There is only one truth in real estate marketing: it’s constantly changing. If you’re trying to keep up, you will always be second-guessing yourself. Will the marketing you used last year still work in 2022?
To find out, we worked with some of the best agents and coaches in the country to find out how they are blending old-school and new-school marketing ideas to build their brands this year. So turn off your phone, grab a cup of coffee, and dig into the best real estate marketing ideas for 2022.
1. Create an Actionable Plan to Get More Testimonials & Reviews
Beth Incorvati, Real Estate Coach & Close Contributor
“Even though social proof is more important than ever these days, many agents still just wish and pray for good testimonials and reviews. This rarely works! Even if it does, you will probably end up with reviews scattered around a dozen different websites. Smart agents know that maximizing the number and quality of reviews on the sites you want them requires an actionable plan. Check out my nine actionable tips below to earn more reviews below to start today.”
[Related article: ]
2. Give Your Social Media Accounts a Boost (Without Hiring a Marketing Manager)
2. Give Your Social Media Accounts a Boost (Without Hiring a Marketing Manager)The Close Team
If you’re a busy agent, spending hours each day creating content for social media is probably not a good use of your time. In 2022, smart agents are using services like Artur’In to give their social accounts a boost from the pros while they concentrate on selling houses.
For a flat monthly fee, they will post engaging local, branded photo and video content to your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts. They will also design and run Facebook ads for you with MLS integration. It’s like having a dedicated marketing team for less than what you probably spend on lunch every day.
Visit Artur’In
[Related article: 23 Real Estate Social Media Marketing Tips From Top Agents]
3. Boost Engagement With Contests, Polls & Q&A Stickers on Instagram Stories
Dustin Brohm, Host, Massive Agent Podcast
“Engagement is absolutely key, so use the Polls and Q&A stickers within Instagram (IG) Stories. Ask questions, use GIFs, and make the content as easy to engage with as possible. The more people engage with you, the more they will remember you, and the more you train the IG algorithm that you have great content, which IG will reward with more organic reach than if no one ever engaged with you.
“You can also run contests and giveaways within IG Stories. Master how to get people engaged and coming back for more, and you’ll win.”
[Related article: ]
4. Become the ‘Digital Mayor’ of Your Farm Area
Sean Moudry, Colorado Real Estate Broker, Coach, Author & Close Contributor
“If you’re trying to farm your neighborhood online in 2022, becoming the ‘digital mayor’ on social media can bring big wins. The only problem is that this can take years of hard work, and the competition is fierce. Parkbench makes this process much faster and much easier.
“Here’s how: Parkbench creates a hyperlocal website just for you that helps build relationships with small businesses and local influencers to generate referrals. Then they provide expert training so you can start generating referrals quickly. The best part? They only allow one real estate agent per area, so you can become the ‘digital mayor’ without the competition.”
Visit Parkbench
5. Turn Your Social Proof Up to 11 Using HARO
5. Turn Your Social Proof Up to 11 Using HAROEmile L’Eplattenier, Managing Editor, The Close
Over the past few years, I’ve been quoted as a real estate expert in The New York Times, Yahoo, Realtor Magazine, Fox News, US News & World Report, and many more. Does that mean I know more about the real estate industry than you do? Well … maybe, but that’s not why I get quoted so often. Instead, I know what kinds of quotes journalists need, and I know how to reach them with those quotes when they need them. You can do this just as easily.
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is a service that journalists use to source quotes from experts. If you want to get quoted and turn your brand’s social proof up to 11, sign up for HARO and start pitching reporters. You won’t land every quote, but you only need a few good ones to add an “In the Press” section to your website and listing pitches.
6. Work With Local Clubs to Create Special Events for Your Listings
Michael LaFido, Real Estate Coach, Luxury Consultant
As the founder of the Luxury Listing Specialist designation, Michael LaFido definitely practices what he preaches in his bestselling book and luxury real estate marketing courses.
That’s because he doesn’t just write about marketing luxury real estate, he works in the trenches, crafting marketing strategies for luxury properties in his native Chicago and beyond.
Most recently, LaFido leveraged his relationship with a local exotic car club to create an event that brought 80 high-net worth individuals in 40 Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and other supercars to his $9 million listing—the mansion featured in the hit series “Empire.”
