Facebook Ad Manager

5 Little-Known Facebook Ad Tactics that You Should be Using

Now more than ever before, social media is pay to play. And if you want to get the right kind of attention for your real estate content, you need to be able to fork over a sizeable amount of cash.

As a result, making the most of the money you’ve got should be top of your marketing priorities. And your Facebook advertising strategy should be your first port of call.

Fortunately, there are 5 quick steps you can take to optimise your social media advertising strategy and get it working for you, not against you. Read on to find out more:

1) Build a Custom Audience by Importing Your Database

It’s no secret that selling to an existing client is a much easier feat than building new relationships. And Facebook custom audiences plays off this. Instead of creating a completely fresh audience, which requires a lot of trial and error to get it right, you can upload your current client database and let Facebook do the hard work for you.

It’ll pair your current email addresses and contact information to Facebook accounts, allowing you to remarket your services with ease.

2) Utilise Dynamic Ads to Remarket to Viewers

It’s common for agents to have a large number of properties in their portfolio at one time, and it can be tricky to keep track of who’s seen what. With Facebook Dynamic Ads, you can actually target people based on which properties they’ve viewed on your website, displaying more detailed information about the property on their news feed.

This saves you from having to run dozens of ads for your current listings, as Facebook will track which page they’ve visited and pull the related information for you.

To use Dynamic Ads, you’ll need to have a product catalogue set up within your Facebook account. Since your listings likely change on a regular basis, we recommend utilising an XML format catalogue so your ads will remain on autopilot.

3) Send Traffic to Your Site, not Property Portals

When one of your Facebook ads directs people to a page on a property portal, the owner of that portal owns that data, not you.

If you send people to your site instead, you can capitalise on that by using their data for remarketing or custom audience creation. You’ll also be able to build a stronger picture of who your target audience actually are, helping you to advertise more accurately in the future.

4) Create Video Ads to Boost Engagement and Awareness

If a picture speaks a thousand words, a marketing video is the next level of storytelling. Real estate is a visual market, so if you can show off the character and charm your properties have, you’ll be able to give your target audience a true sense of what it would be like to live within that property.

The optimal length for a video is 2 minutes, and don’t worry if you can’t afford a professional videographer. You can either make a video using a slideshow of images you’ve already taken, or use one of the many available smartphone apps to shoot it yourself.

5) Generate Appraisal Leads

This is ideal as part of a broader marketing strategy if you’re looking to take on more listings. It involves capitalising on how people are already interacting with your ads and web content, then using Dynamic Ads to retarget these people. From here, you’ll be able to build a pretty solid picture of people looking to sell, and push the offer of a free appraisal.

Facebook Lead Ads allow you to collect contact information and other data direct from the ad with a contact form, meaning you’ll be able to follow up with them quickly and easily. And whilst this shouldn’t be your only form of advertising, it can definitely pull its weight alongside some of the other methods mentioned above.

REAFA

New Agent Comparison Tool Set to Change Face of Agent Selection Process

Realestate.com.au have recently launched a website tool that helps budding sellers find the right agent to sell their home more easily.

Selecting an agent that you pair well with can often be the most nerve-wracking and time-consuming aspects of the property selling process. With this new tool, however, sellers will now be able to search a wide variety of agents online in an incredibly short amount of time, as opposed to handfuls of calls and face-to-face meetings.

This development marks a significant turning point in the agent search experience, with individuals now able to find agents they want to work with directly from the realestate.com.au home page.

These changes are expected to have a massive digital impact, pushing record-breaking traffic numbers to Agent Profiles and allowing consumers to target agents that possess the direct skills and experience they’re after within their local suburb.

Designed to boost user experience, this handy tool will help consumers to single out agents based on key statistics, such as the number of sales they’ve had and their years in the industry.

Vendors will also be able to deep-dive into finer details, such as average sale price, how long a property has been on the market and how long their listings stay live. And whilst vendors won’t be able to rate the performance of agents, there will be a review function based on past real estate data.

After running an initial search, vendors will be greeted by a page that ranks the number of sales and agent has had, alongside information on median sale price and the length of time a property has been advertised.

For agents, senior management at realestate.com.au believe the tool will prove to be invaluable as a branding and marketing resource, helping them to win the business they deserve off the back of previous and continued hard work.

The button, titled “Find Agents”, can now be found on the most prominent patch of real estate on the business’ website – directly above the homepage search box, with the aim of driving additional traffic to Agent Profiles. In addition to making the search process easier for vendors, the realestate.com.au team hope the new function will also help to boost their agents’ presence in the market, boosting their business portfolios.

