Facebook advertising can be tricky for anyone but even more so for real estate agents, especially with Facebook's new regulations and rules when is comes to "housing" ads in the “Special Ad Category”. Facebook recently changed its targeting options to prevent discrimination in housing, employment, and credit advertising, so you can no longer target your audience based on age, gender, zip code or other similar categories when running ads in these areas.
We wanted to give you a few tips, tricks and different ideas for Facebook Ads you can create that may help you get to your target audience a little easier! Here are a few campaign ideas!
BRAND AWARENESS Get your name out there with ongoing brand recognition in your community – similar to a digital yard sign! Running Facebook ads in the same neighborhoods as your traditional marketing can create awareness, build trust, and most importantly, increase leads! 'Traditional' real estate marketing can be far more effective if it’s complimented with online tactics!
Here are a few ideas:
Digital Business Card
'About You' Commercial / Video (We can Create these videos for you)
Client Testimonial Videos (We can create these videos for you)
Neighborhood News, Events, Reviews and Hot Spots
Pro Tip: If you are not marketing a housing opportunity 'for sale' you do not have as many targeting restrictions, that means you can be more precise so your ads show only to your ideal customers!
LEAD GENERATION Facebook can capture either buyer or seller leads right within Facebook or you can send them to a landing page / outside resource they will find useful. The key to this is giving FREE, VALUABLE information to your target audience to entice them to click on it and give you their contact information in return.
Here are a few ideas:
Free Home Evaluations
Blog Articles Featuring Local Events and Resources
Virtual Consultations
Home Improvement Tips & Tricks
Pro Tip: If your ad is designed to educate consumers or housing providers about their rights and responsibilities under fair housing laws. You can include the Equal Opportunity Housing logo and slogan to help differentiate your ads as non-discriminatory.
MARKET A LISTING Since Facebook changed its targeting options to prevent discrimination in housing advertising, it has made it extremely difficult to market real estate listings. As a result, you can no longer target your audience based on age, gender, zip code, income levels, and other similar categories. Marketing a housing opportunity or real estate listing is now considered in the "Special Ad Category". So now you can only target by target by areas, behaviors and interests of users.
Here is where things get a little tricky....
This will automatically set the search parameters so that they align with Facebook’s anti-discrimination policy so the Age is set to '18-65+' and Gender is set to 'All'.
However you will still be able to set your location.
Pro Tip: Choosing a more precise location and utilizing your Facebook Tacking Pixel can go a long way with an already restricted reach! This targeted audience will already be familiar with the area and / or your brand!
Need help getting started with Facebook Ads?
We are excited to announce we have recently partnered with an online digital marketing company to help get your properties in front of the right audience ONLINE (and you can now order these services directly from our order form)!
We now offer Facebook Advertising and Social Media Posting!!
When done correctly Facebook Ads can be precise and target your message / listing to show to your ideal customers and you get results that deliver leads!
Paired with our online marketing kit you have all you need to virtually sell your current and future listings ONLINE!
