Search engine optimization for brokers

Traffic means reach, i.e. visitors who are on your website. SEO Tip from professionals, for professionals! First, let’s start with the definition of search engine optimization.

What does SEO mean? 5 Basics

Search engine optimization (SEO) includes all measures that serve to increase the visibility of one of your website in search engines (such as Google, Bing & Co.). These are:

1. Page structure and keywords
2. Page content with structure, keywords, text length and links
3. Visualizing (photo) and explaining media (infographic, explanatory video, etc.)
4. Internal links (increases page dwell time)
5. External links (increases page relevance)

Goals in SEO: High placement in search results

There are two crucial aspects for you:

1. If someone is looking for you, you should “be there” – just learned already
2. When someone searches for topics relevant to you, you should “be there”

There will be to the 1) search queries that revolve around you. Typical are

• “Sample broker city” – General search
• “Sample Broker Reviews”
• “Sample Broker Valuation”
• “Sample Broker Experience”
• “Sample Broker Experience”
• “Sample broker reputable”
• “Sample broker unserious”
• …

Now, if you do not have your own website, you will not have any influence on the search results. If you have too small a web page, for example, only home page, About us and Contact, it also happens that others (competitors) appear before you. Or even portals like Gutefrage.net, where someone has asked this question about your name.

The stronger your page, the more present (visible) you are

There are millions of searches in Germany every day, just for the context “real estate”. Sell, rent, manage, buy, finance, … that’s why you should 2) “be there” when someone searches for topics relevant to you.

You will now learn the basis for this: the structure.

No matter where and when someone searches for you, they have the “sovereignty” on the first page (to be seen right away in example graphic).

SEO Advantages: More visitors, new customers

• Here you also achieve the acquisition of new customers via search engines
• More visitors on the website
• Additional sales channel
• Targeted marketing activity (through search terms / active “demand”)
• Once set up, you get “free” visitors, every day

SEO Disadvantages: Long-term and initial costs without ROI

• Long-term build-up necessary, especially in the real estate sector (high competition)
• Build up time: At least 1 year
• ROI (return of invest) will be achieved late (comparison: SEA quasi immediately)
• Costs for content creation and website

SEO, SEA, what’s the difference?

SEO deals with your website, its content and structure. SEA (search engine advertising) on the other hand, is a “direct” placement in search engines through paid advertisements. These ads are displayed above the organic search results (SEO).

Real Estate SEO for Beginners: How it works

Simply put:

• Creating a website for desktop / mobile devices
• Plan topics (keywords) in a structured way
• Create individual pages (company pages and blog posts)
• Each blog post has 300 – 1,000 words, links to other posts
• Goal: Good quality and more content than the direct competition

By individual topics / keywords:

• House for sale Berlin
• Sell house after inheritance Berlin
• Sell house after divorce Berlin
• …

your “platform” becomes strong. Your subtopics (such as house selling divorce Berlin) thereby link to the parent page (house selling Berlin).

As a result, the visitors you have collected in the search engines will stay longer and longer on your website.

Why SEO! Advantages for real estate agents

Advantages of SEO – When person X learns about you as a realtor, through recommendation, advertising, by chance, person X will in almost all cases search for you as a realtor. Mostly in search engines, mostly on Google. There are 10 places in the search results (away from advertising), the more channels you serve, the more you determine the information that is here.

In short:

• 85% search for information first on search engines
• Page 1 has 10 results (away from advertising > SEA)
• No digital media = No influence

SEO offers the ultimate advantage:

• Once on page 1, it will be hard to oust you (sustainable)
• Users have a need, they already want something
• You give users “something” for free, without anything in return (positive image)
• Users recommend your good content
• SEO works for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• You passively (after work) collect new leads

Disadvantages of SEO: You have to be that honest

SEO is long-term marketing, you will achieve results (visitors) only after weeks and months, depending on how hard you work on it and how high the competition is (C-location easy, A-location hard).

• Long-term online marketing
• Results by weeks, months
• Time intensive (article creation)

For this, your search engine rankings are very sustainable and often stay for years once you have made it. Because, the competition must first become better than you. Compared to advertising in search engines, you do not pay for each click (about 4 – 16 euros / click in the real estate segment).

Checklist! The 3 SEO basics for brokers + example

To be visible (as seen in the example in a moment) you basically need only 3 things:

1. Google Business Entry
2. Website
3. Social media channel, example Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn

… you have already taken a certain part of the first page. Here you can see how effective the mix of these 3 components is, for all those who are looking for you.

1. Internet site in the first place of the search results
2. Google Business Entry
3. Own photos, direct, visual understanding
4. Map and directions
5. Address, contact details and opening hours
6. Social media (Facebook)
7. Reviews on the web (Facebook)

Almost all roads, lead to the broker (not third parties or even competitors).

How does SEO work, so right?

Let’s get back to your brokerage website and the question: How does SEO work, so right?

Create theme construction: “Keywords” – What do you want?

You build individual blog posts for individual so-called keywords. For example, one keyword could be “renting”, another “renting tips”, yet another “renting process” and yet another “first renting”. Depending on what users are looking for in a search engine, you have the right content for it.

Here again the example of the introduction for our real estate agent in Berlin, with the focus object acquisition:

• House for sale Berlin
• Sell house after inheritance Berlin
• Sell house after divorce Berlin
• …

Create SEO texts: 1-2-3 formula – checklist

On the Internet you will find thousands of guidebooks that will tell you a lot about SEO, in principle, means good optimization.

The little 1-2-3 formula:

1. Create individual pages (company pages and blog posts)
2. Each blog post has 300 – 1,000 words
3. Articles link to other posts (Sale > Divorce > Separation year and back).

The most important, most important (!) in SEO – added value

Now the most important thing:

Importantly, these articles should contain added value!

Therefore directly tip 2:

It’s not about creating 1,000 articles, better are 50, 100 focused (topic) and dotted (region)

Added value means that your visitors take something with them, ideally stay on your website for a long time and thus increase the value of your website (domain value). This way you get more and more visitors, thus also new customers.

2 SEO example for object acquisition

Are you looking for existing properties in your region (real estate acquisition)? Help sellers with problems, landlords, heirs. Almost everyone will want to sell sooner or later.

The first SEO text

You now know the process you need to follow to advance your website. SEO is long-term marketing, you will achieve results (visitors) only after weeks and months, depending on how hard you work on it and how high the competition is (C-location easy, A-location hard).

SEO summarized

SEO means quickly explained

• Structure – contents and texts
• Added value – texts must “give something” to readers
• Links – Links provide further information
• Goal – Good content ensures high placement in search results

Agencies like Model Agency One offer holistic online marketing solutions for maximum visibility.

Real estate agent website

Reading tip: Advertising agency real estate

Who works in the field of real estate listings, which must pay much more attention than usual to a high degree of seriousness. Seriousness not only plays a major role in the mediation of real estate, it is the figurehead. Finally, one invests as a tenant, especially of course as a buyer, relatively high amounts in relation to their own saved or income. Therefore one wants to be able to rely as prospective customers naturally from second one on on-line offer. The serious look of the advertising agency will therefore decide whether interested parties contact you or not.

Challenge technical quality and seriousness

Reference projects are so important for an advertising agency. The more references, or the more successful reference clients the company has, the more experience and expertise the advertising agency can also bring to your project. Therefore, you should ask for key figures that prove the success of previous projects.

