.
Avoid being intrusive by sending relevant and helpful content based on where they are in the buyer lifecycle. For instance, send your past clients home value reports and market updates 2-4 years after they purchase their new homes. Sending these assets soon after closing is irrelevant and noisy. But time it well and the next time they need an agent, you'll be their first choice.
25. Create buyer and seller e-guides
Agents who want to establish themselves as an authority in the field can go one step further and create an e-guide (or several) covering subjects relevant to the market that real-life clients want to know about. You don't even need to write it yourself - perhaps one of your team could help, or you could hire a ghostwriter.
Downloadable buyer and seller e-guides can form part of a successful paid ad campaign, or you could reach out to successful agents to gain their input or reviews and ask if they would distribute it to their audience.
Of course, e-guides should always contain clear calls to action so that readers can take you up on something that you're offering.
This can help you to generate even more leads and boost your website traffic.
E-guides build trust with your audience by providing education rather than pushing sales on them, you can reach a wider market. Pairing them with Facebook ads and a well-designed landing page and e-guides can be a lead generation tool that requires no ongoing maintenance.
26. Add real estate tools to your website
Buyers often search online for home loan affordability and refinancing calculators. Adding these handy tools to your website can be helpful to lead generation resources as they attract clients to your site where they may stay and check out your blog or a property that is on your listings.
Let's take a look at some of the tools you can add to your website to attract more buyers and sellers:
- Rent or Buy Calculator
- Improve or Move Calculator
- What's Left After My Sale Calculator
- How Much Can I Afford To Spend On a Home Calculator
- How Much Home Loan Can I Borrow Calculator
Live chat widgets can also make a big difference once prospective clients have reached your site. The opportunity to speak directly to a representative can persuade them to book an appointment.
Walk Score Badges are another add-on to your website that can make your brand stand out once buyers have reached your page.
27. Make your brand stand out
There are many real estate businesses out there, so you need to find a way of making yours stand out so that when local people are seeking out real estate services, they remember your company and pick up the phone.
Building a solid and recognizable brand is a crucial element of this.
Make sure your logo looks professional and is eye-catching, so any buyer or seller will immediately call you to mind when they need to choose an agent.
Consistency is key.
Your brand needs to be instantly recognizable from the initial impression.
Using the same fonts and the same colors makes this easier. This consistent impression must be maintained across all of your marketing channels - physical and virtual. Consumers need to know that it's your message whether they're seeing it on a website, an email, social media, a flyer, or a billboard.
Choose language in your marketing messages that reinforce your brand too.
Focus on what makes you different from the competition and select the right tone and words to appeal to your target demographic.
28. Get your brand noticed
Getting your brand noticed is key.
You need local people to remember and recognize your brand so that it's fresh in their minds when they're ready to buy or sell a property.
85% of businesses today are raising brand awareness with social media campaigns, so using the power of Facebook, Instagram and other channels is extremely helpful to get your brand name out there.
80/20 rule works well for realtors' brand awareness campaigns. 80% of content should be personal branding content that shows your brand's personality, including personal stories, client case studies and profiles that demonstrate your expertise.
The remaining 20% should be promotional listing posts.
By posting just once per day, your brand impressions can increase by over 200% .
This increases the amount of audience engagement you can generate.
High engagement posts include competitions and giveaways that are regularly shared and which allow you to grow your email database exponentially.
29. Partner up with local companies
Don't underestimate the benefit that developing connections with other local companies can bring to your marketing efforts.
Offer to mention their business in your website blog if they'll give you an advertising spot on their paper placemats or display your flyers.
Some local companies can be especially valuable as partners and can give you a solid ROI.
Local moving companies, for example, are the perfect partnership as you can refer business to each other and support each other's advertising and promotional opportunities.
You could even become guest writers on each other's blogs. Local home service providers such as plumbers, landscapers and electricians can also be valuable partners in this regard.
Legal and financial professionals in your area are one more valuable source of networking connections.
Lawyers working in the estate planning and divorce sectors frequently work with clients selling properties. At the same time, accountants and financial planners are frequently the first port of call for potential sellers and buyers looking for advice.
Major local employers such as hospitals, universities and other big-name companies can be helpful connections too.
Many will help their new hires relocate to your area and refer your agency to those employees.
30. Create a system for referrals
One of the best real estate marketing ideas is to bring in more business through referrals.
Agents find that the most effective leads are generated through former clients, so create a referral system that offers incentives to those who bring in more leads.
Offering gift cards or a discount on your services is one option, but it isn't the only one.
Many former clients will be self-employed, so offer to refer more business to them in return.
You could also come up with a referral network with agents from other states. By referring clients to local agents out of your area you can earn some of their commission in return for honoring the same arrangement on your end.
Curaytor isn't for everyone. Who are we right for? Agents and teams who are ready to make a bold investment in their business to get their marketing done right. Sound like you? Let's talk.
31. Local TV and radio stations
Reaching out to local TV and radio stations can reap the rewards in the long run. There are often reports about the local property market on the air. See if you can create a connection so that your business is the first one reporters turn to when they need opinions or advice.
Using a PR company is one way to do this, but it isn't the only way.
You can search for local TV and radio stations online yourself.
Start by finding the stations that most local people tune into, then contact them by email or letter.
You could send in a recording of yourself pitching your idea or talking about your industry.
