Top 9 Real Estate Digital Marketing Agencies to Boost Your Property Visibility & Lead Generation

Regardless of the industry, digital marketing, which is a market expected to be worth $870.85 billion by 2027, is an important component of any business strategy today. This is especially true for the real estate industry, as more and more people turn to the internet to search for properties and real estate services.

Real estate digital marketing agencies specifically cater to real estate businesses and their unique needs, such as property visibility, lead generation, event marketing, and brand awareness. Since they're backed by years of experience and insights from industry experts, their personalized approach to your businesses can yield excellent results.

From establishing a commanding online presence to running targeted ads, managing public relations, improving website visibility in Google search results, and much more, real estate marketing companies equip you with everything you need to stand out online. They shoulder the responsibility of your digital marketing while you focus on what you do best - closing deals and growing your business.

We've taken the time to research and compile a list of the top real estate digital marketing agencies that you can entrust with all the aforementioned services and more.

9 Best Real Estate Digital Marketing Agencies for Maximizing Property Exposure

1. SmartSites

Location: Paramus, NJ

Minimum project size: $1,000+

Avg. Hourly Rate: $100 – $149/hr

SmartSites is a dynamic real estate digital marketing agency that tailors its marketing strategies to real estate agents, aiming to increase their sales. Their primary objective is to utilize the power of digital marketing to assist realtors in attracting more clients. What sets them apart from other online marketing firms is their extensive experience in the real estate sector, which allows them to provide comprehensive solutions tailored to the industry’s unique needs.

Their services include website design and development, SEO, and PPC marketing. For website design, SmartSites builds visually impactful, functional websites that draw potential customers in. They recognize the significance of appearance and location, ensuring their designs stand out in the competitive online space.

To further ensure its clients’ websites are compliant, SmartSites has partnered with Termly, a compliance solution that ensures user-friendliness and legal compliance of your website. Since compliance is an important part of the real estate landscape, this partnership shows SmartSites’ commitment to providing comprehensive solutions for their real estate clients.

 

Their SEO strategy uses white hat techniques to achieve a high ranking in search engine result pages, targeting both aesthetic appeal and SEO relevance. With PPC marketing, SmartSites assists in maximizing the revenue from competitive real estate keywords, especially within major metropolitan areas.

SmartSites also offers email and social media marketing services, keeping your real estate business engaged with potential clients through targeted campaigns and regular updates. Again, their email marketing-facilitating partnerships, such as that with Brevo, are a testament to their dedication to providing top-notch solutions.

 

As for social media marketing, SmartSites optimizes your profiles on all major social media platforms, creates monthly content calendars, offers graphic design services, and responds to comments on your posts for community engagement. So, it’s an all-in-one solution for your social media needs.

The SmartSites Solution

SmartSites is undeniably one of the best real estate website design agencies that also assist with other digital marketing services, and an excellent example of this comes from how the agency turned things around for N.J Lux.

Joshua Baris, the realtor behind the company, was a well-recognized leader in his industry, making it to the list of the top most influential agencies by the Real Estate Executive Magazine. However, with the modern world thriving on online presence, Baris felt the need to expand his digital marketing strategies.

He partnered with SmartSites to transform his website to make it more functional and visually aesthetic.

Client website

Strategic Approach

Here’s what SmartSites did for the client:

• Rejuvenated their WordPress website to give it more visual appeal
• Improved the performance and usability of the website to enhance its functionality
• Connected the website to the New Jersey Multiple Listing Service (NJMLS)
• Got the website to show real-time property listings
• Created city-related content for the client’s target cities 
• Improve on-page SEO and rank a link-building campaign 

As a result, N.J Lux not only saw an improvement in their local SEO but also became at par with the top real estate websites in the country.

SmartSites

Outsmart the competition with best-in-class digital marketing services. With over 1,000 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews online, SmartSites is America's #1 rated digital marketing agency. Get more traffic. Acquire more customers. Sell more stuff. SmartSites w...

Company

Channels

Services

Company

50+

New Jersey

Best for:

Small and Medium Size Businesses

Minimum Campaign Size: $1.000+

Channels

Amazon

Facebook

Google

Google Ads

Instagram

LinkedIn

Pinterest

Reddit

Snapchat

TikTok

Twitter (X)

YouTube Advertising

Services

Website Design & Development

PPC Management

Paid Search (Google Ads, Microsoft Ads)

Paid Social (FB/Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.)

