Facebook Ads: A Step-by-Step Guide for Creating High-Converting Ads
Do Facebook ads still convert leads? They do if you know what you're doing, according to real estate agent and coach Mike Sherrard. In this video tutorial, Sherrard walks viewers through the exact steps needed to build and deploy Facebook lead ads — with special attention paid to pre-deployment preparation and to finding leads afterwards. This tutorial offers handy, actionable tips like targeting custom lists of homes under a certain price point, and using images in your ads from homes that are slightly above the targeted price point to intrigue viewers and increase engagement. Watch the video to get other great tips and detailed guidance, like: Setting objectives, budgets, and targeting parameters Using campaign end dates to prevent unintended long-term spending Tips for targeting the Spanish-speaking market The top four ad placements work best Image tricks for increasing engagement Where to find leads from your ads in Facebook And more! Related Reading Paid vs. Organic Search for Real Estate Sites 8 campaign ideas for finding more listings 10 Questions Home Sellers Ask Google (and 40 Key Phrases to Target Them)

Real AI: AI ads are coming, Say hi to Pi, facts, headlines and an AI Quote of the Week
Real AI is a 100% human-created weekly roundup of all things AI in real estate and emerging AI innovations in other sectors likely to impact real estate. AI ads are coming My first journalism boss was the late, great Jeffery Weiss, managing editor at the Miami Hurricane, our University of Miami newspaper that was printed at the Miami Herald back in the day. Jeffery had two signs on his desk – a desk that was stacked with piles of papers a foot high covering the entire top of his workspace. The first sign read: "The sign of an organized desk is the sign of a deceased mind." How appropriate. The other one said "TANSTAAFL!," which stood for "Their Ain't No Such Thing as a Free Lunch." The principal of TANSTAAFL is a mainstay in our lives, including our tech-enabled ones. Remember when Google had no advertising? Now it's the largest advertising outlet in the world. We gave up DVDs for the convenience of streaming and now even paid streaming services like Amazon Prime are pegging on advertising unless you "upgrade" and pay even more. Early pro-level AI has been, like streaming, funded by a monthly subscription-based revenue model and pay-as-you play. As a result, it's essentially has been ad-free. That's about to change. Today, when you do a Google search, you are likely to see generative AI results at the top of the page, or at least an option to invoke it. No ads are displayed and on our browsers, we are seeing gen AI results top paid-for "Sponsored" results. The chatbots – right now, all the major ones also are ad free. But how long do you think that's going to last? Not long, because the ad giants are already circling and ready to drive a new source of revenue for cash-starving tech that is empowered by AI. Earlier this week, Axios reported, "Google doesn't have ads in Gemini today, but CEO Sundar Pichai has said Google is looking to see where ads could fit." A new startup, Adzedek, is pushing ads within custom GPT apps. OpenAI isn't getting a cut – yet. So, how long will it be before all types of chatbots start serving us ads? And not just any ads, but like an Amazon search, chatbot ads will seem to understand what you want before you even realize you want it. Just when you were excited that "cookies" are going away, Madison Avenue finds another way to get its hooks into the content we consume. Everybody likes Pi, right? Say hi to Pi.ai There's another new generative AI chatbot to add to your growing list. Meet Pi by Inflection – already claiming to be as swift as ChatGPT-4. It's quickly emerging as another rival in the space, topping a million daily users. That pales to the reported 100 million daily users that ChatGPT claims, but right now, Pi is free. Do we really need another chatbot? It turns out that each chatbot has different strengths and weaknesses. So, the answer depends on what you need your chatbot to do. Our take is that ChatGPT (Microsoft-backed) is still the champ because of its utility: it does a lot of different things incredibly well. Because Gemini is by Google, it does a much better job providing more timely and current information behind its responses. We find Claude (Amazon-backed) has improved enormously when it comes to writing assistance. The buzz around Pi is that its super-strengths are related more to math, science, and coding. From our quick trails, we can tell you that it's not ready to be a writing assistant, as its writing skills are basic at best. Venture Beat reports that Pi's performance "nearly matches OpenAI's GPT-4 model, especially across STEM subjects." The one advantage Pi has over all the others: it's incredibly polite, even personable. In our first interaction, we were greeted with "Hey there, great to meet you," and added "How's your day going?" Last week, we wrote about research that suggested it pays to be polite to your chatbot. Pi turns the table, as this is a chatbot being polite to you. Don't expect Pi to go away anytime soon. Pi's backing includes an all-star cast: Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is a major investor in Pi along with Microsoft founder Bill Gates and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman. Keep in mind that Schmidt is also a major investor in Anthropic (Claude), DeepMind (bought by Google) and 50+ other AI firms, reports say. AI Fast Facts 22% of tech firms are aggressively pursuing the integration of AI across a wide variety of technology products and business workflows – CompTIA IT Industry Outlook Almost half (47%) of businesses surveyed are already utilizing AI tools in the form of digital personal assistants – Forbes Advisor Three in 10 IT professionals say their colleagues are using AI and automation tools to save time – IBM 80% of marketers already had chatbots as part of their customer experience strategy – Semrush 51% of businesses are turning to AI to help with cybersecurity and fraud management – Forbes Advisor Source: CompTIA AI Headlines – Take 5 This Virus Steals Your Data from Generative AI Tools | 3/5/24 - AI BusinessResearchers created Morris II – a generative AI malware – to show how easy it is to infect AI models. How AI Can Streamline the Real Estate Business | 3/4/24 - Built InReal estate firms are adopting AI solutions to simplify operations. AI Might Kill the "Starchitect"—But Make Real Estate More Sustainable | 2/29/24 - New York Tech NewsOpinion piece: days of star architects are numbered because of generative AI. Real Estate Blunder: Agent's AI Chatbot Gaffe Exposes Copy-Paste Error in $900 Rental Listing | 3/6/24 - BNN BreakingThis blooper serves as a cautionary tale in the pitfalls of AI integration. AI Helps Cut Costs, Aids in Fraud Detection in the Multifamily Space | 3/4/24 - REALTOR MagazineAI is being adopted by owners and managers to prevent rental fraud. Quote of the Week To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

[Best of 2023] 10 Common Questions Home Buyers Ask Google (and 30 Key Phrases to Target with Google Ads)
We're continuing an annual tradition of counting down our top 10 articles of the year. The following article was originally published in March and is #4 in our countdown. See #5 here. Home buying is a complicated process, and potential buyers are likely to have a variety of questions. Where's the first place they more often turn to for answers? You guessed it—Google. Real estate agents looking to drive querying buyers to their own website can target those questions with Google Ads. To help you get started, we've compiled a list of 10 common questions that home buyers ask. Each question is paired with three related key phrases you can use to target askers of that query with an advertising campaign. Tip: Use Google's Keyword Planner to help refine your list of key words and phrases. It can help you understand how many people are searching for a term each month, see related keywords and phrases, and give you an idea of which keywords are more popular and worth targeting. We recommend focusing on a few highly relevant, low-competition keywords and phrases to start. Let's dive in… 1. "How much can I afford to spend on a home?" Home affordability calculator Mortgage affordability calculator Home buying budget 2. "What is the average home price in [city or neighborhood]?" Real estate listings [city or neighborhood] Average home price [city or neighborhood] Housing market [city or neighborhood] 3. "What is the best time to buy a home?" Home buying season Best time to buy a house Housing market trends [region, city or neighborhood] 4. "What are the current interest rates for home loans?" Mortgage rates today Current home loan interest rates Best mortgage rates 5. "What are the steps to buying a home?" Home buying process Home buying checklist First-time home buyer guide 6. "What are the best neighborhoods for families in [city or region]?" Family-friendly neighborhoods [city] Safe neighborhoods for families [city] Best suburbs for families [city or region] 7. "What should I look for when buying a home?" Home buying tips Home inspection checklist Home features to look for 8. "What is the average home inspection cost in [city or region]?" Home inspection fees [city or region] Home inspection prices [city or region] Cost of home inspection [city or region] 9. "What is the difference between a fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgage?" Fixed vs adjustable rate mortgage Pros and cons of fixed-rate mortgage ARM vs fixed-rate mortgage 10. "How much should I offer for a home?" Home offer strategy Home offer negotiation Home offer price range [city or neighborhood]

Proximity Marketing and Real Estate: How Location Helps Agents
As real estate agents, we know that finding the perfect property for our clients is all about location, location, location. But what if there was a way to take location-based marketing to a whole new level and boost our sales? Enter proximity marketing – the game-changer that has revolutionized how we connect with potential buyers and sellers in the digital age. In this post, we'll explore the fascinating impact of proximity marketing on real estate sales and how it helps agents seal the deal with style! What Is Proximity Marketing? Let's debunk the mystery surrounding proximity marketing first. It's a clever tactic that uses a customer or prospect's location to deliver relevant advertisements or messages. With proximity marketing, we can reach our audience at the ideal time and place, whether it's a push notification on their smartphone as they walk by a property, a special offer for a nearby open house, or an educational email customized to their neighborhood. The Power of Personalization The days of general advertising that failed to appeal to our prospects' particular interests are long gone. We can personalize our outreach and make it pertinent to the person's needs and preferences by using proximity marketing. We can serve up content that resonates with them and establish rapport by doing analysis on the data from their location and prior interactions. Who wouldn't want to work with an agent who is aware of their needs and satisfies their dreams, after all? Geofencing: The Secret Weapon Think of creating an invisible fence around a particular area so that whenever a prospective buyer or seller enters, they hear a personalized message from you. That is one of proximity marketing's key benefits of geofencing. Geofencing enables us to connect with our prospects at the exact right time, whether it's in a hotspot neighborhood with upscale listings or a bustling commercial area with exciting investment opportunities. Enhancing the Open House Experience Although open houses are our mainstay, they occasionally feel like shots in the dark, hoping the right buyer will appear. Proximity marketing completely changes this situation. We can send out invitations and reminders to prospective buyers nearby by utilizing beacon technology, which will boost foot traffic and generate buzz about the property. Additionally, we can gather insightful information on visitor engagement and preferences to follow up after the event in an efficient manner. Nurturing Long-Term Relationships Trust is crucial in real estate, and proximity marketing makes it easy to establish it. By continuing to communicate with our clients even after the transaction is complete, we are able to give them insightful information about their neighborhood, timely market updates, and a friendly reminder that we are always available by message. It's the ideal recipe for developing enduring connections that result in recommendations and repeat business. Embracing Innovation In an industry that's constantly evolving, embracing innovation is key to staying ahead of the competition. Proximity marketing not only helps us adapt to changing trends but also positions us as tech-savvy agents who are at the forefront of revolutionizing the real estate experience. This fresh and forward-thinking approach can attract tech enthusiasts and younger buyers who appreciate staying one step ahead of the curve. To conclude, proximity marketing is more than just a buzzword; it's a real estate agent's secret weapon for success. By utilizing this powerful strategy, we can engage with potential buyers and sellers at the right moment, with the right message, and in the right location. From personalized outreach to enhancing open house experiences and nurturing long-term relationships, proximity marketing empowers us to take our real estate game to a whole new level. So, fellow agents, let's embrace the digital revolution and leverage the power of proximity marketing to elevate our sales, grow our client base, and make a lasting impact on the world of real estate! The future is here, and it's right at our doorstep. Let's open the door to a new era of real estate sales with proximity marketing. Happy selling! To view the original article, visit the Transactly blog.

The Fundamentals of Real Estate PPC Services
Thank you to Real Estate Webmasters for sponsoring this article on RE Technology: Understanding PPC Basics In the competitive realm of real estate, distinguishing oneself is paramount. PPC (Pay-Per-Click) emerges as a pivotal tool for Realtors aiming to enhance their visibility. This blog delves into the nuances of PPC, specifically tailored for the real estate domain, and offers insights into leveraging this digital instrument for business growth. This blog is a summary of the original found on Real Estate Webmasters' website. What is PPC (Pay-Per-Click)? PPC is a digital advertising model where advertisers incur a fee each time their ad is clicked. Unlike organic traffic, which accrues over time, PPC facilitates businesses to purchase site visits, ensuring immediate online visibility. Key features include: Cost Models: Charges apply upon ad clicks. Ad Platforms: Popular platforms encompass Google Ads, Bing Ads, and various social media sites. Instant Results: Contrary to SEO, PPC yields immediate traffic and leads. Why Realtors Need PPC The real estate sector is intensively competitive. PPC offers Realtors a direct channel to showcase their listings and services to a targeted audience, ensuring heightened visibility and quality leads. Key benefits include: Direct Access: Engage potential clients actively seeking real estate services. Brand Visibility: Cement a robust online market presence. High ROI Potential: With strategic planning, PPC can yield significant results. Components of a PPC Campaign Any good real estate PPC campaign hinges on multiple foundational elements, from keyword selection to compelling ad copy and effective landing pages. Key components include: Relevance: Align keywords, ad copy, and landing pages. Quality Score: A metric on Google's PPC platform influenced by relevance and user experience. Continuous Optimization: Regularly refine campaign elements for enhanced outcomes. Targeting the Right Audience Effective PPC campaigns in real estate focus on precision targeting rather than broad outreach. Key strategies include: Local Focus: Employ geo-fencing for specific areas or neighborhoods. Audience Segmentation: Categorizing audiences based on demographics or interests. Retargeting: Reconnect with users who've previously engaged with your site. Measuring and Optimizing PPC's strength lies in its quantifiability. Realtors can monitor every interaction, deriving insights into successful strategies and areas necessitating refinement. Key practices include: Data-Driven Decisions: Utilizing analytics for campaign refinements. Platform Insights: Platforms like Google Ads offer comprehensive performance reports. A/B Testing: Experiment with varied ad versions to discern audience preferences. Common Challenges Despite its advantages, PPC presents certain challenges, from ad disapprovals to variable costs. However, with proactive strategies and adherence to best practices, these challenges can be adeptly navigated. Key considerations include: Ad Compliance: Ensuring ads comply with platform guidelines. Budget Management: Regularly adjust bids for cost-effective management. Stay Updated: Remain informed about platform updates and algorithm changes Conclusion Quite simply, Realtors must harness tools like PPC to remain competitive. Embracing PPC, from understanding its basics to mastering its complexities, can substantially uplift one's business. As Realtors navigate the PPC landscape, adaptability, innovation, and audience-centricity remain crucial. If you want to elevate your real estate business to the next level, contact Real Estate Webmasters to learn how.

