Top Online Lead Generation Channels Real Estate Professionals Should Know About

If you’re in the real estate business, know how to maximize the power of the Internet with these top online lead generation channels.

Real estate marketing has come a long way, having shifted from traditional print media to the use of the Internet. If you are in the business of selling properties, you should take advantage of this. Most people now turn to the Internet for the information they need such as finding the right property to buy. Any sales agent or a broker would know too well that the number of sales you make depends largely on the number of leads you generate and most of them will go online to find such leads.  But the most important thing you should remember is this: It is not about finding leads, it is about getting found.

Google

92% of searches start at Google. We all know how to “google”—it’s become embedded in our everyday lives. We type in a search phrase and Google returns the results of the search—simple. But behind the scenes is a complicated process which starts with Crawling, where Google uses “spiders” or robots that determine what pages actually exist. These results are then Indexed, where pages related to your keyword search are ranked and then the results are finally Served to you.  But how will you get found on Google, considering that a single Google search yields millions of ranked pages?

Your Own Website

Having your own website is ideal if you are in the real estate industry. This allows you to have an online presence which you can customize based on what you need, and where you can build your own brand and credibility. However, bear in mind the following considerations when you create your website:

•   Your website should stand out because you are competing with millions of web pages 
•   You should work on being able to get to the top pages of Google’s ranking

Consider this example. We did a search of “condo for sale in Manila”, and there were 3.6 million results. No one will have the time to search through all these results, and add to this the fact that 90% of users do not even click on the 2nd page of the results while 60% will only click on the first five sites. The challenge for you then is to make your website rank higher and ensure that it will be included in the top pages. Google does not disclose the factors used for their rankings, but experts believe that Google uses a complex algorithm of more than 200+ factors. Suffice it to say that the ones on the topmost are the most relevant and useful, and the other major key factors are as follows: use of keywords, site structure and speed, time spent on the site, number and quality of links, and mobile usability. The process of ranking is also constantly updated and reviewed, which means that rankings may change at every search. The best way then for your site to rank high on Google is by creating relevant and high-quality content.

Social Media

Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube are just some examples of popular social media tools with high usage. However, people will not use it primarily to purchase a property because it is not easy to win a buyer’s trust only through social media. The main advantage of using social media in the real estate business is that it allows you to reach thousands of potential customers and communicate with them faster. Identify your target market, then share engaging content—leveraging more on visual and video content. Make your posts interesting and update it regularly, optimizing the contents for mobile users. Maintain your interactions with your viewers and followers, and always find a way to improve your personal branding to establish your credibility and reputation.

Lamudi

You can choose to be on a top online property portal like Lamudi, which has the means to reach millions of property seekers and provides users the tools to make lead conversion easier. Most property buyers also use this portal—which has over 140,000 listings, an average of 2M monthly visits and 150,000 monthly leads—to search for listings. But remember that you will be competing with a lot of other listings, so make sure that you maximize your exposure by using high-quality photos and accurate information details. Handling your leads efficiently and promptly is also a key to closing your sales.

The ideal strategy therefore in real estate online marketing is to use all the three platforms discussed here- have your own website, use social media, or be listed in online property portals like Lamudi.

Lamudi Academy

If you would like to further improve your online marketing skills, Lamudi Academy offers real estate online marketing courses. The training courses include topics like top online lead generation channels, the power of online real estate marketing platforms, such as Lamudi, converting online leads into sales, improving online marketing strategies, digital trends in real estate, and understanding the market. The Basic Level Training is free of charge, while there is a very minimal fee for the Advanced and Expert Level courses. Equip yourself with the tools you need to succeed in your real estate career with the guidance of experts from the field. For details and training schedules, visit the Lamudi Academy website.

Sources: Liquid is Design, Seo Mark