Organic SEO

Email Marketing

Social Media Management

Minimum Campaign Size: $1.000+

SmartSites

Outsmart the competition with best-in-class digital marketing services. With over 1,000 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews online, SmartSites is America's #1 rated digital marketing agency. Get more traffic. Acquire more customers. Sell more stuff. SmartSites w...

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2. Lyfe Marketing

Location: Atlanta, GA

Minimum project size: $1,000+

Avg. Hourly Rate: $50 – $99/hr.

Lyfe Marketing, an esteemed real estate digital marketing agency, is known for its specialized and data-driven digital marketing solutions catering to the unique requirements of real estate businesses. Established in Atlanta, the firm is recognized for its capacity to generate superior leads and convert them into potential business opportunities.

The team at Lyfe Marketing not only focuses on increasing digital visibility for real estate agents and companies but also works on establishing a more credible brand image, especially within local communities.

They provide an all-encompassing range of services, including social media marketing, search engine marketing, email campaigns, and search engine optimization. These strategies are not only designed to boost the digital presence of real estate agencies but also to increase client engagement and establish long-term relationships.

Since video marketing has become quite popular these days, Lyfe Marketing has also included it in its suite of services for real estate businesses. They create short videos for real estate businesses, such as customer testimonials and property showcases, to exhibit properties and foster a personal connection with potential buyers.

As our Digital Marketing Benchmark Report found, videos are the most commonly created content for social media, used by over 55% of marketers. Keeping this in mind, Lyfe Marketing’s video marketing services can prove to be an effective way for real estate businesses to improve their social media presence.

Effective content types on social media

The Lyfe Marketing Solution

Lyfe Marketing has a history of providing real estate digital marketing services to brokerages, student housing, solo agents, and property management companies. When Mastermine Investments came to the agency, they wanted to increase their leads.

Specializing in coaching and consulting clients in their real estate investments, Mastermine Investments wanted more exposure to bring in new leads. They wanted to take the social media route for lead generation.

Social media ad set level

Strategic Approach

Here’s how Lyfe Marketing brought the client’s vision to life:

• Created social media campaigns to target audiences who have previously engaged with Mastermine Investments Facebook page and posts
• Added website visitors to Custom Audiences on Facebook for better targeting
• Optimized the campaign for reach on social media

Case study results

With this approach, Lyfe Marketing was able to generate 523 leads for the client in just 90 days, and that too at a cost per acquisition (CPA) of just $1.43.

Lyfe Marketing

A leading social media management company that helps businesses grow online. LYFE Marketing helps clients increase leads and sales through social media marketing.

Company

Channels

Services

Company

10 - 50

Atlanta

Best for:

Small and Midmarket Businesses

Minimum Campaign Size: $1.000+

Channels

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Twitter (X)

Services

PPC Management

SEO

Social Media Management

Minimum Campaign Size: $1.000+

Lyfe Marketing

A leading social media management company that helps businesses grow online. LYFE Marketing helps clients increase leads and sales through social media marketing.

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3. Thrive Internet Marketing Agency

Location: Dallas, TX

Minimum project size: $1,000+

Avg. Hourly Rate: $100 – $149/hr

Thrive is a top-tier real estate digital marketing agency that aims to generate high-quality leads and increase sales for real estate businesses. They provide custom digital marketing services for real estate companies and brokerages. By leveraging SEO, local SEO, social media marketing, and PPC, Thrive aims to create a robust digital presence for real estate agencies.

Thrive Internet Marketing Agency takes a 360-degree marketing approach to real estate marketing, which means they cover all the necessary bases to ensure that their clients’ businesses succeed in the digital world. Their strategies are backed by data that they collect continuously and share with their clients throughout the marketing process. 

More importantly, Thrive’s strategies are industry-relevant. Basically, they use a blend of methods that they have previously seen success within the real estate industry. They also understand which platforms and tactics work best for different types of real estate businesses, and they incorporate this knowledge into their marketing plans.

 

They also offer web design and development services, creating SEO-optimized, device-responsive websites for real estate brokerages that enhance the customers’ real estate buying experience. In addition to this, their email marketing services aim to connect with new leads and maintain relevance with former clients.