Build trust with clients

3 Ways To Build Trust As An Agent

The real estate industry is sadly plagued with low expectations when it comes to clients trusting in their chosen agency. Real estate agents were ranked as the third least trusted industry professional in Australia in 2017.

Ultimately such a poor ranking will have a detrimental effect on the success of agents, so what can you do to build rapport and trust with clients – in order to reap the rewards of a positive relationship? Here are the top 3 tips.

1)   Acting With Integrity

Sounds quite simple, doesn’t it? The bottom line is that integrity, authenticity and honesty are all crucial components of a positive relationship with your clients. Luckily they tend to come hand-in-hand, so if you can show your clients that you have integrity, you’ll also be displaying your honesty and in turn they’ll pick up on the authenticity you have to offer.

Show your clients that you’re on their side, and that your local and industry-wide expertise is full of authenticity rather than trying to convince them to buy/sell with your agency for the money. You can do this by offering guidance and advice that you feel will benefit the client personally.

It’s super important that you’re honest in all your dealings with clients. People can pick up on a liar from miles away, especially when it involves their money and they feel extra cautious. Honesty comes with experience in the industry, and not being too keen to oversell your services.

2)   Deliver On The Expectations Of The Client

This one links back in to the integrity point really, as nothing is more damaging to your reputation (or your business), than not following through on your promises. Clients who experience deception like this will possibly end up not trusting any other agents that they come into contact with, so be wary of those who’ve fallen foul to this before.

A frequent complaint is when clients have been told that their rental prices can be inflated so that they make more money, even when their own expectations for rent were much lower. With this in mind it’s important to make sure that your expectations match up with the client.

The bottom line here is – don’t make promises you can’t keep.

3)   Continuous Communication

It’s important to have clear lines of communication between yourself and the client – it’s the foundation for a great business relationship. This doesn’t mean that you have to be on call constantly, but keeping your clients updated on issues regarding their property will give them peace of mind.

A simple way to do this can be to lay out a plan of action for your client so that they know exactly what’s coming up and when they can expect to hear from you. At the end of the day clients will appreciate being kept in the loop.

It may also be a great idea to put in a communication policy at your agency, which can ensure that if there are issues with the property – your client can contact you and get a reply on the same day.

Content Marketing Tips

4 Digital Marketing Tips For 2018

With 2017 firmly drawn to a close and 2018 rolling by already, it’s a time to look forwards to the remaining and new digital trends on the up in the new year. The last 12 months has been revolutionary in terms of how brands connect with their audience, so it’s time for real estate agents to grab a slice of that pie too.

With this in mind, it may be worth thinking about adding some of these top 4 tips into your digital marketing strategy for the coming year – especially if you want to best prepare yourself for what’s shaping up to be a grand year.

1)   Embrace Instagram Stories

The last 12 months has seen a dramatic increase in Instagram’s user base, as well as a whole new growth of people using its “Stories” feature. In fact, last year saw Stories overtake Snapchat, with over 200 million users. This feature’s set for an even bigger increase in user base over the course of 2018.

It goes without saying that you’ve got the potential for a huge audience at your fingertips as a real estate agent. Stories is unique as it allows you to post pictures and video clips that last for a total of 24 hours, before disappearing. It creates a sense of urgency that the user needs to watch the content before it disappears.

Stay ahead of the game by setting up a digital plan which takes advantage of Instagram stories. You can do this by displaying listed properties, or showcasing locations within the local area.

2)   Create Video Content

Video content is a huge hit. It’s estimated that between 2017 and 2019, over 80% of all internet traffic consumers will come straight out of engagement with videos. This is a marketing strategy you can’t afford to miss out on.

In the mobile phone culture of today, video is fast becoming the perfect method of consuming big chunks of information in a short space of time. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram will continue to be the frontline for important video content.

Live video is also on the up, particularly tipped to be hot in 2018 – as audiences look for authenticity from their potential real estate agents. You’ll want to make sure that the overall goal here, is to align your business goals with video strategy – meaning you produce content that resonates with the audience of your choice.

8 Real Estate Video Marketing Ideas to Action Right Now

3)   Understanding The Importance Of Social Advertising

Success in modern social media for real estate agents, means putting a budget on your efforts. The cost of advertising on social media is usually defined by the number of businesses competing for the audience that you’re targeting.

Facebook alone has around 5 million advertisers, which is testament to the importance of online social advertising. The latest data from MAGNA shows that digital advertising has overtaken that of TV advertising sales in the US – forecasting that it will eclipse offline ads completely by 2019.

