Advertising for Residential Real Estate: Strategies & Best Practices

The residential real estate industry moves quickly. In certain markets, a property might get snatched up in a matter of hours. Then — before you know it — the market fluctuates and new challenges emerge. It takes a combination of market savvy, perseverance, and good timing to succeed!

Thankfully, a wide range of digital tools are available to help you improve your residential real estate marketing strategy. Each year, new technologies emerge that help realtors level up their real estate marketing plan and speed up sales cycles.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the different strategies real estate professionals are leveraging to generate sales. We’ll also highlight the emergence of 3D immersive experiences through digital twins in the residential real estate industry — and explore how savvy real estate professionals are using Matterport’s 3D scanning technology to give potential prospects accurate representations of the property the are interested in. 

KEY ADVERTISING CHANNELS FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS

In just the past two years, the residential real estate industry has undergone massive changes. With the normalization of remote work and communication, potential buyers now have a wealth of virtual avenues to vet properties during the buying process, especially if an open house is far away or scheduled at an inconvenient time. Having the right digital real estate marketing materials can give your listing an advantage over others. 

As a result, versatile digital marketing tools are no longer “nice to have” — they’re now a necessity for any modern real estate business. Below we’ll outline some of the dynamic digital channels available to real estate professionals, as well as some traditional channels that still offer value.

Online marketplaces

The most used advertising channel for residential real estate is online marketplaces. Using MLS, realtors can feature available properties for sale or lease on multiple customer-facing marketplaces. Popular online marketplaces for real essate include Zillow, Redfin, Trulia, and Realtor.com. 

The ability to view multiple property listings online enables potential buyers to gather as much information about a potential property as possible before making the decision to take the next step. This means that having the right digital marketing collateral on these real estate websites can lead to connecting with qualified buyers and shortening the sales cycle. 

Social media

Social media offers a wide range of benefits for real estate agents. First of all, social media is affordable. Placing a listing on Facebook Marketplace or talking up a property on Instagram is entirely free. Plus, just about everyone is on social media these days, particularly young people who might be looking to rent or buy their first home.

But the fact that everyone is on social media is a blessing and a curse. After all, it isn’t easy to stand out when so many folks are trying to make their voices heard on social media. That’s why many real estate agents pay for sponsored posts (e.g. Facebook Ads) to help get listings in front of their target audience. 

Paid & organic search

Paid search is a crucial way real estate agents get relevant listings in front of the right audience. For a fee, brokerages can get their listings placed higher in search engine results. This can pay major dividends for brands that want to be the go-to option in certain markets.

Many real estate brands boost their search engine placement through organic search. Without paying for advertising, they create SEO-rich digital content. With the right keywords and relevant information, search algorithms place this content higher in search results.

Email marketing

Email marketing might not feel as fresh as social media, but it’s still a valuable channel for real estate advertising. The average user gets quite a bit of email in a given day, so it’s important to enrich your content if you want to stand out. For instance, some realtors create email newsletters full of important market insights in order to establish themselves as thought leaders, in addition to promoting their listings — which can win more clients.

Billboard & outdoor advertising

While it might feel a bit quaint these days, it’s always nice to see physical advertising that feels relevant and engaging. That’s why many real estate agents still invest in outdoor advertising, like billboards, subway ads, or park bench ads. Just make sure these ads include your contact information so that potential clients can reach out. 

TV commercials

Television is still a great way to reach clients in your local market. While it’s one of the more expensive and time-intensive options, it can also have a massive payoff in terms of name recognition. Just keep in mind broadcast television tends to reach an older audience, so this isn’t the best channel if you’re looking to reach first-time home buyers or renters.

Print

No, print is not dead — it’s just a bit less widespread than it might have been twenty years ago. While this shouldn’t be the first place you look to buy ads (and certainly should not be the only place you look), print advertising can be effective when placed in a prestigious publication, giving your brand an air of legitimacy.

6 REAL ESTATE ADVERTISING STRATEGIES & TACTICS

Standing out in the competitive, digital world of 21st-century real estate takes some thought. With so many ad solutions at your disposal, it can be difficult to figure out which real estate marketing tools to prioritize and which ones to ignore. Below are seven strategies for modern real estate advertising that work:

1. Take great care with your property photos

Creating great visual marketing assets is hugely important in real estate, so make sure to get your house ready for listing photos. After all, buying a new home is a big investment — so people certainly won’t make a decision based on blurry, poorly composed photos. It’s no wonder many real estate firms work with professional photographers to get beautiful photos. Understanding the importance of top quality visual content, Matterport provides 4K photos with each digital twin that can be easily downloaded and shared on different property listing websites. 

All that said, 2D imagery has started to take a backseat to rich 3D visuals. According to a study from Apartments.com, 3D virtual tours are 300% more engaging than 2D imagery. So while great photos are important, you’ll want to take your marketing to the next level with virtual tours that offer the closest viewing experience to actually visiting a finished property. 

2. Engage prospects with immersive 3D experiences

In the past couple years, 3D virtual tours have exploded onto the scene and look to be a transformative technology for the real estate market. Matterport has made it easier than ever to create better virtual tours with digital twin technology for real estate. 

Embedding a virtual tour into your real estate listing can enrich your marketing content and engage prospects. According to internal data, people are 95% more likely to call about a property that features a 3D tour. Plus It can act as a 24/7 open house for potential buyers, engaging folks who might be far away or who don’t have time to visit the in-person open house.