Thrive also offers reputation management services to help real estate agencies build trust and credibility with their target audience. From managing online reviews and monitoring the agency’s online presence to ensuring a positive brand image, the Thrive team ensures that real estate businesses are well-represented online.

Just like Lyfe Marketing, they also offer video production services, which they believe is the most “powerful way to get your message across.”

The Thrive Internet Marketing Agency Solution

Thrive is one of those agencies that are trusted by businesses across the board, and real estate brokerages or companies are no exception. Home First, a real estate business, wanted to get more qualified leads through social media. They also had to establish an excellent reputation in the market to further their brand and boost customer trust.

They selected Thrive’s package, which includes strategy development and paid advertising. Thrive also offers monthly analytics and strategy recommendations in this package.

Home First lead generation funnel

Strategic Approach

Here’s what Thrive Agency did to bring Home First’s vision to life:

• Integrated Home First’s CRM to a Facebook leads tool to direct leads to appropriate salespersons
• Ensured excellent customer service by allowing real estate agents to respond to queries through the CRM
• Created a Facebook ad campaign targeting specific interests and locations of potential clients
• Utilized A/B testing for different ad variations to optimize results

Case study results

Thrive’s strategy helped the client qualify over 40 leads at a click-through rate of 4.11% and a cost per lead (CPL) 71% lower than the industry benchmark.

Thrive Internet Marketing Agency

Thrive Internet Marketing Agency is a full service agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Social Media Management, Web Design, Link Building, and more.

Company

Channels

Services

Company

50+

Arlington, Texas; Los Angeles, California

Best for:

Enterprises, Large and Small brands

Minimum Campaign Size: $1.000+

Channels

Amazon

Facebook

Google

Google Ads

Instagram

LinkedIn

Twitter (X)

YouTube

YouTube Advertising

Services

Web Design

Organic SEO

Social Media Management

PPC

Franchise Marketing

Link Building

Minimum Campaign Size: $1.000+

Thrive Internet Marketing Agency

Thrive Internet Marketing Agency is a full service agency specializing in SEO, PPC, Social Media Management, Web Design, Link Building, and more.

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4. Jives Media

Location: San Francisco, CA

Minimum project size: $1,000+

Avg. Hourly Rate: $100 – $149/hr.

Jives Media, based in San Francisco, is a multifaceted digital marketing agency that excels in providing comprehensive marketing solutions for the real estate industry. With a diverse team of experts, they are adept at tailoring strategies to meet unique business needs. In an industry as competitive as real estate, Jives Media stands out with its balanced service focuses on advertising, branding, pay-per-click, and search engine optimization.

Offering a versatile array of services such as content marketing, email marketing, marketing strategy, and social media marketing, Jives Media is committed to expanding the digital reach of real estate agencies. The agency meticulously crafts its services to ensure that clients have a strong online presence and get the best return on their investment.

5. REQ

Location: Washington, DC

Minimum project size: $25,000+

Avg. Hourly Rate: $200 – $300/hr

REQ, a dynamic digital marketing agency based in Washington, DC, specializes in advertising, public relations, branding, and search engine optimization for the real estate sector. With a team of highly skilled professionals, REQ aims to offer innovative and impactful digital marketing solutions that cater to the unique needs of real estate businesses.

REQ’s primary strength lies in its ability to seamlessly integrate different facets of digital marketing to provide a holistic approach. Whether it’s creating compelling advertising campaigns, managing public relations, establishing a strong brand identity, or optimizing websites for search engines, REQ ensures that real estate businesses not only achieve their digital marketing goals but also surpass them.

The agency’s brand strategy services are instrumental for real estate businesses that want to establish a strong and memorable brand identity. REQ’s team conducts in-depth research to understand the target audience and competition to come up with brand positioning, messaging, and visual and verbal identity.

To further bring more exposure to their clients, REQ also offers advertising services for a mix of platforms. Their use of custom targeting and creative assets ensures high conversions. Being a Premier Google Partner, REQ specializes in social media, programmatic, out-of-home, and direct ad placements to drive leads and increase sales for real estate companies.

The agency also attends Google Partner events and education series to learn how the advertising landscape is changing. They also attend other conferences, such as brightonSEO, to stay up-to-date with the new happenings in the SEO and search marketing world, which they use to embellish their clients’ campaigns. 