4)   Using Chatbots

Customer service in the day and age of social media can be a big undertaking – with thousands of potential enquiries and FAQs streaming in via online channels. One way you might consider streamlining this process, is by using chatbots.

Chatbots are online entities that will simplify the relationship between business and client, yet will save you the time of having to respond to a million emails about the same problem or enquiry.

The danger here though, is that chatbots can come across as impersonal and lack the genuine tone that can only be produced by a real human.

Recruitment

4 Way To Spot Real Estate Agency Talent

Over the years you’ll gain an eye for being able to identify talented staff who you may want to add to your ranks – until then, here are 4 easy ways to spot potential talent for your real estate agency.

1)   Life Experience

Having a broad spectrum of life experience is really key to draw on. We’re not interested in clones of people who you already work with – and assembling a great team of people is all about having a mix of experience. You’ll also want to employ a variety of people including men and women, as well as younger and older staff.

Don’t just look for real estate experience, as often this won’t get you very far. The best employees will have good life experience – which will see them connect with people much easier. This is especially important when working with clients.

It’s also important for your agents to have their own affairs in order – remember that real estate is about solving problems for people, and you can’t do this if your own life is down the pan.

2)   Having Heart

Real estate is a people business, and as such it’s important to remember that you need a heart – you can’t be a money-generating robot for your entire career. There’s an innate need to connect with others in real estate, whether that’s with clients or colleagues.

Clients who are made to feel uncomfortable by a big ego or someone who isn’t very personable, will probably pull out or decide not to go with your agency to begin with.

The best agents will be naturally charismatic, not over the top or fake. It’s important to be humble and enthusiastic, so that your clients get a real sense of your personality – this can inspire them with confidence that you’re the right person for the job of buying/selling their home.

3)   Ignoring The Gender Stereotypes

It’s 2018 guys, we don’t live in the 1960s anymore – there is no place for gender stereotypes. You’ll want to look for agents who feel the same here, trust me.

When interviewing potential staff, any hint of chauvinism will be an instant deal breaker. You’ll want to look for men who do just as much as their partner at home. Conversely, you’ll want to see that women you hire can get tough if they need to – a trait which is often wrongly seen as purely masculine.

At the end of the day, gender has no effect on how good a real estate agent someone is, and you shouldn’t be hiring people who see it any other way.

4)   Goal-Setters

We want people in our team who want to get the best out of their job – this means people who are happy to set their own goals and to work towards achieving them. These goals could be as simple as improving their lifestyle, education or getting onto the property ladder themselves.

People who have their own businesses or have bought/sold property before are good fits, as they’ll know what it is to set goals and to work towards them – an invaluable quality for a real estate agent.

Lastly, there’s passion – and not to be recognised as a footnote. Passion for life, success and for people is what drives the real estate industry – so make sure you hire people with buckets of it.

Agent too busy

6 Reasons To Refuse A Property Listing

Accumulating as many listings is clearly the aim for most real estate agents. Some clients however, just won’t be worth the time, effort or potential revenue.

There are several factors that might make you decide not to take on a listing, some of which we’ll look at below.

1)   When The Seller Things They’re The Expert

Ever wondered why real estate agents exist? It’s because they’re the experts, not the seller of the house. Sure it’s their house and they know the area, but the agent will know the local market – including sales trends.

If a potential client can’t see the value in your professional opinion, then this can be a serious red flag moment. Resistance from a potential client is a warning sign that professional advice won’t be taken heed of, and therefore it won’t be a fruitful working relationship.

Some sellers might also want to take extra control over the selection of listing photos, or how the advertising is worded – which might be worth you taking a step back to determine whether what they want lines up with your brand.

2)   When Values Clash

If your values don’t align with the seller, it might be time to knock the relationship on the head – good business relationships come down to being able to share values. This is why it’s a key idea to get new vendors to fill in a survey before you agree to take on their listing.

Surveys give the agent a better perspective on what the objectives of the client might be – so if they select “low fee” for example, it may be a warning sign that they’re all about saving money – not making money.

Alarm bells might also start to ring when a seller asks for the agents opinion, then does the opposite – there’s a clear clash of values and as such the relationship will surely break down.

3)   When Price Expectations Are Too High

We all want to sell our property for as much money as possible, but sometimes having unrealistic expectations can be a killer when it comes to listing a property.

If a client is unwilling to trust your judgement on the valuation of their home, you’ve got a warning sign that there’s going to be a rocky relationship ahead. These are the kind of sellers you should avoid like the plague, as they’ll likely result in an unsold property.

4)   When The Property Isn’t Safe

Sellers have a duty to make sure that the property is safe for others to enter. If this is not the case, you should just not take the listing. You don’t want to put yourself, your staff, or potential buyers into danger on entering.