Matterport’s digital twins also offer some key advantages over traditional video tours: 

• They are more self-directed than videos, enabling viewers to “walk” around the property at their own pace

• 360-degree views offer a more accurate representation of the space 

• Floor plans as a marketing tool give viewers a better idea of the property as a whole 

• Digital twin tours can we enriched with Mattertags that give viewers additional context about a space. 

3. Leverage as many distribution channels as possible

Real estate is more competitive than ever — so it’s no longer enough to make a few sponsored posts on Instagram and call it a day. Now it’s imperative to use multiple channels, creating a dynamic marketing mix that moves customers through the funnel and nurtures relationships.

For instance, maybe you use an ad campaign on social media for lead generation, hoping to get potential clients onto your email list. Once they’re on your email list, potential buyers will receive a steady stream of listings with immersive 3D tours straight to their inbox. Then you round out your marketing with some valuable, keyword-driven thought leadership on your website to boost your organic SEO.

4. Rank property-related pages in Google results

When potential clients search, say, “best brokerages in Scottsdale AZ,” you want to make sure your Scottsdale-based brokerage is one of the first options they see. But how? One of the most popular methods is “pay-per-click” advertising where you pay to place your brand higher in search results. Or you can make the most of organic search by creating valuable SEO-driven content that search algorithms favor.

5. Connect with communities using social media

The best marketing mixes are diverse and versatile. Some channels, like social media, are good for short-form, visual content. Meanwhile, email can work well with more long-form thought leadership content. The best real estate marketing strategies offer a mix, reaching a variety of demographics and keeping users engaged the whole way. 

6.  Make data-driven decisions about your real estate marketing

Return on investment is key when building out a real estate advertising strategy.  For every channel that you use, be sure to include a step to glean performance insights in the short-, medium- and long-term.  You can even run A/B tests for each advertising campaign to see which channels convert best for your market — then optimize your ad mix to meet your objectives.

DO’S AND DON’TS OF ADVERTISING FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS

In the fast-paced world of real estate, it can be tempting to use every digital tool available, spend like crazy, and hope for the best. But as we’ve discussed, strategy is key. Below are some of the do’s and don’ts when it comes to smart, effective real estate marketing:

Do: Create a strong online presence

The vast majority of clients are found online these days. If you aren’t working each day to improve your real estate brand’s online presence, you’re falling behind.

Don’t: Blast out ads with poor quality images/video

Potential buyers want useful information when browsing homes — not blurry images. Using powerful cameras to build immersive 3D virtual tours is one of the cornerstones of modern advertising for real estate agents. 

Do: Emulate content you admire

There is a lot of great real estate marketing content out there online. You should familiarize yourself with different strategies and explore different types of ad copy. And if you see something you like, don’t be afraid to put your own spin on it.

Don’t: Copy everything you see

Every real estate brand is different. Just following the crowd and doing what everything else is doing won’t work. After all, real estate is very location-specific. What works in one market may not work in yours. 

Do: Create business cards

When it comes to old-school marketing strategies, you can’t go wrong creating beautiful business cards packed with valuable information. 

Don’t: Create wordy ad copy

People usually don’t want to read a wall of text. Packing your ads with long testimonials and extraneous information will cause customers to tune out. Remember: a picture is worth a thousand words, so opting for visuals over lengthy copy is the best approach.

Do: Trust word of mouth

Referrals lie at the heart of a successful real estate business. While you can spend all your time working on your online real estate marketing campaign, a client will never forget great service. Listening to clients’ needs and responding promptly and respectfully is the best way to retain business and ensure they spread the word.

Don’t: Over-invest in open houses

When you’re trying to sell a home, you need to hold an open house. Just remember that open houses can get expensive, between transporting agents to properties and offering food and drink to incentivize visitors. New digital options like 3D virtual tours have made multiple open houses less essential than they once were. 

CREATE A 24/7 OPEN HOUSE WITH MATTERPORT

Digitally scanning properties with Matterport is transforming real estate marketing. With a digital scan of your property, you have a 24/7 open house that potential buyers can view on demand. Plus you have that scan forever — so if tenants move out after a year, you can use that scan again for future deals.

Getting started is simple. Whether you’re using the phone in your pocket,  one of Matterport’s Pro2 3D cameras, or hiring professionals through Matterport’s Capture Services, you can quickly capture 3D images of your property. After you’ve edited your scans and made them customer-ready, you can start sharing them directly with clients or embed them in your online listings. 

Teams across the real estate industry are already using Matterport to improve engagement, boost brand awareness, shorten the sales cycle, and close more deals: 

• Melbourne-based real estate group Jellis Craig partnered with Matterport to create virtual tours of their properties.

   As a result, more landlords and prospective landlords decided to list with their agents when they saw the power of digital twins. Since working with Matterport, Jellis Craig has increased market share in a competitive landscape and reduced yearly operating expenses by $200,000.

• New York-based realty group 3DAPARTMENT created immersive virtual tours with Matterport.

  They quickly found that customers actually preferred virtual open houses to in-person open houses — to the tune of a 500% increase in online engagement. This resulted in a whopping 49% more qualified leads. 

• Independent real estate Atkinson McLeod adopted Matterport virtual tours when the pandemic hit in 2020.

   But this short-term fix turned into a long-term solution after they noticed twice as many click-throughs for marketing emails that contained virtual tours. Their team has sped up sales cycles thanks to virtual tours with a 50% overall reduction in physical property visits.

We’ve given you plenty of real estate marketing ideas. Are you ready to create engaging, effective real estate marketing with digital twin technology? Get started today by downloading the Matterport app.