There’s been a shift towards digital marketing in the real estate sector, and businesses that fail to adapt are falling behind. Digital marketing allows marketers to reach a global audience, build a unique brand reputation, and ultimately close more leads. Here is our guide to creating an effective real estate digital marketing plan. 

Things To Think About In Your Digital Marketing Plan

The online landscape is difficult to navigate, and creating the best real estate digital marketing plan is easier said than done. Businesses should never throw content at the wall and see what sticks. Instead, they need to carefully curate their strategy to successfully reach target goals. This begins by asking the right questions — and answering them. These eight questions are essential to any real estate marketer creating a digital strategy.

What is the goal?

Goals are essential to creating a successful real estate marketing plan. Without specific goals, you won’t know how to measure the effectiveness of your approach. By creating a pathway from objectives, to solutions, to results, your digital marketing plan will be efficient, streamlined, and practical. Goals for your real estate project might be:

• Bringing in investors and raise capital for a new project

• Pre-selling 50% of units before breaking ground.

• Increasing hotel ADR (average daily rate) by 10%

• Attracting clientele from a previously under-targeted demographic

• Establishing your company’s unique brand voice

There is no “one size fits all” approach to digital marketing for real estate. You must be deliberate in crafting particular strategies to achieve your unique goals.

What real estate sector are you in?

Different real estate sectors require very different digital marketing plans. You wouldn’t market a luxury resort the same way you’d market a commercial office space or a residential development. Your niche will affect every aspect of marketing including your audience, brand voice, and content strategy.

Although it’s vital to consider the type of real estate you’re marketing, businesses shouldn’t fall into the trap of creating marketing materials that are exactly like their competitors. Instead, use digital marketing to draw attention to the qualities that make your brand different from the rest.

Who is the target audience?

If your digital marketing isn’t reaching the right audience, it won’t have the impact that you want it to. Marketing a luxury retirement community on Tik Tok is like running ads for Rogaine on Nickelodeon — not very practical. There are limitless differentiators that you can use to identify your targeted audience, including:

• Location — Will they be able to travel to your property?

• Age — Are you marketing to seniors? Business people? College kids?

• Income Level — Can they afford what you’re selling?

• Interests and Hobbies — Does your property have a golf course? Is it near a race track or a ski mountain?

• Marital Status — Are you hoping to attract families?

• History — Have they bought or sold similar real estate in the past?

Once you’ve identified your audience, you can create a strategy that speaks directly to them.

What is our brand identity?

Your brand identity is what sets your business apart from competitors. Aspects of a brand identity include your brand personality, tone of voice, visual approach, and mission statement, such as a focus on sustainability. This identity should be consistently communicated across all marketing materials, both online and offline. Examples of unique brand identities include:

Taos Ski Valley: Purpose-driven. Strong emphasis on sustainability and protecting the environment. Family oriented, inclusive, down to Earth.

Auriens: Classy, refined, exclusive. Targeted at those entering the “third-act of life”.

Embassy Gardens: Community-oriented. Younger, hip, the place-to-be. Pet-friendly, exciting, lots of hustle and bustle.

What platforms should we focus on?

Marketers must carefully pick and choose which online platforms to focus their marketing efforts. Digital marketing for real estate encompasses everything from social media to email marketing campaigns, so companies need to assess their goals and use their resources wisely. Here are a few platforms to focus on:

Website: When modern consumers are considering a purchase, they hop on the internet to research the seller. This is why having an appealing website is vital. Your website should prioritise things like visual appeal, usability, selling points, and mobile functionality.

Email:  According to Sleep Advisor, more than half of Americans start their day by checking their emails. With an average open rate of twenty one percent, emails sent to leads are far more likely to be clicked on than advertisements on social media platforms.

Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok are ideal social media platforms to reach a large audience, establish a brand voice, and connect with leads. Companies in the real estate industry companies should prioritise growing their follower count through interesting visual content, consistent posting, and community interactions. 

What type of digital content should we create?

When creating digital marketing materials, companies must get creative in their approach, leaving no ideas off the table. Here are a few examples of effective online content:

Video Content — Social media is the home to great visual content, from professional videos showing off beautiful architecture, to community posts shared by residents and visitors. 

Blog Posts — To establish your company as a trusted voice in your sector, consider starting a blog discussing topics relevant to your brand identity.

SEO — By using a search engine optimization strategy, you can boost your online presence and get more clicks on Google.

VR Tours — Providing virtual tours of your properties is a great way to show them off to people who can’t attend an in-person showing.

Paid Ads — Businesses can use paid ads to target potential clients. It’s vital to analyse your ad performance and A/B test different designs throughout the digital marketing campaign.

What is our digital marketing budget?

As more and more consumers buy online, companies allocate more money to digital marketing. Some strategies prove more costly than others: Professional videographers, SEO strategists, web developers, and marketing experts will all take a chunk out of your budget. Businesses are more likely to reach their goals when they’re able to see their marketing strategy through from beginning to end, without sudden cutbacks or pivots.

What is our timeline?

Inexperienced digital marketers can get frustrated when their desired outcomes take longer than expected. This is why marketers must establish realistic deadlines for their objectives. For example, if your hotel needs to secure a certain amount of bookings by the end of the month, it would be unwise to pour your budget into SEO marketing, as search engines often take time to update and demonstrate results.

Proven Partners Can Help You with Your Real Estate Digital Marketing Plan

By answering these eight questions, you’re on your way to creating a successful digital marketing plan for your real estate business. When executed correctly, your digital avenues can drive awareness, increase engagement rates and improve conversions. To learn more about digital marketing, check out Proven Partners Digital Marketing page.