Tips for Effective Real Estate Content Marketing

What Is Real Estate Content Marketing?

According to Content Marketing Institute, content marketing is comprised of the following:

• A strategic marketing approach
• Creating valuable, relevant, and consistent content
• Distributing that content
• Getting profitable customer action

The goal behind content marketing in real estate is to provide context for the offered services. So, instead of bragging on and on about our skills as a realtor and our closings, we focus on the issues and problems that our service would resolve for our prospects.

To put it simply, real estate content marketing paves the way for the audience to find their way toward you and become your client; this is like building a bridge, but instead of starting from your side, you are building from the prospects’ side and leading them to you.

Looking at content marketing in this way proves that it is not just a love affair filling you with joy one moment and leaving you the next; it is a lasting and fruitful relationship that takes time and effort. As David Beebs puts it beautifully, “Content marketing is like a first date. If all you do is talk about yourself, there won’t be a second date.”

A final point on the “content” part of content marketing: we are not just talking about blogs. In our time, content extends to any possible way of delivering the message.

Why Is Real Estate Content Marketing Essential?

Now that we reviewed the nature of content marketing, let’s see how it makes a difference in the real estate business:

Becoming visible

The Internet is an endless ocean, and you need to stand out. Content is your most prominent tool to improve your SEO and let you stand out. Addressing the needs, concerns, and desires of your audience will let you shine above all and attract. That is the first step in all your marketing efforts because if nobody knows you’re there, then you are not really there.

Building trust in your relationship

All your marketing efforts are headed this way at heart: “choose me and not my competitors.” To achieve that, content is your buddy. Through honest, relevant, and informative posts, you start the journey. Andrew Davis has put this in a straightforward way, and we are 100% in agreement with him: “Content builds relationships. Relationships are built on trust. Trust drives revenue.”
So, an essential advantage of content marketing is assisting you in building the foundation for your lasting relationship with your audience.

Establishing credibility

When you share authentic and practical information about all the aspects of the real estate market, you become the source that people turn to and rely on. Through this, you can establish yourself as a professional who is up to date with the changes in the market and shares them generously.

Raising brand awareness

When your name and logo go side by side a useful content, the audience gets to know you and your business in a new light. You are presented as someone who cares and shares practical information. Now, who wouldn’t want to be that person?!

Statistics show that people prefer an agent who is recommended by a friend or family. This applies to all of us in every aspect of life: we want a familiar and trusted person by our side when it comes to challenging decisions. Content is where you get a chance to show you can be and are that trusted agent.

Content marketing paints a picture regarding you and your services, so you need to be mindful of how you’re presenting your brand.

Controlling the narrative

People talk! If you choose your content marketing strategy wisely, you will be the one leading the conversation and not just the topic of it. Well-thought-out content aligning with your principles and values gives you control over the message of your brand. You will be the one choosing how you’d be understood as a realtor in the eyes of your prospects and clients.

Generating leads

Content marketing, at first, feels like a one-way street that you are only giving. Remember that it is a boomerang; it’ll all come back amplified. Keep in mind, as Ted Wright puts it, that: “Average brands advertise. Great brands share.”

Your established positions as a knowledgeable source and a trustworthy brand in the real estate market will attract sales and leads. You just need to be patient and consistent enough to continue with your efforts.

Reducing dependence

In the beginning, a considerable amount of your marketing efforts would be advertising in different forums, but once you become the established voice in your specific niche, the content acts as your engine, and you could eventually decrease your budget for other marketing methods.

How to Use Real Estate Content Marketing Effectively?

Now that we have established the advantages of a thorough content marketing strategy let’s check out the tips that will put you ahead of the game.
The first option is better since it acts as an example.

1. Know the audience

Raising our invisible hat to Socrates, we assume that starting your content marketing; you are well aware of thy self, so we recommend knowing thy prospects. Since you are paving the way from their side, you should know what their side entails.
So, before starting any content marketing efforts, make clear who you are going to start a conversation with because content marketing is always headed that way. These are the questions you need to answer:

As you can see, this list can go on and on, covering every aspect of the audience you want to build a relationship with and sell your brand to. The goal is to know every affecting feature about your prospects to calibrate your content accordingly.

2. Beware of the human nature

We are all a combination of logic and emotion. Any prepared content for your website, Facebook, or even ads should address both sides. No one can expect us to act emotionally or logically all the time. It’s a see-saw; with each tap, we lean, always trying to find our balance between these two.
Your content should be directed at both sides of human nature. For instance, if you are elaborating on the sensation of having a pool on the estate, mention its upkeep as well. This way, your audience feels well-informed while sensing the possible joy of having a pool at the property.
Tapping on human emotions must have a limit. Otherwise, the person on the other side feels being used. And nobody likes that.
To have an external measure, you don’t have to go far: Your yardstick is you. Just put yourself on the other side and see how you would feel and what you would think faced with such content.

