Marketing Your Homes at Every Phase

Consumers now control more of their home buying journey — using the internet to pull the data they need to make their buying decision. It’s crucial for builders to identify touch points where marketing efforts can best influence buyers.

Here are actionable marketing insights to help you better understand the home shopper’s journey and how to leverage our suite of builder advertising solutions to increase your discoverability and effectively engage buyers every step of the way.

Phase 1: Awareness

As consumers begin to consider a new home, they ask themselves what kind of home they want, where they want to live and if it’s a good time to buy. Research shows that more than half of all home buyers (52 percent) consider new construction — and 26 percent consider a lot or land — when searching for a home.

At this stage, brand awareness is critical: Consumers can get overwhelmed with options and are likely to cling to the few brands whose messages rise above the noise. According to McKinsey & Company, brands that consumers initially consider are three times more likely to be eventually purchased than brands not included for early consideration.

Zillow Group awareness touch points

Attract and engage home shoppers early:

• Promoted Communities helps get your brand front and center with home shoppers, showing them what your homes and communities have to offer.
• Community Pages let builders on the Promoted Communities platform show off their homes, amenities and features all in one place. Your listings can help buyers picture themselves living in your homes and communities.
• Builder Profiles highlight your company, brand, services, and customer ratings and reviews to give prospective buyers an idea of what it’s like to work with your company.

Phase 2: Active research

Armed with what they can afford and where, buyers start actively shopping for homes. At this stage, consumers might add even more brands to consider as they gather data. They know they’re going to make a purchase and may be even more receptive to relevant messages that inform their decision.

The good news? If you weren’t on a buyer’s shortlist before, you can still become a contender. The bad news: If they initially considered your brand, but your messages have since fallen flat (or silent), they might kick you off their shortlist.

Home shoppers search everywhere, across multiple sites and platforms: 86 percent of those who considered new construction used online resources to help them search for a home, and an average of four online resources were used in the search.

And they want to see everything: All the lots, homes and amenities your communities have to offer. They’re also evaluating you by reading reviews and asking friends and family for their experiences and recommendations.

Zillow Group active research touch points

Give home shoppers all the data they need to learn about you:

• With Lot Availability, buyers see a map view of all the available new construction lots in your communities, making it easier to discover and explore your homes. The lot status now displays as “Available,” “Reserved” or “Sold,” giving shoppers even more visibility.
• Inline Community Preview allows buyers shopping on Zillow see a visually rich preview of all the new construction lots and future home sites in your communities. It lets the individual lots, streets and community take shape, better informing home shoppers of what to expect.
• Boost with Precision Targeting retargets shoppers who are already searching within your area on Facebook.

Phase 3: Consideration

Make it simple for buyers to choose you. Mention your programs and sales incentives, but focus on the bigger issues: the strength of your brand and the quality of your homes. Many consumers don’t decide on a brand until the moment they buy, so it’s important to maintain communications and relevant messaging.

Zillow Group consideration touch points

• Promoted Communities
• Lot Availability
• Inline Community Preview
• Builder Boost with Precision Targeting

Phase 4: Purchase and post-sale

Signed papers don’t mean you’re done connecting with buyers. If you continue to stay in touch, they are more likely to consider you when thinking about their next home purchase. A positive experience generates loyalty, which can mean positive word of mouth for you. Provide a great experience for them, and they’ll likely give your profile a favorable online review, as well as recommend you when friends and family ask about builders.

Zillow Group purchase and post-sale touch points

Turn today’s buyers into tomorrow’s advocates!

• Builder Profiles

Do you have a strong understanding of a home buyer’s journey? We have solutions to help you reach them at the most critical times in their process. By being in the right place and the right time, you can deliver the right message to the right buyer so they can make the right decisions.

To learn more, go to our Builder Advertising Page, or give us a call at 877-419-0589.

Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2017.

Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2017.

Lot Availability impact analysis methodology, July 2017.

Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2017.