Real Estate Marketing Trends for 2023 You Need to Try
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I'm quickly coming up on a decade in real estate marketing, and I would venture to say that the last two to three years have changed faster than ever before. Whereas in the past, technology or trends evolved more slowly over time. Now, something new can immediately impact you and your marketing, and it's easy to fall behind or miss out on an opportunity.
So, as we look towards the future, it's essential that we focus on Realtor marketing that will work and give you the best returns on your time, money, and energy. The good news though, is while I don't have a crystal ball for marketing, I've looked inside and outside our industry and combined that with personal experience to see some very clear real estate marketing trends for 2023.
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There's value in staying up-to-date on what's new and trending when it comes to marketing. If you do, you'll be able to better position yourself for future growth and tailor an idea to work for your business.
What's great about the list I'm going to share with you today is that every idea and trend can work for you. Whether you're a young rookie agent or somebody who's been in the industry for decades, these marketing ideas for 2023 are trending, but they're not trendy.
I've purposefully chosen marketing strategies that will be impactful in the new year while still being applicable to most agents' businesses! So, you really are getting the best of both worlds - innovation and practicality!
And if you're serious about leveling up your real estate marketing in 2023, be sure to check out The Marketing Suite, my Realtor Marketing Membership designed to have everything you need for engaging, authentic marketing (including social media posts and video content, trainings, coaching, email marketing, pro support & more)!
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So let's get into the marketing trends and predictions you should not only take note of but apply to your real estate business in 2023!
1) Short-Form Video Isn't Optional
I'm starting the list with a marketing strategy that has become so synonymous with social media that it cannot be ignored in 2023.
While this trend began on TikTok, you can find short-form video all over now! It's Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels, YouTube Shorts, Pinterest Story Pins, and the list continues!
This style of content works so well because it captures attention and shares concepts quickly. It truly is the next generation of video marketing.
And if you're thinking this style is all just dancing and pointing and you're rolling your eyes at me now, I want you to consider this - a study found that "short form video currently is the #1 marketing strategy for engagement and lead generation."
My advice, though, is to use it in a way that works for your goals, branding, and personality! Don't be shy about creating content, showing up on Reels, and using this impactful marketing strategy for your listings (which we'll dive deeper into listing marketing in my final trend!).
That's why in The Marketing Suite, we make sure to include ready-to-share and customizable Reels in our monthly content for members. Plus, we share weekly trending Instagram Reel ideas to leverage opportunities in the moment.
Check out this easy trending short-form video Realtors can create to thank their customers
2) Interactive Content Engages in New Ways
At this point, I'm sure you've heard over and over again that you need to make engaging Realtor content.
The new trend isn't just to watch, read, or listen to content. In 2023, we'll be seeing even more creative ways that people can take part in your content. I can guarantee you've already seen this type of content in action, but you might not be aware that you can apply it to your own business.
Tools like mortgage calculators and home valuation tools are technically interactive content features. It's a way to engage your target customer with an experience. While I won't get anywhere near the "Zestimate," real estate is no stranger to interactive content!
But for 2023, you can tap into new ideas by creating interactive features on your website. It could be an interactive map where you can explore not just homes for sale, but communities as well. I've also seen interactive videos where the viewers' choices decide what plays next.
You can embed your own calculators, interactive resources, and even quizzes. If you want to learn more about generating leads through quizzes, be sure to tune into episode 55 of the Ideas for Real Estate podcast!
By including an interactive experience, you're taking a more thoughtful approach that people appreciate. It can also be used as a modern way to generate leads!
3) SEO Principles Will Be In Social Media Strategies
If you want to connect with new customers on social, then we need them to find you!
You might have already noticed that when you Google something, you'll get social media videos as results. This is an opportunity for you as a Realtor, team, or brokerage! Not only can people find you on the different social platforms, they can also find you from traditional search on social!
The trick, though, is that if you want to be found on, social you need to implement SEO strategies by optimizing your content and profiles. Be sure to use location-specific features, strategic hashtags, and keywords in your captions and videos. This helps connect you with more potential customers who are likely to be interested in your content!
