Real estate communication in 2023: 5 digital trends

20.10.22

Wil je je vastgoedproject succesvol in de markt zetten? Dan moet je het onderste uit de kan halen van digitale platformen en kanalen. Sommige zijn (relatief) nieuw, andere al ingeburgerd. De gemene deler: hun toenemende populariteit.

Mooi meegenomen is dat deze trends zich lenen voor directe verkopen en merkopbouw op lange termijn.

Benieuwd naar de mogelijkheden? We vatten ze voor jou samen in dit artikel. Doe er je voordeel mee!

Trends in videomarketing

Video has become the norm. For years now, YouTube has been the second-largest search engine after its sister company, Google. People use the site not only for entertainment, but also to look up information or learn new things. Yes, even on topics such as real estate and property investment.

How can you use video marketing for real estate?

Create an atmosphere on your website.
Post short videos on social media.
Create videos with explanations and demonstrations.
Use them to highlight a property’s key selling points.

360-degree video

An interactive 360-degree video allows you to showcase your building or project from its best angles. Because such a video is immersive, viewers can really get a feel for the space. It’s ideal for a project presentation or a virtual reality (VR) tour.

With the right technical know-how, you can also combine 360-degree photos with video overlay: a clip ‘layered’ over another clip. This allows you to make the most of the VR tour’s strengths and treat your virtual visitors to a memorable experience. Just take a look at the VR tour of the Abdijschool van Zevenkerken.

View our VR tour of the Abdijschool here

Tv-adverts

Smart TVs bring digital marketing into the living room and bridge the gap between online and traditional media. Call it a trend that harks back to the past. For example: your banners and video adverts appear on the screens of potential customers via the Google Display Network.

Short form-video

Short videos are trending and going viral on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels. You can also reach a large audience with YouTube Shorts. Perfect for raising awareness of your brand. Or for introducing people to information on your website, events or longer videos on your channel.

They also perform exceptionally well as adverts. With short-form video, you only need a few seconds to showcase your projects or property tours.

Bron: Imec digimeter 2021

TikTok: the youth app is coming of age

TikTok has long been hugely popular with children and young people; in recent months, the platform has gained an ever-growing following across all age groups. In 2022, the number of brands and users on TikTok grew significantly. These figures from 2021 therefore represent a rather conservative estimate:

TikTok as a marketing tool

From a platform for sharing dance videos to a fully-fledged search engine – TikTok has come of age. People now use it to search for all sorts of information. And yes, videos on investing in property, home staging for sales, architecture… are being devoured.

These marketing examples speak volumes

Deze video van een koopwoning werd 17,9K keer bekeken:

Deze video over vastgoedinvesteringen is 11K keer bekeken:

The world is watching

Even a ‘dry’ topic attracts viewers. So be sure to get started with short, impactful videos on TikTok. And consider collaborating with micro-influencers to draw attention to your brand. Local influencers, on the other hand, are ideal for promoting a construction project. Perfect for launching a new phase of construction or announcing an open house.

Rising use of Reels and Shorts

The major media giants Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and Alphabet (Google and YouTube) are also keen to capitalise on TikTok’s success. They are therefore rolling out short-form video features such as Reels on Instagram and Facebook, and YouTube Shorts.

This creates opportunities for your business, as the platforms are promoting this type of video more than others. The benefit for you? Greater visibility — the first step towards an engaged community and potential sales. This creates advertising opportunities.

Bron: Imec digimeter 2021

Pinterest marketing is becoming even more popular

Pinterest is no longer the new kid on the block, but the platform’s popularity has grown. If you approach your targeting and content strategically, Pinterest works brilliantly for lead generation in the real estate sector.
People mainly visit Pinterest to find inspiration, often at the start of the buying process. Help them in their search and you’ll attract potential customers.

On Pinterest, you can actively create pinboards with your own content, collect relevant pins and advertise. Because Pinterest offers different targeting options to Google, Meta and LinkedIn, you’ll reach a different segment of your target audience. Pinterest usage in Flanders by age:

Another reason to embrace Pinterest

Even after your campaign has ended, certain pins will still go viral. Your seasonal campaigns or the visuals from an initial sales phase will remain alive and kicking for months (for free!) thanks to Pinterest’s inherent ‘dynamics’. Your pins will be viewed and shared time and time again, ensuring your efforts pay off in the long term.

Bron: Imec digimeter 2021

Podcasts and streaming as marketing tools

Radio is a popular medium in Belgium: according to a survey by Media Marketing in early 2022, we listen to the radio for an average of 5 hours a day.

Streaming van muziek is in opmars: digitale radio is goed voor 30% van het totale luistervolume.

Podcasts have taken off in recent years, but have been listened to even more avidly in recent months. They now account for 2.4% of daily radio listeners in Flanders and 2.8% in Wallonia. Even more impressive: if you look at those who listen to a podcast weekly or monthly, that figure rises to 31% in Flanders.

Getting started with podcast marketing

Launching a podcast is a smart long-term move. Unfortunately, not every business has the expertise or resources to do it themselves. Do you have a sufficient budget? If so, it might be worth outsourcing your podcasts to a communications agency.

Podcast marketing: as a guest or a sponsor

What is feasible – regardless of your size or resources – is having an employee appear as a guest on a podcast relevant to your target audience. This way, you benefit from free exposure, and you can subsequently share snippets of the podcast on your social media. You could even turn them into short videos.

Sponsorship is also a smart move. Think of advertising a new-build project on a podcast about investing, or a podcast about software tools for estate agents.

“Radio” adverts on Spotify

As we mentioned, 30% of radio listeners opt for the digital version. Spotify is by far the most popular streaming service. What’s more, you can advertise on it: users with a free account (around a third of all users) are shown adverts between music tracks and podcasts.

Advertising on the radio in 2022? Check out Spotify adverts.

Bonus tip: best practice for your online marketing mix

Investing in trending tools and channels is a good way to boost your marketing and brand awareness, but first make sure you’ve got the basics right. Without a solid foundation, your other communication and marketing efforts won’t pay off as they should.

Read our tips here

Always keep up

How, why and when should you use each of these online channels? That is the challenge of digital marketing, as trends change rapidly. Fortunately, you’re not on your own: Hooox is your marketing and communications partner, ensuring the right channels are used in the right way at the right time.

Our experts help you, as a property professional, to:

set up effective marketing campaigns – both traditional and digital;
build rock-solid communication strategies – from launch to commercialisation.

And all of this is fully underpinned by technology and strategy. Let’s get to know each other!

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