Source: instagram.com

Additionally, REQ’s reputation management and public relations services help real estate businesses maintain a positive image and build trust with their clients. This is especially helpful to commercial and luxury real estate companies that rely heavily on their reputation and word-of-mouth referrals.

In fact, the agency won the Best PR and Communications Agency Team of the Year award at Bulldog Awards.

Source: instagram.com

The REQ Solution

While REQ has many success stories under its belt, the one from Hoffman & Associates is among the most impressive. The client came to REQ to target condominium buyers through a digital advertising campaign.

REQ knew that a single-channel approach wouldn’t be enough to reach the client’s target market. So, the agency used a blend of Google search and display, Zillow, Instagram, Facebook, and local programmatic ads.

Strategic Approach

Here’s how REQ brought the client’s vision to life:

• Created Google search and display ads to target potential buyers actively searching for condominiums in the client’s market
• Listed properties on Zillow to generate more leads
• Ran ads on Instagram and Facebook with visually appealing images to showcase the luxury lifestyle associated with the client’s properties
• Held monthly reporting and strategy sessions with the client to determine advertising spending shifts

REQ case study results

Based on this strategy, Hoffman & Associates got 2,000 purchase inquiries through digital advertising. Interestingly, just a single Instagram ad resulted in a condo sale worth $1 million. The click-through rate for Google ads was also 6.59%, much higher than the average.

6. Zerotrillion

Location: New York, NY

Minimum project size: $100,000+

Avg. Hourly Rate: $200 – $300/hr.

Zerotrillion is a New York-based full-service marketing agency, specializing in advertising, branding, marketing strategy, and public relations. Their services are particularly beneficial for real estate agencies, given their balanced distribution of expertise in key marketing domains.

Their team of industry professionals excels in creating advertising campaigns that resonate with target audiences, building robust brand identities, devising strategic marketing plans, and maintaining positive public relations. As a high-budget, high-impact agency, Zerotrillion ensures their services yield measurable results, increasing visibility, and conversion rates for real estate businesses.

7. WebFX

Location: Harrisburg, PA

Minimum project size: $1,000+ Avg.

Hourly Rate: $100 – $149/hr.

WebFX is a large marketing firm located in Harrisburg, PA, with a significant focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). They provide a broad range of services including advertising, content marketing, email marketing, pay per click, social media marketing, and web development.

Their expertise in SEO is particularly beneficial for real estate agencies aiming to increase their online visibility and rank higher on search engine results pages. WebFX’s team uses the latest SEO techniques and algorithms to boost their clients’ search rankings, driving more organic traffic to their websites and improving conversion rates.

8. Proven Partners

Location: New York, NY; Dublin, Ireland

Minimum project size: $50,000+

Avg. Hourly Rate: $150 – $199/hr

Proven Partners is a dedicated real estate marketing agency and advisory that not only crafts your marketing campaigns but also provides sales solutions and consultancy. They specialize in luxury real estate and curate strategies to bring large-scale real estate and hospitality projects to market.

With their decades of experience, they can build a compelling brand for you that will engage buyers. They also assist real estate businesses in marketing activations through SEO, content marketing, and social media management. Their bespoke campaigns are highly targeted to reach the right audience and drive results.

Being a high-end agency, their services are not specific to a region. They have a track record of launching successful projects across the world, from Dubai and Napa to New York and Vail. In total, they have work experience in 17 countries across five continents.

 

The Proven Partners Formula

Having worked for decades in the real estate world, the agency has formulated its success mantra for different aspects of a company’s online and offline presence.

For branding, they invest in brand design, concept design, marketing collateral, and social media strategy to make sure the brand is a true representation of your vision. They believe that successful brands are a result of a solid branding strategy, which is then conveyed to the target audience through strategic marketing campaigns.

Their marketing campaigns are a blend of paid marketing, database development (audience insights), and digital PR. They ensure the digital growth of their clients by creating and managing paid ads across the board.

Proven Partners formula

As for the most important step, the sales, Proven Partners claim that they get you ”sold out.” They accomplish this through an expert-led cycle of lead generation, lead nurturing, sales management, and sales qualification. Their team works closely with yours to understand the project and its target audience, ensuring that all sales efforts are tailored accordingly.

The Proven Partners Solution

Since Proven Partners specifically works with luxury real estate companies, they have success stories from a ton of high-end projects. Villa Embrace is one of them, regarded by Forbes as the

”most spectacular luxury villa in St Barths.”