To learn more, tune into Episode 67: How to Get found on Instagram as a Local Realtor. This strategy will help you be found on and off the social platforms. It's also worth mentioning that while I, a millennial, often head to Google for the answer to my questions, younger generations are turning straight to social to search. So in 2023, be extra mindful of how you are optimizing your content to be found - because social media platforms are the next generation of Google!
4) Target Marketing Separates You from the Competition
There will continue to be agent competition in 2023, especially when it comes to listings. So, you need to focus on how you will stand out and be the right choice for your ideal customer.
Now, I'll stop you here.
If you don't have an "ideal customer," then how would they know you're their "ideal agent?" It pays to be specific, and target marketing will be a strategy you can build your business on.
When you're specific, you can tailor your marketing to be more impactful for the right people. You're not wasting valuable resources and not getting results. Instead, you're taking an approach where you've identified an opportunity in the market, and you have a specific plan that works to attract the right type of customer. I also have an entire training on target marketing, so be sure to check it out - How to Tap Into Profitable Opportunities with Target Marketing - and apply the practices I share in your 2023 strategy.
5) Conversational Marketing Will Replace Hard Sales Tactics
Nobody likes the icky feeling of being sold to or being manipulated. It's hard sales tactics like this that give the real estate industry a bad reputation, but this style of marketing and sales is falling away. It's simply not working, and thats a good thing!
The newest, and more authentic form of marketing, is conversational marketing.
You're not there to shout at people and convince them to work with you. Instead, marketing is becoming a two-way communication based on real relationships (what's better for real estate?). To try conversational marketing, be proactive by talking to people in their DMs on social. Make yourself more approachable online so people feel more comfortable coming to you. Consider hosting live videos where you can chat with your followers, and don't be afraid to reach out to people. While that practice isn't new, the way you reach out in 2023 might be to send a video text or engage on social.
Conversational marketing can also be used in the voice, style, and tone of your marketing itself. People want to get to know the real you because that's how relationships begin. So, don't feel like you need to be a stuffy robot with your marketing. Let your authenticity shine through!
6) Top Agents Will Invest in Personal Branding
I talk about agent branding a lot on the podcast for a reason! It's your chance to share your own story and create your own path forward. I truly believe it!
Moving into 2023, top-producing agents will see the value in investing in themselves as well! I can 100% guarantee it, and that's a big claim to make for marketing.
What I don't want to see you do is head to a cheap site online to get a "logo" made and think your personal branding is done. That isn't the investment for top agents that will pay off. Investing in your brand is taking time to figure out how you want to position yourself to the world.
It's the intersection between who you are and your dream customer. How you show up online, the way you market yourself, interactions with customers, and reputation are all part of personal branding. It's about being thoughtful in all you do and adding some polish to how you want to be seen. If you're not sure what this looks like, head on over to my Instagram @IdeasforRealEstate and check out my branding. It's not all colors and logos. It's how I come across in my content and through my personality as well.
If you need help fine-tune your branding, start with EP 98: How to Leverage Modern Branding to Attract More Buyers and Sellers. Then, make it a point to consider your agent branding in all that you do in 2023.
7) Online Communities Will be a Fresh Take on Marketing
We're social creatures, and there's no better feeling than feeling like you've found a place where you belong. So, it's no surprise that online communities have exploded and will continue to do so.
They take all the best aspects of social - sharing & engaging - while being hyper-specific. It's a group of people who are interested in the same topics, passionate about things that matters to them, and brought together to share their interests.
So, how can you use this in marketing in a modern way? Yes, you could run a Facebook community group or the like, but that idea isn't fresh!
I challenge you to think about building a community around yourself! To do this, you can become a local thought leader on real estate and what's important in your community. Get out there and create content, whether it's a video series, a blog, short-form video, a live show, or an in-person meet-up. From there, you can start to build an engaged community who's interested in the topics you're passionate about as well.
This is a strategy everyone from big brands to small businesses are leveraging with great success. Figure out what's relevant in your market, what unique perspective you bring, and how you can bring people together over it.
8) Privacy Moves Towards Greater Transparency
Another trend that's replacing outdated advertising revolves around privacy. People don't want to be spammed, and they want to trust in you with their personal information.