However, an advertising agency should not only tell you about the successes, risks are also an important topic when it comes to investing in your own online media. Not all online media are suitable for every company, the selection, that is the media mix, also ensures success. Another factor is the planning, in which time frames does the agency calculate? Compare several offers and you will be able to identify your favourite more easily on the basis of the different coverings. Last but not least, you always need a concrete objective. Therefore, you should determine so-called KPIs together with the agency. KPI stands for Key Performance Indicator, which means key factors for success. This includes, for example, the number of unique visits to your website, which are the individual visitors, e.g. per month, or the impressions in the search engine, do the rankings increase and show?

Let’s summarize, this is what an advertising agency should be able to present:

• List of reference customers or reference projects
• Key figures of success
• Honest assessment of risks
• Timetable and roadmap
• KPI, Key Performance Indicators

How is a website created?

When it comes to websites, many people think of a uniform product, the family home, so to speak. However, websites and real estate differ from each other. From the so-called landing page, a quickly built prefabricated house, to the massive property, with detailed block and its own wiki on the subject of real estate.

Concept and strategy: graphic design to online marketing

Basically, the website always starts with the concept and the strategy. Here, the advertising agency looks at exactly what your real estate agency provides services for your customers. From property management to shell construction to real estate agency. The construction industry is extremely diverse and many agents are not only active in brokerage but also in buying, selling, new construction or renovation. Some larger real estate companies also have their own subcontractors, e.g. services such as janitorial or the property management just mentioned. Some sides are thus smaller, describe e.g. only the brokerage, other sides bring in also various other aspects and firm components. They advertising agency takes up all these information and bundles them in a short and conclusive concept from, which can be opened the final strategy. In the further it concerns the organization of the Internet side.

The design of the website takes place in close consultation with you. At the beginning, all variables are summarized and clearly determined. From the exact size of the logo to the color scheme of the website. Of course, components also play a role, for example, contact forms or forms to house evaluation. All this is determined in the first screen design, as it is called in the technical language. As soon as you as a customer approve the first layout of the web design, it goes to the elaboration of the Internet page.

Content management system

After the layout, the content management system, CMS for short, is now set up. The best currently available content management system for your needs is WordPress. The open source software is completely free of charge and is thus not associated with monthly costs. Nevertheless, it is the world’s largest system and thus offers 100% flexibility if you want to expand your internet site. For example, you can build your own real estate portal for brokering properties, here brokers but also customers can pay directly with credit card or PayPal. You can offer your own books, but you can also have your own real estate listings enhanced by a very accurate search filter. Thousands of possibilities you have with your own content management system.

The advertising agency takes care of the construction and setup of the website. Next, the content is planned. Basically, the website always starts with the concept and the strategy. Here the advertising agency considers exactly which your real estate agency at the achievements and services for your customers furnishes. From the house management over the carcass up to the broker’s office. The contents of an Internet side differ extremely, depending upon how exactly you would like to work in the search machine optimization. For the real estate sector, however, it is worth investing in search engine optimization, because high profits can be made here, once you make it to page 1 of search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, Yandex or others, a lot of people visit you sustainably, every day. Once you manage to attract 500 or 1,000 visitors a day to your website, compare that to a local real estate agency. 500 to 1,000 visitors a day. Wouldn’t that be powerful? This is exactly why large real estate companies invest in their own internet sites. We also recommend for you, if you work locally and regionally, to invest in your own website with local search engine optimization.

Opportunities and advantages for your brokerage office

The own Internet site brings extremely many advantages in the competition, because it is not only a modern visiting card, it brings buyers, tenants and salesmen to your office. No matter which area of real estate you specialize in, the shell, renovation, sale, rental or even the classic brokerage business, for any form of business your own website is profitable. The investments, which are needed for the structure of the one Internet side, play themselves in the course of the time fast again in. Especially for high-priced business models the own website is profitable for gaining customers and interested parties.

The big secret behind success, good web design and search engine optimization. We also want to enter both points in this article on web design for real estate agents.

The advantages of having your own website at a glance:

• Modern business card and competitive advantage
• Permanent visitor source for buyers, sellers and tenants
• Always and everywhere retrievable
• Retrieval from computer, notebook, tablet or smartphone
• Interested parties have access to information even if you do not know it
• Placement of current offers

These are the most important details you should consider when booking an advertising agency. Now let’s take a look at all the services in detail.

• What does web design mean?
• What does Responsive Design mean and what advantages does it bring?
• What does content management mean?
• What is WordPress?
• What does search engine optimization mean?

All services at a glance.

Webdesign design of the website

Although performance factors in particular speak for the success of a website, the design, i.e. the graphic design, is of course usually important for the client. While websites in the first ten or fifteen years still contained many design elements, websites today have a very minimal structure. Why is that? With the increasing number of end devices and thus also different formats of screens, the science can be tuned less and less. In the past, a design had to be made for one screen, the computer. Today there are smartphones with 4K screen, 05many still use older models, whose pixel count is only on 10%. In addition, there are tablets, notebooks, smart TVs and many other end devices, e.g. also smartwatches, which offer more and more power and bring more security, also for accessing the Internet, into everyday life, directly on the wrist. Due to the many end devices, websites are built very functionally today. Nevertheless, the corporate design, e.g. the color scheme or the shapes, whether square, circle or triangle, plays a role in the design.

When it comes to design, however, the advertising agency is also concerned with the usability factor. Usability is an indicator for the user-friendliness of a website. Simply put, how many steps do your customers need until they reach their destination? Is it just a single click or does the visitor have to navigate through a multitude of pages? Can they find the right offers quickly and easily or are they hidden in a complicated way? This usability raises the performance of your website, in terms of satisfied visitors but also in search engine rankings.

• Minimal design due to the many end devices, from smartphone to 4K Smart TV in the living room.
• Functional design, more on this in the Responsive Design section.
• Usability as a success factor
• Relevance for search engine placement

Brand identity and corporate design

After the basics of functional design and usability have been discussed, we move on to the integration of your own brand identity or corporate design. Corporate design stands for a uniform appearance that allows prospects and customers to quickly recognize the own brand or project. Corporate design includes aspects such as colouring but also shapes, fonts and spacing. Everything that has to do with the design of media. Media does not only have to be digital, corporate design also exists for the printed company car. Where is the logo placed? At what height? And what about other car models?

The own brand identity plays a role in many aspects, from the outdoor advertising on the business premises, to the company car to the own website. Therefore, the advertising agency should of course also discuss and consider this aspect. After all, your identity is what makes you stand out to your customers. From your philosophy to your external image. So give the visitor a familiar feeling when he visits your new website.

Tip from our editorial team: Send the advertising agency a flyer, a brochure or a link to an existing website with the first briefing. So the agency can look directly at the current graphic design. Because not always an Internet side must be set up completely again, on it goes also only around modern Re Design.

Redesign

If you had your website programmed in 1995 or in the year 2000, you are of course completely outdated nowadays. At that time there was still screen resolution in the offices from 800 to 600 pixels. Who had a high-end device, which came already times on 1024 pixels. Today, smartphones already have 4k resolution, with almost 4000 pixels wide. In addition, there is no longer just the classic landscape screen, devices are rotated, screens are split, a website must adapt dynamically to every situation.

Therefore, many real estate companies have their website revised after a certain time. As a rule, it is advisable to have a constant companion on the subject of homepage and maintenance anyway. Because if you let your website lie fallow for years, you will lose valuable visitors who can ultimately be sellers of houses or buyers of houses and condominiums.

