Here are 12 real estate digital marketing ideas for establishing a successful online presence:

1. Define your real estate digital marketing goals.
2. Develop a social media marketing strategy.
3. Invest in real estate advertising.
4. Become a Zillow Premier Agent.
5. Join relevant local online community groups.
6. Purchase a lead-generating IDX website.
7. Implement an SEO strategy.
8. Send real estate email newsletters.
9. Create an email nurture campaign.
10. Publish content that answers real estate questions.
11. Share virtual home tours.
12. Host a webinar or livestream.

1. Define your real estate digital marketing goals

Your first priority when developing a real estate marketing strategy is to define your goals. These should be specific and measurable so you can adjust and improve them once you see results. Some examples of real estate digital marketing goals:

• Generate 10 prospective leads from social media advertising each month.
• Increase traffic to your real estate website by 15% each month.
• Increase social engagement (mentions and replies) by 5% each month.

2. Develop a social media marketing strategy

Establishing a social media presence means more than just sharing real estate Facebook posts every once in a while. You’ll need to create a real estate social media marketingstrategy that drives traffic to your website, reinforces your brand and helps you stay in touch with past clients — all while allowing you to track engagement. Your posts should be a mix of personal, promotional and practical. Consider:

• Sharing new and existing listings
• Posting infographics of real estate market updates and neighborhood statistics
• Publishing blog posts that answer home buyers’ questions
• Engaging followers with live videos and photographs
• Holding giveaways or contests to build awareness and drive engagement (be sure to check with your legal adviser first — local laws may apply)
• Promoting local businesses, events and news
• Sharing stories and testimonials from past clients

You can use a tool like Hootsuite to schedule your real estate social media posts in advance. This lets you save time and ensures you’re posting a variety of content. Know the strengths of each social media platform and use them to your advantage, and keep your branding consistent across platforms.

3. Invest in real estate advertising

Search engine marketing (SEM) lets you promote your website by placing it at the top of a search engine results page (SERP). SEM is paid advertising — you’re essentially paying a company like Google to give your page priority on the SERP for a chosen keyword. Much like SEM, many social media platforms also support a form of paid advertising. The majority of platforms use one (or both) of these models:

• Cost-per-click (CPC): Your cost is determined by how many people click on your ad.
• Cost-per-mille (CPM): Your cost is determined by how many thousands of people see your page. 

Before paying for real estate online marketing, be sure to understand your demographic and how they’ll view and interact with your ads on each platform.

Google uses a CPC structure to appear in the “sponsored ads” section of a SERP for a specific keyword like “buy homes in Seattle.”

Facebook offers a CPM platform, which is best for focusing on brand awareness rather than sparking conversation. You can target a keyword phrase to reach a narrow or broad audience.

Instagram uses the same CPM advertising structure as Facebook.

Twitter lets you pay to promote your tweets and uses a pay-for-engagement platform, which is useful for linking to blog posts and sharing market updates.

LinkedIn lets you choose how you want to advertise — you can use either a CPC or CPM model.

The goal of real estate online marketing is to gain clients and referrals — and it’s crucial to know if your paid advertisements are really paying off. Bret Calltharp, Zillow’s director of industry outreach, has firsthand experience with the importance of tracking leads. “Savvy agents track where their inquiries come from, and they also track CPC and click-through rates,” he says. The more data you track, the more efficiently you’ll be able to target your audience and convert leads.

4. Become a Zillow Premier Agent

As a Zillow Premier Agent, you’ll have access to exclusive branding, tools to convert connections into clients, and visibility into your clients’ searches and views. Research has shown that buyers who use online resources to find a home are also significantly more likely to use an agent — 80% versus 52% of those who don’t use online resources. Zillow Premier Agent benefits include:

• Premium exposure for your listings on Zillow and Facebook to expand your presence online
• Live connections to high-intent leads
• A free website and the Zillow Premier Agent CRM and App 
• Insight into which homes your clients have viewed, searched for and saved
• The ability to text personalized home recommendations to clients straight from the app
• The tools to stay a step ahead — tasks, reminders, custom notes and mobile notifications
• Personal performance tracking and reporting tools

5. Join relevant local online community groups

You can join special interest social media groups for people in your farming area, but be sure to tailor your posts to fit with the group’s purpose. Participate in local online real estate forums hosted by Facebook and LinkedIn. Facebook and other social media platforms also host local neighborhood groups you may be able to join if you live and work in a specific area. By joining online communities like this you can:

• Share content that’s valuable to home buyers in your network.
• Provide answers to common questions from home buyers and sellers.
• Establish yourself as a local industry expert.
• Make connections with other agents or leads.
• Reconnect with past clients.
• Share community news, market updates and new listings.

