As a realtor, one comment you might hear the most from your customers is “sell my house fast.”

It’s understandable that sellers feel this way, after all, there’s a lot of competition out there. Houses with just the right price tag and in the best neighborhoods tend to sell quickly without a lot of effort.

However, there’s still a lot of inventory out there, meaning you have to find a way to get your properties to stand out from the competition and sell homes regardless of their price, location, features, etc.

We’ve put together this list of real estate advertising resources to get you started. They’re creative, out-of-the-box and focus on different aspects of the perfect ad. We’ll look at how to use ads on social media, marketing tactics, ad content ideas, ad styles and visuals. As an added bonus we’ve also included ways to incorporate research and analytics into your ads.

Let’s get started.

Advertising on social media

1. Live Tour

[Source]

Facebook Live videos are a great selling tool because they add a sense of urgency to the buying and selling process. For example, use a live video tour to promote an open house. An hour before the start time, take a tour around the house and the neighborhood to show prospective buyers what to expect. By giving them an introduction, you connect and engage with them. After all, 82% of your audience prefer watching a video compared to reading a social post.

2. Messenger

[Source]

With over 1.3 billion people using Facebook Messenger, you stand a higher chance of getting your ads in front of a large audience. With the right targeting you can be sure that your ads will be seen by the right people.

3. 360 videos or images

[Source]

Use 360 videos and images to show your customers what to expect vs. telling them. Instead of taking buyers to multiple homes to look, you can send them 360 videos or images instead to help them move from being interested in a property to ready to buy it much quicker.

4. Slideshow

[Source]

With Slideshow ads you can show multiple properties in one ad. Let’s say you specialize in a particular neighborhood. Include images of the top three to five properties clients want you to sell quickly.

5. Carousel

[Source]

As with Slideshow ads, use Carousel ads to get buyers to see themselves in the homes you’re trying to sell. The more buyers can see themselves in a home, the quicker they’ll make a purchase decision.

6. Collection ads

[Source]

Collection ads make it easy for your target audience to find your ads and stay engaged. You can include more than one listing in these ads so that as people search, they see more listings at once. It saves them time and helps you sell quickly.

7. Event response ads

[Source]

These ads help you share events you’ve planned for your properties — such as open houses. Buyers who proactively attend multiple open houses can click on your ad and add the event to their calendar to get automatic reminders. This helps to keep your properties top of mind.

8. Canvas ads

[Source]

Instead of posting images and hoping they’ll interest your audience, use canvas ads to tell a story. It’s a versatile ad option that gets noticed because it combines images and video in a full-screen experience.

9. Lead ads

[Source]

The more people you can get to see your ads, the quicker you’ll sell your properties. Lead ads help you collect customer information like their name and email address so that you can put targeted ads in front of more of the “right” people.

10. Post engagement ads

[Source]

If you have a Facebook page for your listings, then post engagement ads are a quick and easy way to get more people to look at your listings. When you post details for a new listing, boost it to make sure lots of people see it and interact with it, for example, leave comments or questions for you or like and share it.

11. Dynamic ads

[Source]

This ad format is a little more advanced than others but you end up with very targeted ads. For example, use the Facebook pixel or SDK you’ve set up on your site and you’ll be able to create ads that automatically use a combination of images that had lots of engagement in the past.

12. Link ads

[Source]

These ads are designed to get people to click from your ad to your website for more information. You can choose from a range of call-to-action buttons including Shop Now, Learn More, Sign Up, Book Now, or Download. Combine these with a special offer or insider real estate information to make sure your ads stand out.

Marketing tactics

1. Use influencers

[Source]

Influencers in real estate are people who are seen as opinion leaders. They can be other agents, brokers or vendors — like home inspectors. They have a large following and audience so partnering with an influencer positions you as a trusted resource. They can share your ads or contact information to get people to choose you and your listings over others.

2. Get people to refer

[Source]

Referrals are one of the quickest ways to acquire new customers. Connect with some of your recent customers and offer them some kind of reward — like a discount on new appliances at a hardware chain you’ve partnered with — to refer you new business. The more referrals you get, the better your chances are of selling a house fast.

3. Offer giveaways

[Source]

Similar to referrals you want to keep new and potential customers happy. Do this by sending a housewarming gift or care package after new owners move into a house. For prospective customers consider offering snacks or treats at your open houses. This gives customers a good first impression of you and the home.

4. Host an educational event

[Source]

This is a unique way to showcase your listings. Offer an educational event like a “how much to save to buy your first home” or “everything you need to know about mortgage rates” and use the properties you’ve listed in the examples. This gets your listings in front of prospective buyers and primes them for the next step in the buying process — home visits.

5. Offer free services

[Source]

Another great way to attract customers to your properties is to offer something for free. For example, first-time buyers will appreciate free quotes or a 30-minute consultation phone call about market trends or insight into their preferred neighborhoods. Free information helps move them along the sales process faster.

6. Highlight the urgency

[Source]

A popular marketing tactic is to create a sense of urgency with your ads. To get customers to act now instead of waiting, offer a time-sensitive offer. For example, mention the importance of locking in a mortgage while rates are low.

