The three keys to successful real estate marketing are identifying, targeting and reaching the right type of prospects. Once agents identify who they want to talk to, they must figure out how to best reach their target audience. In today's rapidly evolving marketing world, study after study shows that having a presence on both social media and mobile marketing platforms is essential to success, but why?

The Social Consumer

According to KISS metrics, more than 52 percent of the United States population has a profile on at least one social networking site. But how many agents use social media to market their listings? According to The National Association of REALTORS®' 2011 report, only five percent of agents are using social sites to promote their listings.

How does that affect today's agents? For one, agents not taking advantage of social media marketing are missing out on a huge opportunity to connect with valuable prospects. In addition, with slow adoption rates from other agents, those who make the commitment to using social media as a marketing tool are way ahead of the curve.

The Mobile Consumer

How does mobile influence the market? First, it's important to understand what a mobile consumer is. The term 'mobile consumer' isn't restricted solely to smartphone users as it also applies to those who use tablets or other portable devices to access the Internet, email, social media, applications and more. According to comScore, tablets have reached a "critical mass" in the U.S. In fact, mobile phones and tablets now account for one out of every eight Internet page views in the United States. Additionally, of all U.S. tablet users, one in three uses their device to access social networks almost daily. Without a mobile optimized website, you'll likely run into slow load times, difficult navigation and limited or no search engine rankings on mobile phones, which can cause major issues when it comes to reaching prospects.

Agent vs. Consumer

Historically, the average real estate agent has been reluctant to embrace and adopt mobile and social technology, but the average consumer is demanding it. This disconnect has led to a difficult time in the world of real estate marketing where consumers are demanding instant information on multiple platforms and agents are struggling to meet these demands. In order to remain relevant to prospects, agents must make the leap.

Putting it All Together

So how does a busy agent keep up with the increasing demands for more, more, more? The key is to work with a partner who simplifies the process by providing all the tools and training you need to be successful and adapts to evolving trends to keep you ahead of the curve.

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