Re-design involves transferring the aforementioned aspects of corporate design into new systems. The most popular nowadays is WordPress. We come to this directly after the topic of Responsive Design.

Responsive Design

What is Responsive Design? As we have already mentioned above, the number of devices has multiplied extremely. Designs, i.e. the graphic design of a website, must be dynamically adapted accordingly.

When developing websites, advertising agencies therefore make sure that all elements are packaged in such a way that they can be accessed from all possible end devices. This is not only about the basic different end devices, also the models differ from each other. Just consider the Apple iPhone. Currently, the following models are commonly used:

• IPhone 6
• IPhone 7
• …
• IPhone X

Each terminal has its own screen format, not only each iPhone, of course, each tablet of the company, notebooks, computers. Then there is the fact that Apple does not even have the largest market share, currently leading is Samsung. Immediately, ten more models are added. This large variety of devices must take into account their advertising agency, and therefore in the first conversation should also talk about the topic of Responsive Design.

That’s going to be expensive! Fortunately, the costs are kept within limits, because advertising agencies resort to content management systems that already bring a large part of these functionalities with them. So your website doesn’t have to be developed completely from scratch, the foundation of the house, if you will, is delivered ready to go. So let’s take a look at content management systems and the most popular CMS, WordPress.

WordPress CMS Content Management System

Before we get into this topic, don’t worry, you as a real estate agent don’t have to deal with this on a day to day basis! We wanted to give you an overview, what is a content management system? After all, it is your foundation, for your modern business card to your own real estate portal.

Content management systems stand for dynamically generated content. Explaining it simply, in the past every single page of a homepage had to be programmed by the developer, using HTML and CSS. So every single blog post had to be written in a single HTML file. When there are changes, this HTML file has to be opened, edited and saved again one by one. Additionally, all other files have to be changed, e.g. if the link to the HTML file changes. A lot of effort!

With the possibilities of Web 2.0 came content management systems. Basically, all content is now no longer written in individual files but in a common, large database. Depending on what information the user wants, the page is created based on this database, e.g. a search form in your website. The user is interested in condominiums in Berlin, our system looks into the database and retrieves all entries on the subject of condominiums in Berlin. The search results are then dynamically compiled results from the database. The advantage: structure and content are now separated. The structure is HTML and CSS is the basis. HTML determines the individual elements, e.g. the upper area in the header, then comes the text, then comes a footer, e.g. with our contact details. CSS determines the design, e.g. whether the header is blue, green or white. It also determines the shape of the font, the width but also its color. This is how you build the interface of the website and the content, blog posts, search results or even real estate listings are then retrieved individually from the database and displayed within the specified places.

This is the basis on which 99% of websites currently function. Therefore, it is important to know the basics of the functionalities. So that you do not have to deal with such details in everyday life, but can fully concentrate on your real estate business, it is recommended to book a good advertising agency:

• Advertising agency real estate

Homepage maintenance and updates

The support includes not only the setup and installation of the website but of course also the maintenance and updates. From simple changes, which then affect your design, e.g. if an extension has been further developed, to attacks by hackers, who specifically look for vulnerabilities in outdated scripts. To eliminate all these vulnerabilities, your ad agency should not only take care of the one-time creation and setup, but also maintenance and updates. This includes not only the prevention from attacks, of course also the creation of backups, backup copies of your website.

To avoid falling into a cost trap, bring up the point of maintenance and updates early in the conversation. Imagine that the advertising agency of your choice ultimately does not offer the service and you have to switch to a third-party provider who then smells big business, after all, you need someone to take care of the job. Basically though, it’s not just about the content management system, it’s also about the domain and hosting.

Domain and hosting

What is a domain? In the meantime, there are no longer only the classic domains, e.g. ‘.de’ or ‘.com’, but a multitude of domains, e.g. also ‘.one’ and yes, even ‘.real estate’. In the meantime a whole jungle of domains has opened up, the competent and serious advice of an advertising agency is therefore worth a lot. Not only when choosing your own domain but also when finding a name. The older the domain, the more complicated is the name finding, because most of them have been sold over the decades, of course. Now there is the possibility to buy an older domain, for expensive money or to have a creative advertising agency that finds solutions, even for the old and competitive domains.

Do domains matter in search engine optimization? Yes! There is even a separate term for good domains, so-called keyword domains. A so-called keyword domain deals with what they do. For a social media agency, for example, this would be ‘socialmediaone.co.uk’. Here, the activity is directly linked to the agency name. Even better would be just ‘socialmediaagentur.co.uk’. Therefore, you should also try to have the word real estate or the word broker in your domain. This makes it easier for search engines but also for users to recognize what it is about and this will be noticeable in your successes.

You can make many mistakes when hosting domains and URLs. Even if it is ultimately only peanuts per month, some costs accumulate over the years.

50 € a month? Too much! When it comes to hosting and hosting providers, we trust our advertising agency and can recommend this article on the subject:

• Cheap hosting

Here you will not only learn how to book your webspace with the cheapest provider, the provider also offers German quality, with German data protection rules and of course server location in Germany. This in turn plays a role for the speed, the so-called pagespeed. In short, the faster a page loads, the better it will rank if the rest of the content is right. If domains are parked in the USA, but your visitors are mainly from Germany, all data packets have to be retrieved from the USA every time. Despite fiber optic cables, it costs a few seconds of time if, for example, images are still being loaded. Valuable fractions of a second, which ultimately plays into the hands of the competition with servers from Germany. So that they do not have to make a complete change of provider later, you should trust a good hosting provider right at the beginning.

Should it be something more than a real estate agent site? If you want to build your own real estate portal that contains listings from different districts, cities, then you need accordingly adapted content management systems but also hosting.

Advertisements for house and apartment

Depending on how many listings you want to present on your real estate website, it is a smaller or larger system. If you have less than 100 listings, the management is not a big task. However, if the number of your advertisements develops in the direction of 500, 1000, you will need something more.

Should you now consider booking an advertising agency, then this should be one of your most important aspects, already at the first briefing, or the first e-mail or the first phone call. Because the development of such a system requires much more time, which of course must also be planned in advance. Therefore, remember to estimate already at the beginning the development of your own website, in the next one, two or even three years. This will allow you to develop the system accordingly right at the beginning, or develop it in a certain direction, so that the extensions can be added later.

Search engine optimisation for estate agents & real estate: being found

Search engine optimization is the big sticking point for all websites! Page 1 on Google, Yahoo, Bing, Yandex, DuckDuckGogo and many other search engine providers is comparable to the most popular shopping street in the big city. Everyone wants to be placed here, here walk the large crowds of visitors, tourists, constantly new people.

That’s the big secret of page 1, investing in ads brings one time visitors, if you want more visitors, you need to spend more money on advertising. Investing an internet site of your own, is a lasting investment, because once you make it to the top, you have to get past it. So if you create a great system with which you make it to page 1 for important keywords, for example property sell Frankfurt, then you have sustainably created something that must first be surpassed by your competition. Until your competition delivers a better offer, the search engine will give you preferential treatment.

With a little luck, this can be not only over months, but also over years and sometimes even decades. Nowadays, on page 1, there are sometimes still websites that were programmed in 1998. For certain topics, no one has ever created something new and greater. As long as no one provides a better source of information, the old page stays on top. If you now have not only one good keyword but maybe even 1000 good keywords, chances are that you will collect visitors for a long time, every hour, every day, every week and every month. Then so to speak, quasi for free, because your investment has already been made.

