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For a long time, lead generation in real estate was dominated by physical marketing tactics such as advertising at bus stops, using billboards, and sending out mass mailings to neighborhoods. Although these methods are still in use, and may continue to provide value in certain areas, the reality is, in this day and age, the real estate game is being played almost exclusively online.
If you’re thinking, “Oh, I know. I use Zillow.”—hold on a second. Although Zillow is still a well-known real estate platform, it’s no longer the only, or even most effective, online outlet for real estate agents to generate leads. In fact, there are multitudes of ways your real estate agency should be utilizing the internet to attract more clients, some of which don’t even involve directly advertising your current listings. I use some of the strategies to ranked my super competitive terms like “Los Angeles SEO” or “New York SEO” Curious? Keep reading to learn six essentials tactics your real estate agency can use to generate more leads and help convert them into clients.
Six Essential Marketing Tactics for Generating
Real Estate Leads
1. Facebook Ads
Facebook used to just be about connecting with friends, but these days, it’s a marketing mogul. With over 1.5 billion daily users, if you’re not utilizing Facebook as part of your lead generation strategy, you’re missing out on some serious lead potential. This is, in large part, because Facebook has tons of data on it’s users, meaning you can target exactly who you want to see your ads based on various criteria, such as:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Interests
- Connections
- Life Events
- Purchasing Behavior
- Income
Because of this ability to target a very specific audience, you’ll only be putting ads in front of people who fit the bill as your ideal client. Not only will this increase the chances of these potential leads converting to actual clients, but it also helps you from a financial perspective.
What’s more, Facebook allows you to identify a marketing objective with your ads, which can include brand awareness, engagement, reach, and of course, lead generation. There are several different types of ads that can be used to target these goals, but if generating leads is what you’re after, Facebook offers a specific kind of ad called Facebook lead ads that allow you to connect with and collect information on potential buyers and sellers directly on the Facebook platform.
Essentially, when a targeted individual is scrolling through their newsfeed and sees your ad, they can click on a call to action button, which activates a popup form. You can personalize this form to gather more information about the individual, such as desired price range or neighborhood of interest.
Because of this ability to target a very specific audience, you’ll only be putting ads in front of people who fit the bill as your ideal client. Not only will this increase the chances of these potential leads converting to actual clients, but it also helps you from a financial perspective.
Bonus – any contact information that they’ve shared with Facebook, like email address or phone number, will be pre-populated in the form. Once the lead submits the form, all of that information is immediately available to you so you can follow up with the potential client ASAP. Think you can get all that from a billboard?
Think you can get all from a
BILLBOARD ?
THE ANSWER:
Facebook click-to messenger ads.
2. Facebook Ad Chat Bots
In addition to the high number of users, Facebook has another advantage that bus stop advertisements or even email campaigns can’t touch—Facebook Messenger chat bots.
Unlike humans, Facebook Messenger bots are available to chat with potential leads 24/7. What’s more, without any extra work from you, they can:
- Gather information about the type of home your lead is looking for.
- Provide immediate answers to questions.
- Give personalized suggestions regarding available properties.
- Educate your lead on buying or selling a home.
- Set up appointments for leads to meet with an agent.
Best of all, chat bots can qualify your leads by asking a series of questions to suss out motivation, urgency, and even budget. No more chasing people who aren’t really in the market to buy or sell. At this point you’re probably wondering, how do I get these potential leads in contact with a chat bot? The answer: Facebook click-to messenger ads. The answer: Facebook click-to messenger ads.
Facebook click-to-messenger ads look practically identical to other Facebook ads and can still be made to target specific populations. The key difference here is that the call to action button opens up a conversation with your chat bot in Facebook Messenger. Once messaging has been initiated, the bot takes care of the rest.
THINK ABOUT IT!
How often do you look at the second page of search results?
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Utilizing Facebook is a great way to generate leads, but another key strategy for your real estate agency to come in contact with potential buyers and sellers is to have a polished website that employs effective SEO methodologies. What is SEO?
