Have you ever thought about getting a new rug for your living room, or looked at a pair of shoes online, and then started seeing ads for rugs or shoes all over the internet?
You don’t need to understand how it works, but you can’t argue with the power of digital advertising. With the combination of automation and machine learning, digital ads are extremely effective at targeting the right person exactly when they might be ready to make a purchase.
The case is no different for potential buyers or sellers in the real estate market. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 85% of Americans are online on a daily basis, with 44% of 18- to 49-year-olds admitting to being online almost constantly.
Why not meet your next buyer or seller where they already are?
Getting Started with Digital Advertising
Digital advertising on social media sites and search engines are great for listing advertisements, but also for promoting yourself and your brand. You can use it as a way to gain new leads by promoting yourself as a real estate pro in your city or community, or wherever your niche may be. Truthfully, you can put advertising dollars behind a number of different ad types depending on what you’re trying to build. Here are some of our favorites:
1. Listing ads
The easiest one to kick off this list with is listing ads. These are a must for agents today. The digital ad for your newest listing is the new flyer on the sign. You wouldn’t list a house without a flyer, right?
More and more agents now won’t list a house without a plan for a digital ad. (Not only are digital ads cheaper and more effective than traditional ads, but most sellers also expect digital marketing to be part of your plan.)
Pick a few favorite listing photos, add some key details, and get that ad running! In just a few clicks, your ad can reach thousands of the right potential buyers on their smart phones and computers.
2. Open house ads
Similar to listing ads, creating a digital ad for your open houses is key. You’ll get more traffic through the door when you promote the open house on social media than if you just left the open house dates and times in the MLS. You might even catch the eyes of a few folks who don’t have buyer representation yet.
3. Just sold ads
Celebrate your wins online! There’s nothing wrong with creating a digital ad after the sale closes. “Just sold!” digital ads are a great way to entice potential sellers. Show off how amazing the staging was, the area you’re an expert in, or even how much you were able to get an offer over list price for your sellers. Never count out the possibilities with a “just sold” digital ad!
4. Blog post boosts
If you’re sharing a thought leadership piece, tips on your favorite local eateries, new construction trends, or anything else on your blog, you’ll probably want to share the post over to your social media channels.
The best way to make sure it reaches your audience of followers, and more, is by adding some ad spend. You can easily do this with a post on your public Facebook Page by adding a boost. Reach more people and get more clicks to your blog and website!
Bonus points go to you if you’re directing them to your agent website where they can search for active listings or sign up for Neighborhood News.
5. Brand promotion ads
Whether you have a few active listings or maybe none at the moment, you should also incorporate a digital ad for your brand. Digital ads are a low-cost way to build brand recognition in your community.
Promoting yourself and your services is key to landing new leads and stocking your database. You can set up digital ads that showcase you as an expert in your local area, or maybe you specialize in helping first time buyers find a home. Perhaps condos are your bread and butter!
Whatever it is, make sure you’re promoting yourself online so your name is the first one clients and leads think of when they’re ready to buy or sell.
BONUS: Get Your Free Guide to Digital Marketing for Real Estate Agents
It’s okay if you don’t know where to begin! Google or Facebook? Search or display? CTR, CPL, CPC?!? It’s a wild new world. Plus each platform has its own dashboard, and it can be a little overwhelming to learn all the steps, limits, tricks, and audiences associated with each one.
Download our free guide to digital marketing for real estate agents. It’s full of tips, tricks and helpful info to give you confidence to get started.
Whether you’re using digital ads to promote your business, your listings, or even throwing some boosted post advertising on a blog post you’ve written, it’s important to utilize digital advertising in your marketing strategy. Your clients are online – make sure you meet them there.
