There are seven agent marketing trends that we see happening over the course of next year. Understanding these trends will help you become a better marketer so you can sell more homes!
1. TikTok
TikTok is the fastest growing social media platform ever, and we cannot ignore it.
If we ignore something as pervasive as TikTok is becoming, then we become dinosaurs by not paying attention to the media that works today.
With that in mind, TikTok is going to be a huge trend, especially when you consider that most of Gen Z is preparing to buy their first home. TikTok is the first place that they're going to be looking for an agent.
So what actually works on TikTok for real estate business?
You should look for trending sounds and trends in general, but you have to keep it real estate related. Find ways to incorporate real estate tips and advice into trends!
TikTok gives you the opportunity to create a concise message for your contacts and connections using video. The great thing about TikTok is that it’s a very forgiving video format, meaning you don't have to be a pro.
TikTok makes it easy–you don't need to use fancy equipment or fret over perfecting your appearance. All you have to do is record yourself talking to your phone!
2. Video-Based Marketing
Video-based marketing has been an upcoming trend for several years. Today, video is everywhere, but not everyone is using it effectively yet!
Because video is the dominant way most people consume media, you should start dabbling in video. Again, Gen Z is entering into the first-time home buyer phase, so real estate professionals who are versed in video and using tools like TikTok are going to eat our lunch if we don't start doing just a little bit more video.
Many people are uncomfortable with the idea of using video because they don't know what to say or they're not quite sure how to put it all together. Just talk about what you know… Real Estate! Real estate market updates, listing showcases, buying/selling tips, etc are just some ideas for getting started.
Authenticity and transparency are also appreciated in social videos. A lot of first time home buyers and sellers have no idea what it takes to buy or sell a home and are looking to you for expertise. So don’t stress about being perfect. Let it come naturally. Share your expertise, show that you care, and do whatever else comes naturally. You’ll start building trust with clients and prospects in no time.
When you start creating video content sharing your real estate expertise, you'll start building a connection and trust with clients before you even start working together. Video lets your personality shine, and clients get to know you by watching them. By watching video, people start to develop an affinity for the person sharing those tips and advice.
After you create a video, share it to every platform you’re on. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube–you can get a lot of mileage out of one video by sharing it multiple places.
If you’d like to start creating videos–but would like an easy, done-for-you solution – check out our Marketing Club! We provide scripts and templates that make creating and sharing video as easy as point-shoot-post.
3. Instagram Reels
Instagram reels are actually the most engaging type of posts that you can use on Instagram and Facebook. It is so engaging that Facebook will actually share your reels to Facebook as well.
One of the best parts about reels is that it's incredibly easy to take your TikTok videos and post them on Instagram. Often, reels posted on Instagram get even more engagement than they do on TikTok. You should still be posting on TikTok as well, but this just shows you that people want videos right now and they want to engage with you.
Doing Instagram reels is also the best way to get more followers as well. The great thing is, the longest form of an Instagram reel is only 60 seconds. If you can talk about real estate for 60 seconds, you have yourself a hard hitting video that will actually get engaged!
Every time you show a home or work with a seller, they inevitably ask you questions, and you provide answers to those questions. Think about those questions, answer them in front of a camera, and share it on Instagram reels. It’s that easy!
4. Text Message Marketing
It used to be commonplace that if you called somebody, people actually picked up the phone and answered it. Now, it's a little bit different–when you call somebody, it goes to voicemail. They might not get back to you for weeks, depending on the individual.
We don't do as many phone calls these days, but we still have the need to be able to communicate with our clients and prospects and generate opportunities for ourselves, which is where text messaging comes into play.
There are a lot of great tools that you can use for text message marketing. Today, it is very common to send a business communication or a marketing promotion through text.
We can use text message marketing to stay in touch, build relationships, provide value, and know that it's getting through. They may not always respond, but people are receiving it, and chances are, they're opening it.
In fact, text messages are opened between 8 and 10 times more frequently than emails. So, it’s very important for us to add text messaging to our marketing agenda.
It's important to not be too pushy or salesly, however. Make sure your texts feel organic and meaningful.
5. Facebook Messenger
A slight variation of text messaging is using tools like Facebook Messenger or even Instagram direct messaging.
Our social media accounts are our new business cards. When you're connecting with somebody new for the first time, share your Instagram handle and Facebook account with them. Once you're connected on Facebook or Instagram, you can start sending them messages.
There is power in connecting with people on social media because you can send a one-on-one message to them and they're going to get it, open it, and read it because they're likely using Instagram and Facebook just as frequently as you are.
Getting familiar with how to use some of these tools to do your regular outreach will send your connection rate through the roof.
6. Personal Contact
It has always been necessary for us to show our clients and prospects that we care, but it is even more important today. In this highly connected digital/social age, it's very easy for people to only have a surface level connection with us. Going a step further and building a relationship through personal contact is going to become a requirement because ultimately, we all want to believe that people care more about us than our wallets.
In the real estate world, clients want you to care about them more than the transaction that they represent. Although you do, you might not communicate it that frequently.
Take a little bit of time out of your day to do personal outreach–send people messages through text messaging, Facebook messenger or Instagram direct messaging. You can even comment directly on their social media posts! You will find that not only will they respond really well, you will have a good response internally as well, meaning that you're going to feel good about the interactions that come out of it.
7. Direct Mail
Direct mail used to be part of the bread and butter in real estate marketing.
With all the digital tools that are available in social media, not as many people utilize direct mail. People think it's expensive or harder and it hasn't even crossed their radar as something they should do.
When you see a lot of movement in the market and technology, it can make the marketing that we do on social media a little bit more difficult. At times like this, think about how we were successful in marketing in the past. Sometimes that can tell us what we should try doing now.
Investing in direct mail marketing in the coming year is a good way to get in front of your clients, especially because so few of your competitors are.
These are the top seven agent marketing trends that we're seeing at this time, but we're curious:
Which ones are you seeing?
Which ones are you actually doing right now?
Let us know in the comment section below ⬇️