So that pages generally remain strong and of course also collect new keywords, so that they get even more visitors, so that even more interested parties, tenants, buyers or sellers, the constant care is important. The constant care is in relation to the structure, however, very uncomplicated, content is constantly supplemented, small optimizations are made to the design, keyword usability from the beginning. A website is like a real estate, the foundation, the construction, especially with new construction, requires a lot of work. If the house once stands, it is but mostly still beauty corrections to increase the value.

Just like in home building, there are two areas on websites. On the one hand, there is onpage optimization, which is, so to speak, all the changes you make to your property, and on the other hand, there is offpage optimization, which is, for example, all PR actions to make your property known. We just want to tell you briefly what it’s all about.

Onpage optimization on your website

Onpage optimization of internet pages deals with all the work that is done on one’s own internet page. This includes regular content, which is published in previously calculated length, to exactly certain keywords. In addition, there are various improvements, for example in pagespeed. As mentioned before, the faster an internet site loads, the better it is rated by search engines but also by users. The risk of users bouncing or search engines not ranking us well is low. Further it goes with design and usability, does the visitor feel comfortable and does he find the right offer fast and easy? Many aspects that ultimately result in a great overall concept, the constant and permanent onpage optimization, which must be considered at the beginning of the development of a website.

For the optimization one uses software, which can be different products, from free and free software, which is offered for example by Google itself, the so-called Google Analytics and the Google Search Console, up to software which is used in the market, e.g. Xovi. With these software products, editorial plans are created, from which the individual work steps are derived. From new content to the optimization of existing content, from extensions to changes in the design and so on.

Offpage optimization through link building

The offpage optimization includes all external steps that promote the success of the own website. A large part of this work is the so-called link building. Linkbuilding can be explained quite simply, imagine a bar, someone walks in the door and no one talks about him or her. Accordingly, no patron is going to reach out to him or her. If you specifically have two or three people pointing to you as you enter, for example by pointing or whispering and looking in their direction, you will draw the attention of other patrons. The classic public relations! You have a new product? Your PR agency places it in magazines, the more magazines talk about you, the more will take notice of you. It’s the same on the Internet!

On the Internet there are many blogs, for example, blogs that deal with the topic of crafts, decoration or even more specifically with the topic of making money with real estate. On all these blogs, you can usually buy so-called advertorials. These are paid blog posts that talk about a topic of your choice, you will be linked. If the craftsman blog reports, for example, on the topic of reputable real estate agents and refers to your website, very many users will follow this recommendation and visit your website. Through this targeted link building, the amount of referrals increases and so does the amount of clicks that occur because of this referral marketing.

Such and other off page optimization is also the focus of an advertising agency when it comes to search engine optimization.

Frequently asked questions and answers

Finally, we wanted to share a few common questions and answers lists that are often asked in regards to marketing real estate, especially if you are entering the agency world for the first time. When it comes to the differences in agency work, many ask the question, who does what? Our overview on the topic of advertising agencies:

What do you do in an advertising agency?

Advertising agencies are the full-service partner, they take care of both the very basic issues, such as corporate design but also simple forms, stationery, up to extensive websites. Their work also includes everything to do with marketing and public relations. If you turn to an advertising agency, you can and should expect them to take care of all your media and communication needs.

What is a marketing agency?

Marketing agencies specialize in sales. From the product to the price, packaging but also distribution channels, or promotion. When you turn to a marketing agency, then with the goal of optimizing your product and sales channels.

There are also different categories among the marketing agencies. On the one hand, the classic print marketing agencies, as well as sales agencies, e.g. for telephone acquisition and marketing campaigns, up to modern online marketing and of course social media marketing agencies. The higher the degree of specialization, the more precise the focus on a particular strategy. Depending on the company, it is recommended to either use a specialized agency, or a general active one. For example, if they want to increase sales through Facebook ads, they should go straight for a social media marketing agency. If they are undecided about which forms of marketing is best for you, you should contact a general online marketing agency, which will show you the various advantages and disadvantages of each way.

What do you do in a PR agency?

PR agencies are also a more accurate form of marketing agency. Public relations is the channel that helps products gain notoriety. Public relations means publicity that really bears fruit only when mentioned regularly. This means your brand or company needs to be placed in various relevant media outlets more frequently. For the regional estate agent, this can be the daily newspaper that is on your breakfast table on Sunday mornings, as well as the fashion magazine in which you can place articles as a luxury estate agent. However, the work of a PR agency goes even further, e.g. it ensures positive mentions for the right people, e.g. at events, through invitations or also through the event. PR agencies ensure that the own brand or product is in the right light and becomes better known.

So PR agencies ostensibly have the purpose of brand awareness, not sales. If they want to sell, you should turn to a marketing agency, because they also consider the sales channel, not just the channel of awareness.

How many agencies are there in Germany?

In Germany there are actually over 10,000 agencies from the field of advertising, marketing and PR. So the choice is huge and a recommendation that has so much value.

What is online marketing?

Online marketing in its special form deals with the marketing of products and services via digital channels. The concepts are extremely different. From funnel marketing that collects interested parties and visitors through targeted channels, to ad management on Google, to the placement of ads on other sites. Online marketing sets itself the goal of using digital media as a sales structure. This creates great advantages for customers, because unlike marketing methods that take place offline, the individual paths can be reconstructed very well. This means that you end up with extremely accurate sales figures. Each individual campaign or advertising action can be evaluated in the exact percentage range. So you don’t just hang a poster in the city centre and hope that it will generate more sales. You know exactly which person, based on which channel, ultimately made which purchase or not. This precise tracing of an individual channel allows extremely accurate conclusions to be drawn when data is collected. From this you optimize the individual campaigns and advertisements. This results in more sales. This is exactly the job of an online marketing agency. Digital sales and constant optimization of the sales channels.

What is SEO and SEA?

SEO means search engine optimization, this part deals with the work on your own website. The optimization of individual pages, blog posts or even real estate listings, up to improving the page load time and of course the basic structure.

SEA means search engine analysis, in this discipline you look at the developments of your own website in the search engines. How were the individual pages and blog posts ranked? What changes have there been since the previous month? What measures can be taken to improve the ranking even further? This is what search engine analysis is all about.

Tip. Real estate exposé with drone (recommendation)

What enhances a real estate exposé? Pictures say more than a thousand words and drones deliver the most beautiful pictures or videos that you can wish for as a real estate seller.

Buy a lightweight, fast and good drone with camera cheap online? Before buying a drone for photo and video shooting, you should definitely read reviews. Because, there are many drones in the market, but which one is really good in comparison? We have had in our years many drones in our offices and this, is our absolute favorite: Perfect images, easy to use and a drone under 1,000 euros, including all accessories, from propellers to hard case for the road. This is the ideal way to showcase houses, villas and land for the next real estate exposé. With the DJI Mini 2 drone videos or drone footage are created so quickly that you have learned the entire shoot around flight and production in one day.

• DJI Mini 2: Experiences

Marketing Podcast: Basics + Expert Tips

Let’s start with the marketing basics. Further reading: all articles. Because in our podcast you will not only get to know extremely practical examples of large companies and corporations, but also the little basics of marketing, from social to content marketing to offline marketing, trade fairs, POS and Co.

Marketing Podcast: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon & Co.

Marketing pursues one goal above all: sales are promoted through targeted marketing. The secret recipe: a “proof of concept”, i.e. a working business model. The same can be applied to your marketing, a functioning marketing channel is worth more than ten different attempts. With us you will learn about the individual channels, instruments and methods in marketing. We speak at a high level with insights, but also break down all the steps so that beginners can follow along.

