Real Estate Marketing Trends 2022
The trends of real estate marketing are ever growing and have only gotten more advanced with each passing year. Because of the boost in technology and research, real estate agents, homeowners looking to sell, and potential buyers are now more connected than ever.
As we adapt to the digital world, the way we sell and purchase properties will continue to progress, especially with how the marketing strategies are already shaping up. Social media marketing and the art of sharing real-time information are only getting more prominent, and if you are not in tune with all that yet, it’s best to start dipping your toes in the waters.
Marketing Your Real Estate Agency in 2022
Because the world of marketing and advertising is constantly being molded and shaped around unpremeditated developments, it is close to impossible to plan too far ahead when it comes to your real estate business. A successful marketing campaign requires you to stay fresh and up to date on the latest ways in garnering attention, building on that reach, and maximizing profit.
Real estate agents are well aware that a well-produced photo and high quality videos are what get their listing seen. However, there is so much more to it than hiring a good photographer. It is not only acquiring the right set of media, but it is just as important figuring out what to do with it.
Below, we have gathered a list of the top real estate marketing trends for 2022 that you can start working on today and strengthen towards the end of the year!
Automate As Much Of Your Marketing As Possible
There will be hundreds of ideas coming your way that you want to try out and as tempting as it can be to go all in, we highly recommend mastering one at a time. By being able to focus on one main idea, you get to really understand and analyze the data and see if it is working in your favor.
Not every strategy is built for all businesses, and not every tactic works for every kind of market. To ensure that your efforts are not going to waste, keep your mind on one strategy, get it to work, and once you have it running smoothly, figure out a way to automate it.
Believe it or not, a lot of marketing techniques can eventually run on a “set it and forget it” process if done right. The more of your marketing you have automated, the more you can focus on building your business in other aspects.
Make Sure Your Website Works On Mobile
Everyone is going digital and the majority of them are doing it on mobile. This is why optimizing your website well enough that it works seamlessly on mobile is a major SEO (Search Engine Optimization) factor.
A bulk of your website traffic will be using their phones or tablets to access your information. If you are not prioritizing this opportunity, then you are losing at least half of your reach already. Many companies now design their websites to be mobile-first, meaning they start with a mobile friendly interface and then adjust it after to make it compatible on desktops. This is how crucial having a responsive website is in today’s world of marketing.
If you have the budget, you can also opt to have your own app. That way, real estate agents, homeowners, and potential buyers can find you directly on their device’s home screen. You would even have the opportunity to send them notifications and other alerts each time it is necessary.
Put A Chat Bot On Your Real Estate Website
Another essential factor to integrate within your website is a chat bot. This is a great way to ensure that your potential clients always have an open line of communication with you, even when you are not currently available.
Having chat bots engage with your market is a benefit on both ends. For your clients, they feel heard and have a more convenient time tapping into your services. While on your end, having satisfied clients means repeat encounters, which eventually lead to sales if you play your cards right.
Chatbots can also be used to collect more data about your client, which you can leverage for all your other marketing tactics. A chat bot can help you get their demographics, contact information, and maybe even to opt-in on your newsletters.
This, among others, is one way to automate your marketing and keep the conversation going.
Consider Giving Virtual Home Tours
In the world of real estate, virtual home tours are dramatically growing in popularity. Most especially when the pandemic hit and a lot of our usual activities had to be done online, virtual home tours helped in keeping real estate alive and thriving. Seeing how convenient the process is for both the potential buyer and real estate agent, it has become part of the whole narrative and is most likely here to stay.
Through virtual tours, potential buyers have the luxury of “walking through” over 10 homes in their afternoon, without even needing to leave their seat. This is a major benefit when you are still starting to look around and do not have the time to visit each property in the flesh.
Similarly, those opting to move across the nation will find virtual tours to be very convenient. After all, not everyone has the luxury to fly in and out to see a property whenever they please.
Create A Video Marketing Account
If you have been toying with the idea of starting your video marketing account but just haven’t gotten around to it yet, this is the sign you have been waiting on.
You can start slow by creating videos for just your slower listings, and seeing how they directly affect the number of reach and engagement you get for the property.
Once you have some of those up and a good number of foot traffic coming in, focus your video marketing efforts on brand awareness. Create content that is informative and authoritative by letting your audience know what is happening in the real estate world today, and what needs of theirs you are able to meet.
As time passes, you will get a much better idea as to which type of content works best for your real estate agency in terms of both views and people reaching out. There is still value in videos that only get views but not as many messages, so long as you are getting a good balance of each.
Start A Podcast
Ever heard of the saying “content is king”? It’s been around for decades and still holds true today. Content marketing is a great way to capture your audience’s attention and get people naturally down your marketing funnel without exerting too much effort.
By having a weekly podcast, you get a good chunk of content marketing into your strategy without sitting on it each day. Your podcasts do not even have to be lengthy since a good 30-40 minute episode per week can already do wonders.
One edge that podcast has over written content is that your audience can relate much better to you when they can hear your voice. The way you deliver your information and the value you add to their week is something that can really drive in the foot traffic.
