This article series is largely taken from the Real Estate Marketing Playbook with permission from the author.
In this day and age, online marketing is more important than ever for real estate professionals who want to stand apart from the pack. Even when the market is thriving, how do you claim your share of the action?
It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the countless and sophisticated digital marketing tools out there, but this article is an excellent primer on the options available to you as a real estate professional.
The basics of retargeting for real estate marketing
Let’s start simple — what is retargeting? Retargeting is about meaningful reconnection with a potential client who once visited your site but kept surfing around without committing or sharing their contact info.
Consider this: It’s not uncommon to deliberate on a purchase, and ultimately walk away and decide to think about it a little longer. Retargeting finds that potential customer and puts your message in front of them again, inching them closer to closing the gap and choosing you as their real estate agent.
When it comes to potential homebuyers or sellers, studies indicate that their window of web exploration usually lies between two weeks to four months. In that time, it’s highly likely that a lead has explored your site but chose not to connect with you.
Retargeting that lead through subtly placed ads can retrigger their interest and complete the sales funnel. When that web visitor goes browsing around the web, your retargeting efforts will stay close at hand, acting as a constant yet unobtrusive reminder of your services standing at the ready.
How does retargeting work?
Retargeting campaigns use a small piece of code called a “pixel.” Each time a visitor peruses your site, this pixel creates and inserts an anonymous “cookie” — or a bit of stored data — that stays with that visitor as he or she continues web browsing. Pixels are invisible. They don’t affect your site’s functionality or interrupt a visitor’s experience.
When a potential client visits a site where ads are present, your retargeted advertising kicks into gear and displays your ad, keeping you and your services at the top of his or her mind.
It’s important to note that pixels don’t track confidential user data, so there’s no need to fear that you’re invading your website visitors’ privacy. Retargeting efforts are anonymous and only blindly keep tabs on visitors to your site.
Is retargeting effective?
The beauty of retargeting is that it ethically reinforces the fact that a potential client visited your site and was in need of services that you happen to provide. Retargeting through sites such as Facebook and AdRoll is merely a way of continuing the conversation.
You can also quickly create a custom audience on Facebook by uploading a CSV file with all of your friends, family, past clients and leads, which will allow you to boost posts and target ads specifically to people you’ve already been in contact with and who are more likely to engage with you.
House hunters and potential homesellers today almost always begin their research process online. By incorporating retargeting marketing efforts, you stay front and center where you know a need exists. Real estate agents, brokers and business owners can’t be everywhere at once, and you can’t follow up on a website without contact information.
Retargeting ads make up for these shortcomings and create new opportunities for business without eating up your time or badgering potential clients with cold calls, spam emails and the like. Retargeting is a simple and easy way to make yourself available to clients already in search of help.
Real Estate Marketing Playbook was inspired by observations and experiences over many years in the real estate business. This series includes example strategies from the playbook, and the full text is available on Amazon, Kindle and Audible.
Brandon Doyle is a Realtor at Doyle Real Estate Team — RE/MAX Results in Minneapolis and co-author of Mindset, Methods & Metrics – Winning as a Modern Real Estate Agent. You can follow him on Twitter.