Now stream & learn for free on:

• Spotify – Marketing Podcast
• ITunes – Marketing Podcast
• Amazon – Marketing Podcast
• Deezer – Marketing Podcast
• Google – Marketing Podcast

Marketing mix: instruments, methods and strategies

It sounds simple enough, but there’s a lot that goes into the marketing mix these days, and new methods are being added all the time. The strategies and methods have diversified. From newspaper articles and posters to radio advertising, TV advertising, online marketing, social media marketing and even more specifically content marketing.

The best way to learn marketing is definitely to learn from examples (and yes, mistakes). Galileo already said:

We can only see so far because we sit on the shoulders of giants.

That means: Learn from the mistakes or successes of others to plan your marketing campaigns as optimized as possible right from the start. In the same way, you need to understand marketing learning:

• Either: Trial and error (try it yourself)
• Or: Learning from others

The more examples you hear, the more conclusions you can draw for your activities.

In the beginning, for you as a beginner, it’s all about building your own working channel. The big question:

Where do you find your specific target group?

Example Amazon: Find and expand your target group

Explained very simply: Look at Amazon. The goal has always been to sell all kinds of products, to all kinds of audiences. But you can’t do that on day one.

The more specific the target group, the more specific the product, the lower the investment in advertising. But they started with books and book lovers. Why focusing makes sense, you learn in the Marketing Podcast!

Marketing explained simply: basic knowledge, marketing mix and tasks

You want to learn marketing? Then you should first deal with the question of what your specific goal is!

What do you want to have accomplished in three or five years?

What skills, abilities and knowledge do you want to possess?

Depending on the specifics of your profession or even your business, you need to focus on individual areas that promise you the most profit.

Marketing jobs

As a marketing manager you can (at the beginning) never dance on all weddings. That’s why jobs in marketing are so diverse. Here is a small overview.

Jobs in Marketing:

• Marketing manager
• Product Manager
• Sales Manager (Sales)
• Online Marketing Manager
• Social media manager
• Media planner
• Market Researcher
• Project Manager

There are hundreds of books for every single area of marketing, with hundreds of pages each. There are many good marketing book recommendations, but the best recommendation is: practice, practice, practice!

That’s exactly why we launched our Marketing Podcast, with best practices from our agency! Books rarely lose their relevance as quickly as in marketing. Whether big business or start up, every year new methods come into play, new social networks, new offline marketing options. We take you with us into the marketing jungle. Here you will learn what is important, especially in online marketing.

Now on Spotify: Our Marketing Podcast!

Expert Know-How: Marketing Examples

Podcast on marketing strategy and methodology – every week we, Lasse and Lukinski, explain business and marketing details from real agency life. It’s all about practical examples from corporations, international marketing campaigns and of course real life hacks that we might have just found out this week! No matter what your job as a marketing manager entails, you’ll learn the right tools and strategies here.

Marketing Tools: Software for Marketing

In addition to marketing methods and strategies, you also need software and tools for reporting and monitoring.

With software you can cover different areas, e.g. keyword research to discover trending topics (for example via Google Trends) or also frequently searched topics (XOVI, Sistrix & Co). There is also software for re-targeting, e.g. for Facebook Ads.

A very large area where we talk about these blocks of topics, among others:

• Keyword and topic research tools
• Email Marketing Tools
• Graphic Tools
• Video Tools
• Audio Tools
• Influencer Marketing Tools
• Promotion, retargeting and personalization tools

Frequently asked questions about learning marketing

Finally, a few common questions that come to us not only through the podcast, but also at the agency via email and on Instagram.

What do you do in marketing?

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, marketing is all about driving sales of products (whether physical or digital, individual or subscription). Already Henry Ford said, founder of modern automation:

For every dollar you put into your product, you have to have another one ready to make it popular

True words, from one of the greatest entrepreneurs that’s been on this planet. And of course, we also talk about famous personalities in our Spotify Podcast. From Höhle der Löwen with Carsten Maschmeyer to Elon Musk and his crazy projects around electric cars and space travel. You’ll learn that and more, in our Digital Marketing Podcast. As mentioned, there are many strategies, methods and also marketing tools with which you can reach target groups extremely precisely.

KPI: Key Performance Indicator

The mix of strategies is just as important as the performance on the individual platforms, as well as their reporting and monitoring. Here you check the important key figures (KPI: Key Performance Indicator).

With these metrics you can compare different time frames, e.g. the current and the previous month. This in turn allows you to optimize your content and ads.

That’s the typical marketing cycle you go through.

1. Establish ideas / strategies
2. Launch campaigns
3. Evaluate campaigns / ideas
4. Optimize campaigns / ideas

You can learn a lot from all these insights, for new campaigns.

What is there for marketing?

This question can only be answered very briefly, as the answers would be very long. In marketing, there are nowadays so many areas, as never before. From classic direct marketing to ultra modern methods such as digital content marketing via magazines and influencers.

The marketing methods are of course extremely different. With event marketing you are directly at the target group, content marketing is very passively scattered. A currently very well-known example is influencer marketing. People with a large reach use, test and rate products on their social media channels. Through these recommendations, their followers become aware of the product. Keyword sales promotion and recommendation marketing.

Through cross-channel marketing, you can then connect different areas with each other and, for example, send influencer marketing directly to your own Instagram shop. Instagram shopping is an increasingly important topic, especially for target groups between 18 and 35 years.

Marketing areas

Here is a small excerpt of the different marketing areas:

• Direct Marketing
• Content marketing
• Social media marketing
• Influencer marketing
• Guerrilla marketing
• Experiential Marketing
• Marketing through trade fairs

Source: Social Media One:

What are the 4 marketing tools?

If you want to have a job in marketing later, you have to deal with the basics. No matter if you study business or watch YouTube videos and learn. No matter how, the first thing you will learn are the 4 P’s of marketing.

Strategies like to be expanded, so there are now also 5 P in marketing, 6 P marketing. But these four basic aspects in marketing are the central ones that have worked since Henry Ford.

Price, Product, Place and Promotion!

The mix of these sub-areas enables the optimal marketing of products.

Price: Cheap cheap or… High price segment?

Price – price is the core segment in marketing for almost everyone. Do you operate a low price strategy or a high price strategy? You know it yourself, from every supermarket or online shop, there are cheap products and there are the expensive branded products.

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. However, the active decision and positioning is important for your brand image.

Product: quality, quantity or both?

Product – Your product is what draws and keeps customers. Customers become repeat customers and so customer lifetime value becomes an important aspect. Instead of constantly winning new customers, ensure with a good product for regular customers and referrals.

Ask yourself, honestly: would you recommend your product to your friends?

In the area of product policy, you deal specifically with your product range or the individual, specific products. Here you learn a lot in the Marketing Podcast, in our special on the Lean Canvas (episode 4, 5 and 6), on the topic of developing a business idea.

From the business idea it goes at some point to the horizontal and vertical product or assortment acquisition.

Place: POS, trade fair, infrastructure & Co.

Place – where do you need to offer your products or services? And do you only stay online, do you only sell stationary or do you combine analogue and digital marketplaces? In this area of marketing, you decide on your sales locations, which can be very specific or very general. Very specific, like a shop in a prime city centre location, or very general, like a shop on the Amazon platform.

