Don’t forget the traditional mediums in your local online advertising campaigns

Many times when a company starts planning their online advertising campaigns they plan for the articles, press releases, local search engines, etc. But they typically leave a major player off the list.

The traditional medias that were used prior to the advent of the internet are still a great place to advertise your business, the difference is that you can now improve on the tried and true. Where once you would have submitted your ad to the local newspaper for print, you can now include them in your online advertising as well and likely use the very same ad you would have used strictly for print advertising in the past. All the benefits and usually for the same or a fraction more. You see a lot of times that local newspaper will run the ad in both for the price of the traditional print ad, or they will boost it just a bit to include the online version.

As more and more people have joined the revolution of DSL, local papers have too. Many more readers are now looking at that same newspaper than 5 years ago. And you will when you remember to use that traditional medium in your new local online advertising. How could you go wrong? If you’re not sure how to do that or want more help just let us help.

When it comes to online advertising, press releases can be the best way to go to increase overall traffic, branding and business.

All of the news worthy topics have occurred. You have it all written down. Now what?

Well the first step is to make it short and sweet. Give all of the details in a clear and concise way, but keep it short. Keep your sentences short and use paragraphs every 5-6 lines if possible. The body should not exceed 500 words.

Be sure to provide a place for readers to gain more information, like your website.

Terms such as “visit us today”, “buy me now” or “discount prices” will see your press release headed straight for the recycle bin, as will WORDS IN CAPITALS and the unnecessary use of exclamation marks.

When you have all of this in a generic format such as a text file then start scouting place to submit it. Perhaps look to other Real Estate industry press releases as a guide to help you structure your own. For a few bucks, you can even have a marketing firm write you something worth publishing if you are not confident enough in your own press release writing skills.

A search of the internet will result in many place to submit your press release and voila! You are on your way!

Classified advertising can accomplish a number of things for your real estate business - the most notable of these, interestingly enough, isn’t helping you to sell homes. That’s right - classified advertising can be used for many different purposes including attracting visitors to your website and catching the eye of those who are looking just to see what’s out there.

On one hand, you’ll be able to look at newspaper and magazine ads:

(source)Buying newspaper classified ads is an expensive way to spread the word about whatever you’re promoting. But guess who reads the classifieds?

Reporters—lots of them. That’s where they find the low-hanging fruit in the form of clever, funny or unusual ads. With one or two phone calls, they can turn that ad into a free article.

That article may mean that you have everyone in town reading about something new that you’re doing with your real estate business - whether they’re finding out that you’re offering a discount to new sellers or preparing a class for first time home buyers. It may mean that different practices that you use in your business that set you apart are showcased, and prospective buyers and sellers will be given your company’s phone number and address or website information.

In other words, no matter which part of your real estate business you’re going to promote, you’ll want to be sure that you’re looking at every possible way of getting the word out and that includes classified advertising.

However, it’s important to look a little bit more closely at those options and to remember that sites like Craigslist will allow you to place classified ads online for no charge. If placing ads in your local paper can help to catch the eye of those who may be interested in your products and services, think about the advantages of adding a link to your website in an online classified? There’s less of a risk of typos, and plenty of readers will click through out of curiosity.

Classified ads aren’t just for the newspapers and the back of magazines anymore; like most other forms of advertising, it’s possible to take your classifieds online and use them to market the products and services that your real estate business offers and the properties that sellers have listed with your agency. From sites like Craigslist that let you post the details to sites focused exclusively on advertising goods and services - without the job offers and occasional scam as a distraction it’s all a matter of finding the right site and creating the right ad.

What basics do all internet classified ads have in common?

• Location focus When you set up your internet classified ads, make sure that your marketing in your area. If your listing is in Seattle, you probably won’t get a lot of interest from a rural area in Pennsylvania.
• An attention-getting title. The title for your ad should be descriptive and clear. Think about eBay for a minute: titles with random characters do less to describe a product than actual information about size and origin.
• Descriptive content. Make sure that the specifics are included when your write your classified ad.
• Contact information. You’re probably not going to put every detail into the ad, therefore it’s essential that those who are interested can get in touch with you to learn more.

Classified ads let you get straight to the point and can draw more attention to your business. It really is as simple as that.

When you create classified ads for your real estate business, what information do you include? Chances are good that if you’re advertising a listing, you include property information, possibly the price, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, contact information and other relevant details - say times and dates for an open house.

Classified advertising for your real estate business definitely has its place, one that it’s established over time. It also provides a great foundation for internet marketing campaign marketing your business online.

Think about it: you’re always going to want to give people the relevant details. You’re always going to want prospective clients to be able to get a hold of you if they’re interested or if they have questions. You’re going to want to get people interested and then draw them in further.

There are differences between using newspaper (or internet) classified ads and let’s say a blog to market your listings. Part of the difference is formatting: blog posts about a property are going to include a bit more information and additional photos than a classified ad would. Grammar is going to be different. But then, all forms of marketing vary a bit from one another and there’s a learning curve for each tool you use.

You can lessen the learning curve though by working with someone who already has the basics - and more advanced techniques - understood and working for them. Just keep this in mind: internet marketing services is just another step in the process and, like all learning processes, you start with what you know and work your way forward.

Classified advertising used to be a simple concept. There was a section in your local newspaper - often at the back - called the the classifieds, and in it were written ads for everything from lost puppies to homes for sale.

For those of you in real estate, classified advertising was a way that you could find FSBO sellers in your farm area. It was a way of keeping track of which homes were available - and which were staying on the market longer than it seemed they should have.

These days however, like most everything else, classified ads have made their way onto the internet: it’s not just about the newspapers anymore.

Online classified advertising should be a part of your internet marketing campaign.

The importance of online marketing in real estate is evident by the popularity of sites like Realtor.com and the presence of homes for sale on sites like eBay. Using internet classifieds on sites like Craigslist can help to market your business and the services that you provide to a targeted audience.

If you’re looking to increase the presence of your site online, having the right internet marketing strategy is key - as is working with a partner who can help you to explore all of your options. Are online classifieds a good idea for you? Contact us to find out.