On this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, drawing on a 25-year career that includes roles at Twitter, Activision, MGM Resorts and the Grammys, Zillow’s Vice President of Brand and Product Marketing, Beverly W. Jackson, shares her experience leading marketing efforts for one of the world’s most recognizable consumer brands.
Jackson’s role at Zillow is focused on finding the critical balance between the consumer’s aspirational search (“dreaming”) and the transactional reality of the agent-led process.
Highlights
She stresses that marketing must be the voice of the customer and that Zillow does tech so that agents and brokers can do real estate. She credits Zillow’s successful advertising, like the “Journey Home” campaign, to focusing on the client’s emotional journey and subtly positioning the agent as the indispensable character who clears the path and manages the chaos.
A core theme of the conversation is the development and power of storytelling. Jackson explains that authenticity is the secret sauce, urging agents to use their own voice to tell stories they know and feel. She distinguishes between data (raw numbers) and insights (the story told by the data), advising agents to drill into local market data provided by Zillow for their own unique content.
Furthermore, she highlights the reality that homebuying is often a group decision, with the agent having to navigate the expectations of the buyer, parents, social media influencers, Pinterest boards and YouTube advice.
Jackson provides agents with a direct, tactical blueprint for building a digital brand, emphasizing that agents are living these stories every day and owe it to themselves to become their own authors and narrators.
Her actionable advice includes:
- Invest in affordable tools (tripod, microphone, smartphone camera)
- Identify your superpower, and double down on it
- Be consistent across platforms, and use the same name and handles everywhere for better SEO
She urges agents to overcome the fear of public vulnerability, reminding them that they are talking to the “handful of people that need to hear you,” not everyone.
Kits to get started:
- This kit has everything you need: A microphone, phone stabilizer, LED light and more for under $200.
- If you have a bit more to spend, this is another great option, with everything you need for less than $900.
Connect with Beverly Jackson on LinkedIn.
Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered is now exclusively on Inman. Tune in for agent- and team-focused content on Mondays and leadership interviews on Wednesdays each week. Listen on Apple or Spotify.
James Dwiggins is the Co-CEO of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
Keith Robinson is the Co-CEO of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
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