Proven Partners was tasked with marketing and managing this private villa estate in the Caribbean. The 20,000+ sq ft villa included two infinity pools, a hammam, Japanese soaking tubs, and a private cinema.

Proven Partners had to present all these amazing features in a way that would appeal to the ultra-wealthy target market. They created a comprehensive marketing plan, including a visually stunning website and lead generation strategies.

Strategic Approach

Here’s what Proven Partners did for Villa Embrace:

• Created a website to show the luxurious features and amenities of the villa
• Developed a brand strategy and marketing collateral design for the project
• Created web content to exhibit the property’s high-end features
• Managed the client’s marketing operations
• Generated leads through ultra-targeted marketing tactics

The villa is now open for rentals and was recently awarded the Best Luxury Villa in St. Barthelemy Award by Luxury Lifestyle Awards for the year 2024.

9. Hotspex Media

Location: Toronto, Canada

Minimum project size: $25,000+

Avg. Hourly Rate: $150 – $199/hr.

Hotspex Media is a Toronto-based media planning and buying agency, offering a broad range of digital marketing services with a primary focus on the real estate industry. With a strong emphasis on media planning and buying, social media marketing, conversion optimization, digital strategy, and marketing strategy, Hotspex Media is known for providing innovative solutions that yield impressive results.

Their dedicated team ensures that the right media strategies are executed to give maximum exposure to their real estate clients. They also specialize in optimizing conversion rates, implementing effective digital strategies, and crafting comprehensive marketing strategies that generate tangible results.

What to Look for in a Real Estate Digital Marketing Agency

When searching for a real estate digital marketing agency, you should first ensure that they understand the unique needs and challenges of the real estate industry. They should also be familiar with real estate buyer behaviors, local search trends, and other industry-specific information.

Since the "product" in the real estate market is comparatively much more expensive and there is a higher level of consideration involved, the agency should be adept in targeting potential customers through multiple channels to seal the deal. Apart from industry expertise, the agency should have the following offerings in its services suite.

Lead Generation

Lead generation is integral to the success of a real estate business since it directly translates into sales. The digital marketing agency should be equipped with the expertise and tools to run targeted campaigns specific to real estate audiences, whether it's commercial buyers or investors. They should be able to segment these campaigns to further hyper-target certain demographics.

It's also important for these agencies to have lead nurturing systems, such as through the integration of lead nurturing tools or automated email marketing sequences. For example, they may use drip email campaigns or timely follow-ups to engage potential buyers and keep them interested in the property or listings.

An excellent example is how Lyfe Marketing used social media ads and Custom  Audiences from Mastermine Investments' website to generate leads for them. Their smart strategy and constant optimization lowered the CPA to just $1.43 for the company.

SEO for Real Estate

Real estate companies need to rank high in local and organic searches to attract interested buyers. After all, most purchase-related searches start on Google. Local SEO brings in potential buyers within the vicinity, which helps in quick conversions. Since most real estate businesses are location-specific, optimizing for local SEO is imperative. 

So, the agency should be knowledgeable about real estate SEO best practices like optimizing for long-tail keywords, creating effective meta tags, backlinking, and optimizing local listings. They should also be well-versed in Google Business optimization for real estate businesses.

As Alex Ugarte, Operations Manager at London Office Space, recommends,

"Getting SEO right ensures that your content can be easily discovered. So, to get your content in front of the leads that you're chasing, optimize your website for search engines to attract organic traffic. You should use relevant keywords and local SEO strategies to improve visibility, too."

The agency you choose should be able to do all of this. An understanding of search intent, local competition, and user behavior in the real estate market is a must.

They should also be familiar with technical SEO, including website speed optimization, mobile-friendliness, and structured data implementation, as these factors help improve search engine rankings. It also helps if the agency conducts regular technical audits to identify and fix issues that may be hindering the website's performance.

In our guide about real estate branding agencies, we mentioned how Lyfe Marketing optimized Skystone Acquisition's website for SEO. Their efforts resulted in the real estate firm ranking for 103 Google keywords, 5 of them on the first page.

Content Marketing

Real estate businesses need a whole lot of content, from blog posts and property descriptions to email newsletters and social media updates. These need to be engaging and informative to attract potential buyers and establish trust with them.

