Your November 2023 Burning Real Estate Marketing Questions, Answered

I’ve Heard Calling Sellers of Expired Listings Is a Great Way to Market Myself and Get Clients in a Down Market. True or False?

This can be true. Someone whose home wasn’t sold by the original listing agent may still be very — if not even more — motivated to sell and therefore eager to try working with a different agent.

But there is one major caveat. If you’re a real estate agent in certain parts of Canada, calling up sellers whose listing contracts have expired may not be permitted.

The reason: privacy laws. 

Some provinces have laws in place that say contact information can only be used for the reason it was originally provided. In other areas, like in British Columbia for instance, agents can only call expired listings that are not explicitly privacy-protected (by way of a checkbox that sellers have the option to tick at the time of listing). 

If you simply notice from driving or walking around a neighbourhood that a for-sale sign has been taken down, you could ask the homeowner if they sold or not; that casual observation isn’t as intentional as targeting expired listings.

However you may choose to employ this strategy, tread carefully. It can be ethically ambiguous and while one seller may be happy to hear your elevator pitch, another may feel that you’ve crossed a line.

Now That AI Tools Are Becoming More Popular, What Are the Best Tools For Virtually Staging a Vacant Listing?

Virtual staging has come a long way in the five years since we first wrote about it.

AI-based technologies have become more advanced, more user-friendly and more commonplace, and virtual staging tools are no exception.

Virtual staging — aka, the digital version of home staging — is the best way to boost the marketing potential of a listing that’s vacant or newly constructed without having to physically furnish the space. 

It can be more cost-effective than physical staging and it can create aesthetics that are more modern and unanimously appealing.

Onto the best tools for virtual staging. It comes down to whether you’re comfortable with a DIY approach or would prefer to spend more money to have someone do the work for you. 

If you’re open to doing it yourself, ApplyDesign is a favourite amongst real estate agents. It’s incredibly user-friendly and offers a great selection of contemporary furnishings. 

For a more hands-off virtual staging solution, many realtors recommend BoxBrownie. The images are hyper realistic and users can request unlimited changes.

Engagement on My Instagram Posts Has Noticeably Declined in the Last Few Months. What Gives?

If you think Instagram engagement on your realtor account has been much lower in 2023 than it was in 2022, it’s not just your imagination. So many businesses and marketers are struggling with getting their content seen.

Earlier this year, head of Instagram Adam Mosseri shared an update that shed some light on how Instagram currently ranks content:

“Instagram doesn’t have a singular algorithm that oversees what people do and don’t see on the app. We use a variety of algorithms, classifiers, and processes, each with its own purpose. We want to make the most of people’s time, and we believe that using technology to personalize everyone’s experience is the best way to do that. Each part of the app – Feed, Stories, Explore, Reels, Search and more – uses its own algorithm tailored to how people use it.”

You can read the whole thing here.

What does that mean for real estate agents using Instagram to market their real estate businesses?

There’s no magic spell you can cast that will unlock Instagram success. 

Instead, you have to:

• Meet Instagram where it’s at. Switch up the types of content (Reels, Stories and grid posts) you create and make use of every new tool and feature (don’t be intimidated!). Different types of content will resonate with different users, so you want to maximize your chances at discoverability.
• Meet your users where they’re at. Build connections with your audience and engage with them in authentic ways. Pay attention to the content that resonates with them and the content that doesn’t, and tweak your marketing strategy accordingly.
• Do what works for you. The secret recipe for Instagram success is unique to every account. It’s great to take inspiration from other real estate accounts but what works for them might not always work for you. You need your own strategy, informed by your own results and insights.