Embracing Technology and Direct Mail: Solutions to Ease the Inventory Issue
Welcome to a new month of our "Tips and Tricks Tuesday" series, which highlights articles around a theme. August's theme is "Finding more homes for sale." Read on for tips and tricks for finding business even in challenging market: The real estate market has always been dynamic, with fluctuating inventory levels a common challenge for real estate agents. As the demand for properties continues to surge, many markets face an inventory issue, leading to fierce competition among agents to secure listings. In such a scenario, leveraging technology and direct mail strategies can prove instrumental in generating more listings and winning coveted listing appointments. This educational article will explore the best tips for real estate agents to tackle the inventory issue and thrive in a competitive landscape. Harnessing Technology for Listing Leads In the digital age, technology plays a crucial role in connecting agents with potential sellers. Use the following tech-savvy strategies to boost your chances of acquiring more listings: 1. Online Lead Generation: Leverage various online platforms like social media, real estate websites, and paid advertising to reach a broader audience. Create engaging content and lead magnets to attract potential sellers and encourage them to provide their contact information. 2. Real Estate CRM: Adopt a robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to manage leads efficiently. A CRM helps track prospects, automate follow-ups, and nurture relationships over time, increasing the likelihood of conversion. 3. Virtual Tours: With the ongoing advancements in virtual reality and 3D technology, offer virtual property tours to potential sellers. This not only saves time but also showcases your commitment to embracing innovative marketing methods. 4. Targeted Email Campaigns: Utilize email marketing to stay in touch with your database of potential sellers. Segment your lists and personalize messages to create meaningful connections with prospects. The Power of Direct Mail Marketing Amidst the digital age, direct mail remains an effective and tangible marketing strategy. It can add a personal touch to your outreach efforts and create lasting impressions. Here are some tips for incorporating direct mail into your listing generation strategy: 1. Targeted Prospect Lists: Work with a reliable data provider to build a targeted mailing list. Consider factors such as homeownership duration, neighborhood demographics, and property age to identify potential sellers more accurately. 2. Compelling Content: Craft eye-catching and persuasive direct mail pieces. Include engaging visuals, success stories, and personalized messages that resonate with the recipient's specific needs and aspirations. 3. Consistency: Consistency is key in direct mail marketing. Create a well-thought-out campaign with multiple touchpoints to reinforce your brand and increase your chances of eliciting a response. 4. Track and Measure: Implement tracking mechanisms in your direct mail campaigns to monitor response rates. Use unique URLs or QR codes to gauge the effectiveness of each campaign and adjust your approach accordingly. Nurturing Relationships with a Personal Touch In a competitive market, the value of personal connections cannot be overstated. Building trust and rapport with potential sellers can set you apart from other agents. Here are some ways to foster meaningful relationships: 1. Neighborhood Involvement: Become an active member of the communities you serve. Attend local events, sponsor neighborhood activities, and engage with residents on social media. This involvement will position you as a local expert and build trust with potential sellers. 2. Handwritten Notes: In the digital age, a handwritten note can make a significant impact. Send personalized notes to homeowners expressing your interest in selling their property and explaining how you can help them achieve their goals. 3. Thought Leadership Content: Establish yourself as an industry expert by creating thought-provoking content. Publish blog posts, host webinars, or create video content that addresses common seller concerns and offers valuable insights. The inventory issue in real estate markets demands innovative strategies from agents looking to generate more listings and secure listing appointments. By embracing technology, harnessing the power of direct mail, and nurturing personal relationships, real estate professionals can overcome the challenges posed by low inventory and thrive in a competitive landscape. By combining digital efficiency with genuine human connection, agents can position themselves as trusted advisors, ultimately attracting more sellers and achieving long-term success in the real estate market.

The 7 Deadly Sins of Facebook Ads
Results from your Facebook ads not living up to your expectations? Instead of looking at what you should be doing — most of which you probably already know — let's look at what you shouldn't be doing. To help you discover which aspect of your current ad strategy is hamstringing your efforts, Realtor Jaime Resendiz shares what he calls the "seven deadly sins of Facebook ads." These include: Not having a call-to-action Not testing ads Using bad multimedia We won't list the rest here. Instead, watch the video above and find out the crucial mistakes to avoid. After all, what you don't do is often just as important as what you do! Further Reading How to Create Real Estate Facebook Ads that Work The Best Facebook Ads to Target Real Estate Buyers One Simple Rule to Ensure Your Ads Don't Violate Fair Housing Laws

3 Things Agents Should Know About Digital Advertising
The weather is warming up, and the market is, too—and as a real estate agent, that means you need to be ready to sell. And if there's anything the last few years of a primarily online world have taught us, it's that your ticket to selling success lies in digital advertising. As much as it might seem like a much simpler way to bring in business—after all, it's easier to make a quick digital image, write a sentence or two, and upload it on Facebook than it is to create print-ready proofs—digital advertising comes with its fair share of nuances. How you work around these nuances determines how successful your digital ads are. Let's explore the three things to know about digital advertising—and how you can make them work in your favor. Everything needs to be real Social media has a bad rap for promoting only what people want to share about themselves, which has created a hunger in online society for content that's as real as possible. It doesn't help that these days, anyone can advertise anything on the internet, so consumers are always wary. This applies to your digital ads in two ways: Listing ads need to be accurate, with the right information directly from your MLS listing if possible All ads need to be completely free of typos and grammatical inconsistencies, the common hallmarks of online scams Making sure that your ads look as real as you know they are builds consumer confidence, which can bring in more interest and help establish your reputation as a trustworthy agent. Ads need to target the right emotions As much as buying or selling a home is a financial decision best weighed logically, we're all human—and completely removing emotion is much harder than it sounds. When you're creating your ads, it's important to keep this in mind and appeal to the right emotions within potential buyers and sellers. For buyers You'll want to hit the right balance between home envy and aspiration. Make the people who see your ad feel like this is the ideal home for them—without making it seem unattainable. Do this with: Clear, bright images that could make a viewer picture themselves in the space Aspirational word choices that focus on the idea of living in the home For sellers Potential sellers aren't always sure they want to sell, so your best bet here is to focus on what selling now could do for them. Inspire them to envision the positive changes that could come from selling! Do this with: Clear market projections that highlight their own personal gain Clever word choices that appeal to their sense of financial savvy Every word choice matters In digital advertising, you don't have a ton of room for words—so the ones you use, and precisely how you use them, matter. No ad should ever, ever, ever make a reader dig for information. Everything your viewers need to know about your ad, whether it's for your latest listing or your overall services, should be up front, clear, and easy to read, not bogged down in exclamation marks, emojis, and phrases that fit a real estate agent's vocabulary but perhaps not the average consumer's. It's worth noting that the order of your words says something, too. For example, which points do you highlight first, and which are okay to use a little later? Your most important points should fall in the first 50 characters of your text—those are the ones that most viewers will see. How to make digital advertising work for you Though digital advertising seems easier than traditional advertising, it still comes with its tricks. With the right resources in your hands, you can harness the power of online ads, build your business, and show prospects why you're the agent they should trust. To view the original article, visit the Lone Wolf blog.

10 Common Questions Home Buyers Ask Google (and 30 Key Phrases to Target with Google Ads)
Home buying is a complicated process, and potential buyers are likely to have a variety of questions. Where's the first place they more often turn to for answers? You guessed it—Google. Real estate agents looking to drive querying buyers to their own website can target those questions with Google Ads. To help you get started, we've compiled a list of 10 common questions that home buyers ask. Each question is paired with three related key phrases you can use to target askers of that query with an advertising campaign. Tip: Use Google's Keyword Planner to help refine your list of key words and phrases. It can help you understand how many people are searching for a term each month, see related keywords and phrases, and give you an idea of which keywords are more popular and worth targeting. We recommend focusing on a few highly relevant, low-competition keywords and phrases to start. Let's dive in… 1. "How much can I afford to spend on a home?" Home affordability calculator Mortgage affordability calculator Home buying budget 2. "What is the average home price in [city or neighborhood]?" Real estate listings [city or neighborhood] Average home price [city or neighborhood] Housing market [city or neighborhood] 3. "What is the best time to buy a home?" Home buying season Best time to buy a house Housing market trends [region, city or neighborhood] 4. "What are the current interest rates for home loans?" Mortgage rates today Current home loan interest rates Best mortgage rates 5. "What are the steps to buying a home?" Home buying process Home buying checklist First-time home buyer guide 6. "What are the best neighborhoods for families in [city or region]?" Family-friendly neighborhoods [city] Safe neighborhoods for families [city] Best suburbs for families [city or region] 7. "What should I look for when buying a home?" Home buying tips Home inspection checklist Home features to look for 8. "What is the average home inspection cost in [city or region]?" Home inspection fees [city or region] Home inspection prices [city or region] Cost of home inspection [city or region] 9. "What is the difference between a fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgage?" Fixed vs adjustable rate mortgage Pros and cons of fixed-rate mortgage ARM vs fixed-rate mortgage 10. "How much should I offer for a home?" Home offer strategy Home offer negotiation Home offer price range [city or neighborhood]

How Hosting Community Events Can Help You Grow Your Business FAST
Want to get more business without asking for business? It can be done, and the secret is in hosting community events. In fact, this method is so effective that California Realtor Dave Archuletta went from being a brand-new agent in 2020 to doing an estimated $80 million in volume in 2022. You can use this local events strategy to grow your business, too, and build trust in your community! Watch the video above to learn: How to throw community events Growing clubs and leagues from the ground up How to create events you're passionate about How to create new business without asking for it And more! Related Reading Hosting Events to Build Your Real Estate Business How Tapping Into Your Community Builds Your Business Advanced Lead Generation: Hosting a Seminar

The Facebook Ad that Home Buyers Can't Resist
A sale, a bargain, a good deal—if there's anything consumers love, it's getting more value for their money. Realtor Jaime Resendiz uses that to his advantage in his advertising. By creating "price drop" ads for listings on Facebook, he attracts a ton of quality buyers. After all, even house hunters are looking for a good deal—especially in this economy. Watch the video above to learn: Two variations of the price drop ad How to create a price drop ad How to optimize for your business

Keep Up with These Seasonal Trends for Google and Facebook Ads
'Tis the season — to master your digital ad strategies and scale your real estate business. Marketing your real estate business with paid advertising campaigns on Facebook and Google helps you gain visibility with internet buyers and online leads. However, the paid ad playing field isn't necessarily evenly distributed all year long. Just like the real estate market goes through its market cycles where the environment is determined by the levels of supply and demand, your paid ad experience will fluctuate over time, too. Depending on how many buyers are shopping online and the volume of advertisers at any given time, your cost-per-lead will adjust accordingly—another critical factor that affects your paid ads performance is the time of year. 2 Need-to-Know Trends for Google and Facebook Ads To prepare you for the changes that are going to impact your digital marketing and paid advertising performance, here are two need-to-know trends that real estate teams will be coming up against in the next few months. 1. Search Volume Matches Market Activity Every real estate professional knows that the high season is usually spring. In recent years, the pandemic did influence the sales cycle and disrupt the industry's normal market pattern. However, the holidays do typically slow down as buyers and sellers settle down to enjoy the holly-jolly end of the year. As fewer buyers typically hit the market in the fall, online searches tend to dip, too. Expect to see the demand fall in October and continue to slow down into December. The market begins to regain its momentum at the beginning of the new year, and it continues to pick up into the spring and summer months — kicking off the spring buyer's rush. If you start to see your paid ad performance decline during the holiday months, keep in mind that it's the natural pace of the market. 2. Expect the Expenses for Social Media Advertising to Rise Real estate professionals aren't the only ones who leverage social media ads to boost their businesses. Around the holiday season, retailers invest heavily in advertising on popular social media channels to capture digital consumers. What does this have to do with real estate agents? Since retailers are flooding ads onto social media, the prices increase. This means that agents who are continuing their usual real estate marketing strategy will see their marketing spend raise during the prime holiday gift shopping months. If you notice that the prices go up around October and November, don't be alarmed. They should balance out again at the end of December and into the new year. Pro Tip: If you're a new real estate team that's just getting started with paid digital advertising, keep in mind that the prices are inflated at this time of year. Don't think that these prices are the baseline and abandon this critical avenue for attracting and keeping in touch with your sphere! 2 Ways to Overcome the Seasonal Shifts Do you want to overcome the seasonal hurdles and establish a more solid paid ads performance to keep your real estate business top-of-mind? Follow these two best practices. 1. Diversify Your Marketing Plan to Balance Out Your Performance Since you know that your paid advertising on Google and social media may dip during the holiday months, you can overcome the seasonal cycle by diversifying your marketing efforts. Now is a great time to branch out and expand your marketing strategy to balance out your real estate brand's overall performance. This is a classic pivoting strategy that helps real estate teams stay on their A-game, even as the market takes its annual turns. By expanding into different areas, your business won't take as big of a hit as it would if you were fully relying on one tactic. 4 Digital Marketing Avenues to Explore Over the Holiday Months: Microsoft Bing Facebook Amazon Instagram 2. Don't Follow the Competition and Leave the Arena Many real estate businesses will see the paid digital ad market begin to stall and stop investing in it. Yes, demand may slow, and prices may even hike up. But, that doesn't mean the right strategy is to stop your digital ad campaigns altogether. The top-performing real estate teams know that this seasonal adjustment actually clears out the competition, giving your business and your message more visibility. Let your less strategic competitors leave the arena. Even if you continue to advertise at your usual pace, you'll stand out and get more eyes on your marketing campaigns. The logic is simple. As competitors leave, there's less traffic crowding the platforms you're creating ads for. Pro Tip: One paid ad area you should never surrender is Google. Why? Because Google Ads reward consistency. If you create campaigns that don't pause, Google will actually prioritize your ads — helping them perform better when the demand regains its usual pace. Marketing hack, unlocked. To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

