Best Places for Real Estate Advertising
Converting leads into clients is easier said than done. Real estate agents face several headwinds in trying to grow their client base. Buyers are becoming increasingly tech-savvy, turning to digital resources before involving a real estate expert. This means that if you have no online presence, you are missing out on huge opportunities.
Competition is another large obstacle, as more and more individuals have entered the industry. The National Association of Realtors reported over 1,100,000 members in 2014, which has increased to 1,384,166 as of January 20201. Differentiating your services from other agents, along with strategic advertising is a key to success.
Zillow Premier Agent
Online real estate sites have become one of the largest platforms where agents can advertise and market their services. While thousands of agents advertise on these sites, it’s still to your advantage to incorporate these sites into your advertising strategy for one big reason: passive lead generation.
Zillow Premier Agent is one of the best tools to help maximize your exposure to millions of site visitors that turn to the internet to do their preliminary property research. The best part is that once you post your profile, it pretty much markets itself. The platform allows you to post client testimonials and reviews to enhance your credibility and markets your services for all properties within your local zip codes, not just your personal listings3. Always make sure your contact information is up to date.
The downside to this service is that there is a tangible monthly cost. The cost can fluctuate since it is calculated based on the number of competing agents in the space, as well as the average home price for a given zip code3. One upside is that with Zillow Premier Agent, you do get access to a free CRM system3. If you are looking to incorporate a CRM system into your practice, this may help kill two birds with one stone.
It should come as no surprise that social media is one of the number one channels to advertise real estate. While Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter are becoming increasingly popular, Facebook is still king, holding a recorded user base of 180 million users in the United States alone4.
Facebook is the perfect platform for real estate advertising as it is easy to use and manage. Setting up a business page is super simple, and you can leverage numerous features as part of your marketing plan. Some ideas include posting local success stories or testimonials from clients, create listings with eye-popping images that entice users to reach out to you, and showcasing video walkthroughs of current listings that engage prospective clients on a more immersive level.
Considering that 60-70% of users who view a company’s Facebook video proceed to visit that company’s website, Facebook is a great way to get more bang for your buck5.
YouTube
Many agents would probably overlook YouTube as an effective advertising platform. However, according to Forbes, 73% of all adults use YouTube2. This makes it a great platform to maximize consumer touchpoints. Furthermore, other agents may be deterred from advertising here in favor of more traditional areas.
Leverage your creative thinking and engage with potential buyers by uploading videos discussing your services and competitive advantages over other agents. Other great video content could be an educational segment on home buying practices or market trends. This will reinforce that you are a trusted and knowledgeable professional.
While you may not earn any ad revenue or money for viewership unless you meet some stringent benchmarks, maximizing your online presence and engaging consumers will set you up for success.
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Sources
1 Monthly Membership Report. (n.d.). Retrieved February 29, 2020, from https://www.nar.realtor/membership/monthly-report
2 Murnane, K. (2018, March 3). Which Social Media Platform Is the Most Popular in the US? Retrieved February 29, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinmurnane/2018/03/03/which-social-media-platform-is-the-most-popular-in-the-us/#70deafb91e4e
3 Real Estate Agent Advertising: Zillow Premier Agent. (n.d.). Retrieved February 29, 2020, from https://premieragent.zillow.com/products/advertising/
4 Clement, J. (2020, February 14). Facebook users by country 2019. Retrieved February 29, 2020, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/268136/top-15-countries-based-on-number-of-facebook-users/
5 Arnold, A. (2018, October 30). Facebook Now Dominates YouTube For Video Content. Here’s How Brands Should Respond. Retrieved February 29, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewarnold/2018/09/26/facebook-now-dominates-youtube-for-video-content-heres-how-brands-should-respond/#e8dd19b1cc05