Promotion: marketing the idea

Promotion – marketing is what it ultimately comes down to. As mentioned before, Henry Ford once said that for every dollar you put into a product, you have to have another one ready to make it known.

Promotion, within the marketing mix, is all about this aspect! How do you get people to pay attention to your product? And more importantly, how do you get the people who have become aware of your product to become buyers?

What are marketing measures? Example: Content Marketing

Here is a small example of what such an elaborate marketing campaign looks like.

What is content marketing? How does content marketing work? You already know the typical advertisement. Big, loud, colorful, and most importantly, noticeable. Content marketing is extremely passive in comparison.

A simple example would be this: Your company is about to release a new, very innovative product for electric cars. Of course, the classic marketing channels can be used, e.g. TV advertising. Ultimately, however, many users will set out and actively search for reviews, tests or even testimonials in search engines or social networks.

If you don’t think about this aspect of marketing when releasing your product, you run the risk of negative reviews, no matter how small, quickly moving up in Google’s algorithm or on Facebook.

Accordingly, it needs alternative facts, testimonials that have been placed. E.g. at larger online portals, magazines or blogs. These articles are not written in an advertising form, but at first glance very neutral and objective.

Why without advertising? The important thing is that there is (not negative) opinion!

25Even if this absolute value is neutral, it is better than any negative rating. Even much better, people don’t perceive this form of placement as advertising at all. Accordingly, you should also hold back on marketing buzzwords and resort to simple language when using such content marketing. Of course, only if it fits, if you are in the field of real estate, insurance or finance on the road, had to have language accordingly information density.

Lean Canvas Special! Develop and test business idea

1. Product (problem / solution) and USP
2. Key figures, unfair advantages and target group
3. Marketing and finance (costs/revenues)

Product (Problem / Solution) and USP – Part 1

The Lean Canvas is a variation of the Business Canvas. Instead of complex key partners you focus on the business idea. In the first part we talk about the 9 steps of the Lean Canvas, more specifically about steps 1-3: Problem, Solution and USP. To “invent” profitable business models you need to know the needs of your target group. In the Lean Canvas you look at problem and solution. From this you create the next steps, for example the USP, the Unique Selling Proposition. Many see this USP as “what am I”. But the USP is much more precise and concrete. Learn how to develop your business idea in the first part of the Lean Canvas.

In this podcast episode, you’ll learn, among other things:

• Lean Canvas Part 1: Problem, Solution & USP

Key figures, unfair advantages and target group – Part 2

In part two, we focus on steps 4-6 in the Lean Canvas. Especially key figures! These are very important to validate (test) the potential success of your business idea. After that we jump to an extreme advantage for you as a founder and foundress, the “unfair advantage”. In the next step we start marketing with the target groups, a big topic from print to social ads on TikTok – as an example.

Marketing and Finance (Costs/Revenues) – Part 3

Marketing and Money! In part 3 of the Lean Canvas we talk about the last 3 of 9 steps: marketing, costs and revenue. Of course only ultra abbreviated, but with a lot of know how and practice. From online marketing (like social media) to offline marketing around POS, trade shows and direct mail, yeah right…. Letters! Last big focus is your revenue streams: How do you make money? More importantly, how do you turn customers into real repeat customers to stretch the “customer lifetime value”? That’s what you’ll learn in the third part of the Lean Canvas (Developing a Business Idea).

Starting Sunday on Spotfiy!

Pinterest for SEO and Advertising: Hidden Champion

The share price of Pinterset is currently breaking the boundaries of all social networks. With a rise from around 18 US dollars to over 60 US dollars in less than 12 months, Pinterest has more to offer than many think. From aspects of search engine optimization to advertising on Pinterest. This episode on Spotify show is about the magic behind Pinterest marketing and the question: why do so few businesses use Instagram? Learn about the benefits.

Learn in this marketing podcast episode:

• Pinterest underestimated? Share price and performance
• Pinterest from SEO perspective, example decoration ideas

Facebook Algorithm and Affiliate Marketing

In the second episode of our marketing podcast, we talk about two topics: Facebook Algorithm and Affiliate Marketing. The Facebook algorithm needs to be understood, especially if you want to do more “than just” normal advertising on Facebook. We’ll also talk about passive income and affiliate marketing. Where do you start? What affiliate marketing platforms are out there? And… is affiliate marketing worth it? Insight.

In this podcast episode, you’ll learn, among other things:

• Facebook Algorithm from a Cognitive Perspective (3 Learnings)
• Affiliate Marketing and Basics

Fake reviews in online shops

Fake. In this podcast episode we discuss how easy it is to create your own evaluations and what effects they have. In addition, Lasse has news again, from customer projects, so directly, best practice!

That’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

• Fake reviews: Government reprimand against comparison portals
• Text spinning: Create ratings automatically

Marketing Podcast: Spotify, iTunes, Amazon & Co.

New now! Lasse & Lukinski, the podcast on Social Media One. Two marketing super nerds, one studio! One went to college, the other likes to watch breakfast TV. We discuss media weeks & more! Each week we come across new methods and strategies. Marketing is moving faster than ever. New social networks come into play, others lose relevance for certain audiences. We also usually come up with live hacks between the lines, which we leave uncut in the podcast. Real-world agency experience with million-dollar adspend. We want to give you inputs that you can use to grow yourself, your business and your brand. Follow now & never miss a show.

Now stream & learn for free on:

• Spotify – Marketing Podcast
• ITunes – Marketing Podcast
• Amazon – Marketing Podcast
• Deezer – Marketing Podcast
• Google – Marketing Podcast

Secret tip: Strategy + Real Estate Agent Know How

As with real estate, the first step is to evaluate the actual state of your existing or non-existing media in comparison to local, regional or national competitors. From this we can make decisions. In summary, we check 3 parameters to plan strategically:

1. Relevance of the medium, your channel (simply put: a Munich broker should not publish content for Hamburg brokers)
2. Range of the medium, your channel (quality before quantity)
3. Competition (competition to the keyword)

Actual status and recommendation of the advertising agency

Most customers of our advertising agency already have their own homepage. Some of them are also (more or less) active on social networks like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. But most of them are not. Neither (a meaningful) website, nor social media. But in the beginning they are not only “new media”. It is also about broker standard, like exposés. How are the exposés of the properties structured, from the layout to the amount of content, texts and number of pages to the photos of the property.

The first step of a possible cooperation is therefore always a concrete and very precise analysis of your existing media.

After the analysis, we can then develop concrete recommendations for action for you and for us as an advertising agency, as well as detailed objectives that pursue a clear strategic goal. Essentially, however, it is always about building up a qualitative reach.

• As-built analysis of the existing media and structures of media production and management
• Concrete recommendations for action based on the evaluation
• Actual state to be supplemented, extended and optimized by new tools
• Define strategic goals and fine line

Qualitative range? For simple, quantitative reach is not difficult for a good advertising agency! However, it is important to attract qualitative visitors, potential interested parties and even better, potential tenants and buyers for condominiums and houses.

Advantages of our advertising agency

• 2.4 million reach – We manage and design an extremely exclusive network of properties and brokers. Being a customer also means being part of the network (keyword: Quality Backlinks)
• Full Media – Many take care of parts, we take care of everything, from strategy development and production to reputation through image material to expert interviews in renowned media

Target: Reach through search engine optimization

The A&O for real estate agents is of course the listing in the major portals, as well as ImmoScout24, Immonet and many others. The larger your own property portfolio becomes, the more interesting it is to invest in your own media.