Cost-Per-Lead: Is It as Important as You Think It Is?
Are you still stuck on the "cost-per-lead" metric when analyzing lead generation strategies? It's 2022, and agents should be thinking bigger, and considering about another metric that's actually more important for fueling your business: conversion rate. Why Cost-Per-Lead is an Outdated Perspective Cost-per-lead is important, but it should not be your be-all-end-all for shaping your lead conversion strategy. The lowest cost-per-lead doesn't mean you're getting high-quality opportunities that will actually convert into business. In today's highly competitive, fast-paced market characterized by consumers spending more time online and being exposed to — and ignoring more — advertisements, real estate agents need to evolve beyond the norms of the past. One of the biggest reasons why cost-per-lead is the wrong approach to viewing lead generation strategies is because this metric is not fixed. In reality, the cost of each of your leads is not guaranteed because of many external factors outside of your control. 5 Things Impacting Cost-Per-Lead Calculations Seasonal Trends Market Activity Location Competition Demand Levels Based on these factors, your cost-per-lead changes at different times of the year and depending on your market. For example, your cost-per-lead will not remain consistent throughout the market's high seasons and slow periods.  While these external factors — such as inventory levels, political events, and even natural disasters — remain outside of your control, it's still important to understand how they are expected to affect your business. This can help you create strategies to quickly pivot according to new situations, and prepare your clients for upcoming market shifts. Pro Tip: Stay on top of the latest market data and local trends impacting your market to develop custom strategies to improve your conversion rate and keep leads moving through your sales funnel. Why Conversion Rate is More Important than Cost-Per-Lead When shaping your lead conversion strategy, agents should consider a more holistic approach. Rather than simply focusing on which option provides the most leads at the lowest cost, it's more advantageous for your business if you think about both lead quality and quantity. Think about it — would you prefer more weak leads with a lower conversion rate, or fewer strong leads with a higher conversion rate? At the end of the day, strong leads with higher conversion rates will likely be more beneficial for your business.  3 Tips to Improve Your Conversion Rate Pro Tip: Don't assume that colder leads further out from conversion are weak. In reality, the "trash" leads in your database may actually be your hidden goldmine! Keep your colder leads on a diligent nurture and follow-up plan to help them inch closer toward conversion — and prevent them from choosing another agent when it's finally the right time to transact. Here are a few tips that can help you improve your lead conversion rate: #1. Focus on Quick Response Times You don't want to leave your online leads waiting around for a response. One of the most effective ways to boost your conversion is to quickly follow up with your online leads. #2. Sort and Qualify Your Leads Segmenting your leads can make it easier for you to provide value-driven content specifically curated for their needs. For example, you don't want to be sending out home buying tips to sellers — unless you know that they're also planning to buy a home after their upcoming sale. And, in that case, you might want to send out tips for buying a home after a sale. When you sort and qualify your leads, you can tag them in your CRM to organize your future outreach. #3. Leverage Bulk CRM Outreach To stay relevant with everyone in your sphere, you should be leveraging automatic bulk outreaches to the different lead categories in your CRM. Create custom messaging for each lead type — including hot, cold, and past clients — and schedule the email delivery. This is a time-saving way to stay relevant with your leads and provide them with the insights they need to transact. To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

4th of July Real Estate Marketing Ideas
It's that time of year again: Independence Day! Want to give your real estate marketing a little 4th of July flair? Here are, count 'em, four marketing ideas for the 4th: 1. Pop-by Gifts Pop by gifts are always appreciated, especially if it helps your farming area celebrate America's birthday. (Fun fact: America turns 246 this year!) Some thoughtful ideas can be mini-flags, fireworks (if they are legal in your state), and various other patriotic memorablila. Be sure to leave your business card and contact information along with the gifts. 2. Drive/Walk-by Celebrations This idea requires a bit of coordination with the agents in your offices and/or local businesses. Set up decorations outside of local businesses that can be seen from a passing car or on foot. This will also help you build relationships with other business owners, which can lead to referrals. In addition to that, it can help establish you as the local expert by promoting other local businesses. 3. Email Blasts Holidays are the perfect excuse to send out an email to your book of business. In order to convert any of your prospects into real estate clients, you need to maintain regular communication with them. If you are looking for an excuse to send out an email, then use the holidays as the reason to send out a quick marketing blast. This is a great way to remind people you haven't spoken to in a while that you are still in the business. 4. Social Media Maintaining your social media channels is crucial, especially in today's landscape where the majority of social interactions take place online instead of in person. Sharing celebrations going on in your city can identify you as the go-to agent for knowledge about the area you serve. What are local organizations doing to celebrate? Are there any special sales going on locally? Share this information with your audience to build trust with them this 4th of July. To view the original article, visit the Zurple blog.

Are Targeted Ads Your Business Blind Spot?
Are you missing out on a powerful way to generate leads from social media? Targeted advertising isn't a replacement for all of your other social media activities. It's in its own category, and when done right, it can be a convenient, low-cost tool for generating fresh leads to stock your pipeline. If targeted advertising has been your business blind spot, now is the perfect time to change that. Even if you've never run a targeted ad campaign yourself, you've definitely experienced these ads during your own time online. You search for something that you're interested in purchasing, check out some content, and suddenly you're seeing ads for that product or something similar during all of your travels online. Targeted ads are designed to reach a specific audience — ideally people who are already interested in what you have to offer. Before You Advertise, Make Sure Your Branding and Website Are Ready We'll get into more specific targeted advertising strategies shortly, but there are a few things that you'll want to have prepared before you get started. First, make sure that your branding is consistent. Things like color schemes, logos, missions, values, and even fonts can help your brand stand out from the competition when you advertise. Next, you'll want to make sure that your real estate website looks appealing, functions well on any device, has great content, and offers all of the features that your audience needs. In many cases, your targeted ads will be leading prospects directly to your website, and you want to give them every reason to stick around once they arrive. Know Your Audience Like the name suggests, targeted ads are all about reaching a specific audience. So who are you trying to reach? Running a targeted ad campaign for an audience of luxury real estate buyers will naturally be different than running one for first-time homebuyers who are new to real estate. The same goes for whether you're trying to generate buyer or seller leads. Due to fair housing laws, it's important to note that ads can't be targeted based on certain factors like race, gender, or class. Think about your target audience, what they like to do, what their interests are, and what might motivate them to buy or sell a home. Planning Your Targeted Ad Campaign Once you've got your branding, website, social pages, and audience analysis in order, you'll be ready to start planning your first campaign. Here are some of the key steps you'll take while planning your campaign: Campaign Objective, Ad Settings, and Contact Method First, you'll set up your campaign objective, which will usually be lead generation. You'll also choose your ad settings, where you'll click on "special ad categories" and "housing" in order to adhere to fair housing laws. You will also choose your contact method, either through a lead capture form, automated chat, or phone call. Setting Your Budget Facebook ads are priced through a bidding process, which allows you to set the maximum price you're willing to pay to reach a specific audience. You can set your max daily bid based on a variety of factors for each ad, and sometimes it will take some experimenting to find the right price per lead. Audience and Ad Placements Next, you'll be choosing how you'll target your audience and how your ads will be placed. You can choose to display your ad on Facebook, Instagram, or both platforms. You can choose to place your ads manually or use automated placing to put them in the best places to achieve your campaign goals. Creating Your Ad All of the branding factors that we mentioned so far will usually play a part in creating your ads. Some of the most popular ad types include just listed, branded ads, home valuations, and open houses. There are many effective types of ad campaigns, so experiment to see what works best for reaching your audience. Analyzing Results One of the great things about placing targeted ads through Facebook or Instagram is that you get plenty of analytics to help you discover what works best. Make sure that you're tracking the success of your campaigns in order to maximize your ROI. Take Advantage of Targeted Advertising Tools to Make Life Easier You could take the time to handle every last detail of targeted advertising yourself... or you could use a seamless, easy-to-use platform that allows you to set up campaigns in a few clicks. With Ad Wizard™, you can take the guesswork out of targeted advertising and manage ads with a dependable, consistent process. Ad Wizard™ is one of many tools available in DeltaNET®6 to help you market your business, manage leads, and maintain great relationships with your clients. RE Technology readers can try DeltaNET®6 free for 30 days. To view the original article, visit the Delta Media Group blog.

[Best of 2021] Friday Freebie: Absentee Owner Prospect List
We're continuing an annual tradition of counting down our top 10 articles of the year. The following article was originally published in February and is #4 in our countdown. See #5 here. Ready to shift your real estate marketing strategy to a potentially lucrative niche? Thanks to the pandemic and record low inventory, one group of homeowners is particularly ripe as a source of listing leads -- the absentee owner. In this week's Friday Freebie, we'll show you how to get a FREE mailing list of absentee owner prospects and let you know just why they're a perfect target for your current marketing efforts. Get a Free Absentee Owner Prospect List, courtesy of ProspectsPLUS! Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic—and its resulting record unemployment levels—evictions of tenants who cannot pay rent have been temporarily halted. This leaves many landlords in a precarious financial situation due to the inability to collect rent from many of their tenants. However, housing inventory is at record lows while home prices are at record highs, which means that many landlords stand to make a significant return on their property investment should they sell right now. Your mission? Be the agent that they reach out to when that time comes. When it comes to being top-of-mind with potential sellers, nothing beats being proactive. Start putting your name in front of these property owners now, and you can be the agent that moves them off the fence and helps them sell their property. To get started, first you need a list of absentee owners to target. ProspectsPLUS! to the rescue! They're offering RE Technology readers a FREE absentee owner prospect list (with promo code FREELIST at checkout) that you use to start marketing to this lucrative group of leads. Ready to get started? Get your FREE Absentee Owner Prospect List with promo code FREELIST.

4 Ways to Generate Leads with Real Estate Marketing Flyers
Are you maximizing your marketing flyers' lead generation potential? As an agent, you are on a constant quest to generate new business. Save yourself time and effort by turning your existing marketing materials into targeted lead drivers! This article will teach you four easy ways to use marketing flyers to generate more buyer and seller leads. In order to turn a plain old real estate marketing flyer into a lead driving tool, you must use a directive call-to-action that accomplishes two objectives: Creates a desire for more information Provides instructions for actionable "next steps" Below, we provide four techniques you can use to target specific lead types. Read up and test them out! Option 1: The Buyer Intrigue Method Give a preview of the property, but refrain from dishing out all the details. There are two key pieces of information you can withhold to help you engage in more one-on-one conversations with interested leads. Follow one or both of these rules when you create your next listing flyer: Don't list the price Show four photos or less (pick the best features!) By withholding key details, you'll leave your leads wanting more. Drive engagement by including a call-to-action that tells prospects how to contact you – something like, "Great price! Text XXXXXXX for full property details!" When you get the text, follow up with a reply asking for an email address you can use to send the property details. That way, you've captured your lead's phone number and email, making it easier for you to follow-up in the future. Option 2: The Inventory Teaser Turn "not quite right" into "new buyer in sight"! Often times, a potential buyer will be interested in a property, but something about it just isn't quite right. Maybe the home is $10,000 over budget, or perhaps it doesn't have granite countertops. Either way, you can engage those buyers by promoting listings with a similar price range, location and/or amenities and start a conversation with your soon-to-be buyer lead by adding a call-to-action that promises access to similar properties. "Want more properties like this? Email me at [email protected] with the subject line 'Hot Properties in Mountain View' and I'll send you a list of seven great properties that are for sale or coming soon!" Particularly in tight inventory markets, the prospect of information about "coming soon" properties will motivate leads to take action. Option 3: The Curious Neighbor Method Curiosity may have killed the cat – but it helped the Realtor! This is a great method to help generate seller leads. Everyone is curious about property value in their neighborhood – even if they aren't looking to sell right away. When the house next door or down the block goes up for sale, it's not uncommon for neighbors to pick up a property flyer to find out what it's selling for. If you are in need of seller leads, omit the price from the listing flyer and add a call-to-action that will not only allow you to capture the potential seller's cell phone number, but will also give you a reason to connect! You can use this one: "Attention neighbors! Want to be notified of the price when this property sells? Text 123mainstreet (the property address) to XXXXXXX!" Option 4: Open House Teaser Showcase your home and your sensational customer service! This is another great tactic for generating both buyer and seller leads. While buyers attend open houses for obvious reasons, neighbors will often visit to satisfy their curiosity about what other houses in the area look like, what they are selling for and how that compares to their property. Capture all types of potential leads by adding the following call-to-action to your property flyers: "Text OPEN to XXXXXXX to receive a text notification when an open house is scheduled for this property!" When you receive a text, follow up with a phone call and let your new lead know they don't have to wait for the open house—you're happy to schedule an individual showing anytime that is convenient for them. Adding a simple call-to-action to your flyers will simplify your lead capture process and help you rake in more potential clients without adding any extra work. Test out these techniques, figure out what works best for you and reap the rewards! Ready to take your real estate marketing flyers to the next level? Download your free Marketing Flyer Success Guide + Template! To view the original article, visit the Zurple blog.