[Related article: 10 Easy Ways to Break Into the Luxury Market (If You’re Not Rich)]
7. Leverage Real Estate Specific Marketing Software
Tristan Ahumada, Los Angeles Realtor, Founder, Lab Coat Agents
One lesson many agents learn too late is that not all marketing tools are created equal. Sure, you can make Canva or HubSpot work for a while, but at the end of the day, tools built for agents, by agents, will give you a better return on investment (ROI).
Lab Coat Agents Marketing Center is a great example. It’s the first marketing software created by and for real estate agents. We created it so that agents can get hundreds of gorgeous, easy-to-edit templates for everything from door hangers, to social media posts, to email templates—right out of the box. Everything is designed specifically for real estate agents.
is another marketing platform founded by realtors that has lovely templates for social media, including meme templates. As a special thank you to Close readers, use promo codeTHECLOSE for $15 off your first month.
8. Market Your Listings by Creating Videos That Sell a Lifestyle
Logan Link, Marin County Realtor, The Logan & Bernard Group
“To today’s buyers, falling in love with a property is less about square footage and fixtures—HGTV has taught us all that we can do things like update a kitchen. Now, it’s all about how the home and neighborhood will make them feel; what daily life could be like in this new place.
“Videos catch people’s attention and do a great job conveying emotion—especially short films that display well on social media. We tried this out recently and received a fantastic response, and put even more focus toward the concept.”
Check out the videos Logan and her team are using to market a lifestyle here.
[Related article: 11 Real Estate Videos Smart Agents Are Using + Examples]
9. Create a Detailed Listing Marketing Plan to Pitch Homeowners
Sean Moudry, Colorado Real Estate Broker, Coach, Author & Close Contributor
“A marketing plan is one of the most powerful tools you have to get new listings. After all, marketing skills are probably the main reason most homeowners hire an agent to begin with. So before you pitch your next homeowner, make sure you have a comprehensive marketing plan to show them. You can get started by checking out my 47-point listing marketing plan below.”
[Related article: Sean’s 47-Point Ultimate Real Estate Listing Marketing Plan (PDF Checklist)]
10. Market to Your Sphere Across Multiple Platforms
Jennifer Okhovat, Beverly Hills Realtor, Compass
“I think that the best marketing strategy for 2022 is to reach out to your sphere of influence in multiple campaigns: through direct mail, social media, and email marketing. When your contacts see you in not one—but all three—mediums of marketing, they are more likely to think of you when it comes to making any real estate decision. You are present to them wherever they turn!”
[Related article: 23 Real Estate Social Media Marketing Tips From Top Agents]
[Related article: ]
11. Find Your ‘Why’ & Integrate It Into Your Marketing
Sean Moudry, Colorado Real Estate Broker, Coach, Author & Close Contributor
“Since most leads make purchasing decisions based on emotion rather than facts, finding your ‘why’ should be on your list of marketing goals for 2022. If you want leads to resonate with your brand, your marketing needs to resonate with their values and ideals. After all, who will get excited to work with someone who’s just in it for the money?
“So take the time to really think through why you became a real estate agent and integrate it into your brand and marketing. Maybe you were excited about the idea of helping people build generational wealth. Or maybe you wanted to help build your community. Whatever the answer is, I guarantee it will help you find lifetime customers better than ‘I want to make lots of money.’”
[Related article: ]
12. Fine Tune Your Marketing Messages With Predictive Analytics
12. Fine Tune Your Marketing Messages With Predictive AnalyticsChris Linsell, Real Estate Coach & Close Writer
“Want to know which homeowners are the most likely to sell their homes in the next 12 months before they start reaching out to agents so you can market to them? With SmartZip, you can. Leveraging over 250 data points across the internet and from your local MLS, SmartZip uses a predictive algorithm to identify who is most likely to list their home for sale—giving you the superpower of knowing which homeowners you should reach out to in your farm area.”
Visit SmartZip
[Related article: Is SmartZip the Future of Real Estate Prospecting?]
13. Anticipate Emotional Seller Objections & Address Them in Your Marketing Materials
Sean Moudry, Colorado Real Estate Broker, Coach, Author & Close Contributor
“Benjamin Franklin once said, ‘Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.’ When it comes to emotional seller objections, being prepared makes all the difference. Instead of waiting until you get them on the phone to address their objections, why not address them in your marketing materials? You can create an educational video series or drip campaign explaining pricing strategies or commissions, or better yet, address their objections in your listing presentation before they can even make them.”
