2016 is winding down, which means most professionals and entrepreneurs are already full-steam ahead when it comes to planning digital marketing for the coming year.
It is shaping up to be an interesting year across many industries as we head into 2017, and perhaps one of the areas of the economy that may see the most activity is in real estate.
Real estate professionals and entrepreneurs have been busy over recent years, with the prices of homes in many markets soaring, and the industry becoming larger and more competitive than ever before.
According to the site Rentseeker in a piece of content republished by media outlets like The Huffington Post, the annual salary needed to afford a home across the U.S., and Canada is on the rise, but that means there will be more large transactions likely to take place in 2017.
Real estate pros and entrepreneurs should start planning their digital marketing accordingly now before the new year begins. Below are some ways to get started.
Implement Virtual Tours
Most homebuyers are no longer traveling from neighborhood to neighborhood trying to find their perfect home. Instead, they’re using online portals to do their initial home shopping, and this trend makes it a necessity that real estate professionals and entrepreneurs provide them with virtual tours.
The better you can make your virtual tours, the more appealing it will be to potential buyers.
Also, incorporate these virtual tours not just one your website, but in your social media advertising and marketing as well.
Mobile Optimization
Your site may already be optimized for mobile use in some sense, but make sure it’s fully optimized.
People rely on their smartphones and their tablet as their primary source of information, so make 2017 the year you perfect your mobile optimization and make sure not just your site but all of your digital marketing content is accessible to mobile users.
Build Your Online Reviews
Another thing consumers are dependent on in their daily lives? Reviews.
People read reviews before they go to a new restaurant, visit a store or hire a professional, and that includes real estate agents.
Focus your attention on building an excellent online reputation, and ask your happy clients to leave reviews for you on sites like Yelp and Facebook.
You can also have your clients review you on the major real estate sites such as Zillow.
Managing your online reputation is incredibly important in a customer service-driven industry like real estate.
Boost Your Content Marketing
Digital marketing is nothing without great content marketing, and that certainly holds true for real estate professionals.
This is a business where people feel like images and videos will do all the work for them, but it’s content marketing that will ultimately drive people to your site, so make sure you’re investing in getting it right.
2017 is likely to continue being an exciting year for real estate professionals and entrepreneurs, making it essential they stay on top of industry-specific digital marketing trends to stay competitive.