Joining relevant social media groups like these is a useful real estate online marketing tactic to help drive awareness — just be sure not to come off as too promotional.

6. Purchase a lead-generating IDX website

An internet data exchange (IDX) website generates real estate buyer leads by letting buyers search for homes directly on your site. It taps into the MLS database to show current homes on the market. All Zillow Premier Agents receive IDX real estate agent websites for free, and if you’re not a Zillow Premier Agent you can purchase an IDX website for $10 per month.

Keep in mind that 44% of sellers use smartphones and tablets to access websites, so make sure your real estate agent website is optimized for viewing on mobile devices.

7. Implement an SEO strategy

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of increasing the quality and quantity of your website traffic by improving the visibility of your site to people who search for specific keywords. By implementing an SEO strategy as part of your real estate digital marketing plan, you’ll help drive relevant traffic to your website. Some tips for gaining leads from SEO:

• Research and incorporate relevant keywords.
• Target local real estate traffic.
• Optimize each listing by including the address, a unique description and images.
• Create informative content that directly answers home buyers’ questions.
• Make your website mobile-friendly.
• Link internally and externally in your blog posts.

8. Send real estate email newsletters

Sending out a regular real estate email newsletter builds brand awareness, shows your local expertise and provides readers with relevant and interesting content. “A well-done newsletter can help agents stay top of mind and nurture leads,” says Calltharp. Some benefits of a real estate email newsletter:

• It’s quick and easy to send your latest newsletter to a new lead.
• You can link directly to your website, social media profiles and blog posts.
• You won’t have to pay for the cost of printing and mailing a paper newsletter.
• Readers can easily forward the newsletter to their contacts and share your links through social media.

9. Create an email nurture campaign

Nurture emails are an easy way for you to reach out and for your leads to receive information. A nurture campaign consists of prewritten follow-up emails to send out to leads. You can also monitor engagement, click-through rates and open rates — and make adjustments when needed. Content can include market updates, service reminders and a Q&A section that demonstrates your local real estate knowledge. Don’t forget to include links to your website and social media accounts to drive traffic and capture more leads.

10. Publish content that answers real estate questions

Real estate digital marketing strategies aren’t useful without valuable content that’s relevant to your audience. Do an online search or join a discussion group to learn what sort of questions buyers are asking, and use your research to produce informative blog posts that answer their questions. Reuse the content you create on social media and in your newsletters. 

Another key factor is consistency — consider establishing a content schedule to keep your audience engaged. “Repetition and consistency is key if you wish to stay top of mind, particularly when it comes to branding,” says Calltharp. According to a Lucidpress study, consistent brand presentation results in an average revenue increase of 23%. Calltharp says, “If you’re not targeting consumers with content, you can rest assured that other agents are.”

11. Share virtual home tours

Virtual tours are a great way to make home buying easier — and to differentiate yourself from the competition. If you create a virtual walkthrough tour of a home, buyers will be able to visualize themselves in the property and see everything it has to offer. In fact, 45% of Gen Z buyers and 41% of millennial buyers find it important to watch a recorded video of a home to help them decide which property to buy. Test your virtual tours on multiple devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets to ensure they’re viewable.

With Zillow 3D Home tours, you can use your iPhone to create an immersive experience that’s integrated into your Zillow and Trulia listings.

12. Host a webinar or livestream

You can host a webinar (similar to a class or workshop) to engage with your audience and share your expertise as an agent. If one of your real estate digital marketing strategies is to create a sense of urgency, consider streaming a live video on a social media platform like Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat. This will allow you to:

• Provide a behind-the-scenes look at one of your listings.
• Promote an open house.
• Show a property or neighborhood walkthrough.
• Interview a contractor or past client.
• Answer questions from home buyers.

To maximize your marketing efforts, you can use real estate hashtags to increase the discoverability of your messages and gain followers.

What are real estate hashtags?

A hashtag is the ubiquitous little # symbol that identifies keywords and gives a message context, meaning and endurance. By adding a hashtag before a word or phrase, you make your entire message searchable so that other social media users — even people who don’t follow you — can find it and read what you have to say. To ensure your hashtags work properly, avoid using spaces and punctuation.

How many hashtags should you use?