It’s advised that you decline the listing until it can be made safe, but failing that just don’t take it at all. Cluttered hallways, unsafe foundations and previous house fires are all warning signs here.

5)   When You’re Too Busy

Sometimes you won’t be able to accept a listing because you’re too busy – it’s as simple as that. You’re only human and as such, taking on too many listings might mean you can’t perform to the best of your ability for existing clients.

At the end of the day, you need to keep up a high standard of work so that your long-term relationships and reputation aren’t damaged – especially for the risk of some short-term gain.

6)   When The Property Isn’t In Your Area Of Specialty

Some clients will want you to sell a property of theirs that isn’t your specialty. If this happens to you, don’t be afraid to recommend someone else to them, rather than trying to plug away at a property that you can’t manage.

Ask yourself “am I the best person to sell this property?” If you’re a residential agent, don’t go trying to sell commercial properties if you don’t know anything about the commercial property market.

The best option is to refer another or a more suited agent, so that you are still providing helpful advice – so you still retain credibility and a good relationship with client. Check in with them now and again, to make sure they are happy with the service they are receiving from the other agent, so you are still perceived as the go-to for future referrals.

Social Media Phone

25 Ways to Use Social Media to Get More Real Estate Clients

Social media is a great way to bring in more clients, if you use it correctly. Here are some tips to help you make the most of this great tool so that you can win more clients:

  1. Videos, videos, videos. People love multimedia when they are looking for a new home. Turn the content you have into videos and share them often to help attract new clients.
  2. Testimonials. Giving real-life examples of previous success is a great way to show to potential clients you can get the job done.
  3. Competition and giveaways. These catch people’s attention and help expand your reach. Choose something that is relevant and desirable to property owners or tenants.

Different social media sites have different rules for this type of stuff, so make sure you check out all the regulations and guidelines before you proceed.

  1. Reference pop culture. This helps make your brand more relatable. Make sure you are choosing things that resonate with your target market.
  2. Be relevant and helpful. This will help make sure people consider you a knowledgeable and useful agent. Consider posting content that answers specific questions your future clients may be asking.
  3. Infographics are great! These are easy to understand graphics that display important information in a visual way. They are very helpful, but they are also easily shared, helping to further your reach even more.
  4. Collaboration plays well. Bringing in people for interviews or working with local businesses is a great way to reach new audiences and expand your following.
  5. Fill in the blank. “Make sure you ___________ when you are setting out to buy a home.” Statements like these help encourage participation and boost engagement.
  6. Live video. To show clients what goes on behind the scenes, consider posting some live video feeds, helping to demonstrate your involvement and your personality.
  7. Give them a reason. By focusing on a specific concern property owners have, you are helping to increase your relevance.
  8. Use GIFs. These easily catch the eyes of people scrolling through social media, as long as it is relevant and appropriate to your brand.
  9. Ask questions. Nothing engages like an insightful question. It is also helpful in that it allows you to learn about your potential clients.
  10. Interesting statistics. There is lots of data out there, find something relevant to your audience and wow them with some useful and interesting numbers.
  11. Consider using 360-degree view photos or videos. These help provide a more accurate view of the property, and they also do a good job at catching the eye of potential clients.
  12. Celebrate accomplishments. Whether you win an award, lease a property above the asking price or get a gift from a client, posting it on social media showcases your skills and helps you build a reputation.
  13. Build an online community. Go beyond real estate and try posting about news and events going on in the neighborhood. This positions you as both a local expert and a concerned citizen, helping you build both your brand and reputation.
  14. Be funny! Everyone loves to laugh, and who knows? Maybe your post will go viral!
  15. Post a glossary of listing terms. There can be some confusing vocabulary out there, so post something to try and be helpful to potential clients.
  16. 19. Be timely! Take advantage of holidays such as Christmas. It’s a good chance to post some unique and interesting content.
  17. Create a local event. Build a community online, but then engage it offline. This is a great way to build connections with people.
  18. Be thankful. By showing your gratitude to local business, vendors or employees, you are showcasing your compassionate side.
  19. Geo-targeted Facebook posts and ads. These allow you to reach audiences based on their geographic location.
  20. Share other people’s content. The best online communities are engaged ones. Consider making your own hashtag to get people involved, or simply share other people’s posts on your feed.
  21. Make a Facebook lead ad. This gives you the chance to find leads right from Facebook. You can easily target your website’s visitors, or you can find audiences that are similar to your current ones based on key demographics.
  22. Post a unique listing. Show off something different to catch the attention of future clients. This gives them an idea as to how you would market their listing.