The Future of Real Estate Advertising
Searching for a home online can be a long process. Most people spend around three months involved in searching for a home but may begin to think about moving far earlier. According to 2017 report from the National Association of Realtors, for 44% of recent buyers, the first step that they took in the home buying process was to look online at properties for sale. Even before that, real estate is on their radar as they start to explore possibilities.
For real estate agents and brokers, the challenge of staying in touch without being overly persistent is always a challenge. One of the core values at Adwerx is to create attractive digital ads that strike that balance, keeping an agent top of mind in a way that feels organic without being invasive.
Online advertising serves as an essential role in keeping us connected with the goods and services we are most engaged with. At its best, it seems to almost read our minds. This is something sellers understand clearly, after all, they see these types of ads all the time.
Instagram vs. Facebook
It was a tough year for Facebook all around but while security concerns have grabbed headlines, billions of people still use the site daily. One significant move Facebook made in 2018 that impacted real estate agents was that it discontinued offering the “likely to move” audience for advertisers because it used third-party data. Adwerx created a separate arrangement with third parties in order to continue to be able to reach those Facebook users.
While Facebook still is a primary advertising channel, it’s important to note that Facebook’s users continue to age. This can be positive in one sense because it means that Facebook’s audience has matured and may consist of more home buyers and sellers. Many younger people have moved on to other platforms, particularly Instagram. Reaching both these platforms is important for a well-rounded ad campaign.
Instagram hasn’t just become a dominant social network, it’s changed how people think about their own activities. From eating to travel to home buying, each milestone large and small becomes something to be documented and remembered. Some new homeowners stage Instagram photo shoots to celebrate their purchase. Instagram’s power as a shopping channel has been seen across many industries, generating a whole new economy around the power of influencers. For real estate, Instagram has become a communication system between agents and potential clients. At Adwerx, we decided to include Instagram ads in our Enterprise Automated Listing Advertising Program because it’s so valuable to agents.
The Power of Automation
Each year, posting on social media seems to make the list of things that agents know they should do. However, it is often something that remains undone. The same can be true of advertising. Agents and brokers have the potential to use the immediacy of their listing feed to generate ads automatically. The Adwerx Enterprise Automated Listing Advertising Program featured 86 prominent real estate companies and delivered ads for over 10 percent of all single-family homes listed for sale in the United States in its first year. Brokerages using the product have reported increased agent retention and satisfaction, as well as full agent adoption. It’s simple, what we automate gets done, what we try to remember to do, often remains on a to-do list.
A Look At The Future
Online advertising has evolved over time and will continue to do so. Where once ads were dispatched without thought, now we have the ability to make advertising personal and relevant. The power of immediacy is also crucial. Consumers expect everything to be on-demand and as rapid as possible. Online advertising that launches instantly helps satisfy that desire for homeowners expecting immediate action. We also seem to have a seemingly insatiable for data. We track our sleep, our fitness, and of course our investments. Print and other advertising methods don’t deliver the type of data that today’s clients crave.
No matter the market, advertising matters. However, in times when the market is slow, advertising becomes even more important. When properties are listed for a longer period of time, advertising can help refresh the listing and renew interest. As homeowners start to wonder if now is the time to sell, simply being reminded that they have an agent they know and trust can prompt that conversation.
In 2019, Adwerx will be extending its advertising options, delivering more products that reach potential clients in all the media they consume. Adwerx is committed to bringing the most innovative and effective advertising technology to the real estate industry so that agents and brokers can do what they do best, serve their clients each and every day.
To learn more about the Adwerx suite of products, please visit www.adwerx.com.