In the ever-evolving estate agency sector, the game-changing role of digital marketing is more evident than ever. Recognising the significance of a well-rounded approach, today’s estate agents are urged to embrace a balanced mix of short-tail and long-tail lead generation strategies to capture and nurture leads effectively.
Richard Combellack, Chief Commercial Officer at nurtur.group, a leading digital marketing solutions provider, highlights the importance of owning digital assets within one’s territory. “If you have 20,000 homes in your area, how many digital marketing assets have you captured within the region?” he asks. “Of the potential 20,000, how many email addresses have you captured, phone numbers and social media profiles? If you are currently at 10,000, you would have a 50% capture rate of digital marketing assets. Now, what is your marketing strategy to nurture those leads through elements such as text messages, social media and through email marketing to convert those leads when they are ready. Both short-term and long-term digital marketing strategies are essential for businesses, especially if there is a potentially lengthy time frame between capturing a lead and converting that lead.”
He notes that short-tail marketing strategies, such as pay-per-click (PPC) adverts, are crucial for capturing individuals in the short term when the consumer is already in the mindset of looking for a valuation of a property or an estate agent. These methods offer rapid results, ideal for agents seeking immediate visibility or aiming to boost leads within a short window.
“Your short-tail marketing goals can be accomplished in a day or a month, but they typically help build toward your long-tail strategies overall,” adds Combellack. Search-engine PPC, paid display ads, and social media ads are among the quickest ways to generate traffic and visibility, providing a prominent presence in search engines almost instantly.
According to Combellack, while short-tail methods yield quick wins, estate agents are encouraged to invest in long-tail strategies like SEO, building a social media following, email mail marketing and content creation. These methods, though requiring more time to manifest, are instrumental in building lasting relationships with clients and maintaining positive results.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
“The best part about SEO is that you don’t need to spend any extra money on it,” emphasises Combellack. SEO involves targeting specific keywords to gain natural search engine traffic, providing a cost-effective and high-return approach to online marketing.
Social Media
Building a social media following takes time, but the long-term benefits in increased brand recognition and sales are worth the investment. Posting regular content and engaging with the audience are key components of a successful social media strategy.
Content and email marketing
Crafting compelling content tailored to the target audience is a critical aspect of long-term strategies. Regularly creating original content enhances SEO and social media efforts, distinguishing your brand in a crowded market. Email marketing plays a vital role in nurturing leads over time, ensuring a steady conversion flow.
Combellack emphasises, “Incorporating both short-tail and long-tail lead generation strategies is extremely useful for businesses. For capturing leads, you should be using your short-tail strategies, but the end goal is to convert those leads with the help of your long-tail strategies.”
In conclusion, estate agents are urged to adopt a holistic digital marketing approach, leveraging short-term strategies for immediate impact while concurrently investing in long-term efforts to nuture leads and build lasting connections to ensure sustained success.