Pinterest Ads for Real Estate Agents: How to Get Started?
Real estate professionals are no strangers to Pinterest. This search engine/social media platform has steadily supported real estate agents and was one of the best platforms for placing real estate listings. To no one's surprise, Pinterest is still one of the biggest social media platforms out there, and it even rivals platforms like TikTok. Pinterest is constantly updating boards and launching new merchant tools, which also aids its popularity. Purely a visual platform is ideal for real estate agents, considering that property listings are the bread and butter of the real estate industry. Another advantage that real estate agents have is the popularity of certain topics over another on Pinterest. As research shows, categories like travel, home decor, and technology are the most popular on Pinterest. By presenting real estate properties in an attractive way, real estate professionals are able to catch the attention of many Pinterest users. Now that we've discussed the importance of Pinterest, let's talk about the Pinterest Ads, how to get started with them, what PPC is and what the are benefits of Pinterest Ads. Let's dive in. What You Should Know About Pinterest Ads Let's start our guide with discussing the benefits of Pinterest Ads. First things first: as many marketers claim, shopping for many Pinterest users is a top priority. This means many Pinterest users are your potential and, most importantly, eager customers. It's possible to achieve a low pay-per-click with Pinterest Ads, and billing is based on CPC, which means you will only be charged for clicks. In a nutshell, impressions don't affect your billing. What is more fascinating is that Pinterest Ads stay on the platform and people are able to interact with them completely for free after the campaign ends. The look of Pinterest Ads play a significant role in their success. Marketers note that the Pinterest Ads look more organic compared to other ads. They overall fit pretty well in the organic feed. How to Set Up Pinterest Ads As always, while dealing with any ads, the first thing that you should do is to set up a business account at ads.pinterest.com. Follow Pinterest instructions in setting up a business account. After setting up a Pinterest business account, you can already proceed with creating your first ad campaign. You will be given a couple of options: Build Awareness – With Build Awareness, you can help people discover your brand through brand awareness, or help people discover your brand and drive actions through promoting video. Drive Consideration – This essentially means driving more traffic, making more people click on your ad. Get Conversions – This drives people to take actions on your website, promoting business and ads through inventory. What About Targeting? What targeting options do you have? Keywords Interests Placements Demographics Expanded targeting options (audience targeting/retargeting) As Pinterest suggests, it's better to have separate targeting options for each campaign. In case you want to identify trends on the Pinterest platform, you can check trends through Pinterest's native tool analytics and then check trends. Based on the results you get, you can proceed with planning your campaign. Interests and Keywords As Pinterest suggests, it's better to have a maximum of three interests at a time to correctly identify the audience. As for the keywords, you can use Pinterest's keyword tool to discover important keywords. Pinterest is pretty similar to other platforms when it comes to the keywords, which means you can have broad, phrase, and exact keywords. Audience The first thing that you should do before starting a campaign is to create an audience. There are different type of audiences that you can apply to your campaign: Engagement Audience – It's an audience that is engaged with your pins. Website Visitors – Essentially, it's a retargeting of visitors from your website. Customer List – You can upload the list of leads. Actalike Targeting – This is similar to audiences; people act and interact with your pins the same way as the list you already have. What About Ad Format? As we all know, Pinterest has a web as well as app form. So, ads appear on both of the versions in pin style. There are different pin ad formats: Shopping Ads Video Ads App Install Ads Carousel Ads Collection Ads Story Pins Static Ads Let's discuss each of them. Static Ads Static pins feature one image, both organic and in the ad format. Video Ads There is a standard width video pins and max videos pins. The difference is the standard one is the same size as the static pins and the max video pins expand across people's entire feed on mobile. This is a paid option only. Carousel Pins and Ads As always, the carousel format features many images in one pin, and people can swipe through it. This option is available in both organic pins and paid ads. Shopping Ads Shopping ads, as the name already suggests, allow users to purchase products and services through Pinterest. Collections Pins and Ads These ads are somewhat similar to the max video ads in terms of them appearing on mobile devices. In the case of the carousel ad, there are three smaller images and one main one that appears above the three other images. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog.

New Update to Google Ads: What Agents Need to Know
It's the biggest news you probably haven't heard: last-click attribution has been replaced by data-driven attribution as the default conversion model in Google Ads. You may not be familiar with the terms "last-click attribution" or "conversion model," and it's possible that you're wondering why (or if) any of this should matter to you. Trust us, this is important news. Generating leads is essential for real estate agents, and changes in conversion models could result in more and better leads for some agents and fewer leads for others. In this article, we'll define attribution models and learn how they help agents, and establish the difference between last-click and data-driven attribution. What is an Attribution Model? "Attribution model" is a technical term that explains a simple sentiment: determining which marketing campaigns are responsible for individual digital marketing conversions. Marketing conversions are when people engaging with marketing materials take the desired action, such as clicking a link or filling out a form. Attribution models, then, exist to give credit to the marketing materials that are actually delivering new leads. Without attribution models, marketers have to guess which marketing materials and campaigns are responsible for new leads and actions. For example, some agents run ads on Facebook, Google, and Instagram. Without an attribution model, you won't be able to identify the ads, platforms, and actions that are delivering you leads. But with an attribution model, you have a way of discovering which specific ads and platforms caused your leads to engage, so you can adjust your budget and strategy accordingly. Marketing is most useful when it can be measured, so a functional attribution model is a major boon to any marketing campaign. Last-Click Attribution vs. Data-Driven Attribution Attribution models may be important, but they are not standardized. Last-click attribution gives the full share of conversion credit to the most recent marketing interaction, while data-driven attribution weights multiple stages and touchpoints that leads engage with throughout their buying journey. Consider a hypothetical buyer or seller's online journey: First, they search "real estate agents near me" on Google. They glance at the list of local real estate agents' Google business profiles, see your name toward the top, click on your profile, and briefly read your information. A few hours later, they log into Facebook and see one of your ads. They remember you from their Google search, click on the ad, submit their information, and become a hot lead. Which marketing platform deserves credit? Is it the Google search result? After all, that's where the buyer or seller first saw your name. That said, wasn't Facebook where the person actually took the action required to become a lead? Last-click and data-driven attribution models take different approaches to this quandary. In a last-click attribution model, your Facebook ad receives all the credit for the marketing conversion, since that was the last marketing touchpoint before the user took action to become a lead. Data-driven attribution is savvier and more holistic. Instead of only giving credit to the last marketing touch point, data-driven attribution would give credit to both your Google and Facebook ads, using a technical weighting system to attribute shared credit. Source The shift to data-driven attribution is an indication that Google recognizes just how complicated digital marketing is, and wants to help advertisers understand where their leads are coming from. Learn how Homesnape Concierge can help you navigate data-driven attribution. To view the original article, visit the Homesnap blog.

How to Use Instagram Carousel to Boost Your Business and Win More Listings
For real estate, Instagram is a great social platform for agents to expand their network, market properties, and acquire more listings. Predominantly through images, Instagram gives power to agents, teams, and brokerages looking to show off their businesses and listings. Instagram offers a variety of promotional options. One of the hottest new ways to give your listings a big boost and make your sellers smile is by leveraging the power of Instagram carousels. What's an Instagram Carousel? An Instagram carousel is a post or ad containing multiple photos or videos that you swipe or click through one image at a time. According to a study from Socialinsider, carousel posts produce the most organic (unpaid) engagement on Instagram. Carousels average 1.92% average engagement per post, compared to 1.74% and 1.45% average engagement for image and video posts, respectively. More impressively, some agents trace their big business boosts specifically to Instagram and its carousel posts, according to the social media experts at Curaytor, a marketing firm for top sales agents. When used correctly, it creates more engagement with your target audience and keeping their interest. Creating an Instagram carousel post involves selecting multiple images to make a post. You add a caption and copy, plus "tags" you want to include. You create a "tag" on Instagram by attaching a specific label to a post, picture, video, or status to group it with other content that uses the same label. Tags help you reach more people on Instagram with your messages and photos. A carousel post lets you share up to 10 images or videos as a single post. Therefore, you have an opportunity to create posts that have a punch. Here are some strategies for enhancing your business with an Instagram carousel: Copy is as crucial as imagery: Having appealing images in your Instagram carousel is vital for successful real estate marketing. However, it's also important to make sure you create powerful copy as well. Even if you have fantastic photos in your carousel post, it may be ineffective if the accompanying content doesn't get the message across. For example, for a listing post, compelling copy often raises curiosity about the listing you're promoting or prompts interest by asking a clever question. Highlight the property's most powerful features: The beginning of your Instagram carousel post should start the most dramatic photo of your listing. In most cases, it should also be a full house photo. In the carousel, highlight and explain the home's key features, such as hardwood floors, a built-in wine cellar, modern countertops, energy-saving air and heating systems, and other memorable features that make this home stand out. Tell a story: The advantage of a carousel post versus a single image post is that it allows you to tell a story. Every listing has a story, from its unique features and benefits to its location and history. With the right photos, graphic text, and video clips, you can tell an interesting and convincing story for each of your listings with a carousel post. Don't use all the carousel slots: While a carousel post can hold up to ten images or videos, that's a maximum limit, not a goal. It's best to select a few photos that are more likely to engage your audience. Having too many images can have the opposite effect. Like most communication channels, the attention span on Instagram is minimal. Less is often more when it comes to an effective carousel post. Leverage video content: Adding video clips to your carousel may seem like a time-consuming process, but it's simpler than you think. Since today's smartphones can take high-quality videos, you'll have the opportunity to showcase a listing's best feature in a way that a photo can't. Videos also make people stop scrolling to watch, increasing their attention span to your post. Like images in a carousel, it's essential to make sure the videos included helps improve your message to your target audience. Don't add a video to check a box. Show off your market: Instagram carousel posts are a great way to showcase your local market, something you can't do with a single image post. A local market post allows you to give context to your listings: what does the neighborhood look like? The local community and its amenities? You can provide a behind-the-scenes recap with a carousel post. ABC – Always Be Creative: Because carousel posts offer you more variety and versatility, this is where your creativity can shine. Don't know where to start? Follow other agents on Instagram known for their success with Instagram. You can find many with a simple Google search. Review their creativity to help inspire ideas of your own. You can create a carousel post with customer testimonials recommending your business, promoting a new service, or recapping a local event. Using Instagram carousels can be a great way to keep in touch with your customer base and win more leads. Remember, if you have any questions about technical challenges when using social media, you can connect with a Tech Helpline specialist with a click, call or email. To view the original article, visit the Tech Helpline blog.

What's the Difference Between Marketing and Advertising?
Kenneth Jones, an award-winning real estate broker and appraiser, shares the key differences between marketing and advertising. It's important agents understand the difference between these two in order to implement a succesful marketing strategy for their real estate business. Here's Kenneth: The difference between marketing and advertising is... I don't want to seem like I'm prolonging what should be a simple answer, but I really want you to UNDERSTAND this—not just THINK you understand this. We've all heard the words "marketing" and "advertising." And, while we all "hear" those words almost everyday of our lives, most people see them as meaning the same thing—a distinction without a difference. Well, they'd be wrong. Let me explain the differences. What Marketing Is MARKETING is the process of building a familiarity between a company, or a product, and the general public. It's the development of a relationship with the public, rather than trying to get someone to buy their product or service at that moment. Marketing serves a far broader purpose than advertising. But marketing also includes advertising. Think about it: without advertising, how else would anyone know that the company, product, or service exists? But the big difference between ads that are developed for "marketing" purposes and the ads developed for "straight advertising" are that marketing ads are only to make you aware of the company, their product, or their service. Marketing ads are not intended for you to do something or buy something now. Another characteristic of marketing is that this relationship building occurs through a variety of different events. The pre-planned series of marketing events is commonly known as a "marketing program." An example of a marketing program is a company sponsoring a special TV program, or a continual series of programs, or a major sporting event such as the Sony Open in Hawaii golf tournament. In real estate brokerage, when I refer to creating a marketing program for a property that my company is trying to sell, I'm talking about making other real estate agents and the general public familiar with the property. One example of a real estate related marketing event is holding a broker's open house where I invite other active agents to a semi-social event at the home being sold. The purpose is for them to become familiar with the property so they can match it up with one of their buyers. Another example of marketing is when a company buys the right to place their name on a sports arena, such as the Prudential Arena—a.k.a. The Rock—home of the New Jersey Devils NHL hockey team in Newark, New Jersey. The name of this arena represents the Newark-based Prudential Insurance Company. Some argue that "marketing" and "branding" are the same thing. And while they do overlap, "branding" is intended to make the public aware of the visual identity of a company, specifically their logo graphic. To see an example of "branding" vs. "marketing," let's go back to the Prudential Insurance Company. While putting their name on the sports arena is an example of "marketing," their logo, which is on the side of the arena building, is an example of "branding." So, when you see that graphic of a blue rock in that circular pattern and you think of Prudential Insurance, you've just experienced "branding." That's because this image is "branded" in your brain. So when you see this logo, you automatically associate it with Prudential Insurance. Now that you have an idea of the difference between marketing and branding, let me tell you the distinct difference between marketing and advertising. What Advertising Is ADVERTISING is intended to get someone to do something or buy something NOW. The best examples that distinguish advertising from marketing would be things like those supermarket ads. They're telling their prospective customers, "Here's the price you can buy this item for until 'x' day." The implied message is, "If you don't buy it by 'x' day, the price is going to change." The greater implication of the message is that the price will go up, So you'd better buy it NOW! In real estate, when a home advertisement is also intended for a prospective buyer to act NOW, commonly used terms are "Don't miss this opportunity," and "See it before it's gone" in order to try to motivate prospective buyers to see the home being offered. In the end, the difference between marketing and advertising is that while marketing simply says, "This is who we are and this is what we do," advertising stresses a sense of urgency—do something NOW before you miss the opportunity. To view the original article, visit the Zurple blog.

