Top 10 Most Popular Articles of April

As in March, strategies for handling the COVID-19 related business slowdown are a prominent part of our monthly top 10 articles list. But in April, real estate agents and brokers began to turn their attention to other topics. In fact, our top three articles don't pertain to the coronavirus at all! (Does that suggest a return to normalcy soon? We hope so!)

April did, however, see the launch of RE Technology's new Coffee Chat series—short, daily webinars that offer real estate pros practical tips and ideas for navigating the pandemic. Check out article #6 for a taste of what they offer.

And there are bright spots in all the coronavirus gloom. For example, online advertising costs have dropped significantly—you can learn more about that in article #10. Want to check out a lucrative, untapped business opportunity that requires no in-person meetings? Scroll down to #8 to find out more.

For everything else, check out the rest of our top 10 most read articles of April!

1. How to Use Your New Smartphone Camera Like a Pro
Smartphones are well on their way to replacing more than tablets and PCs; they also are well on their way to replacing SLR cameras. If you have the newest Pixel, Samsung or Apple iPhone 11, you can take photos that, until now, you could only take with professional equipment. Here are ways you can use your new phone's camera like a pro.

2. Protect Yourself from Identity Theft: A Must-Do for All Agents
‍It is paramount that real estate agents protect themselves from identify theft. It is not just happening online. The types of crime identity theft includes range from credit card fraud to having all your financial and personal information stolen. If it happens to you, it can be very scary and time-consuming to fix. Now is your opportunity to be proactive. Here are the top nine ways you can protect yourself.

3. How to Set Up Facebook Instant Replies to Convert Real Estate Leads
‍Did you know that it is a really simple process to convert a Facebook follower into a real estate lead? Being able to generate business from a Facebook page is an equation that agents are always trying to crack. If you read further, we provide you with some information that not many agents know about.

4. Video Tours: Buyer Tested, Social Distance Approved
Showing a home is one of the most important steps in selling, but arranging a time when the house can be clean, the sellers can be out, and the buyers and their agent can view can be a handful. However, a lot of the logistics involved with showing your listings can be solved by creating a video tour. It also helps promote safe physical distance and reduces the opportunity to spread germs.

5. How to Write a Strong Call-to-Action and Convert More Real Estate Leads
Words matter in real estate. The message you craft for leads will determine how many convert. If you are not seeing the sales figures you need, you may want to take a look at your call-to-action on Facebook and other platforms.

6. Create Your Own FREE Virtual Listing Presentation with RPR
Historically, many agents delivered listing presentations in person at the kitchen table. With COVID-19, that is not possible, but RPR has a way to do the next best thing—deliver a customized, branded virtual listing presentation and then use GoToMeeting, Zoom, Google Hangouts or even the Facetime feature on your phone to have the conversation you would normally have in person.

7. National Association of Realtors' Response to COVID-19
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced last week that they would be helping their real estate community amidst the COVID-19 virus outbreak. With President Trump's recommendation to extend social distancing practices now until April 30th, this continues to leave real estate agents wondering when their business will return back to normalcy.

8. How to Find Income During the Real Estate Slowdown: Adapt and Diversify!
‍There's a lucrative corner of the real estate market that's largely unknown to most real estate agents--a corner where $100 billion changes hands every year. And it's far easier to get in on the action than you could imagine. We're talking about property rights, and today there's an online exchange where you and your clients can list their property rights as available to interested buyers.

9. Friday Freebie: Targeted Mailing List to Jumpstart Your Print Campaigns
Technology has made it easy to target specific groups of consumers for real estate marketing and advertising campaigns. We all know the targeting power that social media ads offer--but what if you want to target consumers offline? In this week's Friday Freebie, we'll introduce you to a way to easily target consumers for print marketing campaigns--and get 100 FREE verified names and addresses in your area.

10. Analysis: Agents Should Double Down on Facebook and Instagram Ads as Advertising Costs Drop
As agents feel the effects of the novel coronavirus on their business, they'll instinctually want to cut spending on digital advertising--but our latest analysis implores worried agents to do the opposite.