[Related article: ]
14. Keep Former Clients Engaged With Experiential Marketing
Emile L’Eplattenier, Managing Editor, The Close
As any experienced agent will tell you, five minutes of in-person engagement is worth hours of engagement online. That’s why many top-producing agents today are offering their former clients exclusive offline experiences like dinners, wine tastings, educational seminars, or charity drives. In the marketing industry, this is called “experiential marketing,” and it is one of the hottest trends of the year for Fortune 1000 marketers.
How hot is it? Well, one study showed that a whopping 98% of consumers created content like pictures or videos at live events, and 100% of those people shared that content on social media.
[Related article: Can Experiential Marketing Save The Real Estate Industry…Again?]
15. 10x Email Engagement Rates With Facebook Messenger Ads
The Close Team
Here’s the thing. Changes to the Facebook New Feed mean more agents are going to try their hand at buying ads on Facebook. That means more expensive ads. Even if they don’t go up, learning the latest techniques to generate leads from your Facebook advertising is a smart move. One way to get noticed in the coming sea of Facebook ads from real estate agents is to try Facebook Messenger ads.
[Related article: This Strategy Gets Open Rates 242% Higher Than Email…]
16. Hire & Fire Based on Core Values
Beverly Ruffner, Real Estate Coach & Close Contributor
“One of the trickiest parts of effective marketing is ensuring that all of your hires, whether they be admins, transaction coordinators, or inside sales agents (ISAs), are a reflection of your personal brand. Since your brand will seep into your marketing messages, whether you like it or not, you need to ensure that everyone who works for and with you reflects your core values. After all, for many leads, your ISAs will be the first point of contact for your business. What do their attitudes and actions say about you?
“The short answer is EVERYTHING. So make sure to hire for personality and core values first, and skills second. Remember, you can always teach them new skills, but you can’t teach them to share your core values!”
[Related article: How to Hire ISAs That Can Convert: 5 Tips From The Conversion Queen]
17. Send Video Messages & Make Sure Your Videos Have Captions
Dan Smith, Real Estate Author, Speaker & Strategist
“Video. Video. Video. Messaging in video or through apps to make still photos appear video-like and with captions. Over 80% of videos will be watched without sound in 2022, and captions are a MUST!”
18. Run Facebook & YouTube Ads for Your Videos to Drive Traffic to Your Website
Tyler Marrin, Director of Marketing, The Keri Shull Team
“Everyone knows that video marketing is hot, and it’s here to stay, but the real edge in 20221 will be to leverage it using hyperlocal targeting. At The Keri Shull Team, we consistently produce videos for the neighborhoods we want to be the face of. We cover the numerous housing, entertainment, and lifestyle benefits of those areas.
“To best reach viewers in your preferred areas, keyword-stuff your titles and run Facebook and YouTube video ads with strong calls to action (CTAs) that drive traffic back to your website.”
[Related article: How to Create Real Estate Facebook Ads That Actually Generate Leads]
19. Don’t Ignore the Giants
Emile L’Eplattenier, Managing Editor, The Close
With 200+ million monthly visitors, ALL of your leads are going to be on Zillow at some point during their search, and many will never leave. That means marketing your services as a buyer’s agent or listing agent on Zillow is still crucial for success in 2022.
Yes, it may be trendy to hate Zillow, but at the end of the day, leads are leads. Getting in front of them early and often is more important than likes on Facebook groups.
[Related article: Is Zillow Premier Agent Worth the Cost?]
20. Take the Time to Sharpen Your Expired Listing Game
Brian Beatty, Realtor, The Brian Beatty Team
“About 60% of our business comes from proactively calling expired and canceled listings. Another 28 deals came from circle prospecting just listed or just sold homes in our targeted area. Now that we’re starting to face a market shift, more and more inexperienced or unqualified agents will start to drop the ball, leaving plenty of sellable homes expired or canceled off the market.
“This is an enormous opportunity for us to earn the business of the expired or canceled prospect and, using our marketing plan, sell their homes faster and for more money than most other agents.
“However, traditional cold calling methods and hand dialing numbers one-by-one is a thing of the past around here. Using our systems and software, our inside sales agents make a minimum of 1,000 dials per day. If you have the systems and processes as well as the phone sales skills, 2021 is the year of the new and improved cold call.”