The Best Facebook Ads to Target Real Estate Buyers
Facebook ads are a popular way for real estate agents to market their listings to potential buyers. But like any widely adopted advertising tactic, efficacy varies. Some agents generate scores of high-intent leads from each and every campaign. Others struggle to source a contact or two. As we've run tens of thousands of successful Facebook campaigns on behalf of our agents, we wanted to shed light on what strategies lead to greater resonance with buyers and more effective lead generation. High-quality photos With every agent carrying a state-of-the-art camera in their pocket, there's no excuse for a lack of crisp, high-resolution property photographs. It's the only standard, really. Many buyers, especially younger, more digital-adept ones, assume that poor photos are a deliberate attempt to obfuscate a less-than-desirable property or features. As a result, ads with poor quality photographs receive fewer clicks and, in turn, generate fewer leads. Read our tips for taking better listing photos. Inclusion of video A year ago, video wasn't an expected component of any real estate listing advertisement. After the pandemic, though, it's the norm. Why? Prior to the pandemic, prospective homebuyers would attend showings and open houses if they had even so much as a passing interest in a property. Facebook advertisements were essentially teasers, designed to get an agents' name out there and entice buyers into attending an in-person showing. No buyer expected to see every corner of a property displayed in a Facebook ad. But because of Covid, homebuyers are more choosy when it comes to in-person attendance. They'll only visit a property if they believe there's a serious chance they'll make an offer. Videos provide a way to approximate that in-person experience. Essentially, without video, you run the risk of a consumer not seeing enough value in the property and opting out of further pursuit. Read our tips for optimizing your video marketing. Immediacy + Humblebrag = Winning Copy Facebook (or social media in general, really) is never a place for humility. Successful agents leverage their past successes in their advertising. So, for example, when promoting your listings, try highlighting how a particular property won't be on-market for too long because your previous listings went under contract in days in your advertising copy. You'll convey both your prowess as an agent and create a greater sense of urgency. Highly targeted Facebook allows you to build multiple custom audiences. To do so, upload contact information for people you know, such as your sphere and any leads you've generated. Facebook will match the data to its user base and allow you to target this specific group of people (if they have a Facebook account). There are three advantages to making a custom audience for all your ads: It will keep you top of mind. The next time someone in your sphere is looking for a real estate agent or has a referral, your ads will remind them that you're an active agent. You'll build brand awareness for leads and cool prospects. Repetition is key if you want them to remember you over competitors. It improves the opportunity for organic reach. People who know you are most likely to hit the share button, giving you free placement in their feed. Only 3.5% of real estate agents target their sphere. But they are the best performing agents. Leverage lookalike audience feature Similar to the custom audience, Facebook's lookalike audience is infrequently used (only by 7.5% of campaigns). To access this feature, you must first create a custom audience as we described above. Facebook will mine that data for common characteristics so it can find a group of similar users who are most likely to be interested in your ad and services. This type of audience is more refined than blanket-targeting people based on interests and demographics. You can also layer location parameters on top of the audience to ensure your ad stays local. To view the original article, visit the Homesnap blog.

Elevating Your Real Estate Business with Facebook Ads
Social media is a necessity when it comes to real estate agents' marketing and advertising. There are endless opportunities for agents to promote their business, from posting videos of homes that are for sale or to even sharing important tips for helping buyers complete their purchase. With opportunities like these, there is one tool that every agent should use to make the best out of their social media advertising – Facebook Ads. Facebook Ads are a great way to get more exposure for your business. Facebook consultant and Houston Association of Realtors® CE educator, Tristen Sutton, joined us for a Secrets of Top Selling Agents webinars. He demonstrated the ins-and-outs of using Facebook Ads for your real estate business. What Is a Facebook Ad? A Facebook Ad is exactly what it sounds like – it is an ad that is placed on the Facebook platform. However, there is so much more to Facebook advertising. Facebook Ads can be broadcast across Instagram and LinkedIn as well. If you have a limited marketing budget, you want to go where the most users are. There are over 1.7 billion people who login to Facebook each day. Sutton's tip: those 1.7 billion are your audience and you should use Facebook Ads to market to them. Facebook Ads can help you to expand your audience to a group that is outside of your usual circle on social media. That large pool of active Facebook users can ensure you are getting leads and making conversions to make your business as successful as possible. Most people go online to get the things they want, so make the best of Facebook Ads and target those people on Facebook. You Have to Pay for Success In the past, when you created a post on Facebook, you would generate leads. However, that is not the case anymore. Normal Facebook business posts are being suppressed, which means that your content is not getting the exposure it used to. Now, Facebook prefers Facebook Ads when it comes to getting exposure on the platform. Using Facebook Ads to increase your brand awareness or drive visitors to an open house (or virtual open house) will get you the results you are looking for, explains Sutton. Say you have 1,000 followers on your profile; when you post a generic post, the 1,000 followers that you have are the only people who will see your content unless they share the post, tag someone on the post, or someone searches for that specific post. With a paid Facebook Ad, you expand your reach and increase the chance for more traffic to visit your website or profile, which in turn increases your opportunities to make a sale. When you pay to play, you target specific audiences that you are interested in, such as "luxury real estate" or "foreclosures." Yes, they are two different audiences, but you can target them specifically to the type of business you conduct. Not only can you increase your reach, but you can also increase your engagement. What Types of Ads Should You Be Running? You have to play it smart when it comes to Facebook Ads. You can run as many ads as you like, but you have to know which types of ads to create. Sutton outlines four different types of ads that you should be running. Reach. These ads will function as your brand expander. You can use these ads to brand yourself as an expert in your area. Video. These ads will increase your lead generation and branding efforts. Website Visits. You can use these to drive people back to your website so they can see what listings you have. Open House Events. These ads are good for sharing an event, such as when you would like more people to show up to an in-person or virtual home tour event. How to Create a Facebook Ad Sutton also shares some tips for creating a Facebook Ad. Below, you can find step-by-step instructions for creating an ad. Go to your Facebook Business Page and select Facebook Ads Manager. Click "create an ad." After you have clicked "create an ad," you will be prompted to select a special ad category. As a real estate agent, you must click the special ad category for housing. If you do not click this, your ad will be rejected by Facebook and their algorithm will deny your Facebook Ad. Next, select which type of ad you want; Sutton suggests choosing engagement, or, if the ad is for an open house event, click event response. Now you will select your audience. Your audience is who you wish to target with your ad. You can select a specific area that you work in within a 15-50 mile radius. After your audience is selected, you will select a detailed target audience. Here, you can select your specific area that you work in such as luxury real estate or even specific interests that you believe your targeted audience will interact with. After you have done this, choose your image, add a little more copy to your ad, and you're good to go! Keep in mind that Facebook does require about 24 hours to approve a Facebook Ad. If your ad doesn't get approved right away, that's okay. Facebook will audit your ad to make sure everything is right, and will get your ad up and running. Sutton suggests that if you are running an ad for a specific event or offering, give yourself 10 days of time to run your ad so you can get the most out of your ad spend. Running a Facebook Ad can be fun and exciting, but can also be a little challenging. Make sure to stop by the Secrets of Top Selling Agents Facebook Group to watch the recording of Tristen Sutton's webinar here. Or, to check out the Facebook Live recap, click here. To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.

The New Google Screened Badge is Changing Digital Advertising: Here's Why
Every real estate agent should make it a priority to get their Google Screened badge as soon as possible. Here, we'll cover the top questions real estate agents have about the Google Screened badge. Google has slowly been adjusting its search results pages – specifically the first page — over the last few years to make itself a bigger competitor for top-of-the-funnel advertising tactics. Instead of sending people away to other websites, Google wants its users to find the info they need without very much clicking or scrolling. Just take a look at how Google has evolved its strategy recently: First, you could only run a paid search ad that appeared at the top of search results. Then, Google introduced the Google business profile to give relevant businesses prime real estate at the top of Google. Then you could connect your search ad to your Google business profile to unlock a Google Maps ad. There have also been adjustments so searches are hyperlocal (two people across the country searching "top real estate agents" will see different results), and the introduction of "snippets" so searchers can instantly see answers to common questions related to their search without ever clicking into a website. Now, real estate agents can run Local Services Ads, which appear at the very top of the search results page — even above paid search ads — and deliver live phone call leads. They can also include a powerful endorsement from the search giant itself: the coveted Google Screened badge. Unlike a traditional ad, the Google Screened badge can't be obtained in just a couple clicks, and Google won't endorse just anyone. The badge is tougher to get because you have to go through a screening process, but it's worth it because Google rewards badge owners with more live phone call leads. This gives savvy digital advertisers a huge advantage, because they can unlock a clear path to better ROI without paying anything extra, except a tiny bit more of their time to push some digital paperwork through. If Google has taught us anything, it's that its users adapt fast to these interface and experience changes, and quickly alter their search behavior accordingly. As the Google Screened badge continues to expand into other industries, users will only grow more and more likely to call Google Screened businesses that are right at the top of the page. That's why, even though it takes a little effort, claiming your Google Screened badge right now is worth it. What is a Google Screened badge? The Google Screened badge is a green checkmark and designation applied to Google's new Local Services Ads. Right now, the badge is only available to a few professional service providers: those in law, financial planning, and real estate. Each ad prominently displays the advertiser's headshot, star rating, and review count, as well as a click-to-call feature that drives direct phone call leads to businesses. Not all Local Services Ads receive the badge, and that's because you need to apply for it and get approved. It's an involved process that requires agents to allow Google to conduct business-level and business-owner background checks. This is how Google does its due diligence to ensure that its most esteemed advertisers are, in fact, licensed real estate agents. Once the vetting process is complete, you'll automatically be ranked over every non-screened agent in your market. Why do I need a Google Screened badge? Google continues to adapt its platforms to give users the most relevant search results higher and higher on the page. You've seen traditional SEO continue to evolve (just look at the organic featured snippets and FAQs that now appear near the top of search results), and that's because users expect the best information to appear first. By placing its Local Services Ads at the very top — the most sought-after placement — Google is telling consumers that these are worth paying attention to. And, Google is telling advertisers that this is where it's investing its time and resources. As such, Local Services Ads provide one of the lowest-friction experiences available today. Its prime placement makes it easily seen and accessible, and it offers a hassle-free click-to-call feature. The addition of the Google Screened badge not only boosts trust in the eyes of consumers — like a digital referral — but Google really does prioritize vetted advertisers above those who do not have the badge. Local Services Ads combined with the Google Screened badge create a one-of-a-kind ad unit. It's essentially a combination of a top-of-the-funnel ad (when consumers first become aware of your business) and a bottom-of-the-funnel ad (when consumers are ready to take action). That's because someone could search for "real estate agents in Seattle" instead of a specific agent, get served a list of Google Screened results — seeing these specific agents and their five-star ratings for the first time — and then tap an ad to call one of the verified agents. Within a single search experience, you can be discovered for the first time and immediately contacted, thanks to the high level of trust that users have in Google to screen and recommend businesses. This new ad type presents real estate agents with a unique opportunity to get in on the ground floor of what will undoubtedly become an important and highly competitive advertising space across industries. How can a Google Screened badge help me get more live phone call leads than my competitors? The Google Screened badge is exclusive. Since you need to go through a traditional background check process to get approved, it puts you on a different level from other agents. This requires more effort, but it also gives you a competitive advantage when you're trying to win new business because Google sends more leads to agents with a Google Screened badge. Our data also show that the leads generated from Google's Local Services Ads are highly qualified. For instance, one in two leads is an actual buyer or seller, and one in 10 leads is a seller lead. Plus, you can dispute bad leads with Google and win that budget back, creating a more efficient advertising strategy and ROI than your competitors. Agents who get in early will outpace their competition, as they'll have a head start in building trust with Google. The company rewards advertisers who invest in its products and provide a good client experience. When you already have good reviews and a high star rating and then also earn the Google Screened badge, it's a signal to consumers that you are trustworthy, which Google knows will lead to more live phone calls. The more phone calls you answer, the happier Google is with the experience you're providing to consumers. As a result, the search giant will optimize your ad for more phone calls. This creates a merit-based system where agents control their own destiny, so other agents can't simply outbid you for exposure. If you get screened and earn a Google Screened badge, consistently get five-star Google reviews, and answer when those leads call, you'll quickly outpace your competition. How do I apply for a Google Screened badge? We mentioned earlier that the application process is more involved than any other advertising product on the market. But that should not deter you at all. As one of the only professional service sectors that can apply right now, real estate agents should be running—not walking—to earn the Google Screened badge. THIS is the ground floor if you act quickly, like buying Amazon stock decades ago for $10. Navigating the application process on your own can feel intimidating. Homesnap Concierge makes it easier for real estate agents as one of Google's only trusted third-party partners. When you work with us, you're assigned a dedicated success manager who will coach you through the process, letting you know what information to provide, which specific documents to submit, and when to take the next step. Your success manager will ensure you don't miss a beat and are able to earn the badge as soon as possible. Another important part of the process that real estate agents should be aware of is the requirement of having a verified Google business profile with at least one review. Details from your profile are linked to your Local Services Ads and badge, and Google also uses that information to determine when to serve your ad in search results. As a Google preferred partner, Homesnap Concierge is able to expedite Google business profile verification process for our agents — which can otherwise add weeks to the process. And finally, our Concierge specialists vet every phone call lead and dispute bad leads on your behalf — so you can be sure your ad budget is always being invested in quality leads. It's bound to be a hot summer for residential real estate. Home-buying demand remains strong and inventory could expand as states loosen COVID restrictions and give us a glimpse of a return to normal on the horizon. Now is the time to invest on an advertising strategy that will bring you high-intent, qualified leads by phone. To view the original article, visit the Homesnap blog.