Radio and TV stations may be interested in having you discuss stories about the impact on the local housing market due to specific changes in the area - perhaps a new road or rail line, a new property development or a major new employer arriving in the region.
HARO is a system that you can also use to identify yourself as a valuable local source of real estate information.
32. Collect email addresses with a great free offer
One valuable real estate marketing component is to create a free offer that helps you collect email addresses for lead generation.
Whether that free offer is a free report, free webinar, free e-guide or something else is up to you but remember it has to be appealing, and it has to stand out to attract your target audience.
Once you have those email addresses, you can then funnel them into your email marketing campaigns allowing you to connect effectively with those leads, nurture those relationships and, over time, close deals.
33. Use Google Analytics to understand users
All the great real estate marketing ideas in the world won't help if you don't run regular analytics to determine which strategies are working and which ones aren't.
Installing Google Analytics on your site will allow you to track a wide range of useful metrics so you can assess the effectiveness of your content and find out who is visiting your website.
Armed with this information, you can tweak your ideas or switch tactics as necessary.
Some key metrics that Google Analytics can track include:
- Whether a user is new to the site
- How many visitors viewed just one page
- The visitor interactions taking place during a single 30-minute activity window
- How long each visitor remains on the website
- How many site visits were from first-time visitors
- How many pages were viewed in each session
- How many conversions took place
This data allows agents to see clearly which content is working and which isn't.
They can see where tweaks need to be made to improve effectiveness when visitors are on the website.
They can also see which marketing channels are working best. This allows well-informed decisions to be made in the future.
34. Don't forget traditional real estate marketing tactics
Although most real estate agents today know that digital marketing is vital, that doesn't mean traditional marketing methods don't have a place.
Target your local audience by sending postcards out to your qualified leads or to possible clients within the zip codes you serve.
There are some great ideas for postcards out there.
Of course, Just Listed and Just Sold mailers are obvious choices.
However, there are more creative options to consider, such as recipe cards and color-in cards.
Real estate postcards work because, essentially, people still love getting mail. In today's digital world, it's becoming increasingly unusual. Postcards also yield a good ROI - at least 4 times the investment cost
35. Write for local magazines
Writing a column for a local magazine or getting a feature about your business in a local newspaper is an excellent way to get your business name noticed and remembered by the people who are likely to become your future clients.
It isn't always easy to get magazines and newspapers to accept an article, so it's important to find a hook.
Tap into how your business is working with local businesses and organizations to support the community.
Suggest features about new local housing projects and developments. Perhaps one of your listings is a local property with a fascinating history, heritage or local significance?
36. Use Pinterest boards
Pinterest is a brilliant marketing avenue for any real estate agent with their finger on the pulse.
You can harness its potential to provide information and images for your listings or create Pinterest boards for single properties that highlight your area's property features and benefits.
90% of people who actively use Pinterest report using it to inform their purchasing process. It's no wonder that so many agents are now harnessing this platform to showcase their listings. Some examples include:
37. Create a Google My Business page
Most people trying to find a real estate agent near them will visit Google to search online, so it is imperative to make sure that users can find you on Google Maps and in Google Search.
Google My Business web page for your agency, and you'll find it far easier to attract visitors not only to your website but also to your physical storefront too.
Research has shown that prospective customers are 70% more likely to visit your business if it has a Google My Business listing.
If somebody actively searches for your business on Google Maps or Google Search, having a Google My Business account will guarantee that they can find it.
The listing will then show searchers how and where you are located, including your physical and online addresses and your opening hours and key details.
Even if you have a website already, having a Google My Business account helps you achieve high results in the SERPs.
Your local SEO will get a boost, and as accounts also give access to analytics, you can easily hone your marketing strategies.
38. Host free homebuyer and home seller seminars
In any local community, there is sure to be a wealth of prospective buyers and sellers at any one time who are all seeking a suitable real estate agent.
Make your brand and your expertise available to your community through hosting free seminars about related subjects such as obtaining home loans, what to look for in your ideal home, or an in-depth look at the selling process.
39. Market to millennials
Millennials are now the biggest home buying age group, so tailoring your marketing strategies to this demographic is key.
Your tone across all of your marketing communications needs to be adjusted to suit this audience.
Millennials are seeking a friendly, conversational and light tone from the businesses they interact with.
Remember that this age group is looking for educational content, too. They need to know more about the home purchasing process. Provide the advice that they need on your website.
40. Always call back
It may not sound much like a real estate marketing tip, but it's nevertheless an essential piece of advice to bear in mind.
A quick response is vital if you want to attract or retain customers. If you miss a call, return it as soon as you can - don't wait.
The chances are that they are speaking with many agents, so don't miss out. Waiting too long can kill a deal.
In your eagerness to please prospective clients, it can be tempting to over-promise.
Make sure you avoid this mistake. Clients value transparency and truth. Only promise what you can deliver.
40+ One final tip!
We've already given you 40 helpful real estate marketing tips, but here's one more - don't underestimate the importance of your team.
Those you work with, from the other agents working for your company to the photographers, home inspectors, and even preferred lenders, are representing your business.
That means each and every one of them must be focused on making your brand the best.
If somebody isn't living up to expectations, you need to let them go.
But, the flipside of that is that when you find a team that works, you should show your appreciation through praise, rewards, and recognition.
Look after your team, and they'll look after you - that's a real estate marketing tip that you should never forget.