A great real estate digital marketing agency should be able to handle its real estate clients' content marketing needs, whether for search or social. They should also be able to create a backlinking plan to drive traffic to the client's website from other credible websites.

Alexis Quintal, CEO & Owner of Rosarium PR & Marketing Collective, explains that differentiating yourself from competitors is a way to stand out in the market. She explains,

"Creating and sharing valuable content, such as market reports, buying guides, and home improvement tips, can establish you as a knowledgeable resource and keep your audience engaged."

Ugarte also emphasizes this by saying,

"Create valuable content, like blog posts and videos, to attract and engage potential clients. Share insights about the market geared towards the interests of your target audience as well as tips for buyers and sellers."

Since video marketing has gained a lot of hype recently, it helps if the agency can also create videos, particularly short-form, for social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. For example, as we've mentioned, Thrive Internet Marketing Agency provides comprehensive video marketing services that real estate clients can use to show properties, customer testimonials, and more.

Similarly, SmartSites did an excellent job with NJ Lux's content marketing plan. They identified the target cities for the client and created content for each of them. On top of that, they implemented on-page SEO optimizations to ensure the content ranks well in search results.

Social Media Management

Since there are over 5 billion social media users online, it's imperative for digital marketing agencies to be adept at social media management for real estate clients. When narrowing down your options, look for an agency that offers social media handling, content creation, community management, paid social, and analytics.

They should know how to showcase your properties on relevant social media platforms or generate leads through paid social like real estate Facebook ads. For example, Thrive Agency used Facebook ads to direct leads to Home First's CRM, where salespeople could provide a personalized experience and close more deals.

Not only should these agencies be fluent in the latest social media trends and algorithms, but they should also be creative in their strategies. Real estate audiences are bombarded with ads and content every day, so the agency should know how to make your brand stand out and capture their attention. For example, a virtual reality tour of a property or visually appealing infographics could be more effective in presenting a listing than traditional photographs. 

An interesting example of real estate digital advertising done right comes from REQ’s campaign for Hoffman & Associates. The agency strategically selected Facebook and Instagram for running ads, the latter’s visual nature playing a big role in this decision. Their decision was nothing short of remarkable, considering a million-dollar condo sale resulted from Instagram ads alone. 

PPC Advertising

At times, organic traffic will not suffice, and you need to take it up a notch with paid ads. The digital marketing agency you choose should be well-versed in PPC advertising. They shouldn't just be able to create ads but also optimize them for success.

In the real estate industry, optimizing PPC ads means going beyond basic ad creation. The agency should be able to ensure that the ads are reaching the right audience, i.e., people actively looking to buy or sell properties in specific locations within a specific price range. 

Unlike general industries like consumer products, where a broader or more flexible audience may suffice, the stakes in real estate are higher due to the larger financial investments. Precision in audience and location targeting is paramount. 

For example, when managing promotion for Villa Embrace, Proven Partners exclusively targeted ultra-high earners since they knew only they would be able to afford the $150,000 per week rental price for the property. Targeting mid-market or low earners would have just been a waste of ad spend and marketing efforts. 

Real estate PPC campaigns also need to account for hyper-local targeting because buyers and sellers are often constrained by geographic preferences. Agencies should use advanced tools and data to ensure ads are shown only in the relevant areas (city, neighborhood, or zip code).

Another factor is ensuring that the PPC strategy is tailored to the buying process, which tends to be longer and more complex than in other industries. Ads should speak to the different stages of the buyer’s journey, from initial research to final decision-making.

Aside from that, the agency should also be able to accurately track and measure the impact of your PPC ads. This way, you can easily see if it's generating leads or not and make adjustments accordingly.

Web Design

Digital marketing agencies like SmartSites and Thrive offer web design services in addition to their digital marketing offerings since your website is the starting point for all your digital marketing efforts. You want to work with an agency that creates a balance of aesthetics and functionality in your website design.

Seamus Nally, CEO of TurboTenant, put it quite well,

"When it comes to having the best possible user experience on a real estate website, I think visuals make all the difference. Virtual tours, in particular, are fantastic visual elements to include on your website. Having virtual tours is a great idea for lead generation, and it's also just becoming a much bigger demand from buyers."

In short, the agency should be able to combine your web design and lead generation strategy. Plus, they should be able to create web content, be it virtual tours, blogs, videos, listings, or case studies. 

