Best 16 Ways for Realtors to Generate Leads Online

You may be having difficulties in finding clients or even interested in expanding your reach to more potential clients. You have tried cold calling and done countless open houses and still find yourself struggling to generate leads. Where and how are potential buyers and sellers looking for a real estate agent? People want answers faster since the increasing utilization of the internet. According to Hootsuite in their Digital in 2018 report, 88% of North Americans use the internet and 70% of North Americans have active social media accounts.

These percentages are alarming rates where you can position yourself to generate more leads. We want to equip and prepare you on creating a recognizable online presence. Here are ways where you can differentiate yourself from your competitors from the overwhelming information on the internet.

1. Build a Website

The best way for homebuyers to find a realtor is through a quick google search. A website is a great way to promote your brand and for future clients to find you. To attract and generate leads you need to create a website that consists of informative content. Having a website also expands your reach without any proximity restrictions. If you're looking for a high ROI, expect to invest a lot of time to build and create content.

2. Hire a Professional Photographer

The importance of quality content will determine if you can capture the readers' attention. Hiring a professional photographer can guarantee you quality pictures. A professional photographer will get the right lighting and framing photos to display for your show homes. Potential buyers will be more inclined to work with a realtor who can create high-quality content. 

3. Create Videos

Photos do not display the whole picture the buyer is trying to see, making the buyer itching for more. The NAR says, 73% of home sellers choose a realtor who could market their property with a video, but fewer than 5% of agents make videos.  Adding video marketing to your arsenal will help you outcompete more than 95% of real estate agents.

4. Create a Blog

In addition to your website, having a blog is a powerful tool where you can engage, gain trust, and create relationships. 11% of Realtors who are younger than 49 use a blog. It is the most cost efficient method to display your expertise and personality.  Your blog can consist of more keywords to help improve your website's visibility in search results. Having higher search rankings can lead to more visitors and potential clients.

5. Have Informative Content Relating to The Neighbourhood

Are you trying to sell more in your local neighborhood? Your content should focus on the area you want to sell. Topics like what area is the best to raise a family or a transit-friendly neighborhood will attract locals to your website. Your local expertise can lure readers who are looking for a new home and who are interested in moving into a new city. Expect potential buyers asking the best location to live!

6. Make Online Content Easy To Share online

A small addition to your website and blog posts is using a share icon that can let the reader quickly share on social media, email, or copy the link. Having your readers share your engaging content will help you drive more visitors to your website.

7. Creating a Lead Generating Tool

You're noticing your website is gaining traffic and wonder how you can turn them into leads. Add a lead generating tool. Offer a newsletter, free rich content, or notification for a new blog post in exchange for the visitors' contact information. Using a lead generating tool can drastically expand your lead generation if you have a highly attractive website.

8. Ask for Testimonials to Post on Your Website

Asking for testimonials from your previous clients to recommend you will help speed up the process of relationship building. Your previous clients will help you attract future clients because they are a representation that you are trustworthy and capable of handling large transactions.

9. Build a Referral System

Referrals are the best way to grow your client list. Future clients are more likely to buy from you and trust you if previous clients recommended you. Create a referral system where it will incentify past clients to mention you as the go-to realtor!

10. Use and Engage in Social Media

Social media has become the focal point for many businesses to promote their products and services. Americans spend more than 11 hours per day interacting with social media.  To name a few social media platforms that can help you generate leads are Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.  Take advantage of the time people spend on these platforms by promoting your current listings and website content for free through your social media accounts.

Social media is powerful because of the ability to interact with your followers.  Engaging in social media can help you create relationships through the content you share and comment on other posts. People will follow you if they believe the content you share is useful and insightful for their daily lives.

You must also expect to answer questions at any time of the day. People no longer expect to wait for opening hours to ask a question. Social media has become an avenue where people expect their questions to be answered immediately. 

11. Create a Facebook & Instagram Business Page

Creating a Facebook and Instagram business page will cost you $0. A cost-efficient tool that will help you spread and share your content from your website, your listings, and create brand loyalty. Utilizing a social media business page will help visitors from your website to be in constant contact with you and your content. Business pages will provide a call to action button that will allow your followers to call and email you. Business pages also offer additional information on how your followers interact with your posts. Helping you identify insights such as the likes, the reach, the engagement, and more. This additional free information can help you properly target your audience and identify if your posts are engaging for your followers. Here's a step by step guide to set up an Instagram Business Page. 

12. Host Open Houses Using "Live Stream" on Facebook and Instagram

Facebook and Instagram introduced a live stream feature in 2016. This feature allows you to do a real-time broadcast on your social media. Live Stream is beneficial to realtors because they can be innovative by doing an open house and answer questions relating to real estate. Realtors can extend their reach from their typical open house signs. Live streaming to all your followers promotes the house you're currently selling and the ability to build a relationship with your followers. The live stream is authentic and not edited compared to pictures posted on social media. You and your followers can create a relationship because you are able to showcase your personality, typically what edited social media posts and websites lack displaying. 

14. Use Hashtags and Location Tags

If you're trying to extend your reach in your city, use hashtags and location tags. Using these features, groups related topics and locations. Hashtags are a keyword or interesting topic capable to help facilitate search. Location tags address to a specific area. Both tags make it easier for people to search for similar posts related to topics or locations. Applying hashtags and location tags to your posts, anyone who searches on these features will see to your posts. Expanding your reach substantially.  

15. Connect with Market Influencers

Another great way to expand your reach is by connecting with market influencers. Influencers are highly credible through the highly engaging content they posts. Any recommendations an influencer suggests are trusted because of the connection the influencer has with their large audience. Working with an influencer can promote you and can help expand your brand awareness. 

16. Stay in Contact with Generated Leads and Past Clients 

After you have followed all these steps, leads will be flowing in. It is important to follow up on any questions asked and to stay in contact with your past clients. It can be easily forgotten but it's important to remarket your content to stay relevant to your leads and your past clients.  

These are some of the benefits of creating an online presence and using social media to help you generate leads. Promoting yourself online through social media and a website is a cost-efficient power tool. Even more, with Americans spending 11 hours per day on social media. It is important to implement marketing strategies on social media and the internet.

Your website and social media platforms will provide you a framework to demonstrate your personality and content. With this blog, we have tried to pinpoint the best strategies you can use in order to generate leads online. Successful realtors still practice traditional marketing, but implementing an online presence is the right decision for you to expand proximity restrictions.