Scott Stevens

There are few sectors in the world that can benefit from content marketing in the way that the real estate industry can. The huge sums of money involved combined with nerves, excitement, passion, hopes, and dreams are the proverbial perfect storm for content marketing success. But just because it’s effective, doesn’t mean it’s easy. Remember, you’re not the only real estate agency that’s pushing content, and there’s only so much content buyers can consume before they are saturated. With that in mind here are our top tips to increase the effectiveness of your content marketing within the real estate industry: Focus on the experience. For many potential homebuyers, it’s not always the bricks and mortar of the house itself that is important, but rather what it symbolizes. A fresh start, an exciting new chapter, the beginnings of a family, the chance to wind down in retirement... Understand your audience and make your content relatable. Write about what people would care about (think listicles on the best hotspots, local guides, budgeting tips for expensive cities, etc.). Not only does this allow you to write about a range of topics outside of real estate but it also broadens the scope of who your content could reach. You’ll be known as more than a real estate agent, you’ll be a part of the community. Up your photography game. In the real estate business, all-important first impressions are made from first glance. So you had better make sure your photography is up to scratch. Don’t neglect the technical aspects and ensure that the images are high-resolution and can be reused in a variety of marketing channels (i.e. traditional print as well as social media). Make sure there’s an adequate number of images so the audience can better assess the property and be assured that what they see is what they will get. Host events. People skills are central to the success of all real estate agents. Why not maximize your excellent communication and client-facing capabilities by hosting in-person events? This can be anything from holding open houses, seminars, or webinars, meet and greet sessions with brokers and potential clients… Buying or selling a home is a huge life decision and one that can be overwhelming for many people. Homebuyers want to feel secure in the choices they make and having a trustworthy real estate agent by their side will help enormously with that. In-person events allow you to build that all-important connection and trust with your clients. A secondary bonus is that you can easily turn events into marketable online content. Photos, videos, round-up blog posts, and soundbites can all be captured on the day then shared widely on your site after the event. Plan your content effectively. As with most things in life, a solid, organized foundation can set you up for success. Avoid feeling overworked by designing an effective plan for your real estate content marketing strategy. For example: Develop any and all ideas - the more the better. Content marketing is not a one and done job. Whether it’s brainstorming an eclectic mish-mash of projects or designing a thoughtful, cohesive series to publish on your site, layout all and any ideas that you can revisit and build upon. Your future self will thank you. Schedule days to write and publish - a blog post a month won’t cut it if you want to build an online presence. Even if you don’t see traction from the first handful of posts, keep pushing on and you’ll later reap the rewards. Consistency is key, outsource your real estate blogging to freelancers if you don’t enjoy writing (or if you simply don’t have the time). Prepare to promote your content - so, you’ve done the hard work and crafted captivating content for all those potential clients, what now? Well, for one, it’s no use if there’s no audience to appreciate it! Include it in your email newsletters, share snippets on your social media accounts, consider investing in targeted ads to expand your reach… get creative and get your voice out into the world. Content marketing is just one of the many ways to market your business, but it’s one that’s definitely worth investing time and energy into. The bottom line is, if your content is good, your business will garner attention online and perhaps even a loyal following. And that highly engaged audience may just turn into high-paying clients. AUTHOR BIO. Contact Splento if you are in need of: Event Photography and Videography Professional Headshots eCommerce Photography and Videography