Knowing how to target digital natives in the real estate market will help you reach younger generations looking for a home to rent or buy for the first time. It will also prepare your business for the future, as the technology they use is here to stay. To communicate effectively, it’s important to pay attention to your consumer habits and lifestyle; only then will you be able to speak to them in a language they understand and get them to choose you over your competition.
Use of social media
The ‘digital natives’ also have the name ‘Generation Z’, and they are all those born between 1995 and 2000. They have grown up using the Internet, and social media is a completely natural part of their day to day life. They use it to connect to their environment, but also to brands and famous people. They connect various times a day and spend hours using them.
They have a preference for that which is instant and visual, so they go for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Twitch and YouTube over Facebook or Twitter. If you want to create content for these profiles, you will need to strive for a professional and polished image and look for formulas that fit the most relevant networks for them.
Furthermore, they go for the most direct and close ways of communicating. They are at ease in the digital environment, and tend not to trust those brands that use social networks exclusively for self-promotion. To be able to stand out from your competition and get them to see you as an ally, it is important you interact with them and opt for inbound marketing, rather than ads.
How do the new generations consume content?
Despite this somewhat demanding attitude towards companies, what is certain is that Generation Z is one of the most sensitive and exposed to brands. In order to reach this consumer profile, businesses have to understand their values and adapt their communication strategy… But, once this barrier has been overcome, this audience tends to trust in the guarantee of commercial labels.
Due to the hyper-information offered by the internet, ‘digital natives’ are very critical buyers of the products they consume and demand social and environmental commitment from companies. They are very interested and aware of the impact of their purchases, so they decide to spend their money where they consider they are supporting just causes. To reach them, don’t forget to address issues such as sustainability or energy saving in your posts.
Don’t forget to create mobile content. Most of the connections are made from this type of device, so you must make sure that all your publications are adapted for a smartphone. In recent years, this trend has been consolidated, and is expected to continue to grow as the performance of the network improves.
Real estate digitalization
If we analyse these consumer habits in the real estate world, we can see how their demands are changing the way in which the sector develops. Their lifestyle demands that you react and offer more tools for searching for properties remotely, as well as services that convey trust and security.
You are going to have to explore new platforms in which to post your property portfolio. As well as those real estate portals which are already consolidated, it could be very interesting to open a YouTube channel in which you share information about your values and even guided visits of properties, which will make you stand out from other real estate agents.
You can also make the most of the technology that allows you to work remotely and virtualize your workstation. Virtual tours, video calls and even apps that will allow you to manage properties from any location will enable you to meet your clients’ demands for immediacy and efficiency. Every day new tools and solutions are coming to the market, and part of your job will be to be aware of these and find applications for them in your business.
Real estate virtual reality
A very interesting technology which represents a huge opportunity for the real estate sector is virtual reality. From 360° photographs, you can create a virtual property visit and capture all its angles in detail. So, when you want to showcase it, the client will be able to see it through an adapted device; many current smartphones are able to do so, providing an experience very similar to that of a live visit.
You can also create open house visits via video-call, without needing to call the interested parties live, you only need to share a link. This way you can reach customers who cannot travel, provide a preview experience for undecided users, and improve the overall satisfaction of your potential customers. The virtual representation of properties is a field that opens up multiple opportunities to contact those interested.
As we have seen, transparency, information and trust are important for those clients of Generation Z. With virtual reality, you can improve on all of these attributes by letting them see a property in a completely transparent way. From the comfort of their sofa, they will have a live preview of what the property will be like; they can entertain themselves as much as they want, and even repeat the visit with family and friends. It will not only be a tool: it will also be branding and differentiating yourself from the competition.
In short, what digital natives are looking for is a reflection of their habits and customs: the application of technology to the process. By offering them what they want, you will not only position yourself as a company close to them, but you will also become more efficient and competitive.
