Ask any realtor what’s the number one engine driving change in the way properties are marketed and he or she will almost certainly reply that it’s technology, and web-based ones in particular. As is always the case, it’s those who adapt to and embrace these new technologies who gain the greatest amount of benefit from them before their use and application becomes commonplace. Here at Real Estate Leads, we’re obviously keen on new technologies too, having brought our own offering to the table with our online lead generation system for realtors in Canada that’s been especially well received.
Technology comes from innovation, and in turn technology is implemented with innovative approaches to using it. These new approaches can give real estate agents and brokers and edge in an increasingly crowded place. Embracing changing technology, generating unique content, and carving out a specialty niche to stand out from the competition is highly recommended.
Here are 4 innovative marketing trends for real estate agents or brokers.
Video or Live Streaming of Property or Neighbourhood Walk-Throughs
Most of us can take quality 1080p HD video with our smartphones, and video has the potential to be an enormous marketing asset. People by and large pay more attention to videos than text communications and, as of this year, video constitutes 74% of all web traffic.
Short, bite sized videos let real estate agents quickly and easily share the appeal of a specific property. Many brokerages or individual real estate agents will have a prominent section of their website dedicated to video real estate listings.
What’s exploded in popularity these days among realtors, however, is live streaming. It’s a fact that people spend 3x longer watching live streaming video than they are willing to give to other forms of video.
That should sound plenty good to real estate agents: they can live stream videos to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or other social media platforms to allow potential clients an in-person look at available properties or neighbourhood hot spots.
Here’s a quick tutorial on how to ‘go live’ on YouTube –
Target Specific SEO Keywords Highlighting Your Real Estate Niche
In real estate, 9 times out of 10 your buyer or seller will come from a targeted audience. Keep in mind though that the website of an individual real estate agent won’t able to compete with the well-paid SEO efforts of MLS giants like Zillow.com or Realtor.com. That’s not to say you can’t increase the visibility of your site for search engine like Google and the like, and the key to doing so is by identifying related keywords that are specific to your niche or location – whatever or wherever that may be.
The key here is to NOT attempt these revisions to the text on your website – unless you’re an SEO professional or experienced web copywriter. If you’re not familiar with SEO optimization, meet with one of these experts and share what it is that makes YOU unique in your capacity to serve SPECIFIC customers in YOUR area. He or she will then incorporate these changes to your web copy, without ‘stuffing’ the content – which is the common mistake made by anyone who attempts to DIY upgrade their search engine optimization. It needs to read naturally for 2 reasons; first, keyword stuffing really reads awfully, and second, Google and other major search engines will actually penalize you for it – meaning it will actually harm your website’s SEO!
Zoom in on hyper-local keywords such as neighbourhoods or even postal codes. Are you an expert in neighborhoods like Kingsway or Spruce Grove, for example? Content marketing that’s developed according to specific neighborhoods is getting big. Smart real estate agents or brokers make their targeted locations clear, so as suggested above go ahead and ask around and be open to paying for the services of a professional.
Use a Real Estate Website Building Service
The majority of you won’t have hours or thousands of dollars to spend constructing and maintaining a real estate website. Most realtors will have a website, but the technology associated with web development has grown in leaps and bounds and you stand to benefit immensely if you upgrade to one of the much more dynamic websites that are available these days.
Much the same as above, don’t hesitate to pay a web developer to build you a website that’s both a reflection of the calibre of your business and one that’s particularly engaging for would-be clients that visit it.
Here is a list of the top web developers in Canada.
Many of these new super dynamic real estate sites are MLS integrated and easily customized to target a variety of audience types, generate leads, and more. Your developer may also be able to incorporate building pages, which show a specific development’s unique story. Speaking of stories…
Tell & Sell the Real Estate Story
As is the case in every industry now, content marketing in real estate is more powerful by the day. Realtors can and should be able to sell the experience and tell a great story, whether on their own (you’re likely a much better writer than you’re aware) or with the help of a content marketing specialist. Create content that focuses on the neighborhoods you cover; for example, what are the 3 best schools in that area? What sports or recreational pursuits are available in the nearby vicinity? You get the idea.
Also, when you’re putting together your content make sure you’re not simply rolling out one ‘fact’ after another. The best stories create a bond between you and your prospective clients. Research has shown that 92% of consumers want marketing materials that share some type of story where they can imagine themselves in the experience, rather than being told ‘it’s like this, it’s like that’ . Be creative, especially with your real estate blog posts. Share an engaging bit with them about what their experience could well be in their new home.
These are but 4 examples of ways you can harness the power of new digital media for your benefit with your real estate business. Of course, signing up with Real Estate Leads here and enjoying online-generated qualified buyer and seller leads delivered to you exclusively each month will be similarly beneficial, and we bet you’ll be plenty intrigued with our service once you dig into the details of it a bit.
