How Successful Real Estate Agents Are Winning at Digital Marketing

Successful real estate agents don’t just know their local markets — they know how to market themselves.

To find out what’s working for real estate agents right now, Constant Contact partnered with Ascend2 to survey hundreds of agents and brokers across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand for The State of Real Estate Marketing Report. The report reveals what top-performing agents are doing differently — from the tools they trust to the metrics they track — and how those strategies translate into more leads, more deals, and more growth.

In this blog we’ll share highlights from the report and real-world insights you can use to strengthen your own digital marketing strategy, no matter the size of your brokerage or the market you serve.

The marketing methods real estate agents rely on

Real estate agents use a mix of traditional tactics and modern digital strategies to reach clients and grow their business. Top-performing agents are seeing the best results from a balanced marketing approach, with the most popular methods including organic social media marketing (67%), open houses and in-person events (62%), and email marketing (59%).

The most successful agents take their marketing a step further. In addition to the basics, they invest in paid social media, SEO, and content marketing, digital tactics that help generate high-quality leads and drive long-term growth.

Surprisingly, only 23% of agents are using SMS marketing even though text messages have some of the highest open and engagement rates of any channel. That means most agents are missing a valuable opportunity to reach clients directly on the device they check most.

?Pro tip: Add SMS marketing to your mix to stay top of mind with leads by reaching them on the device they’re likely paying the most attention to.

How top agents measure what matters

The most successful real estate agents don’t just count leads; they focus on the metrics that show how well their marketing is actually working. Tracking the right numbers helps them see what’s driving results and where to fine-tune their efforts. The most common metrics tracked by real estate agents include lead conversion rates (42%), listing performance (42%), and client feedback (38%).

While the number of new leads and referrals is definitely a key metric to track, top-performing agents also analyze listing performance and client feedback to get a clearer picture of what’s working and what’s not. This broader approach helps them make smarter decisions, improve their listings, and build a stronger reputation with every client.

? Pro tip: Prioritize quality metrics over quantity metrics. Looking beyond simply how many leads you generate will give you a more accurate view of your marketing’s effectiveness.

“I am able to put a property in front of 7,000 real estate agents across four markets in the same day. You will absolutely sell more properties with good marketing. Constant Contact allows us to do so many things.”

–Jacqui Luberto, Owner, Realty ONE Group Emerald Coast

Leveraging technology to optimize real estate marketing results

Top real estate agents aren’t just marketing more, they’re marketing smarter. They’re using technology to connect their tools, automate routine work, and gain insights that help them close more deals.

Automation, integration, and testing drive results

Top real estate agents are approaching online marketing as a system, not a series of one-off actions. They’re using automation, integrations, and testing to create more efficient and consistent campaigns that generate better results over time.

High-performing agents are more likely to use automation (38% vs 28%) — like automating followups and drip campaigns — to nurture relationships at scale and stay top of mind without constant manual work. They also integrate their contact lists across platforms like CRM, email, and ad tools (35% vs 24%), which helps them deliver timely, personalized messages and understand which efforts drive the most impact.

And instead of guessing what works, these agents test and optimize: they’re twice as likely to run A/B tests and performance reviews (22% vs 11%) to refine their messaging, timing, and offers for better engagement.

“I have so many different people in different segments that I need to market to every day. [With Constant Contact,] we can quickly identify all these different segments, how they need to work together, and what we need to message to them. Within minutes, we’ve got that message curated and sent.”

–Jacqui Luberto, Owner, Realty ONE Group Emerald Coast

Using AI to work smarter

Real estate agents with the most effective marketing are nearly twice as likely to use AI tools and analytics platforms compared to their peers. These tools enhance efficiency and provide deeper insights, helping agents deliver more personalized and relevant content to their audience. 

For example, AI-powered content generators can help agents create high-quality content quickly, while analytics software can track and optimize performance metrics. Agents can type in different prompts based on the type of content they need, like a new listing announcement, price reduction notification, or home maintenance tips. For inspiration and guidance on crafting effective prompts, you can explore resources like our free AI prompts for real estate content guide.

Advanced digital marketing tactics agents are using to stay ahead

Top real estate agents are doing more than just sending emails about new listings. They’re using technology to market to their contact lists or databases by leveraging tools that allow for sending personalized messages (47%), using multiple marketing channels (44%), automating their outreach (30%), segmenting their lists into sub-audiences (26%), and more.

Connecting tools for a seamless marketing experience

Real estate agents are using tools that integrate seamlessly with their existing systems, from CRMs and email platforms to ad tools and analytics dashboards. By syncing contact lists across these platforms, they can deliver timely, personalized communication, track results more easily, and manage their marketing in one place.

“Once we set up a sync between Constant Contact and [our AMS], I’ve never had to worry about contact management again. And Constant Contact’s excellent deliverability means that everyone is finally getting their information. So simple and so powerful.”

–James Benton, President, Waco Association of REALTORS

Agents also understand that their contact list is one of their biggest competitive advantages. In fact, 90% view their list as a key business asset, and 96% say having exclusive, secure access to it is essential.

?Pro tip: If you’re part of a brokerage, make sure agents maintain ownership of their contacts even when working within shared systems. When agents know their list is truly theirs, they’re far more likely to use those tools consistently and effectively.

Start winning at digital marketing for real estate

In today’s competitive market, strong digital marketing separates the busy agents from the truly successful ones. Top-performing agents use a balanced mix of online and offline tactics, focus on the metrics that actually drive results, and lean on tools like automation, segmentation, and AI to make their marketing more manageable and more effective.

You don’t need a huge team or endless hours to compete. Start small: send consistent emails, stay active on social, test what works, and use technology to save time. When you do, you’ll build stronger relationships, generate higher-quality leads, and keep growing, no matter how competitive the market gets.

Download the full State of Real Estate Marketing report below for more insights on how you can use digital marketing to stay ahead.