The number of real estate hashtags you use per message will vary based on which social media platform you’re using, although it’s always a good idea to keep them minimal so the message looks clean and well thought out. Here are the limits for each platform:

Instagram allows you to use up to 30 hashtags per message, although consider limiting yourself to 5-10.

Twitter doesn’t have a hashtag limit, but instead enforces a 280-character limit per message, including hashtags. One or two relevant hashtags per message will help people discover your brand.

Pinterest also uses a character limit — 500 for messages — including hashtags. Try to keep the number of hashtags similar to Instagram, with less than 10 being a good blend of discoverability and visual appeal.

Should you use real estate hashtags on Facebook?

While you can use hashtags on Facebook, they aren’t as common and do not help improve discoverability. If you’re looking to increase discoverability on Facebook, it’s a good idea to look into real estate Facebook ads and other marketing strategies.

One strategy is to become a Zillow Premier Agent, which will allow you to promote your listings on Zillow and Facebook. Real estate agents who use Zillow Premier Agent Direct get 80% higher engagement than other real estate category ads on Facebook.

How to use real estate hashtags on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

For the most part, using hashtags doesn’t vary between platforms. However, there are a few differences that you should understand before including hashtags in your message.

Instagram allows users to follow hashtags, which will make content tagged with those hashtags appear in their feed. You can also consider advertising your own branded hashtag in your bio and encouraging users to use it to submit content.

Twitter doesn’t let you follow hashtags, although third-party apps like TweetDeck do have the capability to follow hashtags on Twitter.

Pinterest works more like a visual search engine that you can curate. It’s easy to find popular real estate hashtags by searching for them in the search bar.

Top real estate hashtags

The sheer volume of usable hashtags can be overwhelming, since any word or phrase can be turned into one. But you can narrow the choices by familiarizing yourself with relevant real estate hashtags by identifying the ones your leads and clients are most interested in and talking about. Then you can use those hashtags in your own posts, tweets and pins to connect with your audience. Here are the top real estate hashtags:

General real estate hashtags

1. #realestate
2. #realty
3. #broker
4. #forsale
5. #newhome
6. #househunting
7. #property
8. #properties
9. #investment
10. #home
11. #housing
12. #mortgage
13. #foreclosure
14. #selling
15. #listing

Real estate listing hashtags

1. #justlisted
2. #justsold
3. #openhouse
4. #offmarketlisting
5. #newlisting
6. #homesale
7. #homeforsale
8. #eatinkitchen
9. #motherinlawsuite
10. #emptynest
11. #petfriendly
12. #dogfriendly
13. #catsokay
14. #midcenturymodern
15. #colonial
16. #victorian
17. #bungalow
18. #townhouse
19. #condo
20. #starterhome
21. #dreamhome
22. #curbappeal
23. #parking
24. #backyardpool
25. #milliondollarlisting

Home improvement hashtags

1. #renovated
2. #marblecountertops
3. #fixandflip
4. #homeinspection

Location specific hashtags

1. #walkableneighborhood
2. #HOA
3. #treelinedstreets
4. #downtown
5. #uptown
6. #closetothebeach
7. #greattransportation
8. #[neighborhood]realestate
9. #[neighborhood]homeforsale
10. #[city]realestate
11. #[city]homeforsale

Real estate event hashtags

1. #[your name]openhouse
2. #[real estate conference name]

Branded real estate hashtags

1. #[your name]
2. #[your office name]
3. #[your brokerage]
4. #[your farm area]realestate
5. #[your farm area and brokerage]
6. #[your farm area and personal branding]

Call-to-action hashtags

1. #referrals
2. #reducedfee

9 strategies for using real estate hashtags

Used correctly, the right hashtags can grab your audience’s attention and get them to follow you. Here are some real estate hashtag strategies to consider:

1. Search hashtags before sharing

Before you use a hashtag in a message, do a quick search to ensure the content associated with that hashtag is relevant and appropriate. The search may even provide you with information, like how many times the hashtag has been used, along with other related hashtags.

2. Keep track of the hashtags you use frequently

Consider starting a document or spreadsheet to keep track of the hashtags you use. This will help when posting similar content in the future and allow you to track which hashtags are the most effective at gaining followers.

3. Make note of which hashtags other agents are using

Keep track of what other agents are doing, especially ones with a large number of followers. It’s also a good idea to find influential real estate accounts and see what hashtags they use.

