3 Ways Digital Marketing Can Help in Real Estate

In the past several decades, the real estate profession has changed drastically. From a world of print ads and flyers to TikTok posts and virtual tours, real estate is a new world. 

The world is digitizing, and with that comes new ways of buying and selling homes. The internet has changed how people find homes they are interested in and how they find real estate professionals to work with. 

Real estate professionals can use real estate digital marketing to find prospective buyers, display their homes, and adapt to the ever-changing real estate market. 

How Real Estate Professionals Can Use Digital Marketing to Their Advantage

Modern realtors need to have a long list of skills. If they want to succeed, they have to be website designers, marketers, and sales experts. That’s a lot to ask. Luckily, digital tools help real estate professionals reach new clients and showcase their homes like never before. 

For real estate, digital marketing provides professionals with the tools they need to offer virtual tours, create optimized websites, and get new leads and referrals to grow their business. 

Virtual Tours

Virtual tours allow your potential clients to tour homes from their couches. This is a powerful digital marketing tool, with half of all adults viewing digital tours as part of their online research process. 

When creating your virtual tour, use quality camera equipment and software to ensure the home shows up in the best possible light. 

A benefit of virtual tours is that they save you a lot of time. You don’t have to give an in-person tour to everyone who is interested in the house. You can save those in-person experiences for people who have already toured the home virtually and are interested in learning more about it. 

Website Optimization

Your website is the hub of your online presence, so optimizing it is vital. Here are some recommendations for optimizing your real estate website: 

• Include tantalizing visual elements: Choose quality pictures that showcase you and the homes you are selling. You can even choose select homes to display on the homepage of your website. 
• Do SEO: Search engine optimization is a valuable skill. SEO optimizes your website so people can find it with search engines when they use specific keywords and phrases. 
• Stay in contact: Always include contact forms on your real estate websites, and provide visitors with your phone number and email address so that they can contact you directly. 
• Use maps: Incorporating maps on your website makes it more user-friendly. Website visitors can see where exactly the homes are located with one click. 

Each of these actions can help you to create the most engaging and user-friendly website possible. All of your digital marketing efforts on social media platforms will be focused on sending traffic to your website. By optimizing your site, you are increasing your chances of turning leads into sales. 

Leads and Referrals

Digital marketing tools and strategies can bring in referrals and leads for new clients. These tools and strategies include: 

• Targeted ads: Social media provides options for boosting posts and targeting your ads to people in your area.  
• Email marketing: Building an email list is one way to show interested parties the available properties you’re selling. Visitors can sign up on your website, giving you a direct way to contact them and potentially turn them into leads. 
• Social media scheduling tools: Social media marketing is effective, but it’s a lot of work. One way to improve your social media experience is to use social media scheduling tools to pre-plan your posts. 
• Influencers and affiliate links: Working with influencers may bring in more referrals. Using an affiliate link, an influencer can encourage their followers to explore the homes you’re selling. 

Making the most of these tools and strategies can help you to reach a wider audience, build a following, and sell homes. 

How To Master Digital Marketing Tools as a Realtor

There are many different ways that realtors can master digital marketing tools. By continuing your education and expanding your current skill set, you’ll take your business to the next level. 

Online Training

You can learn digital marketing skills from the comfort of your home by taking classes online. 

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 75% of all undergraduate students took at least one class online in 2020. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the effect it has had on our learning and careers, it’s not surprising that many people are turning to remote options to continue their education. 

The digital marketing classes you take can be standalone, chosen to teach you specific skills you want to develop. Alternatively, online training can put you on the path to earning a certification or degree. 

College Courses and Certifications

College courses and certifications can greatly increase your knowledge and expertise in digital marketing. When pursuing your education through programs such as an MBA or certificate in digital marketing, you will learn the following skills: 

• Email marketing;
• Google ads;
• SEO.

If you want to enhance your expertise overall in the real estate industry, you can pursue an Online MBA in Real Estate Development. This degree moves beyond sales and marketing and prepares you for a career in commercial real estate development. 

Continuing your education will keep you up to date on real estate trends and the digital marketing tools available. 

Industry Events

Speaking with other professionals in your field is a fantastic way to learn more about the digital marketing tools and strategies that are available. These events may be in-person or virtual, and provide you with the opportunity to learn from your peers and knowledgeable speakers. 

Some noteworthy industry events in real estate include: 

• Inman Connect New York;
• National Association of REALTORS Conference and Expo;
• TomFerry Success Summit.

Attending national conferences like these, and local industry events in your area, can help you make valuable professional connections and learn about new digital marketing tools that can help your real estate business thrive. 

Digital marketing is an invaluable tool for real estate professionals. Whether you learn these skills at a conference or in the classroom, taking the time to understand digital marketing can help you to bring in new clients and grow your career.