Do you know your SEO from your PPC?
Are you a regular tweeter, or more of an Instagrammer?
Digital marketing is becoming more important for every business every day, but particularly for the real estate business. Why? Because it’s where clients can connect with you.
People can see you and learn about you and your business in an informal, non-confronting setting. They can discover other people’s feedback about your business, and see what sort of properties you sell.
Every day more realtors discover the importance and value of a good digital marketing campaign. But if you look online for guidance, there is a lot of conflicting advice out there.
It’s difficult to know what to believe, and the job of promoting your service online may seem overwhelming. By looking at some common digital marketing myths, you’ll see that there’s nothing to it.
It’s just a matter of understanding the medium and embracing it.
Myth #1 – It’s a Waste of Time and Money
Digital marketing can fall down the priority list, but clever agents make it a priority. Why? Because it’s more powerful than networking.
It’s actually networking on steroids because you reach so many more people. And those people spend as much as 8 hours every day online.
You don’t expect networking to pay off instantly, but it has a snowball effect. The same applies to digital marketing.
Myth #2 – It’s Expensive
Compared to the traditional ad channels of TV, radio and print, digital marketing is surprisingly cheap. Facebook ads can be bought for as little as $10 a day. Google Adwords can boost your Google ranking and prices start at $100.
The trick is to know what you’re doing because it can be expensive if you just throw stuff around and hope it sticks.
Consider employing a copywriter or digital marketing service with a proven track record in real estate. Or do a little research and commit to regular content creation in-house. Facebook costs nothing.
Myth #3 – It’s Only for Youngsters
There’s a common misconception that digital marketing is just for the millennials. In fact, it’s for all ages. Here are some demographics on Facebook:
- 88% of 18-29-year-olds use Facebook
- 84% of 30-49-year-olds use Facebook
- 72% of 50-64-year-olds use Facebook
- 62% of 65+-year-olds use Facebook
The number of people over 75 online has doubled over the last few years. Online is really for all ages.
Myth #4 – It’s Already Covered
So your business already has a Facebook page. Great. But how well do you know your customer base?
Are they all Facebook users? What about Twitter? Instagram? Pinterest? Linkedin?
You definitely do not need to be on all of these platforms, but it may be worth doing a bit of research to see which social media outlets are most popular with your clients.
If you’re targeting first home buyers, for example, it’s worth considering Instagram as 90% of Instagram users are under 35. Just make sure you nail one platform before you start on a new one.
Myth #5 – It’s Just for Big Brands
Wrong! Digital marketing is totally scalable. Sure – big brands have serious digital marketing budgets, but small businesses need to be online or risk losing big business.
You can even ‘cheat’ at social media by using tools like Capzool or Promo Republic, who have ready to use social media posts. And many scheduling tools like Mav Social have free packages so you can spend a few minutes each week scheduling your posts and then sit back and monitor.
It’s All About How You Look
You’ve probably heard all the hype about digital marketing – that not everything is as it seems online. In fact, deceptive marketing is widespread and the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards is cracking down to protect consumers.
We know your values and ethics are important, so you’ll know it’s important to put your best foot forward. You need to look professional online.
You can’t afford grainy images or amateur photographs, of yourself or your listings. And that’s where we can help.
Pixilink provides professional photography, videos, floor plans and extras and we even have an online quote calculator. Simply drag the slider to find the recommended product or a quote for that square footage. Easy!