In the long term, many advertising costs can be saved by using your own, strong media (for example your homepage), which I believe will help you to find the large property portals. For example, if you are a property developer and you want to promote new buildings yourself, you can broker your condominiums or houses directly, without any detours.

Calculation example Google Ads – here you can see an example of how quickly purchased clicks become expensive and directly afterwards what the equivalent value of organically built, own traffic is:

Real estate agent Hamburg – CPC 3,28 €
10.000 clicks / month – 32.800 Euro
100.000 clicks / year – 328.000 Euro

CPC = Costs per clicks; i.e. expenses incurred for a purchased click in the Google.de search engine

For comparison – Did you know? My own Internet pages currently reach 2.4 million users per year; in comparison, this amounts to 7,872,000 euros.

Lukinski Network 2.4 million users / year
equivalent value: 7,872,000 euros saved

Direct marketing instead of advertising with third parties

This direct marketing of real estate understandably gives many real estate agents the idea sooner or later to develop their own media portfolio. This ultimately leads to an advertising agency for real estate brokers that knows exactly the risks of the industry.

Search engine optimization (SEO) for real estate agents: errors and risks

How does the success of large real estate portals arise? You operate search engine optimization. The higher the range and the more visitors such a real estate portal attracts to your homepage, the greater the chance of closing deals.

The clou about SEO and organic traffic: Once built, it is consistent.

Target: Qualitative reach for deals

Many real estate agents would like to do search engine optimization with their own homepage, but do not know how big the competition is!

Search engine optimization for real estate is a tough competition. This is where it really gets down to business, many websites and portals are optimized to the depth of the system, for cities, relevant topics, but also for individual square meter prices, districts and streets in the content area as well as in terms of page speed, JS scripts, CSS compression.

If you want to build a stable portal yourself, or at least a website, you’ll need a lot of patience! But in the end there are 10,000 visitors per month who don’t have to be bought, e.g. by advertising on Google, as shown in the calculation example above.

Therefore, it is worthwhile investing in your own media portfolio from a certain size or number of new construction projects.

Costs and duration (as a rule)

Depending on whether one is active as a broker in one of the metropolises such as Hamburg, Berlin, Munich or Düsseldorf or in the countryside, the size of the portfolio that pays for the investment in an advertising agency differs.

Therefore our first tip for you as a real estate agent, start your own homepage only if you have the necessary capital available.

They should usually already have at least four to five employees who take care of property management. The planning time for such a project is at least 24 months / 36 months.

PS: There are faster ways, but we will explain these in personal meetings. One way, for example, is placement in relevant online magazines, keyword recommendation marketing.

• Search engine marketing has a lot of competition
• Competition often has high media budgets
• You have to catch up first, then overtake
• Target lies in regional / local SEO + general SEO in the subject area (apartment, house, taxes, rent, buy, etc.)
• Investment only pays off at upper 5-digit, mostly 6-digit amounts / year

Would you have expected such honest statements in advance?
Exactly, that’s what our real estate advertising agency for real estate agents is all about. We have been serving the digital market for several years now and not only do we know what is important, we also warn you in advance of any mistakes you may make as a real estate agent in your advertising – so that your project starts efficiently from day one.

This honest feedback allows you to drive a strategy that works. It is not about making money perse, it is about deals (conversion)!

Our success for clients is to focus on extremely specific content marketing. That means texts that are extremely close to your target group. How exactly does that work? Get in contact with us!

• Advertising agency contact

SEO Analysis: Real estate agent – how does it work?

Speaking of SEO… how do you actually analyze certain keywords? Keywords are certain terms that are searched for, one more, the other less. As an advertising agency it is especially about search volume. Even more specific, search volume per month on Google.de (or other languages or search engines).

A small example, the term “broker” is searched for in the month 254.040, as a single term, but mainly in combination with other words.

Search queries / month for “broker”

1. Real estate agent – 33.100
2. Real estate agent – 27,100
3. Broker – 14,800
4. Without a broker – 9,900
5. Brokerage commission – 6,600
6. Real estate agent Berlin – 4.400
7. Real estate agent Munich – 4.400
8. Real estate agent Berlin – 4,350
9. Real estate agent Cologne – 2.900
10. Real estate agent Hamburg – 2.850
11. …

Depending on the volume and competition for the individual keyword, special opportunity keywords are identified and systematically built up.

Social Media Marketing: errors & risks

Social media marketing is also becoming increasingly popular with real estate agents. Especially Facebook and Instagram curls more and more brokers. On Facebook, it is usually target groups between 30 and 50 years. On Instagram, e.g. real estate portal, you can reach excellent target groups between 18 and 30 years. But also here caution is advised! Especially dubious advertising agencies often lure real estate agents with Facebook advertisements. But how effective can these ads be? First of all, a look at the constantly increasing expenditure for social media marketing.

Source: Social Media One / Facebook statistics

Social Media Marketing

Investments in social media advertising worldwide in the years 2007 to 2018 and forecast 2022.

• 2007: 512 million US dollars
• 2012: 6,274 million US dollars
• 2017: 50,215 million US dollars
• 2022: USD 123,070 million
• Increase 2020 to 2022: 96,190 million US dollars to 123,070 million US dollars

Find buyers/tenants on Facebook, Instagram & Co.

The desire to buy a property is rare, most people buy a property only once in a lifetime. Accordingly, it is quite difficult to address a buyer with the right ad at that particular moment, just because of time constraints. Of course, the ad can be easily played out to 100,000 people, but we are quickly back to the topic of “quantitative and qualitative reach”.

We rely on smart digital marketing, e.g. “remarketing with Facebook Ads“.

Step 1: Through extremely specific content marketing (e.g. regional) we attract a specific target group to your homepage. These users are precisely registered and stored by so-called cookies.

Step 2: In the following we can reach these visitors individually, again with our ads, the less budget to waste. We play out advertisements only to a target group that is already interested in buying a house or condominium, or tenants, the same principle works for me of course with tenants. More details: buy a house. If a potential tenant looks at a certain property, he can be reached again for 30 days. The same object or similar objects of interest to the user can now be displayed to him or her. E.g. in social networks but also in other online media, e.g. Spiegel, Focus or others, through “Display Ads”.

Online marketing: sensible or not?

Yeah, but… always check how effective a channel will be for you. The media mix from expert interviews to real estate portals to homepage, Facebook, display ads, etc. is so diverse that you should concentrate and focus on 1, max. 2 channels.

Is online marketing now an adequate means to digitally market real estate in the 1920s? Our most important tip: Estimate chances and risks! The comparison between the different channels (own homepage, reputation interviews, Facebook, Instagram, advertising on Google, etc.) must be checked for 3 parameters in particular:

1. Relevance of the medium, your channel (simply put: a Munich broker should not publish content for Hamburg brokers)
2. Range of the medium, your channel (quality before quantity)
3. Competition (competition to the keyword)

Building sign: Guarantee for buyers

What works? Either extremely digital or extremely local!

Well designed construction signs still attract most buyers. But why? Especially local and direct advertising does it. On the one hand, the potential buyers and prospective buyers are directly on site, so they profit directly and “directly visible” from the investment. On the other hand they see the object in reality. Of course you could also invest in Dubai or London, but why?! On site, local marketing is still one of the most effective means for you as a real estate agent.