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of revamping your agency’s website in such a way that will allow it to rank more highly in organic search results. Why is this important? When a potential client types a word or phrase into a search bar, such as “Boutique real estate agencies Los Angeles”, in all likelihood, a slew of results are going to show up. If your website is listed on the second or third page of results, the chance of that potential client visiting your site drops dramatically. Think about it—how often do you look at the second page of search results?
Consequently, when it comes to organic search results that relate to your agency, your goal should be to get on the first page of results and ideally, to reach number one. How does SEO help with that?
Popular search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing, use algorithms to decide which websites will receive a higher ranking in organic search results. By optimizing your website in specific ways, you’ll increase your chances of achieving and maintaining a high rank in major search engines, thereby increasing site traffic and generating more leads.
Now, many people think that SEO is just about throwing some keywords on your website and calling it a day. Although keywords are an important part of an effective SEO strategy, there’s actually much more that needs to be done to give your website the best possible chance of getting on that first page of search results. Some SEO best practices that will help boost your ranking include:
MOBILE FRIENDLINESS
In our digital age, more and more people are using smartphones to search for information, which also includes looking for homes. Search engines know and consider this when creating their rankings. Consequently, to get yourself on that first page of results, you need to have a mobile-friendly website.
EASE OF USE
Having a user-friendly website is just as important as the words on the page. By making sure your agency’s website is easy to navigate, users will stay on your site longer, which search engines take into account when creating rankings.
PAGE SPEED OPTIMIZATION
In addition to affecting customer experience, the loading speed of your site can also affect your search engine ranking. Major search engines, like Google, measure the loading speed of sites and compare that data with their competitors in order to rank sites in organic searches. Having a site that loads quickly is key to achieving and maintaining that high rank.
4. Blogging
Search engines want to give users the most value when they’re looking for information. Consequently, if achieving and maintaining a high ranking site is part of your lead-generation strategy (and it should be), you need to be a resource for your clients. This is where blogging comes in.
Blogging gives you the opportunity to provide your audience with consistent, helpful, and up-to-date information not only about the real estate market but, most importantly, about the local community you serve. This accomplishes a couple things:
First off, your site can rank for specific keywords or phrases. To get more eyes on your agency’s website, you want to rank for targeted keywords and phrases that your potential leads are searching for. Often, the most successful keywords are what are known as “long-tail keywords”, meaning four words or more, that serve a specific niche versus a broad audience. This is because niche, long-tail keywords tend to have less competition when it comes to ranking. For example, you’ll have a much better chance of ranking for the phrase “homes for sale in Los Angeles under $500k” than just “homes for sale in Los Angeles”.
Unlike your agency’s homepage, in a blog post, you can naturally use these long-tail keywords and phrases throughout the text, thereby increasing your chance of ranking in organic searches. Plus, since you’re targeting a specific audience who know what they’re looking for, the people who visit your site are more likely to become clients.
Secondly, providing your audience with high-quality blog posts shows potential leads that you’re an expert in your field. By seeing you as a trusted resource, leads are more likely to enlist you’re services when they’re ready to buy or a sell a home. To do this, however, you need to blog about more than just your current listings. Give your audience information on a range of topics, such as school options in the area or best local real estate photographers.
Writing blogs posts can take time, so you want to make sure your effort pays off in lead generation. As you begin including blogs as part of your marketing strategy, think about these six factors to increase your chance of ranking:
Long-form
Remember, when it comes to search engine rankings, it’s all about adding value. In-depth content lets you do that, so keep posts upwards of 1,000 words.
Targeted
What are your potential leads searching for? Before you begin writing a slew of posts, know what your target audience is looking for and what specific keywords and phrases they’re using in their searches.
Keep it local
Since your goal is to generate more leads, you want people who are interested in buying or selling in the area you serve. Keep your focus local and you’ll attract those visitors to your site.
Engaging
No one wants to read a 1,500-word post filled with real estate stats and numbers. Keep it fun!
Evergreen
Ideally, the content you post today should still be relevant a year from now. Search engines don’t want to provide users with outdated information.
Consistent
Posting once a week (or more!) keeps your site fresh and relevant.
