Trulia.com recently evaluated the best performing Trulia Local Ads of 2010 to identify the top criteria for creating hyper-local, hyper-relevant ads in 2011. The top three criteria for success include dynamic ads that feature relevant listings, compelling content that caters to the local area and increased exposure to ensure repetition.
“Real estate agents have always strived to stand out from their competitors, using traditional media like park benches and newspapers to target local buyers and sellers,” says Georg Gerstenfeld, VP of Business Services at Trulia. “As advertising shifts online, Trulia has created a product that fulfills the same need for hyper-local advertising, but in a way that’s more affordable and measurable. Trulia Local Ads have provided proven success to thousands of agents, giving them the opportunity to choose their target audience, advertise only in locations that are relevant to their business, and track the reach of their campaigns at any moment.“
Consumers want to see relevant listings
Hyper-local advertising alone will not garner results unless the ad itself engages the viewer. Buyers want to see listings being advertised, and on Trulia, ads with a dynamic carousel of listing perform four to five times better than traditional banner advertising. Trulia Local Ads allow agents to select which of their listings they’d like to include in their ad and customize their ad for each location with relevant listings.
“Trulia Local Ads allow me to target specific cities and zip codes to focus on the areas that matter most to my business. I work primarily in the Cypress metropolitan area and I’m currently advertising my active listings on Trulia in ZIP code 77429,” says Colleen Pye, and agent in Cypress, Texas. “I’m able to use my marketing dollars effectively this way since I know that the people viewing my ads are consumers interested in buying in Cypress and I can tailor my ad to show listings that are relevant to the consumer’s search.”
Creating compelling content attracts buyers and sellers
Consumers prefer ads that are tailored to their search rather than a generic ad. As home searches become more precise, from city to zip code to city block, advertisers should customize the content of their ad to cater to a highly geo-targeted audience. Agents who have experienced success with their Trulia Local Ad campaigns have directed the content of their ads to focus on their specialties and areas of expertise, tying it all back to the location they’re advertising in.
“Specializing as a buyer’s agent here in Las Vegas, a place dominated by international buyers, I needed a way to highlight my expertise. Trulia Local Ads let me customize my message so that I’m seen as a leading Las Vegas Realtor; it couldn’t be any simpler,” says Mark Fleysher, a broker in Las Vegas, Nevada. “Trulia has helped me brand myself as an active and available agent, strategically advertising me in the zip codes and areas I want, bringing me to an engaged buyer audience. I connect with a variety of buyers and agents from around the world, who are actively seeking to purchase real estate in the Las Vegas area.”
Increased exposure and exclusivity matter
Advertisers must keep in mind the Rule of seven—consumers usually need to be exposed to an advertisement about seven times before they start consideration of an advertised product or service. Trulia Local Ads advertisers with more than 50 percent market share in targeted locations experienced better ad performance.
“I love being able to lock down 100 percent of my local market exclusively. I currently own 100 percent of my city as well as the corresponding zip code so that every time a consumer does a search in my local area, they’ll see my ad on both the search results and listing pages,” says Brian Bernath, an agent in Kanab, UT. “Trulia Local Ads allow me to brand myself as the go-to expert in my local area and I don’t have to worry about losing my market share to my competition.”