What Past Stats Can Tell Us About 2019 Marketing Trends

Don't wait for the competition to lead the way with these digital marketing opportunities for 2019.

Reviewing marketing statistics from the past can help you determine where marketing opportunities might lie in the future. Here’s a look at statistics that can help you discover some niche marketing opportunities to remain more competitive for 2019.

Start Blogging

You are probably sick of hearing about content. However, NAR stats show that 77% of realtors still did not have a blog in 2017 despite the fact that industry thought leaders all agree that creating content is a must. According to NAR, only 13 percent of agents are planning to take advantage of this marketing tactic in the future. This provides you with a huge opportunity to increase your position in search rankings by using blog content to improve your SEO.

Get an Individual Website

It is hard to imagine in a time when everyone (yes everyone) is using the internet to do just about everything that only 26 percent of real estate agents have a website. You are probably thinking, “Well I do.” However, if you have a firm/broker provided website, you are not competitive. 42 percent of agents depend on the basic websites provided by their brokers, while only 26 percent take the time to invest in a real, individual website they maintain on their own. This provides you with a huge opportunity to have an edge over the competition by creating something unique to the everyday websites most agents have. You can incorporate a blog to kill two birds with one stone while achieving more effective SEO.

As well, when you consider that 39 percent of agents stick with the same firm for only a year or less, you are losing your most important digital collateral on a regular basis. Having your own website provides you with your own leads, your own content and your own brand.

Create Engaging Video

You also probably know that video is one of the best ways to engage your customers, yet only 14 percent of agents were using video in 2017. This is yet another technology trend that real estate agents have failed to embrace. Close to half of all agents never use video. Take advantage of this stat and make a commitment to add some video to your online marketing. It’s an excellent way to create brand awareness. You can do community tours, talk about your qualifications, do mini lessons about buying and selling and also do personalized home tours selling the house as you do a walk through. Get creative, be engaging and get people interested in what you have to offer as an agent. Your videos can be posted across multiple channels especially your social media pages.

Expand Social Media Channels

There is still a very low percentage of real estate agents who say they feel comfortable using social media. In fact, the stats show just 26 percent are extremely comfortable using the platforms. You have to take the time to familiarize yourself with social media, so you can post more content and be comfortable doing so. Practice makes perfect.

Facebook has been the go-to social media platform for real estate agents with 80 percent using it as part of their digital strategy. LinkedIn isn’t far behind at 71 percent. However, Instagram has become the new Facebook in almost every other industry. Only 28 percent of real real estate agents use Instagram which is the fasted growing platform. It’s a great fit for real estate as it is image and video driven. But it is not the only platform being underused by agents. As mentioned, video is another area you can up your marketing game, yet only 30 percent of realtors are using YouTube. 28 percent use Twitter and 21 percent use Pinterest, another excellent image platform. As well even if you stick with your Facebook or LinkedIn pages, adding video will help you gain views.

Leverage Messenger

Although 80 percent of agents use Facebook, only 41 percent use the Messenger app to connect with clients. If you are putting efforts into Facebook marketing either by paid ads or doing regular posting yet not seeing conversions, it could be because you are not communicating directly with clients through Messenger. By learning how to use Messenger you can complete the sales funnel with visitors.

Give yourself an edge over the competition and plan to incorporate at least a few of these tactics into your 2019 marketing plan.

You can read the full report here.