Top 10 Real Estate Marketing Trends in 2022

According to Realtor.com’s January 2022 Market Trends Report, home inventory has continued to drop to record-low levels, with unsold homes down 17.9% year over year. At the same time, Google found that “how to become a real estate agent” is now the most popular “how-to” search, suggesting that a tsunami of new agents will soon be hitting the industry.

To compete with the crowd of other agents in your area for those limited listings, your marketing needs to be on point. That’s why we’re offering our top real estate marketing trends – the ones that are really working right now.

Why marketing matters for real estate?

When you first became a real estate agent, you were probably most concerned about obscure contract clauses and contingency details. Soon, however, you no doubt found out that none of that mattered without clients, and developing a marketing plan went to the top of your to-do list.

For some agents, marketing is a desperation move, something that they employ whenever their pipeline gets too low. Instead, make marketing a regular and consistent part of your overall business strategy so that you’re constantly nurturing a stream of new clients – and new revenue.

Avoid these outdated marketing trends

You probably remember the old-school marketing tactic of bus benches. The thought went something like this: I’ll put my name, phone number, and face on a bus bench, then people will take down my info while they’re waiting for a bus. Passersby will see the bench from their cars and the bus passengers will, too. Soon, all of these people will beat a path to my door.

Who knows? Maybe it worked for someone, at some point. However, bus benches won’t get you very far in 2022. The good news is that there are many ways to reach your audience today – no bus benches required.

Another outdated marketing style is door-knocking and cold-calling. While many agents still make use of these strategies, COVID has made door-knocking a dangerous and intrusive option at best. In terms of cold-calling, who answers a phone call from a stranger anymore? You may see very little return on investment with these older marketing options.

Real estate marketing trends that are working in 2022

If you want to grow your real estate business in 2022, you need to tune in to the marketing strategies that are working for agents right now. In no particular order, they are:

Sphere of Influence Marketing

Keep your real estate CRM up-to-date and stay in touch with your sphere of influence – that’s family, friends, neighbors, former clients, leads, and more. It ensures that you’re not trying to convince cold leads to work with you. You’re talking to warm and red-hot leads who already know, like, and trust you.

Out-of-Market Referrals

Second home buyers and investors have been one of the most active segments of the market over the last couple of years. That may mean folks in your sphere are looking for an out-of-town agent – or out-of-town buyers are looking for a home in your market. Stay connected to your professional network across the country, either through industry organizations or by tapping into your social media connections so that you can trade referrals.

Upgraded Marketing Collateral

Differentiate yourself and your services with upgraded marketing materials, both for your business and for your listings. Have the best professional photography, videography, copywriting, and online resources available so that you can stand out from the competition.

Personal Branding

A highly developed personal brand concept can make you more memorable to buyers and sellers in your market. Work with a branding expert to define your unique value proposition (UVP) and communicate it to the people who need you most. Branding is more than a logo or color scheme – it should permeate every aspect of your business and carry through to your support staff and junior agents on your team.

Content Marketing

Whether you write a blog, host a podcast, or create promotional videos for your YouTube fans and followers, content marketing is a foundational approach to long-term brand-building. Show your authority with value-added content that’s service-oriented rather than salesy.

Video Communication

Video is good for more than just content marketing. Make video messaging through a platform like BombBomb part of your communication strategy. Create automation flows to send videos to leads and clients throughout their buying or selling process or use more personalized videos to answer specific questions and provide additional guidance.

Event Marketing

As some communities bring back in-person events you can be front and center with potential buyers and sellers in your area. Participate in a volunteer day or sponsor a local charitable event. Deliver pies at the holidays or host a client appreciation event. Make sure to prioritize safety and pay attention to local regulations regarding crowd size and appropriate precautions so that everyone stays healthy.

Niche Marketing

Hone in on a narrow niche in your area and find out how you can tailor your services to their needs. Work with senior clients and help them with decluttering and relocation to popular retirement communities. Work with military personnel and their families to streamline their transfer to a new duty station. Specialize in the luxury market or focus on first-time homebuyers.

Hyperlocal Marketing

You don’t have to be all things to all people. In large cities, you may be able to specialize in a single block or a single high-rise condominium or co-op. Further out you can specialize in a specific neighborhood or gated community. The more narrow your focus, the better you can use search engine optimization (SEO) to target your website and social media content to the people who want to work with you. This also includes property managers within your area looking for someone to help fill vacancies.

Thought-leader Marketing

Develop your role in the real estate industry when you write for a publication or take on a leadership role at the local, state, or national level of your professional association. Cultivate your audience and focus on communicating to real estate professionals who are looking for insight and advice as they build their businesses. This can be the precursor to a robust referral program, a role as a broker-owner, or a sideline in coaching and training.

When you’re working to build your brand and your business, you need to stay front and center with those who matter most – your sphere of influence and your active leads. Keep in touch with the RentSpree rental client manager (RCM), a platform that helps you organize your contacts and their information so that you can consistently nurture them throughout your sales pipeline. Increase brand authority in your market when you optimize your agent profile for more effective communication.