This is an important issue in real estate transactions, but it's also important to consider when it comes to your marketing.
Whether you're collecting email addresses online or in person at an open house, people expect to hear how you will handle their information. They want to know that you're not going to spam them and that their information is secure.
More and more people are concerned with privacy, whether it's cookies on their computers or email marketing tracking. If you're transparent and clearly display how you plan to engage with people, it will go towards increasing trust and improving your marketing efforts in general.
9) Local Influencer Marketing Can Expand Your Reach
Influencer marketing tops the list of "what will be trending in marketing in 2023." Brands all over the world work with influencers on social media to reach new audiences and personalize their marketing.
And I think it could absolutely work on the local real estate level!
If you collaborate with somebody else who has a social media following and presence in your area, it can introduce you to new people you might not have met otherwise! You also don't need to work with somebody who has millions of followers. Micro-influencers with smaller audiences are ideal to reach out to in your local market.
For example, if you head over to Instagram, are there interior designers, lifestyle bloggers, accounts focused on your local community, or other influencers that your ideal buyer or seller might be interested in?
Reach out to one and see if you can sponsor a post or do a collaboration. A local lifestyle blogger could pop into your next open house for extra promotion. You could work with an interior designer and collaborate on a social post about trending home features to highlight when selling your home. An influencer who shares all about life and living in your local market might even stop by your office as a local business to feature.
You can get creative with this type of content to expand your reach while forming relationships that can lead you to new opportunities in 2023!
10) Enhanced Listing Marketing Makes a Comeback
When homes were selling in a matter of hours, you might not have had the chance to do much marketing. In fact, it wasn't as necessary to attract buyers.
But don't ever forget that every listing is an opportunity to generate more listings!
What you do to market that home doesn't go unnoticed, and I see a reemergence of a focus on listing marketing in 2023. If you stopped paying for professional videos, creating Matterport 3D tours, or investing in creative advertising, now's the time to get back at it!
Be sure to include a complete marketing plan for all your listings using social, short-form video, event marketing, and traditional materials. It will be a way to separate yourself in the market while building your reputation when it comes to listings. So, get out that list of marketing services you provide your sellers and see how you can enhance it with more modern marketing ideas.
Moving Into 2023 with Confidence
No matter what marketing idea you try in 2023, be sure to consider your overall strategy. Take a step back, set your business goals for the year, and figure out your marketing plans to support them.
If you need help creating a marketing plan, check out my 2023 marketing planning training & access my exclusive template. From there, you can pick and choose which of these trending ideas will work for your business.
You'll have the confidence to try new ideas and the assurance that your plan will help you achieve your goals. So, let's recap what those trending ideas are:
Short-Form Video Isn't Optional
Interactive Content Engages in New Ways
Include SEO Principles in Your Social Media Strategy
Target Marketing Separates You from the Competition
Conversational Marketing Will Replace Hard Sales Tactics
Top Agents Will Invest in Personal Branding
Online Communities Will be a Fresh Take on Marketing
Privacy Moves Towards Greater Transparency
Local Influencer Marketing Can Expand Your Reach
Enhanced Listing Marketing Makes a Comeback
If you try out one or all of these ideas, I'd love to hear about it! Follow me on social @IdeasforRealEstate and DM me to let me know! And of course, continue to follow the Ideas for Real Estate podcast in the new year as I share the marketing ideas and strategies that are working as the year continues.
I hope this episode inspired you to take action and try one of these ideas in your own business in 2023!
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Looking for more? Don't miss these top related episodes:
Why You Need A Marketing Plan to Fuel Your Real Estate Business
How Target Marketing Can Help You in Today's & Tomorrow's Real Estate Market
How to Leverage Modern Branding to Attract Your Dream Buyers or Sellers
Plus, here are some featured resources you might enjoy!
UP NEXT:
It's time for seasonal marketing! Fall-themed real estate content and marketing on social media is not only trending, it also works in your Instagram Reels, posts, carousels, and more. The secret is to customize this content with photos and videos of you. So, in today's episode, let's plan an easy fall content shoot for you as a REALTOR to use in your marketing strategies this season!