3. Be sharable

This applies to both the content and the platform you are using. Content-wise, your ideal content is located where information and entertainment meet up with marketing. The updates in the real estate market, news about the neighborhood, stories about the town, house upkeep tips, and basically any topic that interests your audience would have a chance to be shared.
While working on the shareability of your content, don’t forget the share options on your website. You want people to know about you, right? So, make it easy for them to spread the word.

4. Remember the power of storytelling

“There was this realtor ten years ago who decided to describe one listing by recording a walkthrough and explaining the feeling and atmosphere of each room in the house.”
We don’t know if such a realtor ever existed, but it caught your attention, right? Storytelling is not necessarily a “once upon a time” theme. It’s a simple way to keep the information you are sharing relatable. The vibe and context of storytelling bring people close and make them more open to the conveyed message.
Studies have repeatedly shown us that when a brand connects with its clients emotionally, the story and messages shared with them can become a part of their lives. Therefore, a non-promotional human story can do wonders when it comes to building a solid foundation with your clientele.
You don’t have to be a writer. Again, you have a pretty decent judge with you: yourself. Just browse around blogs and ads. Their topic can be something other than real estate to help you gain perspective. See what clicks, which ones you remember, and which you share with others. Analyze their characteristics and try bringing that vibe into your content preparation process.

5. Borrow what you don’t have yet

Building a relationship and getting people to trust you takes time, but what if you could loan some trust? Look for professionals in the zone you offer your services and partner up with them. Real estate photographers, brokers, construction companies, repair shops, interior designers, and so many others in the neighborhood can be your ally.
A well-known business can provide a unique chance for you to find your audience. Remember to pick your content partner wisely, since you are getting the stamp of approval from that entity, and it will stick.

6. Create the flow instead of going with it

It is said that “nothing is new under the sun,” but there are always new ways to say things differently by looking from new angles. We are living in a time when people are swamped with data. If you only copy what’s out there, you will only be one of many.
To establish genuine content, listen attentively; Work on your listening skills. Through that, even one listing can open the door to the needs and desires of both buyer and seller. Then you can turn that into a topic for your content marketing.
This way, your content is practical and answers existing needs and worries. Faced with such content, your audience feels understood and heard. That will shape a foundation for trust.

7. Stay relevantly in touch

Around 40 percent of home buyers call an agent referred by a friend, family, or neighbor. So, keeping in touch with your previous clients is vital, but the “how” is essential.
You should remember that they’ve recently bought a house, so newsletters about up-and-coming neighborhoods won’t be useful for them. But tips on house repairs or news from their district can keep them in your network.
What you share with them should have added value to their lives rather than being a nuisance. So, keep it relevant to stay relevant.

8. Keep it honest

The most crucial factor for choosing an agent for buyers and sellers is being trustworthy, followed by experience and reputation. If you want your content to act as a magnet for future clients and to generate leads, don’t compromise your integrity.
Check your facts and resources before sharing your content. Make sure you are sharing up-to-date and correct information. Your trustworthiness is your primary asset; once it gets tarnished, it’s hard to build it back up.

9. Mix it up

Just because a line of content works does not mean you should avoid anything else. Both sides of a repeated pattern get boring after a while and let’s not forget the market saturation. Not every content is supposed to be extraordinary to reach out to; sometimes, you just need ordinary to touch people and show them the humane side of your brand.
You can shed light on the dark side of the moon and show the behind-the-scenes of a realtor’s life. Be mindful not to go overboard with this side and balance it with other aspects of your content. Always remember that it’s not all about you (just a little bit about you!)
Remember, as many experts have emphasized before, we are in the digital era of mega-filters. Getting through these personalized filters is challenging, especially for anyone starting new. Diverse content is one way to overcome this barrier.

10. Keep up with the 5 Ps

This is our bonus tip for you, and it’ll be easy to remember. There are five essential Ps that your content marketing should abide by:
Personal: We human beings have a limited circle of care. We cannot care about everything, but we do care about our loved ones, our surroundings, and our values. So, your real estate content must always remain personal and tangible for the clientele that you are pursuing. It is only relatable when it’s personal.
Precise: People do not follow you just to hang out! You have a premise for your brand, so you need to keep it precisely in that premise. Of course, there are levels of relative information, but they should all be in the domain of your business.
Pertinent: Content can easily fall into a controversial area and backfire. Therefore, before publishing, assess if it is pertinent and delivers the message properly.
Persistent: Content marketing is as much about a single post as it is about the flow. If you are not persistent with it, you won’t be able to gain an established audience and keep it. So keep it steady and be patient.
Pragmatic: We all carry different troubles with us and subconsciously look for ways to unburden ourselves. Let your content be pragmatic and be part of the solution. You can even be the solution no one has thought of. When you are essential, you are kept.

Final Remark

One thing to take with you is that in real estate content marketing, we are not dealing with a machine; we are having a conversation with a human being with needs and desires, Someone with hopes and dreams for the future but also with bitter experiences from the past.

Think of content marketing as planting a seed. You should be in it for the long run and be committed to your endeavors. Once people feel heard and understood, they relate and welcome you into their circle of trust. That is where you get the call.