4. Search for hashtags your potential leads might be using

Be specific and find hashtags your target audience is using and engaging with. The search bar is your friend, and a few minutes of research could make all the difference when trying to place yourself in front of people who are looking to buy or sell a home. Some hashtags to consider are:

1. #wanttomove
2. #hatemyhouse
3. #buymyhouse

5. Switch up your hashtags

By using different hashtags, you’re able to reach different audiences and increase the likelihood of gaining new followers (and leads!). This will allow you to have a rotation of hashtags that’s greater than the number you use in each message. If you have a niche such as high-end real estate, consider using luxury real estate hashtags such as #luxuryhomes or #[city]luxuryhomes. The same can be done for properties with acreage or any other specific feature. 

6. Target your farm area

The most popular real estate hashtags are not always the best ones for finding leads. Try narrowing your audience while increasing the likelihood of gaining local followers by targeting people who live in your farming area. How you market your local hashtags is up to you, but a general search on your neighborhood or area will turn up what popular real estate hashtags others are using.

7. Avoid irrelevant hashtags

Don’t use irrelevant hashtags just because they’re popular. It’s unlikely to net you any relevant followers who will help your business. You want to use the best hashtags for real estate and your area.

8. Avoid spam hashtags

It’s a good practice to avoid spam hashtags like #followforfollow, which can make your personal brand look questionable. You’ll gain followers, but not relevant ones — and the unprofessional appearance may deter future clients.

9. Highlight your listing’s best features

Another way to use hashtags for real estate is showing off the cool features of a listing. Try using hashtags like #fireplace or #countrylife to get in front of followers who may be interested in a specific type of home or lifestyle.

If you can’t answer that question, it’s time to work on your real estate personal brand. People choose who they do business with based on a number of different factors, including presentation, demeanor, experience and passion. Your brand combines your beliefs with your business practices and this is what people gravitate to when seeking out a real estate professional. We made this infographic with Barry Feldman to show how to make a killer brand. But we work in real estate, so let’s get specific about how to make your mark on real estate with your personal brand.

Authenticity

Anything other than the real you won’t do. Discover exactly what makes you fascinating. Build your brand on your true strengths. 

As a real estate professional, your goal should always be to attract clients who identify with you and your abilities. The same skills you have at building friendships can be utilized to build trust with clients. People make decisions every day in the industry based on gut instinct, and insincerity just won’t work.

Focus

Blurry brands languish. Define your brand with a focused niche to connect with the minds of those you aim to influence. 

If you’re having trouble clarifying your message, bring it back to the basics. Why do you love real estate? People? Your town? Great architecture? Try to remember the first reason you got into this field. Or think about the first sale you made. Use those emotions to drive your messaging.

Slogan

Your brand should be the promise you make. Work at developing a unique selling proposition and express it in a concise, memorable slogan. 

Real estate is an evolutionary, exciting, personable market; why did you choose to become a part of it? These are all integral questions you should be able to answer honestly and easily. Condense these ideas down and sum them up with one sentence — this is your slogan.

Voice

People remember how you made them feel. What you say is important, but how you say it is even more important. Develop a unique and genuine voice. 

Are you a quirky individual that comes across as stiff in your writing? Do you sound genuine in person and forced online? Are you an older professional trying to make connections with younger clientele? Try to use language that is true to how you speak, and make sure that it sends the right message to your clients.

“Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.”

— OSCAR WILDE

Opine

Nix the notion of universal appeal. Take strong stands on your ideals and voice your opinions. There’s no notoriety in bland land. Be Bold. 

A sale price is a bartering ticket waiting for to be debated, so use all of those skills you’ve acquired in a “fast on your feet” business and tell it like it is. Feel free to say how you feel about market trends and neighborhoods. Your customers will appreciate the blunt tactics that bring effective results.

Understand Triggers

Weak brands focus solely on intellectual arguments. Strong brands tap into emotions. The subject you need to master is psychology. Become a student of it. 

People buy houses on based on feelings and what it will do for their personal lives, not just property stats. Dig deep and try to comprehend emotionally what the people you are selling to are looking for. Adjust your strategy accordingly.

Photo

Your face must appear all across the social sphere. Don’t scrimp here. Hire a pro to do a photo shoot and pick the portrait that says, “I’m your friend.” 

A personal brand is heavily based on visuals. Find a picture that drips with confidence and friendliness. Post it all over your social and make it your visual signature. If you don’t have one, hire someone to make you look great.

Content

Valuable content has magnetic power. Create an interesting mix of content to earn the mindshare and trust your brand needs.

