Key Top-of-Funnel Activities Your Estate Agency Should Be Doing

The term top-of-funnel (TOFU) represents the awareness stage of the vendor’s journey, where potential vendors are first introduced to your agency. 

The goal at this stage is not necessarily to generate an immediate instruction but to build brand awareness, establish trust, and position yourself as an expert in the local or regional property market. 

Here are the key top-of-funnel activities your estate agency should be running to attract and engage potential vendors.

Content Marketing

Educational content is a cornerstone of top-of-funnel activities. It helps vendors who may not even be considering selling their property to learn more about the market, their options, and how your agency can help.

• Blog posts: Regularly publishing blog posts that address common vendor concerns or market trends can position your agency as a trusted source of information. Topics like “How to Increase Your Home’s Value Before Selling” or “Understanding the Local Property Market” can engage potential vendors.
• Market insights: Potential vendors are often curious about the current state of the property market. Providing detailed market reports and insights into local property trends can help engage vendors who may not yet be actively considering selling.

Offer downloadable or online market insights in exchange for contact details. This not only provides value to vendors but also helps capture leads for email marketing.

Tip: Optimise your content with relevant local SEO keywords to ensure it ranks well in search engines and reaches your target audience.

Social Media

Social media is one of the most powerful tools for reaching a wide audience and raising awareness about your estate agency. A recent study found that 75% of individuals planning to buy or sell a home within the next 12 months have used Facebook recently and 62% have used Instagram.

Consistently engaging with users across these vendor-preferred platforms like Facebook and Instagram can help build brand recognition and credibility.

• Regular posting: Share educational content, market updates, and behind-the-scenes looks at your agency. This keeps your audience engaged and helps you stay top-of-mind.
• Community involvement: Participate in local community groups or neighbourhood forums on platforms like Facebook. Engaging with local events, and even promoting them, can boost your visibility in the area.
• Visual content: Use visually engaging content like Instagram Reels or Facebook Stories to showcase properties or provide quick market updates.

Tip: Use tools like Auto.social to schedule and automate your social media profiles.

Email Newsletters

Although often considered a middle-funnel activity, email newsletters are also incredibly effective for nurturing top-of-funnel leads. Regular emails help keep your brand in front of potential vendors and provide ongoing value through market insights, tips, and updates.

• Market reports: Send your monthly or quarterly updates about the local housing market via email, showcasing your expertise and encouraging potential vendors to consider selling.
• Educational content: Share articles or blog posts that offer practical advice, such as how to prepare a home for sale or when is the best time to list a property.
• Call-to-Action: Encourage recipients to engage with your content by offering free property valuations or consultations.

Tip: Personalise your newsletters by segmenting your email list based on user behaviour or demographics.

Direct Mail Campaigns

Despite online presence becoming more and more important to vendors, direct mail campaigns remain an effective way to engage potential vendors, especially when combined with digital tools like QR codes.

• Sold in Your Area: Send letters or postcards that highlight recent sales in the recipient’s area, these showcase your local expertise to potential vendors.
• QR codes for instant valuations: Drive traffic to your instant valuation landing page by incorporating QR codes in your mailers. This gives potential vendors a quick and easy way to get an estimate of their home’s value.

Tip: Target your direct mail campaigns to areas where the property market is particularly active or where you’ve recently made successful sales to ensure relevance to the recipient.

Local Events and Sponsorships

Becoming an active participant in the local community is a great way to build brand awareness and attract top-of-funnel leads.

• Host or sponsor events: From summer fairs to local charity events, hosting or sponsoring community activities positions your agency as a supportive and integral part of the neighbourhood.
• Branch open days: Consider hosting informational events where potential sellers can learn more about the process of selling their home, market trends, and the value of working with a professional estate agent.

Tip: Promote these events across multiple platforms, including your website, social media, and direct mail campaigns.

SEO and Local SEO

Ranking well in search engines is essential for attracting potential vendors who may be searching for information on how to sell their property. Local SEO, in particular, helps ensure that your agency appears in searches relevant to your geographical area.

• Optimise for Local Search: Ensure that your website and blog content target local keywords such as “estate agents in X” or “property market trends in X.” This increases your chances of appearing in search results when potential vendors are looking for services in their area.
• Google My Business: Optimise your Google My Business profile with accurate information, positive reviews, and regular updates. This boosts your visibility in local search results and builds credibility.

Tip: Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor the performance of your SEO strategy.

Top-of-funnel activities are critical for building awareness and generating interest in your estate agency. 

By focusing on educational content, social media engagement, direct mail campaigns, local SEO, and community involvement, you can position your agency as the go-to resource for potential vendors. Not only will this help increase brand visibility, but it will also set the foundation for moving vendors further down the sales funnel.

Want to kick start TOFU activities? Start your Auto.social free trial today! Or get in touch with our team. 

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