Real estate agents have always been leaders in marketing from the days of bus bench and newspaper ads to the modern era of digital marketing. In the real estate industry, marketing is not optional, because housing markets are so competitive. You might see that many agents have their own frequently updated websites, blogs, and social media sites, and you should be using these resources as well, if you aren’t already. Both established and new real estate professionals should never overlook the importance of content marketing in the housing industry, which is a great way to get exposure among potential clients, establish yourself within a given community, and stand out as an industry expert.
Remaining Competitive in a Cutthroat Industry
Becoming a real estate agent and finding success as a real estate agent are two separate tasks, because the industry is incredibly competitive. With so many agents available, why should a client choose you to list or find your home? Content marketing will provide an answer to this fundamental question by allowing you to passively educate clients through blogs and eBooks, draw attention to a community you represent with neighborhood profiles, showcase your industry knowledge on your website, and establish yourself as a resource for clients. As you dedicate efforts to content marketing, you can:
- Become more relatable to your clients.
- Offer helpful resources to potential home buyers and sellers.
- Accurately reflect your specialty and areas of expertise.
- Gain exposure across mediums.
Building Your Real Estate Brand
Looking beyond the competitiveness among real estate agents, it’s important to consider your clients as you think about your content marketing approach. Buying or selling a home is a big step in any individual’s life, so clients will put great faith in their real estate agent to guide them through various offers, new listings, and investment opportunities. By building a brand identity through your content, you will be able to gain more trust from your clients, who will see that you have the unique expertise and insight they need to make a smart sale or purchase. Your clients may also stick with you for their future housing needs as they stay connected to your brand through your content. Rather than spending time networking and keeping touch in person, you might let blog content or a monthly newsletter nurture leads and engage clients for you.
Identifying Your Real Estate Content Niche
The benefits of content marketing are no secret in the real estate industry, which means that many realtors and other real estate professionals are already using content to build their brands. As you begin exploring possible approaches to content, you might think about a niche within the industry that can set you apart. Below you can see just a few examples of the type of content you might offer to gain attention and build the valuable client trust you’re after. Each of these can also bolster your social strategy, providing interesting, sharable links to post on your social accounts.
Neighborhood Profiles
Working in real estate, knowledge of your territory is essential. Clients want to know that they are working with professionals who live, work, and play in the communities they represent. Neighborhood profiles are a perfect opportunity to show that you know your community, and they can draw attention to hot new listings in your area. As a listing agent, you may benefit from neighborhood profiles to gain buzz around your clients’ listings.
How-To Guides
Real estate is an industry that can leave clients with lots of questions ranging from how to finance their home purchase to how to stage a home for sale. You may find yourself answering the same questions again and again, so it can be helpful to compile how-to-guides as resources. eBooks and other downloadables can be particularly beneficial, since they will give potential clients something to take away and refer to throughout the purchase process.
Industry Guides
Along with information about the home buying and selling processes, it might be helpful to offer more technical industry information to your clients through content marketing. You can offer real estate glossaries, crash courses to industry standards, and negotiation tactics.
Insider Secrets
One of the aspects of content marketing that makes it a great fit for real estate is the ability to share unique expertise in an approachable way. Real estate professionals can see great traffic from industry insider blogs and other content that helps clients gain their own unique edge while purchasing or selling property.
Whether you’re in the industry yourself or you’re a digital marketing agency with real estate clients, focusing on a content marketing strategy is critical. If you want to take advantage of content marketing solutions designed specifically for the real estate industry but find yourself without the time to post blogs and infographics, check out what Pennington Creative can do for you. We can adapt our SEO services to the best practices for your real estate organization. Check out some of our previous work, or get started with a discovery call today.
