Home sweet home: Marketing to homebuyers

The real estate market makes headlines nearly every day. A fact that’s likely to increase as we enter the traditional spring homebuying season. This year has seen a competitive market become even more intense with low supply and  rising demand. According to new research by Yahoo, the path to buying a home has new and unique challenges that marketers of lending products, insurance, credit services and real estate brokerages need to consider in their messaging and strategy.⁵

Longer seasonality in the home buying market

Last year, the term 'home buying’ entered into Yahoo Search increased in March and remained strong through September, indicating an extended homebuying season than in previous years.¹ During the year, homebuyers also read a significant number of articles covering the market and various aspects of buying, according to Yahoo pageview data. Consumption of homebuying content peaked several times throughout the year.² With tight home inventory, buyers remain in the market longer, with new buyers entering the market throughout the summer. Marketers need to be present throughout the year to capture consumers shopping for a home.

Strong brands hold an advantage

Analysis of searches on Yahoo Search during last year revealed that 62% of the top homebuying searches did not include a brand.¹ We also found that over one-third of homebuyers start thinking about financial service brands when searching to buy a home.³ Selection happens fast, with 35% of homebuyers saying they selected a mortgage lender within a week of looking for a lender,⁴ and 24% said they decided on an insurance provider for their new home in less than a day.³ Without a dominant brand in the minds of homebuyers, brands with high awareness and familiarity have an advantage during the moment of choice.

Brands benefit by aligning with trustworthy content

Trust reigns supreme – whether the homebuyer is looking fora mortgage lender, home insurance company, real estate agent, lawyer, or other real estate services. Our research found that homebuyers rank trustworthiness number 1 in importance in selecting a brand.⁵ Homebuyers are also 1.7x more likely to take action when engaging with trusted personal finance content, and apps like Yahoo Finance.⁵ Marketers should seek to align their brands with sites that exude trustworthiness.

Purchasing a home is an emotional roller coaster

Buying a home is much more than a transaction. It is a major decision that affects all aspects of one’s life. Our research found that when it comes to ads or sponsored content, 41% of consumers say those that feature the emotional aspects of buying a home are most engaging.⁵ In contrast, 31% of consumers said that educational or informational ads or sponsored content are most engaging.⁵ Brands that acknowledge the excitement and stress of the homebuying journey can stand out.

Reaching the right audiences at scale

Homebuyers visit Yahoo at various stages of their journey. The Yahoo DSP and sponsorship of Yahoo content enable marketers to reach the right audiences at scale and at the right moments. Contact a Yahoo Sales representative for more information about activating your next campaign that helps homebuyers own their dream home.

¹ Yahoo Search, 2021.
² Yahoo Page Views 2021.
³ Yahoo/Toluna Survey, May 2021.
⁴ Yahoo/Toluna Survey, July 2021.
⁵ Yahoo/Toluna Survey, January 2022.