The buying and selling of property is an emotional transaction. Home-buyers are looking for realtors they can trust, not just someone to get the job done. And 90% of these buyers begin the search for their new home online (National Association of Realtors). In order to make a strong and lasting impression, your digital presence has to be strategically built in such a way that enhances your market reputation and positions you as a real estate authority.
Competing in a market where 50% of all buyers find their eventual home through the internet, real estate marketing companies realize they have to appeal to a digitally literate and savvy customer base. Realtors’ digital content should not only pique interest like traditional advertisements (e.g. billboards, pop-up ads) but also build rapport and establish authority with potential leads. In order to do this, a modern real estate marketing company will use a smartly designed website with relevant content that prioritizes the user experience, optimizes SEO and lead magnets, and uses CRM systems and tools.
What Makes Content Marketing An Effective Tool For Real Estate?
Research by OptinMonster shows that real estate websites that regularly blog receive 97% more links to their website. This is because content marketing, such as blog posts about the home buying process, YouTube videos of new listings, and live streams of property tours and behind-the-scenes content, create a “path” for potential clients to follow. This strategy is more likely to grab attention than a “for sale” because it’s telling an engaging story, utilizing creative tools, and guiding clients through the buyer’s journey.
Because of this, content marketing is a great way to improve your SEO organically. By regularly creating new content, your stack of content increases, and search engines bump your website to the top of search results. So, when a client searches for a topic, you potentially show up in the top ten (organic) search results on a page. And according to experts, engagement on the first page of Google is as high as 93%, with the first result having a 28.5% click-through rate.
Types Of Content Marketing That Works For Real Estate
Written Content: use blog posts, lists, and Q&As to inform potential clients about your services, the benefits of your neighborhood, the latest industry news, and more. Since your written content acts as the foundation of your content marketing strategy, it is worth considering hiring a professional writer. Good copywriters can write with authority about topics like rent rates, homeownership, and mortgage financing without sensationalist words and stereotypical headlines. They can also help your real estate business find and keep to its tone of voice, style, and character.
Visual Content: Highlighting property photos and adding slideshows alongside your written content adds another dimension to the information you are giving. Similarly, pictures of your team are a great way to add a ‘face’ and personality to the company.
Video Content: Embedding video content alongside your written information lets you post virtual tours of homes for sale to your website and social media channels. Post home tours, staff interviews, and customer testimonials to personalize your brand.
Create Your Content Marketing Campaign
Content marketing is relatively cheap but it does demand time and effort. To create a successful campaign, you need to know where to start. Below are some tips:
Start with a great website: This is the first point of contact for your clients – invest in a professional design and a clean, accessible UX interface. Your website should link clients to all other social media channels.
Plan: Use a CRM system with a built-in calendar that can help you develop content ideas, schedule content, and ensure you meet your deadlines.
Develop your content: Research your information and start building a user-friendly blog archive that adds value for potential customers. Homeowners, for example, are interested in tips on how to increase the value of their home, or how to make home-buying decisions, what to look for in a property/real estate agent. Similarly, home sellers want to know how to get the best price for a home, how to get a mortgage with the best possible terms, how to choose the right real estate agent, or whether it’s better to buy or rent a home. Address the needs of your client base with value-ridden content.
Build an email list: Incorporate email marketing with a link to join your subscriber list.
Get active on social media: Connect with buyers on different social media platforms to understand your customers’ needs and build a reliable, personalized real estate brand. It is important to know which platforms work best for you and ensure that you’re familiar with their rules of engagement. Research shows that Facebook (97%), LinkedIn (59%), and Instagram (39%) are most realtors’ top picks. You can use tools such as Google Analytics to follow up on your content and identify the specifics of your audience and assess which pieces are gaining the most traction through a set of different metrics. These insights will help you refine your social media and content marketing strategy.