Why a Digital Marketing Strategy Is a Must-Have For the Real Estate Industry in 2021

2020 as we all know it was an unforgettable year. The “new normal” we collectively experienced was we all had to be ‘live’ 24/7.

With this drastic lifestyle change, digital marketing has not just evolved but has become the focus for many businesses, and real estate is not an exception to this rule. The real estate industry has not been a stranger to digital marketing. In international property markets, social media has helped real estate agents connect at a more personal level with prospective clients and has also driven brand awareness.

In India, though, the use of social media in the real estate industry is still at a nascent stage. Social media is only the tip of the iceberg that digital marketing is. It is high time that real estate giants draw a game plan for digital marketing which involves different mediums to target a wider audience. Why?

“Organic search accounted for more than half of all web traffic, underlining the importance of SEO in the real estate sector”

Source: 2018 study from Colliers in partnership with SEMrush

Reaching an eager audience through a planned digital marketing campaign has it’s benefits.

Brand building

Out of sight is out of mind. Branding involves not just increasing your visibility and presence but also giving your potential clients convenient ways to find you. It’s all about creating an immersive customer experience, which will always leave them wanting for more.

Staying ahead of competition

With everyone waking up to the magic of digital marketing, it’s crucial that you separate yourself from the crowd. How? By crafting digital marketing strategies that will define your brand in unique ways online.

Build a stronger reputation

Digital marketing is a great way to establish yourself as an industry leader and gain a solid reputation.

Improved ROI

The biggest benefits of targeted marketing strategies include more leads, higher conversions, and improved revenue.

Now that we’ve established the urgent need to adopt a stronger digital marketing strategy, let’s see the top trends you need to watch out for to make 2021 a rewarding year.

Design a mobile-friendly site

Almost 72.6% of people will only rely on their smartphones to access the internet by 2025, says the World Advertising Research Center (WARC). That’s nearly 3.7 billion people, and it includes those who are searching for homes. Optimize your website for seamless views across devices for ease of use. For the best experience, your mobile-friendly site should include new listings, helpful content that guides decision-making and nudges the reader towards making a purchase, and finally, give relevant links to assist with related aspects like legal documents, moving, etc.

“Social media accounted for only a meager 3% of online traffic in some of India’s top realty firms”

Source: 2018 study from Colliers in partnership with SEMrush

Embrace social media

The importance of social media for real estate cannot be overemphasized. It needs to be an integral part of your digital marketing strategy to increase lead generation and attract customers by forming personal connections. Today’s home buyers are digital savvy and tech smart, take their friends’ opinions seriously, and prefer word-of-mouth advertising. Buyers scroll through Instagram images, talk to friends on Facebook groups, and tweet out referral links. That’s how the new age home buyer conducts business, and you must make most of these platforms.

Incorporate both SEO and SEM

What’s the difference? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) uses keywords to improve your site ranking on Google search, which will improve traffic organically. Search Engine Marketing (SEM), on the other hand, relies on paid marketing strategies, which optimize search ads. Both SEO and SEM are crucial components of a well-structured digital marketing campaign as they have specific targets to help you achieve specific outcomes. It’s highly recommended to use both in conjunction with each other for the best results.

Create winning email campaigns

An email campaign has multiple benefits. You get to nurture relationships with customers by giving content relevant to their needs. Email campaigns also allow you to showcase your authority in the industry when you highlight trends and offer opinions. Through email you can also bring to notice the latest houses on the market and stoke the interest of potential customers.

Plan a 360-degree digital marketing campaign

A 360-degree digital marketing campaign is like giving a live tour of your services. It covers all aspects of your business and reaches multiple segments of the audience at once. This is a foolproof, highly-effective strategy, which includes social media posts, outbound email campaigns, SEO campaigns, website content, etc.

Consider digital marketing as a long-term investment that pays rich dividends. There was a massive disruption across industries in 2020, but 2021 is the year to get right back on track. Real estate companies are looking to align operations with the needs of both industry professionals and customers. And that can only be achieved with carefully structured digital marketing transformation roadmaps. Make one for yourself now.