If you want to succeed in the real estate business, you have to stand out from the competition. Most real estate professionals understand this, but it can still be tough to know how to do it.
That’s because there are no hard and fast real estate advertising rules for getting new clients and growing your business. Different tactics work for different people and it can be hard to find ways to stand out.
But it only takes a couple creative real estate advertising ideas to transform your business. It may sound crazy, but stepping outside the norm can result in a lot of success for agents — if you can offer something unique and personable.
We’ve created a list of 25 real estate advertising ideas you can leverage to grow your business. These are the kind of ad ideas that give top agents incredible results and they’ll work for you too. Check them out below:
1. Tell a Story to Set the Scene
How you say it is almost as important as what you say. Storytelling is all about sharing vivid details and taking people on a journey to pull at the heartstrings. Use in listings, Facebook posts, email campaigns and more.
2. Create In-Depth Infographics
Visuals that explain something of value to your target audience can be very effective. Help home shoppers understand the local market with graphs, charts, guides and maps.
3. Share Useful Quick Tips
Sharing DIY home hacks for clogged drains, storage woes and routine home maintenance can help build any agent’s brand. Useful and easy tips also boost social sharing and email forwards.
4. Answer Their FAQs
Buyers and sellers always have questions. And some can be answered pretty easily. Create a page on your site dedicated to FAQs or write a blog or email series for longer answers. This demonstrates your immense knowledge and willingness to help to potential clients.
5. Promote a Free Service
When you offer a free service, such as a free consultation or a pre-sale readiness walkthrough, many people will take you up on the offer. It is a great way to expand your network and meet potential clients. Even if those people don’t list with you, chances are they’d be willing to recommend you to a friend.
6. Curate a Downloadable Property List
Look for ways to save potential clients time and effort, such as curating a list of properties in particular neighborhoods or within a certain price range. Enable prospects and website visitors to download your property list when they provide their email address (and potentially other info).
7. Use a Home Valuation Tool
Seller leads always want to know what their house is worth. Free online home valuation tools are easy to integrate into your site or social media and can capture leads via an email form or the home’s address.
8. Feature Cutting-Edge Tech
As agents, we are surrounded by cutting-edge tech for 3D imaging, floor plans, layouts and VR home staging. Take advantage of the wow factor by featuring them for your leads who don’t use them every day.
Check out more about using tech in our post about using 3D tours to increase buyer interest.
9. Don’t Skimp on the Photos
In real estate, you can almost never have too many photos. High quality images of homes – interior and exterior – including different angles and photography techniques will all help pique a buyer’s interest.
10. Create Useful Area Maps
Area sales maps are great for grabbing attention and providing value. Use an area map graphic to show selling prices or days on the market in hip, desirable neighborhoods.
11. Become A Thought-Leader
People look to real estate agents as trusted experts in the local community and the real estate market. You can become a thought-leader by sharing your insight with blogs, newspaper columns, or video updates.
12. Host an Educational Event
Many people enjoy being able to listen and get their questions answered from an expert like you. Consider hosting virtual or in-person educational events on basics like getting ready to sell, buying your first home or investing in real estate. Offer a free download (or pamphlet if in person) covering important information to incentivize attendance (free lunch also works ).
13. Feature a Pet in Listing Photos
Incorporating pets into listing photos is probably one of the simplest real estate advertising ideas agents have tried, and it works. An occasional pet photo is fun and unexpected and makes for a much more shareable property image.
14. Co-Host a Webinar
Team up with a local lender, title company or home remodeler and film a webinar answering burning questions. You can capture leads for the live event and continue to use the pre-recorded video for lead-generation afterward.
15. Showcase the Community
Sometimes it helps to step out of the spotlight and focus on others. Consider a blog or video series highlighting great restaurants, entertainment or attractions in your local market.
16. Partner with Other Local Businesses
Turn your focus to the other businesses in your local community. Look for opportunities to partner and cross-promote, sponsoring events, buying ads or trading business cards.
17. Make a Cinematic Video
Take things up a notch by making a video with a high production value. You can show off your house marketing skills and knowhow while also wowing home buyers.
18. Get Attention with Drone Photography
You can show homes from a unique perspective with modern drone photography. It helps listings with interesting architecture, landscaping and views really stand out.
19. Ask for Reviews and Testimonials
Five-star reviews and great client testimonials carry a lot of weight with consumers. Ask your best clients to submit reviews and create testimonials that you can tout in your listings and ads.
20. Set up Google My Business
Claiming your Google My Business directory listing is an easy way to show up prominently in local search results. It’s and free and quick way to be at the top of the list when someone searches “real estate agent near me.”
21. Try Real Estate Advertising on Facebook
Facebook is a prime location to focus your advertising efforts. You can apply many of the other ideas on the list to your Facebook promotion, such as videos, storytelling, infographics, tips and FAQs. Further, Facebook allows you to target by user demographics and geography – making sure your ads reach the right audience.
22. Show a Live Tour on Facebook
There are some great opportunities for creating real estate advertising on Facebook, such as Facebook Live streams. This is especially useful during COVID, or just when you have out of state clients. It is also a great way to share your successes of gaining listings to encourage other sellers to reach out to you.
23. Social Media Retargeting
Retargeting can help advertise your business to prospects who are already looking at your website and social posts. With a Facebook Pixel, you can retarget these hot leads with special messaging and a strong call to action. Retargeted audiences are far more likely to convert than standard ad audiences because they’ve already shown interest.
24. Answer Questions on Twitter
A lot of people look to social channels like Twitter to ask open questions and crowdsource advice. Set up alerts for real estate keywords and offer helpful answers when a good question comes up – even if it’s not in your market.
25. Leverage Instagram
Instagram has become the social media of choice for many and with its focus on photography it’s well-suited to real estate. Leverage the opportunities provided with Instagram Stories, video posts, influencer marketing and paid promotions.
These are just a few real estate advertising ideas to get you started. Try out these and other ideas and track your results to see what works.
It only takes a couple great ideas to get the ball rolling and start getting more leads that will grow your business.
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