7 Mistakes by Real Estate Marketers

The real estate industry is competitive. Consequently, real estate agents need to employ the right marketing strategy to stand out from the competition. But how does one define the right marketing strategy?

Let’s start by sharing the top 7 mistakes made by real estate marketers in 2017 to understand what works and doesn’t work for real estate agents. Note that these mistakes are totally avoidable, yet fairly common.

Mistake 1 – Not having an online presence

Today, most people resort to online searches on their computers or mobile phones to buy almost everything under the sun. This means, having a multi-device online presence is critical for any real estate marketing campaign. Sadly, this is one area where real estate marketers’ efforts have been, well, sporadic at best.

Real estate agents who did not build an online presence in 2017, lost out on a lot of business. Did you know 99% of Millennials use websites for home searches compared to 89% of Baby Boomers and 77% of the Silent Generation? [Source: NAR Report].

Remember, having a website is not the same as building an online presence. Here’s what you can do to improve your online presence immediately:

• Set up an honest, thoughtfully crafted ‘About Us’ page on your website. According to stats, it is the third-most important page on your site. [Source]
• Create a responsive, mobile-friendly website.
• Include an informative blog on your website.
• Invest in a drone! Yes, according to data, “homes with aerial images sell 68 percent faster than houses that are marketed using standard photos.” [Source]

Mistake 2 – Not creating enough quality content

One of the best ways to achieve a top search ranking is creating high-quality content for your website. Google’s quality guidelines clearly ask people to build websites for users and not search engines. But how does one do that? By creating ‘quality content’ that provides real answers to people’s questions.

Having a blog on your website could help generate more traffic and engagement with prospective buyers. Remember, each time you put up a new blog post, you add an extra page to be indexed in search engines, boosting your online presence. The rules are simple – post well-written, valuable and attractive content consistently.

Mistake 3 – Not being ‘social’

The biggest social media crime you can commit is using a platform only to promote yourself. Indeed, social media is a great way for agents to expand their business. It is a proven platform to connect with potential clients, market new listings, and grow your brand. However, social media is not just about selling! It is about connecting with people and engaging with them so that they start trusting your brand.

Another blunder of real estate marketers in 2017 was ignoring the power of video content. YouTube videos and Facebook live videos can boost your sales tremendously. RIS Media research states that 73 percent of homeowners are more likely to list with a real estate agent who uses video to market their home.

Mistake 4 – Not being ‘mobile-friendly’

According to a report published by NAR in 2017, 72 percent of all buyers used a mobile device or tablet to search for a home. Besides, many buyers (36 years and younger) also found their agent with a mobile app.

A responsive, mobile-friendly website translates into better user experience as users can visit your website on their phone whenever it is convenient for them. Clearly, real estate agents whose websites did not look their best on mobile devices in 2017 lost out on a lot of business. However, you can change that in 2018 by considering a redesign to keep your customers happy.

Mistake 5 – Not analyzing marketing results

This point applies not only to real estate marketers but all marketing professionals. Developing a marketing strategy for your business is good. But, if you do not measure your results, you will never know if your ideas are working or not and you might be wasting a lot of time and money.

Google Analytics is a free tool that can be installed on your website to:

• Track the number of visitors.
• Know how visitors are getting to your site.
• Learn which part of your website is generating the most leads.
• Find out which pages are driving maximum traffic and engagement.

Mistake 6 – Not using client testimonials

Of course, there is no better publicity than word of mouth. But how do you use this to your advantage digitally?

Publishing customer testimonials, you might say – but that’s just one way of doing it. How about asking your happy clients to share a small video about their experience with your company. This video can be shared on your social media channels with a powerful blog explaining how you can add value to a customer’s journey.

Mistake 7 – Not creating a niche

While it might sound counterproductive, working with every type of property buyer would make your brand very general.

Jack of all trades and master of none is not how you envisage your brand, right?

If you want to stand out and give an edge to your business, you need to build a niche for your company. Think about it – millennials, first-time buyers, luxury, investors – what is your brand’s expertise? Once you decide, focus on marketing within that group and build your brand around the particular specialization.

Conclusion

A well-planned marketing strategy will help your business stand out from the crowd. There is still a lot of scope for real estate brands to come up with fresh, innovative and emotional content and use the power of online marketing to reach its target audience. Be aware of the common mistakes real estate marketers made in 2017 in order to successfully avoid them in 2018.