Keeping up with real estate marketing trends is necessary to avoid falling behind your competition. Here’s a look at what’s happening in the world of real estate marketing for 2020.
Using Content to Establish a Reputation as an Expert
Last year, about one in four U.S. internet users blocked ads according to Statista. In 2020, the number of users who block online ads is expected to increase. Real estate agents who limit their digital marketing efforts to ads will miss a significant portion of their targeted audience.
The answer is to use organic (not purchased) digital content to reach your audience. The purpose of your digital content is to establish yourself as an expert on the local real estate market. You want to create high-quality content that shows you’re a thought leader in your market.
Your content needs to be valuable to your target audience. Also, gated content is an outdated concept. Today users expect content to be available without restrictions to access and without cost.
Creating an expert blog is the first step. Next, you need to decide which social media platforms are best for reaching your target audience. Platforms like Facebook and NextDoor allow you to target specific neighborhoods. Then, you have to regularly post content. When you post on a schedule, your audience begins to look forward to your content.
Fortunately, real estate is the perfect industry for developing quality content. You already have knowledge many people in your target audience are looking for such as:
- How the home buying process works
- What neighborhoods are hot
- Amenities available in particular neighborhoods
- Trends in local home sales
When you can’t figure out what to say, keyword research is your friend. Find out what people are searching online for. Then, provide the answers to their queries.
Mobile-Friendly Online Experiences
It would be difficult to overstate the importance of having a mobile-friendly online presence. According to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors, 76 percent of home buyers find the home they purchase with a mobile device. Since a mobile-friendly website is essential in the real estate industry, it’s worth your time to upgrade your website for mobile. Important components of a mobile-friendly website include:
- Having a site that loads quickly
- Mobile-friendly content like expert blogs and videos of home for sale
- Short paragraphs
- Headers to make your text easy to scan
- A clear call-to-action button
Voice Search Engine Optimization
You’ll be on the cutting edge of digital marketing trends if your online presence is optimized for voice search. Increasingly, people are using voice search to perform searches with their smartphones, smart speakers, and voice assistants.
There are key differences between traditional search and voice search. People tend to use more natural, conversational language for voice searches. Therefore, voice search keywords are longer than typed keywords. Maintaining a conversational tone in your content is one way to increase the chances of being found via voice search.
Targeting Millennials
In 2020, Millennials should continue to represent the largest segment of the home buyer market. Your marketing efforts should keep the needs and desires of this important demographic in mind. We have another article that offers tips for marketing to Millennials.
Memorable Social Media Engagement
Posting amateur photos of your listings isn’t sufficient as a social media marketing strategy in 2020. It’s important to capture your audience’s attention with memorable content.
A photo of a home with a traditional sold sign isn’t going to generate much excitement on Instagram. Get creative. For example, ask your client for permission to take a picture of the two of you standing in front of the home holding a “Just Sold” sign. The client and her friends are going to share that photo. Another benefit of that kind of photo is it’s a form of social proof that internet users look for before they do business with someone.
