Real estate marketing continues to move toward online and mobile mediums. It’s obvious why, since that’s where the buyers are. Real estate marketing has transformed from flyers, magazines, newspapers and postcards to property sites, YouTube videos, social networking and mobile technologies. Below are four items to implement to market successfully in our connected world.
Media
You need media in order to play the game of online real estate marketing. When I say media, I mean a property site, video, recorded information and QR codes. A property site can include large images that dance to music and narration about the property. It can also include videos about the agent, property and surrounding area. Videos can be seen on most devices and can be embedded into most websites. Recorded information can be accessed through call capture systems, and QR codes can entice buyers to easily access all your information.
When looking for help with your media, find a company that not only does it all, but one that does it while you sleep. Gone are the days when agents needed to upload images into a virtual tour or create a YouTube video and upload it themselves. Find a company that works with your local MLS, generating all the media for you and then updating it each time you make a change with your MLS.
Exposure
Once you have media, you’re in the game. You have the tools to attract, engage and excite, but if people can’t find your media, it does you no good. Make sure your property site is linked to the major real estate portals, your personal site and corporate site. Make sure the company that’s helping you with your exposure has a YouTube strategy to drive traffic to your website in addition to simply uploading your video.
Make sure your listings are regularly posted on Facebook, Twitter and your blog. Find a marketing partner that will automatically post on your social networking platforms for you so that you can focus on working with clients.
Lead Generation
If you have media and that media includes great exposure, it also better generate leads, or it’s all for nothing. Make sure your property site has voluntary lead mechanisms and present prospective buyers with ways to communicate with you.
Communication
Use both email and text to send updates and announcements to large groups of interested buyers. Many companies can help send emails, but you need to find a company that can also batch text. Studies by Nielson Mobile indicate that 97 percent of subscribers will read a text message within 15 minutes of receiving it. This is a technology that can’t be ignored.
Historically, agents have had to work with four or five different companies to have an effective online marketing program. It’s been expensive and time consuming. When looking for a partner to help with your marketing efforts, make sure they have all the pieces to the program. Also, research how much you have to do personally and how much the company can automate for you.
Robert Davis is CEO of CirclePix. For more information, visit www.circlepix.com.