When it comes to sectors that have their foundation literally in the physical “bricks and mortar” world, certainly none is more evident than the sector that is all about the buying, selling and renting of such “bricks and mortar”. Yes, that’s right: we’re talking real estate.
Nevertheless, this does not mean that the property sector is only concerned with relatively traditional “bricks and mortar” marketing methods, such as high-street window displays and print advertising.
Property companies are now using a variety of digital marketing techniques
In today’s fast-moving and technology-driven world, digital transformation is reshaping practically every industry. Estate agents are also watching this very carefully; Among such firms in the United States, digital marketing reportedly accounts for more than half (54.2%) of their marketing budgets.
Certainly, in the property sector, well-judged digital interventions can be crucial for effectively marketing properties and attracting the right buyers or tenants. Here are some of the ways many of today’s visionary estate agents are doing just that.
- Taking advantage of social media platforms
It’s hard to make any headway on how shamelessly digital estate agents are marketing themselves and their properties in 2020, Without Mentioning social media Certainly, by 2023, eight in 10 (79%) estate agents actively used social media to promote properties.
You probably won’t be surprised to read that visual-oriented Instagram is a particularly powerful tool for sharing high-quality images and short, digestible video tours of buildings. Estate agents use Instagram features like Reels and Stories to highlight specific features, such as a newly renovated kitchen or beautiful garden, in engaging ways.
But Facebook’s advertising tools are also useful in empowering estate agents to target specific demographics – ranging from first-time buyers in a particular postcode, to high-net-worth individuals looking for affluent beach villas.
- Tapping into Search Engine Optimization and Google Ads
These days it is well known that estate agents need a strong all-round online presence if they are to attract potential buyers looking for properties. SEO has probably been around for a much longer time – although with the artificial intelligence (AI) era the emphasis is now shifting to generic search optimization (GSO) – but it remains an important foundation.
When your estate agency wants to achieve higher Google rankings for search terms such as “houses for sale in Peckham” or “flats to buy in Dublin”, you can move towards this goal by optimizing your website with relevant keywords, ensuring your site pages load faster and offering a more mobile-friendly design. Of course, these are just a few of the many proven SEO techniques.
When you complement your campaign with a well-organized pay per click (PPC) marketing drive, it can be even easier to get your property listings seen with targeted SEO. There will always be people actively searching for properties like the one your estate agency is showcasing. Through Google Ads, you can bid on keywords and display targeted ads to these potentially highly engaging users.
- Optimizing Google Business Profile and Other Local SEO
Before we move on from SEO altogether, it’s worth acknowledging that a laser-focused local SEO strategy can also help significantly increase an estate agency’s visibility when buyers perform a locally oriented search like “estate agent near me”.
Of course, if your estate agency is serious about achieving growth online, you shouldn’t claimed Your business’s Google Business Profile; It is also important to update it regularly and add high quality photos and information on opening hours.
- Offering virtual tours and 3D walkthroughs of properties
The COVID-19 pandemic can probably be largely credited for accelerating the rise of virtual tours in recent years. When so many people who otherwise preferred to go looking for properties in person suddenly found themselves stuck in their homes, it was a boon for them to discover estate agents that offered 3D walkthroughs of the properties they were interested in.
Of course, it doesn’t take a pandemic for a property hunter to feel grateful for the option of virtual tours on whatever device they use at the time. Obviously, then, estate agents are continuing to use this technology – as offered by software companies like Matterport – to help them reach buyers.
The digital marketing revolution continues apace
There you have it; There is no longer any doubt about the indispensability of digital marketing for any estate agent looking to connect with potential property buyers.
With SEO, social media, virtual tours and all the other interventions available and in a state of constant evolution, the most successful estate agents of 2020 are at the forefront of using these methods and techniques in ways that are both innovative and accessible.