• Easy to create
• Local effect with proof-of-concept behind it (construction site)
• Scarcity becomes immediately clear, there is only 1 object
• Free of charge in the installation (own building land)

Shopping Mall Dubai – It is not always about apartments:

Frequently asked questions and answers

We as an advertising agency receive many, many questions. But it’s less about special topics like social media marketing on Instagram, Facebook Ads or regional content marketing. Usually it is about more fundamental questions such as: “What agencies are there?”, “What does an advertising agency do?”, “What do you do in a marketing agency?” and “What does a creative agency do? Here we have the most frequently asked questions:

“What are there for agencies?

In the field of advertising, there are various agencies that are more or less specialised in certain areas. The beginning was set by advertising agencies, but it becomes more special with online marketing agencies or PR agencies.

What does an advertising agency do?

An advertising agency takes over all advertising measures that arise in the entire spectrum. Simply put, from the design of the construction sign to content marketing for search engine optimization.

Whoever creates a new brand or company is also concerned with brand and competitor analysis, brand architecture and even more fundamentally with “naming” and “claming” – in technical terms.

An advertising agency sets concrete goals for you, determines strategies to achieve the goals and ways to achieve the goals. From graphic design to search engine optimization and PR (for example interviews in trade magazines to fundraising campaigns).

Tasks at a glance:

Brand

• Brand / competitor analysis
• Brand architecture
• Positioning
• Naming
• Brand workshops
• Identity development

Corporate

• Corporate identity
• Corporate design
• Visual language
• Styleguide
• Annual reports

Communication

• Communication concepts
• Advertising text / PR
• Brochures / Exposés / Flyers
• Adverts / Campaigns
• Outdoor advertising / posters / construction sign
• Direct marketing / mailings
• Sales promotion / POS
• Internet page / search portal
• Social Media Marketing
• SEO / SEA / SEM

What do you do in a marketing agency?

In marketing, the main focus is on placement and external impact. From search engines, keyword online marketing, to articles in a daily newspaper. Marketing agencies are there to bring your company efficiently to target groups (placement and public image). The big questions: How can you reach people? And once they are there, what do you think about us? More precisely, how can we influence what people think about the company?

What does a creative agency do?

Creative agencies are particularly concerned with an effective, modern appearance. Accordingly, creative agencies are particularly interesting for brokers who want to reach a young target group, for example, through contemporary graphic design of ads in social networks.

In the elite area of real estate marketing, however, “creative design” plays only a subordinate role.

What is a marketing agency?

Marketing is all about reach and reputation. This makes you “a little less” than an advertising agency and a little more than a pure communications or PR agency.

What is a communications agency?

Interviews in specialist magazines, fundraising campaigns, PR and communication agencies are particularly concerned with the public image of real estate agents.

Advertising: Making products and services known

The big question now is how do customers learn about your product or service? The possibilities are extremely diverse, from classic flyers, YouTube advertising, poster campaigns on citylights to classic letter items. But which method and strategy is the most effective for you to generate more reach?

Before we take a detailed look at the individual methods, here are the two central questions on the point of advertising:

1. How do your customers find out about your product / service?
2. What advertising do you plan when?
   → There are hundreds of options
   Flyer: 54 Euro
   Mirror print advertisement: 25.000 Euro (1 page)
   Google Ads: 3,14 Euro per click
   City Lights: 80,000 euros for 4 weeks / 1 city
   SEO advertising agency: 120.000 Euro
   …

How extensive advertising can be! Accordingly, you need to choose strategies that fit your budget. In the next chapter we will look at how exactly the individual advertising measures work and function.

Goal: increase reach, increase awareness

Winning customers is the never-ending-story of every company. Growth is, of course, the ultimate goal. Once the market is saturated, it becomes horizontal or vertical in breadth, with product extensions and completely new product innovations. Good to see at the world’s most valuable company that has conquered the world with smartphones, previously a portable MP3 player, before with computers. Today there are tablets, matching headphones but also accessories for the technical devices. Accordingly, the customer group is constantly being expanded. In addition, there are old appliances that are offered at lower prices and the customer group is being expanded. So you are permanently in a process of customer acquisition.

Awareness takes time: How long does advertising take?

In the beginning it is of course more difficult, because first you have to be convinced of the new brand or the new product. Anyone who already owns a similar product must not only be convinced by the new brand, but also by changing. After all, we humans like habits and are reluctant to change them as long as they do not negatively influence us. Accordingly, a strategy must be found that ensures sufficient range, one-time contacts but also recurring contacts. Because in particular frequent naming, ensures that marks remain in the memory.

Medium and advertising channel: Differences

However, depending on the medium and advertising channel, the prices vary extremely. In addition, you must distinguish between paid range and organic range. Paid reach is available overnight, but not sustainably and with each new contact, associated with new costs. Organic reach, e.g. through search engine optimization or community building in social networks, lasts longer, but provides accordingly sustainable reach and visitors.

Then there are not only the numerous new media, but of course also the classic advertising channels, from mailings to sales promotion through documents, image brochures and sales representatives. Let’s take a closer look at the various possibilities that are available today in the field of advertising. Here is an initial overview of the various customer acquisition instruments:

1. Media advertising
2. Trade fairs, presentations, conferences and congresses
3. Information, training, trade advertising
4. Sales talk
5. Mailing, Throws
6. Telephone calls
7. Sales promotion, sales documents
8. Merchandising
9. Promotions, discounts, special offers
10. Exclusive offers
11. Additional services
12. Guarantees, Service
13. Internet
14. Social Media Marketing
15. …

Customer care in the business plan

How do you get across in your business plan that you not only reach your customers once, but ideally can show more frequent contacts?

Ideally, you will need regular customers, i.e. people who access your product more frequently. So in this aspect, think about how you can give customers an added value that keeps them with you as a brand, product or service. These include, for example, the above-mentioned additional services or the Extra Guarantee and Extra Services. But it also includes a sensible product extension, so that the right accessories are always available. No matter what the subject, interior design and living, trend products and fashions, Auto & Tuning or even hotels and restaurants. In all areas, useful additional services can be found that turn customers into regular customers.

Subsequent bookings make a lot of work easier and of course save a lot of media budget. Because no investment has to be made for the renewed purchase. Everything you need to know: home buying tips. This also pleases bankers and investors.

Recommendation Marketing: Actively Obtain Ratings

Tip! Actively obtain ratings. Write to customers, three to five days after the purchase, and ask them for their opinion. Ideally with a link to a relevant rating portal. For Amazon buyers this means Amazon, of course, and for many others Google and Facebook. A positive rating (recommendation marketing) is extremely efficient. In addition, the customer feels valued by the demand and is reminded again of your brand.

Exclusive offers

If we think further, such customer loyalty naturally also leads to further investments for public relations, e.g. events. Many companies hold regular events to attract audiences (and regular customers). The event in the fashion boutique, the training event of the handicraft producer or also the trainee and job event of the local energy supplier. Such strategies can also be used to retain customers. Here we are again at the marketing tool “Exclusive Offers”.

Take care of long-term business relationships and show in your business plan how you will do this strategically.

1. Reward for loyalty
2. Reward for recommendation
3. Demand

Guideline: Setting up your own business & business plan

You want to start your own business as a real estate agent or with another business idea? We support you with tips on your business plan and concept. Whether self-employed full-time or part-time self-employed: If you want to set up your own company, you have to think about a lot, in advance and in the operative business. From the right idea to health insurance – what needs to be considered if you want to become self-employed?

There is no training or further education for entrepreneurs. Managing director is you or not. Your own ambition is always important, because this is the only way to improve, every day.

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