This week flew by faster than normal. I am feeling a little less gloom and doom and a little more optimistic about the next several weeks and months ahead. I’ve mentioned this before, but I started the habit several years ago of writing down things for which I am thankful each Sunday. It’s been extremely helpful in transforming the lens through which I view the world. And in this time of overwhelming melancholy (my own), it’s helped me to find value in days that just seem to repeat themselves endlessly like a terrible real life version of Groundhog Day. Last week, I found myself thankful for the focus of my work, both the vertical in which we specialize (home builders) and in my professional area of expertise (digital marketing). This week it’s the people with which I work, both the clients and my coworkers and the realization that the endless repetition is allowing me to realign my monetary values and check off personal goals that have been stagnant on my list for far too long. Plus there was the super funny Saturday Night Live Zillow Skit.
HOUSING TRENDS
Just as the Covid lifestyle has transformed my monetary values, it has transformed housing trends. We’ve heard about how people are moving farther away from cities, because of the freedoms of remote working and the desire for more space and we’ve speculated on changes to interior layouts but now we’re seeing concrete changes like the 46% increase in 4 bedroom homes and 33% increase in homes with at least 3 bathrooms. That’s close to the peak bedroom and bathroom numbers we saw in 2015. In addition, and this isn’t surprising, there’s a 65% increase in interest for outdoor living improvements like upgraded seating, firepit and fireplaces, plus increased privacy measures. With outdoor socializing being the safest option, people want spaces at their own homes that facilitate year round outdoor entertainment.
NEW HOME WHO DIS?
Interest in buying a new home vs a resale home has more than doubled compared to the 4th quarter of 2019! It’s up to 41% compared to 19% in 2019. New homes offer more of what the buyer is looking for when it comes to the above desires for more space that is customized to fit their needs.
There’s been a lot of talk recently about what the new iOS will do to Facebook ads and while we wait to see what the ultimate effects of that and other data privacy moves will be, one thing businesses can control is their email list and its usage. I’m a big fan of internal and external emails as an important tool in reaching and nurturing potential customers. This article talks about the control that is afforded with email vs other digital marketing efforts. The content of your emails is as important as the list itself. IMO, keeping a clean and organized list can actually help combat the effects of the showdown between Apple and Facebook. There are lots of ways in which your customer data can be used to direct and help target potential customers through various levels of your funnel on Facebook.
Getting the chance to write this each week and take the time to read all these articles is something I look forward to on Friday mornings. Not only does it keep me brushed up on all the hot topics, but it lets me share a little of my creative side too. Believe it or not, I was an English major in college with a dream of writing for a magazine one day. I fulfilled that dream early on with a stint at Girls’ Life Magazine. But all that was before the age of social media and digital marketing. Turns out, I love digital marketing more than writing, but I still enjoy the chance to do it here every week!
