3 Important Elements in Real Estate Marketing
Last week, I wrote about some key principles of storytelling in the real estate ecosystem. In addition to these principles, there are foundational elements that can elevate storytelling to real estate consumers. Today, let’s focus on realtors specifically.
Real Estate Marketing Element #1: Custom domain
Domains are cheap. Like real cheap. The odds of you locking in a domain with the exact address of your property is pretty solid. Most buyers can remember an address domain name vs remembering an MLS number. Having a customized domain increases your potential buyers to remember that standout property that they’ve just driven by or saw on a flyer.
Within the custom domain, bring your narrative to the website. Who is this house ideal for? Can it live up to the demanding features of the weekend entertainer? Does it boast the outdoor space that gardeners love to grow in? Is the house wired for the tech-savvy geek? You get the point.
Get a feel for what the property has to offer and promote those property highlights throughout the details. The details are what will hook the potential buyer and resonate with the property.
Real Estate Marketing Element #2: Invest in quality photos
This feels like a no brainer. Even as the iPhone camera in your back pocket evolves year after year, nothing can capture a space like a trained photographer. When the space is captured in the perfect light and at the right angle, it sets the scene for potential buyers to picture themselves spending copious amounts of time in that exact spot. Some of my favorite interior photographers are Casey Dunn and Chase Daniel. (Yes, both located in Austin, TX!)
Post the images to your website or MLS listing in a way that flows through the property. There’s nothing more jarring than being mesmerized in the photos of an owner suite’s massive bathroom when the picture flips to an exterior shot of the property and back to the claw-foot tub.
Walk the buyer through the site like you would walk them through an in-person showing.
Real Estate Marketing Element #3: Movement with video and virtual showings
Ask any realtor about the struggles of having open houses in the middle of a pandemic. It’s tough. When you invest in providing a virtual showing, you open the doors to people who physically cannot be there and the ones who would rather play it safe than sorry during COVID-19.
There are a few factors that go into getting these virtual showings right:
– Let the user explore the home that lets them linger and look around
– Ensure the tour is self-guided to their own pace
– Map out pathways with real footage of the house, not renderings
– Make the experience seamless for desktop and mobile devices
Bonus Element
There are several marketing channels for the real estate ecosystem. MLS, third-party listing sites, word of mouth, social media, etc. Do your due diligence on your buyers. There’s a good chance that your buyers are spending some of the average 142 minutes a day on social media looking for a property to buy or invest in. Use that time to your advantage and boost your Instagram or Facebook posts about your listings to a target demographic surrounding the property.
The buyer’s data is there, use it in ways that benefit you and your business.
Next steps?
Start telling the story of your listing property with a Stagger template or create one from scratch. Utilize your videos with those photos you spent money on to help sell the place. When you’ve designed your Stagger, embed it on to the custom domain/website to help tell the story of why that listing is the perfect one for those potential buyers.