[Related article: ]
21. Share Your Expertise by Submitting Articles to Local Magazines or Newspapers
Rose Sklar, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate in Florida
“Team up with your local magazines to work on a monthly real estate column. Always create relevant content highlighting your ‘Micro’ community. Become the ‘go-to’ person and community expert. After it is published, share the link on all of your social media platforms using a link tree tool in your profile and posts. This allows your content to live longer than the initial feed.”
22. Send Conversational & Video Text Messages to Your Sphere
Jay Macklin, Broker/Owner, Platinum Living Realty
“Conversational and video text messages are a great way for agents to humanize themselves and stay in touch with potential leads, as they are short messages that are more likely to be viewed by the recipient and do not feel as sales-y or bothersome. The key is to ensure that when you are drafting the text of the message, you sound genuine and not pre-scripted, so that your messages work toward building your positive relationship with the recipient.”
[Related article: My 6-Day New Lead Text Messaging Campaign + Agent Texting Scripts]
23. Get Out There & MEET PEOPLE in Your Farm Area!
Brian LeBow, Sales Manager, Coldwell Banker Dynasty
“This is the most simple and powerful way to build a real estate business—yet most agents can’t or won’t do it. I’m talking about door-knocking FSBOs and expires. This classic method is still one of the best if you know how to approach each seller and provide value at their door, and is an excellent way to build a fantastic business.”
[Related article: ]
24. Team Up With an Agent in Another State to Target Second Homebuyers
Joe Belz, Naples Florida Realtor, Compass
Joe ran multiple lead gen social media campaigns to target prospective second homebuyers. Joe was able to use fellow Compass agent Jeannemarie Conley’s positive reputation in the Boston area to gain trust that he could handle their transactions in Florida.
Not only did Joe gain leads, but he also gained a strong relationship with Jeannemarie that ended up in a referral for a $13 million listing that closed in February 2019. This works in 2021 because it combines a highly targeted digital approach with a referral-based strategy.
[Related article: 7 Savvy Ways to Generate More Real Estate Referrals]
25. Collaborate With an Influencer to Push Social Engagement
Rebecca Blacker, Associate Broker, Warburg Realty, Manhattan
“Collaborating with an influencer is the new celebrity marketing. Influencers have thousands and millions of followers who are engaged with them every single day. Just as influencers promote products, they can promote real estate agents by getting the agent’s name and expertise out to a wider audience.”
26. Become a Contributing Member of the Communities You Serve
Christopher Fling & Karen Yang, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Silicon Valley
“In a sea of agents and in a downshifting market, we believe true relationships and friendships will dominate superficial social media and other advertising. Get involved: volunteer regularly—’own’ an event or a time slot for a cause you care about—get to know both other supporters and recipients of the services.
“Door knock with purpose—pair old-school door-knocking with a social or community purpose. Get known for being a champion of not only real estate values in your area, but for adding to that value through community-building activities and support.”
[Related article: Dear Real Estate Agents: Your Local Community Needs You Now More Than Ever]
27. Create Purposeful Content About Your Farm Area
James Rozanski, Co-founder of Creative Director of REIGN Marketing
“There’s nothing more lifestyle than where a person lives—it says everything about who they are, what they value, and the places where they spend time. Create and recycle content about the life someone is going to lead if they lived in your listing—explore restaurants, coffee shops, gyms, parks, and any other highlights to market the full picture and not just the place itself (especially in cities where every neighborhood has its own feel).”
[Related article: 15 Real Estate Blog Ideas That People Will Actually Read]
28. Join Local Organizations to Meet New People
Marilyn Blume, Warburg Realty, Manhattan
“Get involved in an organization that you are passionate about, which will continually expose you to new people. Follow up and meet each person (when possible) to get to know them better and learn how to help them by introducing them to someone new. Think of how you can help someone; people remember acts of kindness and will pay it forward.”
29. Use This Buyer Presentation That Turns Leads Into Clients in 15 Minutes
Chris Linsell, Real Estate Coach & Close Writer
“While most agents work hard on their listing presentations, most just kind of wing it with buyers. This can be a huge mistake! Today’s buyers are almost as picky as sellers when it comes to choosing an agent. They are more informed, more savvy, and take more time to research agents than ever before. That’s why creating and practicing an effective buyer presentation is the key to getting more buyers this year and beyond. You can learn how to create one and download my 15-minute buyer presentation for free below.”
[Related article: This Buyer Presentation Converts Leads to Clients in 15 Minutes]
Your Turn
Have any killer real estate marketing ideas that you think our readers need to know about? Let us know in the comments.
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