7. Tell your own story

[Source]

A compelling way to get your ads to stand out is to tell your own story. Talk about shared experiences with your audience to get them to see you as a partner and to build trust.

8. Host a contest

[Source]

Set up a contest that gives new customers something of high value. For example, when they click on your ad and enter their email address, enter them into a contest to win products for their home, gift cards or a membership.

9. Curate a property list

[Source]

This is helpful for prospective buyers who are ready to buy. For example, curate a list of homes that have been on the market for more than a month. This way buyers aren’t only seeing your recent listings but instead see all ads that apply to their search.

10. Differentiate yourself from other realtors

[Source]

The key to successful real estate advertising is to create ads that stand out from competitors. Think of an angle that differentiates you. For example, if you have extensive knowledge about restoring older homes include tips in your ads or, like the above ad, do a giveaway.

11. Focus on your customer

[Source]

Get to know your target audience. Find out what types of properties they’re looking for — this ad is for buyers looking for something trendy — and their price range, then include this information in your ads to make them more personal. Studies show that 71% of customers prefer customized ads.

Content ideas

1. Tell the property’s story

[Source]

If you’re trying to sell an older property quickly use your ad content to call out whether it’s been recently updated. The point is to get your audience to feel positive about the property.

2. Mention location

[Source]

An easy way to get your ads in front of buyers is to mention the location. For some buyers this is the #1 feature they look for. It’s an easy win for you if your property is in a high demand location.

3. Get specific about the best features

[Source]

Mention key features of your properties in your ads. For example, if buyers are looking for granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, lead with that information. The example above calls out features in a list.

4. Include contact info

[Source]

Make it easy for potential customers to get in touch with you. Depending on where your ad appears — like in a directory or social media — include your contact information and a link to your website. For example, incorporate Facebook Messenger so that customers can easily get in touch.

5. Keep it trendy

[Source]

Have fun with your ad by adding in popular trending terms. So if buyers are looking for spacious condos include words like “open concept loft” to get their attention.

6. Share previous clients’ stories

[Source]

You’ve probably heard about FOMO — the fear of missing out. Use it to your advantage by including testimonials in your ads. For buyers who are on the fence because a property is missing something on their wishlist, a testimonial might help to sell them on the location instead.

Incorporate analytics and research

1. Retarget users

[Source]

For people who’ve signed up for your newsletter but haven’t bought a house yet, include them in a retargeting campaign. Make a video of a new listing and turn it into an ad or send them a free guide. These people know who you are and some of what you offer so proactively target them.

2. Specify target audience

[Source]

Be very specific about your target audience so that your ads are relevant. For example, track things like your audience’s demographics, location, interests and behaviors.

3. Find a focus metric

[Source]

Find a metric to focus on to track the success rate of your ads. For example, track your CTR to see how good a job your ad’s doing at getting people to click to your website to find out more.

4. Learn from competitors

[Source]

Use a tool like Facebook Insights to see the analytics for your competitors posts and pages. Use this information to gauge how well your ads are performing. For example, do other realtors have more page likes and engagement? If so, make changes to match and eventually surpass your competitors.

5. A/B Test ads

[Source]

Use A/B testing to test two versions of the same ad to find the version with the highest conversion. Change the images or the text or the call-to-action to see which combination results in quick sales.

Stylistic and visual tips

1. Keep the copy casual

[Source]

Make your ads easy to understand by using simple phrases. This helps you get to the point quickly so that buyers know what you offer.

2. Use high-quality images and video

[Source]

High-quality images and videos give real estate advertising a boost because customers like high-quality images with high-quality properties.

3. Make it mobile friendly

[Source]

With more people spending time on their mobile devices it’s key that your ads are designed for this platform. This helps you connect with more buyers so that your ads are seen by more people and you’re more likely to sell your property quickly.

4. Emphasize the lifestyle the home would be good for

[Source]

You want your buyers to be able to picture themselves living in the home. If they can see themselves there you have a better chance of selling your property quickly. Use stock images of people who look like your target audience in your ads. This can be a young family hanging out in the kitchen or a retired couple hanging out on the deck.

5. Include a lot of property images

[Source]

Get creative with the types of property images you use. Instead of showing the front of the house or just any room, include pictures of features your target audience is interested in. If your target audience is interested in entertaining space use pictures of a staged back deck.

6. Keep videos relatively short

[Source]

With attention spans getting shorter, keep videos down to two minutes or less. You don’t want viewers to lose interest before you have a chance to get to the most important parts of your ad.

Even more clever ideas

Are 40 ideas just not enough? Our friends at GrowthHouse by Follow Up Boss have a nice roundup of even more ideas for ads in all shapes and sizes.

Now get started

There you have it, lots of real estate advertising ideas to sell your properties fast. Experiment with a handful of them until you find tactics that sell your houses the quickest. The success rate for real estate ads is different for every realtor so find what works for you and your listings and stick with it. Positive results are sure to follow.