The real estate industry is becoming more competitive every year, with growing demand and more agents entering the market. In this environment, success hinges on understanding what’s working for your competitors and adapting your strategy accordingly.
To thrive, you need insights into current trends and tactics that are generating leads, attracting clients, and building brands. That’s exactly why we conducted Taradel’s 2024 Real Estate Marketing Survey—so you can plan your future marketing strategy with confidence.
Here’s what 40 real estate professionals told us about how they’re marketing in 2024.
Methodology
In October 2023, Taradel surveyed 40 real estate professionals via a 29-question survey on SurveyMonkey. Our goal was to uncover the latest trends in real estate marketing, identify key challenges, and highlight what’s working for agents across the U.S. Here’s who participated in the survey:
- 47% of respondents were between 45 and 64 years old.
- 92% operate primarily in residential real estate.
- 60% have 10+ years of experience, with 43% having 20+ years.
- 95% reported that their local markets are either “very” or “moderately” competitive.
The Challenges and Goals in Real Estate Marketing
The competitive nature of real estate means that marketing is critical to success. Our survey revealed that lead generation and budget constraints are the two biggest marketing challenges for agents in 2024.
Additionally, audience targeting remains a significant hurdle, with many agents struggling to zero in on the right potential buyers and sellers.
With lead generation ranked as the number one concern, it’s no surprise that agents are prioritizing:
- Acquiring new clients.
- Generating leads.
- Building brand awareness.
Furthermore, 62% of respondents highlighted that personal branding is extremely important to their marketing strategy—proving that individual identity is a powerful asset in this industry.
Multichannel Marketing is Key
In today’s environment, real estate agents aren’t relying on just one marketing method. In fact, 85% of agents use at least two marketing channels, with 42.5% employing four or more. This multichannel approach ensures that realtors can connect with clients through various touchpoints—whether online, offline, or in person.
Direct Mail: The Top Marketing Tactic
To achieve their goals, real estate agents are expanding their marketing efforts across various channels, but direct mail stands out as the top marketing tactic. According to our survey, 84.6% of respondents use direct mail to reach potential buyers and sellers. This tried-and-true method allows agents to place physical advertisements directly into the hands of their target audience, helping them stand out in a crowded digital space.
Additionally, 88% of real estate agents plan to either increase or maintain their direct mail efforts over the next year. With its proven track record of success in lead generation and brand awareness, direct mail continues to be a critical part of the real estate marketing mix.
Social Media: A Growing Force
Social media also plays a pivotal role in real estate marketing. In our survey, 80% of agents reported using Facebook ads.. Realtors are increasingly recognizing the importance of social media for growing their business, with external data showing that 67% of agents believe posting on social media is more valuable than maintaining a blog.
Moreover, 100% of respondents plan to either increase (56%) or maintain (44%) their digital marketing efforts, which includes growing their social media presence. Facebook remains a key player, but agents are also exploring other platforms to diversify their digital reach and engage with potential clients in more interactive and personal ways.
Budgeting and Planning
Most real estate businesses are working with tight marketing budgets. According to our survey, 54% of agents spend between $0 and $499 per month on marketing. Despite these budget limitations, many are forward-thinking, with most agents planning their campaigns well in advance. However, 13% still prefer a reactive approach, advertising as needed with no formal campaign planning.
Tracking and Managing Campaigns
When it comes to marketing, performance tracking is essential. Being able to see how campaigns are performing allows agents to refine their strategies and ensure their marketing dollars are being well spent. According to our survey, 68% of agents said performance tracking is extremely important, with 65% preferring self-service platforms to manage and track their marketing campaigns.
This trend reflects the growing need for control and customization, with 62.5% of agents opting to design their own ads using online tools. These platforms allow agents to tweak their campaigns, optimize performance, and stay agile in a constantly shifting market.
Room for Improvement
Although many real estate agents are using multichannel marketing tactics, there’s still room for improvement. Only 15% of agents described their marketing efforts as “highly effective,” while the majority (31%) rated their campaigns as “somewhat effective.” This gap between effort and results suggests that many real estate professionals may need to fine-tune their strategies or explore new channels to get better outcomes.
Conclusion
Marketing in real estate is no easy task, but staying on top of the latest trends and leveraging a diverse set of tools can help you remain competitive. By combining direct mail, digital marketing, and personal branding with careful tracking and campaign management, real estate agents can continue to generate leads, build their brands, and grow their businesses.
For a deeper dive into these insights and more, download our full 2024 Real Estate Marketing Survey Report today!