We have a guide on real estate website design agencies to help you find an agency that can ace web design for your business.

Branding

The foundation of your real estate brand must be strong and cohesive for the rest of your marketing efforts to be effective. From logo design to tone of voice, everything plays a role in how your brand is perceived, so it's important to work with an agency that pays attention to these details.

The agency should be able to exhibit your specialty or niche through your online channels. For example, you may specialize in luxury homes or commercial properties. Similarly, they must portray your unique identity, personality, strategic services, and unique value proposition to set you apart from other real estate businesses. 

Real estate branding also involves selecting the colors, fonts, images, icons, patterns, textures, and illustration styles for your website and marketing collateral. It’s best if the agency has in-house design experts who can tackle all these needs. 

Besides visual branding, the agency should also specialize in messaging and positioning to give you a good standing in the real estate market.

How to Select the Right Real Estate Digital Marketing Agency for Your Business

This three-step approach will help you find the right real estate digital marketing agency.

Evaluate Agency Expertise

Start by looking at the agency's portfolio and case studies to get an idea of their experience and capabilities. Go through their case studies to see how they achieve the results that they do. Which strategies do they use?

Check their social media pages to find customer reviews and testimonials. If they attend real estate events and conferences, this could mean they're really committed to keeping up with the industry, and that's just what you want.

You should also ask to see their agency's certifications, partnerships, and awards. These can give you an idea of the level of expertise and credibility they have in the real estate industry.

Match Your Goals

It's very important for you and the digital marketing agency to be on the same page regarding your goals. Make sure that the agency shares your goals, whether they are increasing website traffic or social media engagement. You may also want to expand your client base, establish yourself as a real estate expert in your geographical location, or generate more leads. 

For example, Joshua Baris, a leading New Jersey real estate agency who is known as “The Realtor to the Stars’’ already had a ton of industry recognition. But to be known online, he had to transfer this recognition to his digital channels, mainly his website.

SmartSites helped him do that by creating a website with an accompanying content plan that included thought leadership pieces and case studies. They also showed his awards and testimonials on the website to further improve his digital presence. 

Again, if you've already gone through the case studies, you'd know if the agency has driven these same results for other clients. If not, you should ask the agency about their experience in achieving these specific objectives and whether they'll be able to meet your specific business needs.

For example, if you're an NFT real estate business, most traditional agencies won't be able to meet your goals, such as creating NFT marketing campaigns or targeting specific NFT communities. So, you'll need to specifically work with NFT real estate companies who are familiar with the NFT space and can create a place for you there.

Ask About Pricing Models

As our guide on digital marketing agency pricing models reveals, there are a few ways you may be charged by a digital marketing agency:

• Hourly pricing (a fixed price per hour)
• Project-based pricing (a fixed price for a specific project or campaign)
• Monthly retainer (a set fee paid monthly)
• Performance-based pricing (a percentage of the results achieved)

You should ask the agency about their pricing beforehand to make sure it aligns with your budget. Don't stop at just asking about the pricing, but also ask about what's included in that price. Sometimes, the base price may seem within budget, but with add-ons and upsells, the cost can quickly add up and surpass your budget.

Benefits of Hiring a Specialized Real Estate Digital Marketing Agency

Working with a real estate digital marketing agency comes with a range of benefits.

Industry Expertise

When you work with a specialized agency, you get access to their knowledge and expertise. Selling high-ticket items like homes is much different from marketing everyday products. These agencies know how to approach long sales cycles and develop strategies that work for real estate buyers.

From navigating market trends to understanding buyer behavior, they're well-versed in what works. Since they're always in the process of learning, they can modernize your digital marketing strategies with time.

For example, if you exclusively sell luxury homes, you'll want to work with an agency that has experience in marketing high-end properties. They'll know what the target audience looks like and how to reach them effectively.

Similarly, if you're a real estate agent who focuses on a specific niche, such as commercial properties or vacation homes, a specialized agency can help you create targeted campaigns to reach potential buyers.

Faster Time-to-Market

When you're dealing with real estate, timing can make or break a sale. With their industry-specific expertise, real estate marketing agencies know how to get your properties listed, marketed, and in front of the right audience fast. No more guesswork.