What's the Big Deal about Google Local Services Ads?
If you're in the real estate business, there's a good chance you've been hearing a lot about Google Local Services Ads, or Google LSA. The industry has been buzzing with talk about how this new seller lead source can generate a lot of inexpensive ready-to-transact leads and even produce inbound "come-list-me" calls. The question is -- is this lead source actually worth it? What Is Google LSA? Let's start off with the basics. What is Google LSA and why should you care? Google LSA is a resource provided by Google that allows users to use Google to search for service providers that Google essentially prescreens and then recommends to the user. For example, you could go to Google right now and search for "plumber in Santa Monica" and immediately Google will show you three prescreened and "Google Guaranteed" plumbers in Santa Monica. These prescreened companies pop up right at the top of the search results page (even above the pay-per-click advertisements) and are usually accompanied by numerous positive reviews featured front and center. Google LSA has been around for quite some time for other industries, but just in the last couple of months it has become available for real estate. So, why should you care? If you were looking for a real estate agent in your area, wouldn't you most likely pick one of the three real estate agents Google recommended who had already been prescreened and showcased excellent reviews? It seems like a no-brainer, and the fact is, it's already working. What Are the Benefits of Using Google LSA? There are a few key benefits to using Google LSA that you're not going to get with other lead source providers in the real estate industry. The most important benefits are that you receive high quality leads at a low cost. 1. High Quality Leads Google LSA leads primarily come in the form of inbound phone calls. That means no more chasing leads! The leads coming in are high intent prospects with short transactional timeframes. Google LSA leads are primarily sellers and out of town buyers. 2. Low Costing Leads With Google LSA, you only pay for inbound phone calls that last longer than 30 seconds. Google refunds you for any irrelevant and out-of-area calls so you're only paying for legitimate leads. The per-lead costs are inexpensive. How Does Google LSA Generate More Seller Leads? So you might be asking yourself, "How does this lead source generate mostly seller leads?" The answer is simple. Google is doing it organically. Typically, people who are local and looking to buy a house are not searching online for a real estate agent. Usually buyers will look for homes for sale in their local area straightaway. The only people who are really searching for real estate agents off-the-bat are people looking to sell their homes, people who are from out of town looking to relocate, or other out of town real estate agents trying to refer clients. All of these scenarios are highly desirable for lead generation. Okay, What's the Catch? At this point you're probably wondering, "Okay, so what's the catch with Google LSA?" While there isn't really a "catch" per se, there are a few key things you will need to do to be successful with this lead source. 1. Forty percent of the leads will be irrelevant. That number might seem high, but keep in mind that this means 60% of the leads coming in through Google LSA are relevant and have high intention to transact quickly. 2. You need to pick up your phone. With Google LSA, your ranking is controlled by a Google algorithm and how often you answer incoming calls from Google LSA is a major influence on how far up on the list you appear as a Google recommended provider. 3. You need to have an optimized Google My Business page. Ninety percent of Google LSA profiles are linked to a Google My Business (GMB) page. Your GMB page should be complete with an accurate address, hours of operation, and any other required profile information. 4. You need to have business reviews. Another really important influence on the algorithm that determines your Google ranking and ultimately how many leads you receive with LSA per month is reviews. For perspective, a real estate agent with 10 reviews will get less than six lead calls per month, whereas an agent who has 100 reviews will get upwards of 20 lead calls per month. That's a Lot to Take in. Feeling Overwhelmed? If you're starting to feel like you're in over your head, you'll be happy to hear that you can get help setting up your Google LSA and GMB page with Ylopo. Ylopo has set up over 800 clients on Google LSA already and can help you get rolling with LSA fast. Here are some of the things Ylopo can do to help you get started with Google LSA: Ylopo automates the process of getting you credited for irrelevant leads. As a client, you can take advantage of Ylopo's Instant Response Call Center that will pick up the phone for you so you don't have to worry about missing any inbound calls from LSA (something that would normally negatively impact your Google ranking). Ylopo provides a Google LSA integration that links directly to your CRM so you can seamlessly get your Google LSA leads funneled right into the system you use daily to manage leads. Ylopo provides direct assistance with optimizing your Google My Business Page so you can improve your rankings on Google LSA faster. Ylopo automates the review collection process for you, helping you to quickly and effortlessly get your well-deserved reviews (something that also positively impacts your ranking on Google). Still on the Fence? If you're still on the fence about getting your business set up with Google Local Services Ads, here's some advice. Start by getting your Google My Business page set up and then head over to Google and search for real estate agents in your area to see which of your competitors is already taking advantage of Google LSA. It might be just what you need to see to get on board. To learn more about Google LSA and the other seller tools Ylopo has to offer, check out www.ylopo.com/seller.

What Are the Best Converting Ads For Real Estate?
As so much changes in the real estate industry, there's one thing that remains constant: choice. Agents now have many options for everything from CRM vendors to advertising platforms. No matter what size budget you have to work with, it's important that no dollar is wasted and that the option you choose will maximize your spend. When considering where to advertise, keep in mind that not all channels are created equal. Some might be better for brand awareness than generating leads, such as display ads. If it's leads you're after, then you should learn exactly how the platform will help you achieve your objective so you can zero-in on those particular features. The answer might be audience targeting capabilities, the post-click experience or when and how the ad is displayed. Every platform has its own unique advantage. So, what are the best-converting ads for real estate agents? Let's review the top-performing options and why your ad dollars will be best spent there. Facebook This platform is well-known for being great for top-of-the-funnel activities like improving reach and brand awareness. But if that's all you know about Facebook ads, then you've missed a big opportunity on the platform. Namely, how its targeting capabilities and ad types can efficiently generate leads. Audience Targeting Reach is important when it comes to extending brand awareness, but your best-converting ads will be those that are shown to a targeted audience. Facebook gives advertisers a number of ways to narrow their audience, and the two following options are top choices if you want to generate leads. Custom audiences: This option allows you to target a very particular group of people. So particular, in fact, that you get to decide who is included in the audience. What's great about custom audiences is that you can send different messages to each cohort you target, such as open house leads versus your sphere of influence. When you can customize the ad experience based on what you know about your audience, your ads will convert at a much higher rate. Lookalike audiences: Once you have a custom audience set up, you can create campaigns that target people who have similar characteristics (such as demographics or common interests). This helps you reach even more potential buyers and sellers who "look like" your target audience, which improves conversion rates. Lead Generation Ads In the Facebook ad management platform, you will need to select a campaign objective before setting up your ads. When you choose "lead generation" as your objective, you will be able to create what Facebook calls an "Instant Form." This form will appear in-app when someone clicks on your ad, and it auto-fills contact information for anyone who clicks on your ad. By automating the process, Facebook is reducing friction and therefore the likelihood that consumers will stall in the process. This experience is what makes the lead generation ad one of the best-converting ads for real estate agents. Google Google Ads Google Ads target high-intent leads, as these buyers and sellers are actively searching for a real estate agent. The ad's copy and content are everything when it comes to making these ads successful. One little-known secret to making Google Ads perform even better is to connect them to your Google business profile (GMB). By establishing this connection, you'll be able to activate the location extension on your Google Ads, which enables your business address to appear on the ad. That not only adds further legitimacy to your ad and increases its conversion potential, but it also allows your ad to appear on Google Maps as a bonus placement. Since many businesses aren't aware of this possibility, there is less competition on Google Maps than in search. Local Services Ads A brand-new advertising product from Google, Google Local Services Ads seamlessly facilitate contact from homebuyers and sellers to real estate agents in their market. They're prioritized at the top of the Google search page, above traditional paid search advertisements, and enable prospects to live call an agent directly from their desktop or mobile device. There's no friction, form fills, or needless clicks. Best of all, you'll only ever pay for quality leads. You'll only pay when you receive a call from an interested buyer or seller. Instagram The key for any ad on Instagram—whether for awareness or lead gen—is to use a scroll-stopping visual and strong copy. But, if you want yours to be one of the best-converting real estate ads, you should use video on Instagram. Video is engaging compared to still images. Today's technology lets you enhance your videos by adding text, graphics and animations to make them even more interesting. It's a great way to capture attention and then pique the viewer's curiosity enough to submit their contact details to receive more information. Waze This navigation app is a great one for real estate agents to advertise on. First off, it's not on the radar of very many businesses, so competition is much lower than on other platforms. Second, it does a good job of driving foot traffic to open houses. It works in the same ways as A-frames around the neighborhood, except that it targets drivers instead of pedestrians. Drivers also don't need to be right outside of the property to see your ad pop up on the map, in search results or as a "digital billboard" when they hit zero speed. Just being in the vicinity is enough for the ad to show up. To view the original article, visit the Homesnap blog.

Questions About Google's Local Services Ads? We Have Answers
Recently, Homesnap announced the addition of Google's Local Services Ads to Homesnap Concierge. In this post, we'd like to answer some of the most common questions we've received from our member agents. What are Google's Local Services Ads? A brand-new advertising product from Google, Local Services Ads are prioritized at the top of the Google search page, above traditional paid search advertisements, and enable prospects to live call an agent directly from the ad unit. These ads can also feature an agent's photo, Google reviews, hours of operation, and a "Google Screened" badge.

How to Generate More Leads with Google's Local Services Ads
By now, you're probably familiar with Google's Local Services Ads. But, if you're not, here's a quick summary: A brand-new advertising product from Google, Local Services Ads seamlessly facilitate contact from homebuyers and sellers to real estate agents in their market. They're prioritized at the top of the Google search page, above traditional paid search advertisements, and, most notably, enable prospective buyers and sellers to call an agent (via their desktop or mobile device) directly from the ad unit. As you can imagine, the premium on-page location and lack of form fills make Google Local Services Ads a game-changing addition to any agent's digital marketing repertoire. Yet, it's important to note that these ads, like all advertisements, are not a guaranteed set-it-and-forget-it lead generation product. An agent's actions can—and will—have a significant impact on performance. We'll explore what you can do to boost the efficacy of your Google's Local Services Ads below.

Friday Freebie: Absentee Owner Prospect List
Ready to shift your real estate marketing strategy to a potentially lucrative niche? Thanks to the pandemic and record low inventory, one group of homeowners is particularly ripe as a source of listing leads -- the absentee owner. In this week's Friday Freebie, we'll show you how to get a FREE mailing list of absentee owner prospects and let you know just why they're a perfect target for your current marketing efforts. Get a Free Absentee Owner Prospect List, courtesy of ProspectsPLUS! Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic—and its resulting record unemployment levels—evictions of tenants who cannot pay rent have been temporarily halted. This leaves many landlords in a precarious financial situation due to the inability to collect rent from many of their tenants. However, housing inventory is at record lows while home prices are at record highs, which means that many landlords stand to make a significant return on their property investment should they sell right now. Your mission? Be the agent that they reach out to when that time comes. When it comes to being top-of-mind with potential sellers, nothing beats being proactive. Start putting your name in front of these property owners now, and you can be the agent that moves them off the fence and helps them sell their property. To get started, first you need a list of absentee owners to target. ProspectsPLUS! to the rescue! They're offering RE Technology readers a FREE absentee owner prospect list (with promo code FREELIST at checkout) that you use to start marketing to this lucrative group of leads. Ready to get started? Get your FREE Absentee Owner Prospect List with promo code FREELIST.

