By Ken Millbank
Marketing a real estate agency is not only about posting a property every time you get a new listing. You are also marketing the business behind those properties.
People might not be looking to buy or sell a house when they first come across your agency. But if they keep seeing your content and recognise your business, they are more likely to remember you when they actually need an agent.
This is why it helps to have a marketing strategy instead of promoting each property separately. Here are five ways you can do that.
1. Build your agency’s identity online
Your website is usually one of the first places where someone checks your business. It should not only show the properties you have available but also tell people about your agency.
Make sure that customers can easily see the areas you work in, the kind of properties you deal with, add testimonials from previous customers and how they can contact you. Introduce your agents and add some of the properties or projects you have successfully worked on.
Keep your website updated and make sure that it works properly on mobile phones. You should also add clear buttons such as “Book a Viewing”, “Contact an Agent” or “List Your Property” so customers know what to do next.
2. Focus on your local market with SEO
When someone needs a real estate agent, there is a good chance they will start with a Google search.
This is why your agency should use SEO to show up for searches related to the areas where you actually work. Instead of trying to rank for something very broad like “real estate agency”, focus on searches like “houses for sale in [area]” or “real estate agent in [location]”.
You can create separate pages for important neighbourhoods and keep your property listings updated. Also make sure your Google Business Profile has the correct information about your business.
This can bring people to your website while also showing them that you understand the local property market.
3. Create a social media plan instead of posting randomly
A lot of real estate agencies only post when they have a new property to sell. This can make the social media page look like one long list of properties.
Try to create a mix of content instead. You can post property tours, new listings, recently sold properties, customer testimonials and buying or selling tips. You can also introduce your agents, show behind-the-scenes content or talk about different neighbourhoods where you work.
Plan these posts beforehand so that you are not thinking about what to post every single day. Using real estate templates can also make it easier to create regular content while keeping the colours, fonts and overall look of your agency consistent.
Once you have your content ready, social media scheduling can help you plan and schedule the posts in advance. This makes it easier to stay active even during weeks when the team is busy with clients and property visits.
4. Have a clear purpose for your online ads
Online advertising can help you reach more people but you don’t need to spend money promoting everything. Before running an ad, think about what you actually want from it.
If you are advertising a property, you might want people to book a viewing. If you are promoting your agency, you might want homeowners to contact you about selling their property. An open house ad might simply need people to register for the event.
You can use Google ads to reach people already searching for properties or agents. Social media ads can help you target people in particular locations or promote an important new listing.
5. Let your previous work market your agency
Real estate involves big decisions and customers want to know that they can trust the person or agency they are working with. Your previous work can help you build that trust.
Share properties that you have successfully sold or rented and ask happy customers for reviews and testimonials. You can also share customer stories, successful projects and before-and-after content if you have worked with renovated properties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How can a real estate agency get more referrals?
- Contractors, home renovation companies, architects and interior designers can all be good partners. Stay in touch with all the relevant businesses who can refer customers to you.
Q2. How often should a real estate agency post on social media?
- It is better to post consistently than post every day for one week and disappear for the next month. Create a schedule that you can realistically follow and use social media scheduling to plan content beforehand.
Q3. Does a real estate agency need paid advertising?
- Not always. SEO, social media and referrals can all bring customers without paid advertising. However, ads can be useful when you want to promote an important property, reach people in a particular area or get more attention for an open house.
Market the agency, not only the properties
The properties you are selling will keep changing but your real estate agency stays the same. Your marketing should help people remember the business behind the listings.
Build a strong online presence, create useful content and show people the work you have already done!