After you decide who you are, share what you know. Your content is the key to conveying that message of your brand. Choose to share insightful knowledge. Use interesting content to challenge the status quo of a classic industry. Don’t forget to ask questions: Ask your audience for their ideas and input. Everyone who’s looking for new homes can benefit from a expert comment or two.

Questions

Ask questions. Ask people to tell you their stories. Ask for their ideas. And then listen closely. Everyone loves a good listener.

Questions can be drawn from every corner of your life, whether that’s in person or online. Listening to people’s real estate needs or past experiences (good and bad) can help you grow your knowledge base of potential client dos and don’ts. Social is a great resource for potential new business strategies and content. Listening can be the difference between finding properties a client “likes” to signing papers.

Keywords

When surfers go a-Googling, which words will lead them to you? Build a short list of the most relevant keywords and use them often.

Pick out some relevant keywords for your business area. Decide which words from your website and social pages have the most traction, and integrate them appropriately into your content, pages, and social media. The phrases you choose should accurately describe your business but also who you are as a professional.

Media

Media is more complex than ever, and more vital. Identify the outlets that are most valued in your field, and use their tools to elevate your brand.

Social media and multimedia channels are the best way to get your messaging out there quickly and creatively. It’s free exposure, and if you’re message and ideals are constructed properly, it will enhance your brand. If you aren’t getting interviews or spotlights from major media, build from within. Hire a video production team or take some tips from video experts and make some impressive content to share. Video is also a great piece of content to share on social media.

Graphic Design

Everything you create should be presented with class and continuity. Develop a tasty logo, color palette, and design standards that reflect well on your brand.

Design is a crucial piece of making your brand message sing. Remember to compose a striking logo that translates the qualities of your slogan. Consider getting a pro on this one: The more professional your designs look, the more weight your brand will have.

Network

Make connections locally, regionally, and globally. Have a business card or something of even greater value to distribute. Follow up and follow through.

Use social media to reach out and connect with new business partners and potential clients alike. But don’t focus on just business. Make sure that people know and trust you and your brand way before they’re thinking of real estate. And when they do? You will immediately pop up in their heads as a reference to a friend or family (or perhaps themselves).

Influencers

Influential professionals have prominent friends. Seek out leaders. Surround yourself with them. Find ways to be of value to them. 

There is a world of real estate professionals out there who have years of skills and knowledge to impart. Seek out those who you can make you better — it’s the best way to become a leader.

“A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.”

— FRANK CAPRA

Join

Affiliations are all-important to the growth of your brand. Find groups you’d be proud to be a part of, get involved, and make your presence known.

Join as many business affiliations as you can. This includes professional groups and organizations, conventions and conferences. These are great ways to learn industry secrets and insider knowledge through workshops and organic conversations. Make a point of having one-on-ones with people you find interesting. Keep business cards on hand.

Teach

Every person you admire taught you valuable lessons. Commit to nurturing the teacher within and build your brand by becoming a trusted advisor.

Pull up the next generation of real estate professionals by offering your knowledge to them. Being a trusted expert in an industry is a luxury and a privilege. Start to build your network of great real estate agents and brokers.

Recognize

You won’t achieve your goals on your own. Privately and publicly, recognize the contributions of every person who’s played a part in your brand development.

Most people don’t wake up wanting to show properties for a living. Who were the influencers in your life that shifted the winds of change towards your current career? Recognize their contribution to your success. Something as simple as a mention in an interview, a tweet of thank you, or a simple card are all gracious responses.

eXamine

Your X-ray for all online efforts is analytics. Deploy Google Analytics and/or additional tools to inform you of how visitors behave on your site and what you can do to improve their experience.

Are people going to the pages you want them to? Are they clicking on your prioritized links? Are they getting to your website via the keywords you anticipated? Look at your online analytics to inform yourself on how your audience is realistically interacting with your brand. You may consider adjusting your branding tactics based on these responses.

Help Others

Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Find ways to be helpful. Be the first to volunteer, connect people, or get behind any meaningful mission.

Not everything is business. Your brand is still very much who you are, and people respond well to those who put themselves out on a limb to lend a helping hand. Always be thinking of how you can do things selflessly for the sake of a cause.

Zeal

Zeal is a “strong feeling of interest and enthusiasm that makes one determined to do something.” Without it, there’s no point in building a personal brand.

This is something that should come naturally if you’re passionate about your work and your brand. Channeling this energy will make the difference of new and exciting business opportunities.