Zillow to showcase agents, lenders in new ad campaign
The company wants consumers to think of the search portal as an all-in-one destination for not only homes, but also real estate pros.
Key points:
- The new ads, which launched on June 1, highlight real estate agents and home loan services.
- The company wants to present itself as more than just a place to dream and browse homes for sale.
- The marketing push is one of several refocusing efforts, including heavy investment in the ShowingTime+ app and a partnership with Opendoor.
As the most visited home search portal, Zillow is the go-to destination for buyers looking for a new home. But the company wants consumers to know it offers more than just listings and Zestimates.
On June 1, Zillow launched a new advertising campaign called "Let's get you home," which for the first time focuses on real estate agents and home loan services.
The spot ads, which will run in a variety of places including Game 2 of the NBA Finals on June 4, will highlight that "Zillowing" is more than just searching and dreaming of a cool mansion. According to a news release from the company, 76% of buyers use Zillow to dream and shop, but many are unaware of the other services the company offers, including renting or selling a home, securing a home loan and connecting with an agent.
Zillow's Premier Agent program has long been core to the company's business, but previous marketing campaigns focused largely on the experience of finding a home. By highlighting agents and lenders, the company hopes to convey the breadth of its offerings.
Ravi Kandikonda, senior vice president of marketing at Zillow, said the campaign is a way to evolve the Zillow brand so consumers perceive it as more than just a home search destination.
"Through this campaign, we want customers to know they can Zillow a top local agent and that they can get a Zillow home loan because we know that most buyers need these in order to get the home they want," Kandikonda said.
The marketing push is the latest move in a series of initiatives the company has pursued since ending its iBuying program more than a year ago. Zillow has pivoted to investing in technology, focusing on building a "super app" to streamline many aspects of the homebuying experience. Through the ShowingTime+ app, customer transactions are expected to grow 3-6% by the end of 2025, CEO Rich Barton said in a recent earnings call.
Although Zillow shuttered its in-house iBuying program, it announced a partnership with Opendoor last year to give consumers another iBuying option. On June 1, Opendoor announced that Zillow users can opt for a cash offer or get a home value estimate from a Zillow Premier Agent in several new markets in Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas, bringing the total to 16. That is an expansion of the initial rollout in February, which started in Atlanta and Raleigh, North Carolina.
Barton also noted that the company is "capturing more customer demand and connecting more of that demand to our strengthening partner network," including agent partners and lenders.