They have proven strategies and tools to streamline the marketing process. Their efficiency ensures you stay one step ahead of your competition, getting your listings out there while others are still crafting their marketing plans. The best part is that they're continuously monitoring and optimizing their strategies, so you won't have to worry about your tactics being outdated.

Market trends in the real estate space can be volatile, and you need to be able to pivot quickly when necessary. A real estate marketing agency can do that perfectly since they're fueled by experience and have a roster of tools at their disposal. 

For example, they may use AI predictive analysis to determine which properties are going to be hot in the coming months and focus their marketing efforts on them. 

Similarly, seasonality also comes into play in real estate. These agencies use historical data and insights to time their marketing campaigns strategically. They know which properties will sell faster in which season and use this knowledge to get you the best results. Plus, they can quickly adapt to market changes caused by external factors like economic conditions or shifts in buyer preferences.

Proven Success

One of the biggest perks of hiring a real estate-focused agency is its track record. You're not their first client, and you won't be their last. They come with case studies, testimonials, and data showing how they've helped businesses just like yours in pretty much every aspect of digital marketing, from paid social to complex email marketing personalization.

The data from previous campaigns is not just their resume but also a road map for them to replicate their success with your business. If your needs are similar to those of a previous client, these agencies can take note of what has worked before to improve your campaign's outcomes. Since they're also familiar with the challenges that can come along the way, they can proactively anticipate and manage roadblocks, ensuring a smoother and more successful campaign overall.

The assurance that they've done this before gives you a lot of peace of mind. It also means you can trust that their strategies will actually work for your business. Since their strategies are based on their past learnings and industry insights, there's a lower risk of failure compared to working with a general marketing agency or trying to figure things out on your own.

Plus, you can form long-term relationships with a real estate-focused agency, allowing them to get to know your business and industry even better. They can then continuously improve their strategies for your specific needs and goals, leading to long-term success.

Seal the Deal With the Right Agency

A lot goes into successful digital marketing campaigns, from extensive research to industry knowledge, followed by constant data analytics. A realtor or brokerage that's busy with the daily task of actually closing deals may not have the time or resources to dedicate to a full-scale digital marketing campaign.

In this case, it's best to hand over this aspect of your business to a specialized agency. Most of the agencies we've discussed above provide full-range digital marketing services, including SEO, social media, PPC, email marketing, and branding. Some even offer influencer marketing and UGC services to bring you the social proof you need to sell properties.

Use the tips we've given to find the right real estate digital marketing agency and then reap the benefits of their trusted expertise.

Explore Top Real Estate Digital Marketing Agencies Across the U.S.

Our Agency Hub details premier digital marketing agencies in key U.S. cities and states that specialize in the real estate sector. These agencies are adept at crafting tailored marketing strategies that effectively target home buyers and sellers, leveraging the latest digital tools to maximize reach and engagement. If you're a real estate professional looking to enhance your online presence and drive property sales, these agencies have the expertise you need. Explore our comprehensive listings:

• Digital Marketing Agencies in New York: Collaborate with agencies experienced in the dynamic New York real estate market, utilizing innovative digital strategies to attract urban buyers.
• Digital Marketing Agencies in Florida: Partner with agencies that specialize in capturing the fast-growing residential and commercial real estate markets in Florida.
• Digital Marketing Agencies in Texas: Discover agencies that understand the diverse Texas real estate landscape, from urban apartments to rural estates.
• Digital Marketing Agencies in San Diego: Benefit from agencies that use creative digital campaigns to highlight coastal properties and attract a global audience.
• Digital Marketing Agencies in Los Angeles: Work with leading agencies that market high-end real estate through sophisticated digital platforms and social media.

About the Author and Expert Reviewer

Dan Atkins

Writer

Dan Atkins is a renowned SEO specialist and digital marketing consultant, recognized for boosting small business visibility online. With expertise in AdWords, ecommerce, and social media optimization, he has collaborated with numerous agencies, enhancing B2B lead generation strategies. His hands-on consulting experience empowers him to impart advanced insights and innovative tactics to his readers.

Djanan Kasumovic

Expert Reviewer

Trusting our digital marketing content is easy; Djanan Kasumovic rigorously tests and analyzes various solutions to ensure we recommend only the best options. Whether we're reviewing hands-on or compiling insights for educational articles, our goal is to provide you with informed choices based on our extensive experience and testing.