PAY-PER-CLICK
Exactly what they sound like
5. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
No matter When your ideal client types a search query into Google, ten organic search results appear on the first page. However, at the very top of the page, before the organic results are listed, they’ll most likely find pay-per-click or PPC ads. These top slots designated for ads are prime real estate, because they’re essentially the first thing users see when search results come in.if you’ve used a visual page builder before, with Brizy you’ll be a pro the second you start using it.
Pay-per-click ads are exactly what they sound like. Essentially, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad and visits your agency’s website. Although there are a couple PPC platforms on the market, Google Adwords is by far the most well-known and widely used. With Adwords, you bid on specific, target keywords and phrases that line up with what your ideal leads search for. If your bid is chosen, you’ll show up amongst the ads at the top of the search results. This increased visibility has the power to drive a targeted population of interested home buyers and sellers to your site (which will be quick-to-load, easy to navigate, and mobile friendly based on the SEO tips above).
Now, before you start throwing money at Google Adwords, it’s important to recognize that just like with your agency’s website, you need to optimize your PPC bids. Similar to blogging, you may generate the most leads by only bidding on keywords and phrases that are niche and local. Adwords also allows you to target people in specific cities, regions, and states. What’s more, if there are certain types of homes or areas you don’t specialize in or want to work with, you can also create a negative keyword list that takes out your bid if a user searches using certain terms.
The biggest takeaway with PPC ads is that they need to pay for themselves. If the clicks your website is getting or leads you’re generating aren’t turning into clients, took a look at how you’re optimizing your bids and try a different approach.
6. YouTube Content and Optimization
Having a SEO-streamlined website and informative blog aren’t the only ways your agency can provide value and generate more leads. In fact, in an industry like real estate which is all about the visuals, a surefire way to garner the attention of potential clients is by starting a YouTube channel. With over one billion users, YouTube is a valuable outlet for marketing your agency’s services and gives you the opportunity to showcase new listings while creating a call to action for people to visit your website or even contact you directly.
Remember though, most people aren’t visiting YouTube with the intention of searching for your specific agency. They’re seeking information. That’s why, in addition to showcasing listings, your YouTube channel should also be a resource for potential clients who are considering buying or selling a home. By doing more than just peddling than your services, you can increase trust with your ideal client base while solidifying yourself as an expert in the field. There are a variety of topics that could provide value to potential buyers and sellers, such as:
- How long it takes to close a home
- How to buy your first home
- How to stage your home on a budget
- Average closing costs for sellers
- Perks of living in (insert whatever market you serve here)
- Testimonials from previous clients
The best part is, just like with websites, YouTube videos can be optimized in order to increase your ranking and help people find and view your content. Factors that YouTube takes into consideration while ranking content include:
- Number of subscribers to your channel
- Number of likes, dislikes, and comments
- Video length
- Watch time and view-through rates – in other words, how much of your video are users watching and how many watch your entire video.
Knowing this, you can optimize specific aspects of your YouTube videos to help boost your ranking, including:
VIDEO TITLES
Ideally, titles should be short, compelling, and include the major keyword or keywords that you want to rank for.
TAGS
Having a mix of multi-word and single-word tags using keywords that your ideal audience would be searching for.
VIDEO DESCRIPTION
Once again—use your keywords! Describe the key points of your video and don’t feel like you need to limit yourself to a couple sentences. Remember, just like Google, YouTube wants to ensure they’re providing users with value. Showcase the value your video is providing while utilizing the keywords you want to rank for.
By providing valuable information and optimizing your videos, you’ll not only get more eyes on your content and increase your subscriber rate, but interested parents will see your ranking, video views, and number of subscribers as a means of social proof that you’re the childcare expert they want to work with.
Bonus Tip...
Don’t go it alone. We get it—utilizing new platforms to generate leads for your real estate agency can feel overwhelming. If you’re unsure about where to start, don’t consider yourself tech savvy, or simply would rather spend more time with clients, JH SEO is here to help. As a full service digital marketing agency, JH SEO employs a range of experts who understand how to effectively expand your online presence and get your agency’s name in front of the right audience. Let us do the leg work to bring more attention to your agency’s services, giving you more time to build relationships and convert those leads into paying clients.
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