Dynamic Video Ads Make You a Real Estate Diva (Yes, men too!)
The Great Reshuffling Zillow CEO Rich Barton calls it 'the great reshuffling': the shift to remote work underscores the ability for people to live where they want now. Consumer demand is high. At the same time, there's more reshuffling among real estate companies. You've seen the headlines. Compass is raising tremendous amounts of cash. Zillow Offers, Redfin Now, Opendoor and other iBuyer companies are battling for market share in the space. Homeowners can sell directly to major real estate tech companies. New apps are aimed at making home sales similar to an Amazon transaction. And companies are offering an ever-widening array of services. In the midst of this, we see portals reshuffle their strategy away from advertising services to referrals. As a result, agents must now shift their marketing to local direct to consumer. A successful way to do that is to leverage video ads. Video ads work well to build a brand and gain higher click through rates than other ads. It Takes a DyVA to Stay Competitive Some agents are becoming "divas" to stay competitive. The twist here is that diva is spelled DyVA and it stands for Dynamic Video Ads—professional quality video ads that are built and placed using automation from Ylopo. Video is the most effective way to market in 2020. In fact, according to Cisco Systems, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic by 2022. The average real estate advertiser isn't using video because it is too expensive, and agents do not have the expertise or technology required to produce highly engaging video content. DyVA—an included feature in Ylopo's suite—solves that. It gives agents the ability to generate and proliferate excellent video content across social platforms in minutes. The video gets uploaded to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and others. All that's needed is to enter the MLS listing number and choose from dozens of video templates. They range from Just Listed and Open House to holiday themes. The proprietary software pulls the information from the MLS, and Ylopo's proprietary AI automatically selects the best listing photos. The DyVA platform then creates the video, formats and optimizes it to effectively appear on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Each individual DyVA marketing campaign costs approximately $65 and will ideally run for up to a month (assuming the listing is on the market that long). These ads also showcase an agent's expertise in selling a home. A client can either access a web page which shows real-time performance statistics, or agents can provide them with an attractive report. The Next Level DyVA technology also features a 'Digital Billboard' which produces and publishes unique video content. This content is updated monthly and can be used to brand an agent's entire database, regardless of size. The video content covers everything from pets and top kitchen hacks, to educational, listing-based videos. Most importantly, 24/7 branded content running all year keeps an agent top of mind to current and potential clients. Not surprisingly, agents are choosing to become DyVAs to stay ahead of the competition and to better serve their clients. Please visit Ylopo.com/dyva to learn more or request a demo.

[Best of 2020] Friday Freebie: Download a COVID-19 Postcard and Reach Out to Your Sphere
We're continuing an annual tradition of counting down our top 10 articles of the year. The following article was originally published in May and is #3 in our countdown. See #4 here. The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we live--and the way we need to communicate. Gone are the days, for example, when agents could send their contacts a calendar of local events (what events, right?). So how do we communicate in this new era while remaining sensitive to changing norms and our sphere's changing needs? Find out for yourself in this week's Friday Freebie. We're introducing you to a series of coronavirus-related postcards that hit just the right note for reaching out to those who matter most to your real estate business. Free download from the COVID-19 postcard series by ProspectsPLUS! What kind of postcard messaging strikes the right tone during the coronavirus era? That depends on the type of real estate agent YOU are. Whether humorous, helpful or nurturing, there's a postcard with a voice that matches yours in today's Friday Freebie. RE Technology readers can download one free postcard from a library of 115 different postcards designs in eight content categories, courtesy of ProspectsPLUS! Here's a look at the types of postcard you can send to your sphere: Animals: Use humor to connect with clients with funny animal postcards. At Home: Offer helpful at-home advice for how clients can fill their downtime. Comfort Foods: Strike a nurturing tone with recipes for making comfort food. Content Cards: Remind clients you're the helpful home expert with home maintenance tips and more. Definitions: Gently stay top of mind with these trendy outreach cards. Inspiration Cards: Remind your sphere that brighter days are ahead with motivational designs. Looking for Listings: The market is still active! Remind homeowners that now is still a great time to sell. Virtual Marketing: Are you a tech wizard who knows how to thrive in these times? Show off your virtual tour capabilities, remote meeting skills and more! Download any COVID-19 series postcard for free with promo code FREECARD. Your postcard includes your choice of design on the front and your customized contact information on the back. Print your postcard at home or share it on social media, via email, and on your website. Download your FREE postcard today with promo code FREECARD at checkout!

5 Clever Ways to Boost Your Real Estate Ads
Do you feel like your marketing is getting stale? Or that your real estate ads aren't reaching enough people? If either is true, it's time to breathe a little life into your marketing. These five tactics will make your real estate ads more engaging, expand their delivery to even more people in your target areas, and generate more, higher-quality leads.

5 Branding Secrets Every Real Estate Pro Should Know
Big companies have massive budgets to fuel their brands. Why would major corporations be spending money on branding--doesn't everyone already know who they are? They advertise because they know that effective branding is the key to their success. In a 2019 study from Interbrand, Apple, Google and Amazon were named the three best global brands. These three companies alone spend more than $8 BILLION each year to make sure each of us will consider their products when we're on the hunt for an answer, a new laptop, or literally anything you could ever want to buy, from a Nintendo Switch to tonight's dinner. The truth is, you probably encounter these brands every single day. Sometimes it happens without even recognizing it. Amazon knows they need to be the first thing you think about when you're ready to make a purchase. Google has dominated online search so completely that "googling" something has a permanent spot in the lexicon. And Apple? They've turned their brand into a status symbol, something consumers crave. Sure, with a massive budget at their fingertips, big brands have access to data and sophisticated advertising techniques that may seem out of reach to the average real estate agent. However, as we'll discover in this post, anyone can achieve similar results on a localized scale in a very affordable way. Want to run with the big dogs when it comes to your branding? Well you're in luck! Here we reveal the five key secrets to successful brand advertising.

4 Essentials of Branding For Real Estate Agents
We know that the thought of posting, and posting regularly, on social media can give make even the savviest agents start to sweat. Not everyone grew up on the internet or speaks fluent hashtag. Getting into the habit of posting and creating online profiles complete with a lot of awesome content is a lot of hard work. So we thought that we'd help you out. But before we jump in, we thought we'd start with some tips on branding. Social media activity is pretty useless unless it's targeted and branded. Here's why you should brand, and the four essential components of branding for real estate agents.

The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Lead Ads for Realtors
Ever wonder how your colleagues and competitors are scooping up warm leads in the digital world? One answer is Facebook lead ads. This article will break down the ad type, with step by step instructions.

How to Make a Flyer in Google Slides
If you're looking for ways to add value, reach a larger audience, attract more visitors to your website, or capture more leads, downloadable guides, flyers, and checklists may be the tool you're looking for. Here's how to make your own for free in Google Slides.

Waze Is the Hottest Trend in Real Estate Marketing. Here's Why
According to the latest Homesnap data, Waze advertisements have experienced a 173% surge in usage among agents when compared to this time last June. The year-over-year jump is the largest we've seen from any digital real estate marketing channel--including stalwarts like Facebook, Instagram, and Google. So, we asked ourselves: What's driving this trend?

Ad Science: Ads with Faces Eleven Times More Likely to Get Noticed
Turn on your computer or grab your phone to read your email, browse the internet, or connect on social media, and what do you notice? Everywhere you look, someone is competing for your attention online. Buy this, download that, read these. In fact, the average person sees about 360 commercial messages daily. You might not think that's very many, but it's way more information than your brain can process, particularly because much of it is irrelevant. This has led us to minimally process online content that looks like an ad, a phenomenon called banner blindness, which is a widely recognized challenge in advertising. The average online ad receives only one-third of a second of someone's time. However, you likely see a lot of faces in advertising, and this is not a coincidence. There is science behind the phenomenon.

How to Use Virtual Selling on Social Media to Get Clients to Chase You (Instead of You Chasing Them)
We had a great chat with Ryan Hartman, VP of Marketplace at Engagement at Inside Real Estate during a recent Coffee Chat. He showed us all the best ways to create "surround sound" marketing so that your prospects and clients see your ads everywhere they go via a concept called retargeting. Take 30 minutes and hear from one of the most experienced social media marketing experts about the right way to succeed with virtual selling. Here are three key takeaways from Ryan's Coffee Chat: 1. Most agents only follow up with their hottest, "most ready to move" opportunities, and forget about the other 90% or so. When these people are ready to buy or sell, they end up working with another agent (usually a top producer who is taking a longer term view of things). If you're going to succeed with virtual selling, you need to nurture relationships with your local sphere regularly—and long before and after they want to buy or sell a home. 2. It's 2020, not 2012. If you're registering people on your website and then signing them for a generic email marketing campaign with recipes and non-specific articles, you are not going to be able to breakt hrough. Instead, you have to think about more effective and unique ways to differentiate yourself. Using a "multi-channel" approach to build top-of-mind status is where it's at today. They have to see you everywhere so they believe you are THE most well-connected local agent they can work with. 3. Animated, property-specific ads on Facebook and Instagram, complete with a way for the reader to ask for more information about the property, is the way to go right now. Click on the image below to see a highly effective animated social media ad. 4. An effective "multi-channel" online marketing effort includes many of the following components: Facebook / Instagram "Lead" Ads Google PPC Ads YouTube, Facebook and Instagram Video Retargeting Branded Google Display Retargeting Voicemail Drops Personalized Video Follow-Up (BombBomb) Automated Search Alerts Watch the Coffee Chat recording below: If you would like to learn more about being a smart broker and enabling success for your agents' team, check out the following FREE resources: Virtual Training Summit (lots of FREE training) Inside Real Estate Success Strategies Facebook Group If you want to be a great virtual seller, but would like to outsource the effort to a company proven to nurture success for its customers, click here to schedule a demo. Don't Miss These Upcoming Coffee Chats! Friday, May 22 Learn How to Capitalize on the Pent-Up Demand with Jack Markham of Zurple Tuesday, May 26 Things You Should Be Doing in Your CRM During Quarantine with Brandon Wise of Wise Agent Wednesday, May 27 Get More Done by Leveraging Virtual Assistants with Bryan Bowles of Transactly If you would like us to sign you up for all upcoming coffee chats, email [email protected] and he will get you signed up. If you would like to get notifications every time a Coffee Chat recording is published, subscribe to our YouTube channel, RETechnologyInc. Then hit the bell next to the Subscribe button and receive notifications every time we publish new educational videos. Get Recordings of All Coffee Chats If you would like to binge watch all of the Coffee Chat recordings, click here. If you would like a FREE 3-month trial of RE Technology, go to retechnology.com, click Create Account and then use one of these coupon codes: COVID-19A COVID-19B COVID-19M

Friday Freebie: Download a COVID-19 Postcard and Reach Out to Your Sphere
The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we live--and the way we need to communicate. Gone are the days, for example, when agents could send their contacts a calendar of local events (what events, right?). So how do we communicate in this new era while remaining sensitive to changing norms and our sphere's changing needs? Find out for yourself in this week's Friday Freebie. We're introducing you to a series of coronavirus-related postcards that hit just the right note for reaching out to those who matter most to your real estate business. Free download from the COVID-19 postcard series by ProspectsPLUS! What kind of postcard messaging strikes the right tone during the coronavirus era? That depends on the type of real estate agent YOU are. Whether humorous, helpful or nurturing, there's a postcard with a voice that matches yours in today's Friday Freebie. RE Technology readers can download one free postcard from a library of 115 different postcards designs in eight content categories, courtesy of ProspectsPLUS! Here's a look at the types of postcard you can send to your sphere: Animals: Use humor to connect with clients with funny animal postcards. At Home: Offer helpful at-home advice for how clients can fill their downtime. Comfort Foods: Strike a nurturing tone with recipes for making comfort food. Content Cards: Remind clients you're the helpful home expert with home maintenance tips and more. Definitions: Gently stay top of mind with these trendy outreach cards. Inspiration Cards: Remind your sphere that brighter days are ahead with motivational designs. Looking for Listings: The market is still active! Remind homeowners that now is still a great time to sell. Virtual Marketing: Are you a tech wizard who knows how to thrive in these times? Show off your virtual tour capabilities, remote meeting skills and more! Download any COVID-19 series postcard for free with promo code FREECARD. Your postcard includes your choice of design on the front and your customized contact information on the back. Print your postcard at home or share it on social media, via email, and on your website. Download your FREE postcard today with promo code FREECARD at checkout!