Update Your “Google My Business” Page
Google is much more than just a straightforward search engine nowadays. Not only does it provide the answers to what you type in, it also suggests relevant pages and information that may be remotely related to your original query.
Especially when tapping into the local search market, Google pulls in all the businesses around the searcher’s area and comes up with a list of relevant companies they could reach out to. Think of it as the modern yellow pages.
This is why keeping your Google My Business page up to date is so important. Every time someone within your vicinity searches for real estate agents or perhaps properties for sale, you get included in the data gathered and displayed.
What’s even better is that it is entirely automated in itself. Apart from keeping your information in check, you do not have to lift another finger.
Check NextDoor For Real Estate Leads
If you haven’t been on NextDoor yet, we understand. It may be a social media site but it is not usually part of the top of mind platforms that most marketers focus on. Its reach is very narrowed down in the sense that it is a geo-targeted site, meaning you can only connect and communicate with surrounding neighborhoods.
They just released a new app specifically designed for real estate professionals to sign up and be a partner. As an agent on NextDoor, you get to advertise directly to people who are committed to certain neighborhoods, making it a great marketing strategy within certain vicinities.
Because it is so new, you get the opportunity to tap into the market that is already there without too much competition. If you are looking into targeting certain zip codes to bank on, this is the perfect online space to do just that.
Look For Opportunities In Rental Areas
Most renters are buyers who are just waiting for the right time. What this means for them could look different for each individual – they could be waiting for the market to calm down, for the perfect place that meets all their needs, or other personal preferences.
If you want to secure them as a potential client when the time comes, start working with renters as early as now. It may be long-term but the rewards will be worth it. You do not even have to try too hard; it could be as simple as handing out flyers around areas known to have a number of renters. Make sure to put in a good incentive on those flyers, thought, so they have reason to hold on to it long enough!
Make A “Niche” Facebook Group Page
Facebook groups are a great way to start and build a community of potential buyers. Even if they are not the most decided set of individuals just yet, at least you know you are narrowing down your audience efficiently to people who have expressed interest just by joining.
Instead of making your own niche group page, you may even find those within your area and try to promote listings there. That way, you can continue to build on brand awareness and on your following until you get a sale.
This is another type of long-term strategy that when done right, can be well worth it in the end.
Talk To Influencers In Your Area
Influencers are everywhere nowadays, which is why partnering with them is now one of the easiest ways to get information around. However, it is important to note that to really capitalize on your influencer marketing strategies, you have to first know who to partner up with.
Influencers work hard on building their own following based on their own set of interests. Some influencers may be more into fashion, others into food, still others into household content like DIY projects, product reviews, or tips when hiring professionals. Still some influencers tap into the real estate industry by showcasing wonderful interiors, amazing exteriors, and special features each house has.
It is important to be able to find an influencer that caters to and can properly communicate to your market, otherwise your listing may get lost in translation. Start within your local area and expand from there.
Team Up With Agents In Other States
The word on the street is that people will be moving a lot more in 2022. A bulk of the workforce now happily enjoys remote jobs, which give them the opportunity to live in cheaper locations. Similarly, a lot of those who took on temporarily remote jobs may need to move to the location near their workplace.
By working with agents in other areas out of your jurisdiction, you get to build your own network of referrals, which you can all benefit greatly from. After all, one of the best kinds of marketing strategies is still word-of-mouth since it is personal and direct, instilling trust and confidence in your potential clients.
Building A Social Presences and Running Ads
Over 88% of millennials (which makes up a bulk of the age group purchasing houses now) check their social media platforms at least once a day – emphasis on at least.
This makes the likes of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other relevant sites a valuable space to introduce your brand in. They are great for researching competition, learning more about your audience, connecting with your market, and promoting your services and/ or listings.
What’s great about having a diverse set of social media platforms is that they each have their own advantage over the others.
With Facebook, you can share more about your website, the blog articles you wrote, the videos you produced, and other long-form content that is informative and shareable.
With Instagram, you can visually display what your listing and company have to offer through high quality photos and videos. It is also a great place to post behind-the-scene shots and live-updates through stories.
With TikTok, you can introduce your brand and listings with quick and fun videos. A lot of viral TikToks include valuable information that your viewers may not be able to get anywhere, so content is still very much needed here!
We can go on, but you get the picture. Furthermore, running ads only help you reach more people within a targeted space. Ensuring that you are correctly filling in the demographics of your chosen target market guarantees a much narrower group of people that will most likely be interested in communicating with you.
Run Contests, Polls, and Questions on Instagram and Facebook
On top of running ads on your social media platforms, contests, polls, and hosting Q&As are a great way to build on engagement and attract more followers.
Both Instagram and Facebook are great avenues for these as the two have the most engaging set of users. Use these to your advantage by gathering more information on the types of listings most of the viewers are interested in, which areas they are usually looking at, and other key pieces of information you may find useful.
Social media is not only for promoting your services and connecting with potential customers, they are also great for conducting direct and precise market research.