What's the ONE Digital Marketing Strategy You Should Try in These Uncertain Times?
Are you "turtling" or coiling your spring for the post-COVID era? Jed Carlson, CEO of Adwerx, posed that important question to our audience during a recent Coffee Chat. In other words, are you closing up shop and running scared or you taking this small break in the action to build stronger relationships and grab market share from your competitors? If you haven't gotten busy, then it's time that you did. For those of you that don't know Jed Carlson, he is one of our industry's leading experts on digital marketing. Beyond the services his company offers, Jed has his finger on the pulse of where digital marketing is going. Listen to his advice! He will not steer you wrong! Key takeaways: 1. Digital advertising costs are down 40-60% right now If you're going to try digital marketing, now is the time. If you're already into digital marketing, now is the time to double down. 2. Focus digital advertising on the people you already have relationships with Facebook and Adwerx both offer a way for you to target advertising messages ONLY to those that you already know. That means no wasted advertising on those that you have not already connected with in some way. 3. Continue to build your sphere of those you know automatically There are simple and inexpensive ways to continue to build your sphere automatically by attracting new prospects via Live Open Houses, email blasts or even direct outreach. Take this time to learn how to turn on valuable automated tools like this. Watch the recording on this valuable session with Jed Carlson here: BONUS Offer: Receive 30% off one quarter of Adwerx's Sphere of Influence product. Campaign must be purchased via a one-on-one marketing consultation. Call 888-746-5678 to book a consultation and mention you received this offer from RE Technology's Coffee Chat. Offer does not apply to annual campaigns. NAR members receive 15% additional impressions on Adwerx campaigns, which can be combined with other eligible discounts. This exclusive benefit is available through the National Association of REALTORS®' REALTOR Benefits® Program. Don't Miss These Upcoming Coffee Chats! Wednesday, April 29 Why BPP with Homesnap is More Valuable than Ever with Gayle Weiswasser, SVP of Communications and Business Development, Homesnap with Colleen Doyle of the National Association of REALTORS® Thursday, April 30 Expand the Depth of Relationships in Your Local Market Using Public Records Software Included in Your MLS Dues with Kari Autry of CRS Data Friday, May 1 Learn How to Put the Building Blocks in Place to Nurture Lifetime, Profitable Client Relationships with Jaime Quenzer, VP of Marketing at CINC, and Eddie Rodgriguez, Director of Product Management at CINC If you would like us to sign you up for all upcoming coffee chats, email [email protected] and he will get you signed up. If you would like to get notifications every time a Coffee Chat recording is published, subscribe to our YouTube channel, RETechnologyInc. Then hit the bell next to the Subscribe button and receive notifications every time we publish new educational videos. Get Recordings of All Coffee Chats If you would like to binge watch all of the Coffee Chat recordings, click here. If you would like a FREE 3-month trial of RE Technology, go to retechnology.com, click Create Account and then use one of these coupon codes: COVID-19A COVID-19B COVID-19M

Friday Freebie: Targeted Mailing List to Jumpstart Your Print Campaigns
Technology has made it easy to target specific groups of consumers for real estate marketing and advertising campaigns. We all know the targeting power that social media ads offer--but what if you want to target consumers offline? In this week's Friday Freebie, we'll introduce you to a way to easily target consumers for print marketing campaigns--and get 100 FREE verified names and addresses in your area. Free Targeted Mailing List, courtesy of ProspectsPLUS! Do you serve a specific real estate niche? Or want to send different campaigns to different types of prospects? Whatever your needs, the more targeted your mailing list is, the better it can meet those needs (and save you money). ProspectsPLUS! makes it easy to build a mailing list that targets exactly who you want. Just choose a geographic area, how many people you want target in that area, and one of the following demographic groups: General High income consumers High income renters Baby Boomers and elderly Move-up market Empty nesters Real estate investors Want to build a list based on lifestyle or interests? You can do that too by easily targeting (for example) boat owners, golfers, arts enthusiasts, RV owners, and much more. If you have a specific area you'd like to target, you can also use ProspectsPLUS!'s map feature to target consumers. This is a great option for those working a geographic farm, or marketing open houses, new listings, or recently sold listings to the surrounding neighborhood. Want to try building your own mailing list? RE Technology readers can get a FREE targeted list of 100 verified names and addresses with promo code FREE100. Build your free targeted mailing list in minutes with promo code FREE100!

Analysis: Agents Should Double Down on Facebook and Instagram Ads as Advertising Costs Drop
As agents feel the effects of the novel coronavirus on their business, they'll instinctually want to cut spending on digital advertising--but our latest analysis implores worried agents to do the opposite. In our latest whitepaper, Agents Need Online Advertising Now More Than Ever and They Should Double Down on Facebook and Instagram, we analyzed recent advertising data on four online advertising platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Google and Waze. It makes sense that online advertising would become more lucrative as consumers are spending more time at home to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus – but what digital advertising networks can move the needle for real estate agents who need quick strategies for keeping their business running? Our biggest takeaways:

Friday Freebie: Get 150 'Just Listed' and 'Just Sold' Postcards
The news may be dire right now, so here's a little something to cheer you up. RE Technology readers can get 150 free "Just Listed" and "Just Sold" postcards to send to homeowners surrounding their listings. And here's a plus in this time of Coronavirus: these postcards are 100% no-contact because they're 100% automated. Translation? You won't have to risk exposing yourself to illness in line at the Post Office. Ready to claim your own set of postcards? Read on to find out how! Get 150 FREE 'Just Listed' and 'Just Sold' postcards, courtesy of MLSMailings.com When we say these postcards are automated, what do we mean? Well, because MLSMailings taps into your MLS's listing data, it's able to tell when you list or sell a home. When one of those events occurs, MLSMailings automatically sends out the appropriate postcard to verified addresses around your listing—all within 48 hours. You select the design templates you want for your Just Listed and Just Sold postcards upfront, so that when you list or sell a home, postcards in your chosen design are sent out automatically. We've partnered with MLSMailings.com to offer RE Technology readers a chance to try this service for themselves. Get 150 FREE postcards (you pay only for shipping) with promo code RETECH2020. Ready to try a hands-off way to reach your geographic farm area? Claim your free postcards today!

Friday Freebie: Guide to Crushing It with Direct Response Marketing
We talk a lot about digital marketing here at RE Technology: social media, online ads, websites, landing pages… the whole nine yards. But in all the excitement surrounding these technologies, let's not overlook one fact: good old print marketing still works--and it works well. That's why in today's Friday Freebie we're highlighting a free guide to direct response marketing for real estate. The twist? This guide shows you a high-tech way to target your mailing lists and manage your campaigns. Read on to learn more. Free Download of 'How to Crush It with Real Estate Direct Response Marketing,' courtesy of ProspectsPLUS! Now, when we say direct response marketing "works well," we mean it. In fact, direct mail nets a 9% response rate—well ahead of the 1% response rates of email, social media, and paid search. What's more, 76% of consumers trust direct mail when making a decision, and direct mail is 20% more persuasive to consumers than digital media. Maybe that's just a sign of our times where digital marketing has become so ubiquitous that holding a physical piece of marketing is now a novel, tactile experience. Whatever the case may be, mastering direct mail can only benefit your real estate business. There's one caveat, though: mail can be expensive. That's where technology comes in. Rather than sending out direct mail pieces to everyone in your geographic farm, today's technology lets you build targeted lists so that you can market more effectively—and more affordably. This guide from ProspectsPLUS! shows you how you can do just that. Inside this 20-page guide, you'll find: The six steps to launching an effective direct response campaign A visual layout guide to create more compelling direct mail pieces The top seven opportunities you should target and suggested campaign ideas An introduction to tools that can help you target consumers in your market And more! Download your FREE copy of How to Crush It with Real Estate Direct Response Marketing and Get Them Calling YOU today!

Targeted Mailing Lists or Every Door Direct Mail
New to direct mail marketing for your real estate business? There's a lot to learn and some trial and error to experience. It's such an effective real estate lead generation technique, however, that it's time and effort well-spent. One of the first things you'll want to determine is whether you will send your direct mail pieces to a targeted list of potential clients or to every single door in a particular area, via Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM®). Both strategies have pros and cons. When to choose EDDM® At only $0.191 per piece, EDDM® is ideal for the agent on a tight budget. Because it's not nearly as targeted as a mailing list, your direct mail pieces will be delivered to every "door" in your chosen postal route. It's the difference between a shotgun and a targeted approach. An EDDM® campaign is also easier to set up so you'll be generating leads quicker than you would were you to use a targeted list. Choose EDDM® over a list if you: Don't mind creating mail pieces that conform to the program's size restrictions. Don't mind that the mail pieces will not be addressed to the recipient. Hope to expose your brand to the widest audience possible. Are a listing agent and your farm is home to few renters (you'll save money using EDDM® over the targeted mail list.) Are seeking buyers and the farm area you've chosen has more renters than owners. When to choose a list EDDM® may not be effective for you under certain circumstances. These include: Agents who want to target homes at a certain price point. When you are targeting absentee owners (landlords). Agents who are targeting homeowners with specific tenures. When sending Just Sold Postcards to neighbors. If you want your direct mail pieces to be personalized and you have a specific audience in mind, a targeted mailing list is your best bet. Remember, direct mail marketing isn't a "one-and-done" program. Consistently mailing to your farm or your list is the key to success with either EDDM® or targeted direct mail.

2 Secrets to More Lead Conversions, Straight from a Top Team's Playbook
Lauren Bowen leads one of the most productive real estate teams at Robert Slack. She's increased conversion rates and productivity while the company nearly doubled in size. The secret to her team's success? They stalk their real estate leads... or, more accurately, they let their lead generation solution do it for them. Targeting the Most Likely Buyers Anyone who has spent any time on the internet has been "stalked" by an online ad. You visit a site once, and for days or weeks after, an ad from that site follows you around the web. This is called "ad retargeting," and marketers love this advertising strategy because it is so effective. The Lauren Bowen Team employs this strategy to great success via realtor.com's Local Expert program. Local Expert users can create three types of ads: For Sale ads, Just Sold ads, and Branding ads. Those ads are then displayed to buyers in your chosen area on realtor.com. Once they leave the site, those same ads are displayed in their Facebook feed. "This not only helps bring a buyer to the house, it also shows the seller that we are putting it in front of numerous buyers for them," Lauren says. Tip: Because Local Expert offers detailed campaign analytics, you can impress your sellers by telling them exactly how many people have seen their home's ad. Dialing Up Lead Volume for a Higher Conversion Ratio Lauren's team may have stumbled on another secret to improved conversion rates when, thanks to the success of their realtor.com program, they decided to increase their volume of leads. This lead to a curious phenomenon. The team's number of lead conversions not only increased—as expected with more overall leads coming in—but their conversion ratio increased as well. That means the team is converting a higher percentage of leads than they were at their previous lead volume. "We've almost doubled our conversion ratio with the same leads," says Lauren. See Lauren THIS THURSDAY at Inman Connect NY Want to hear more real estate lead wisdom from Lauren? On Thursday, she'll be sharing her expertise during a panel discussion on the Team Track at Inman Connect New York. Check out her panel, Lead Distribution: Who Gets What?, on January 30!

5 Reasons Every Real Estate Professional Needs to Be Advertising on Facebook
Tell us if this sounds familiar: you created a Facebook page for your property management or real estate business and posted a few times a month. But as time passed, you did not feel like the page was boosting your lead generation. As more people use Facebook to post content, there is exponentially more competition for your target's attention. It is not enough to write a post on your page and hope people find it. Facebook ads ensure that your content reaches the right people at the right time. Below, you will find five reasons why you need to be using Facebook advertisements and several great services to make the most out of your investment.

Friday Freebie: Download This Monthly Marketing Kit Sample
It's October, a time when our collective attention turns toward all things frightening. You know what's really scary, though? Losing out on hard-earned referrals and repeat business. It's not your clients' fault, however. Research shows that 85% of sellers and 90% of buyers would refer or use their agent again. The key to ensuring that they actually do is by making sure they remember your name between transactions. How? It's all about providing value. In this week's Friday Freebie, we'll introduce you to a marketing system that helps you do just that in order to stay top of mind, year after year. Download the Referral Maker Marketing Kit, courtesy of Buffini & Company If offering something of value to your database is what captures their attention, then consistency is what helps you keep that attention. Buffini & Company's Referral Maker Marketing Kit helps real estate agents accomplish this by providing an item of value and supporting marketing materials every month. Each month, Buffini & Company sends you a full kit of fresh, new marketing collateral that you can use to demonstrate your expertise, reach out to past clients, and generate more referrals. RE Technology readers can download a free version of the marketing kit today and try it out for themselves. Here's what it includes: A professionally written and designed Item of Value A corresponding cover letter 6 'Pop-By' tags to affix to gifts that you give to your top referring clients as a token of appreciation You can learn more about how to best leverage each element of this kit in this post. The full kit also includes 50 follow-up notecards, an eReport and more. You can learn about that here. Ready to download your FREE marketing materials from Buffini & Company? Get started here!  

Friday Freebie: 100 Door Hangers Shipped to You
Afraid your direct mail pieces are being tossed away or drowned out by all the grocery flyers and credit card offers that stuff the average consumer's mailbox? We've got a solution for you--the door hanger! Not only do they inevitably catch consumers' attention as they unlock their front door, but RE Technology readers can see for themselves just how well door hangers can work… for free. Read on to discover how you can claim a free set of door hangers! Get 100 Free Door Hangers, courtesy of ProspectsPLUS! Have an open house to promote? How about a new listing? Whether you're promoting a new listing or event, or targeting seller leads, door hangers can be an effective replacement (or supplement!) to real estate postcards and flyers. If you've never tried door hangers as a lead generation tool (or your current hangers are just meh), there's no time like now to test them out. RE Technology has teamed up with ProspectsPLUS! to offer our readers 100 FREE printed door hangers in the design of your choice. Choose from 65 options that cover all of your promotional needs and niches, including: First-time buyers and renters Expired listings FSBOs Just Listed Just Sold Open house promotions Seller leads: free CMA, free consultation, free equity analysis, etc. Your can customize each door hanger with your own images, contact information, and more… OR you can upload your very own custom design. These door hangers are in full color, and are one-sided. A nominal shipping fee is the only cost to you. Ready to get started? Claim your 100 FREE door hangers (with promo code KNOCK) today!