New agents have the rare opportunity to leapfrog more established agents if they understand the secrets behind generative engine optimisation.
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In the early stages of a real estate career, building connections with clients is pivotal to success, with digital marketing tools playing a key role in agents’ ability to establish a presence in their market.
Purple Thread Marketing founder Darryl Weekes and host Liam Garman discussed the shifting sands of digital marketing for agents on a recent episode of the REB podcast, and how generative AI has forced a change in strategy.
Weekes, who will be appearing at the upcoming New Agent Academy, said the industry was undergoing a period of change in digital marketing, and agents who couldn’t adapt would quickly fall behind the competition.
“There is a bigger opportunity for new real estate agents than in any other time in the history of the industry,” Weekes said.
“But there is a catch, and if you don’t understand what’s creating the opportunity and how to take advantage of it, then the odds are not in your favour.”
He said that new agents who recognised the shift from growing shift from search engine optimisation (SEO) to generative engine optimisation (GEO) could establish themselves as a foremost presence in an entirely new marketing space.
Currently, Weekes said that more than 80 per cent of real estate agencies are not optimising their online tactics to leverage generative AI search.
He said that by understanding how to leverage GEO effectively, new agents could outperform established agents, despite having less experience.
“There’s currently a parade of potential buyers and sellers marching past, with a whole audience of people jumping up and down trying to get their attention,” he said.
“If you use the generative search engines correctly, you can actually jump to the front of that crowd.”
“Because at the end of the day, perception is far more powerful than reality.”
Establishing a GEO presence
According to Weekes, GEO functions differently from SEO, and just because an agent’s marketing strategy may be optimised for search engines, that doesn’t mean it is optimised for generative engines.
“What AI engines are looking for is data that they can rely on to put you in front of people looking for your services,” he said.
He said the way users apply the tool varied greatly between the two types of search: keywords play an important role in SEO, whereas generative AI typically receives more complete questions as its criteria.
To increase their chances of appearing in GEO searches, Weekes said agencies needed to provide on-site information backed by customer testimonials, since AI search often relies on evidence.
Similarly, Weekes said agents who had been published or quoted by other sources that had developed trust and authority in the industry were another way to fast-track their way up the GEO ladder.
“It actually gives you a bigger trust factor,” he said.
“GEO makes you easier for AI engines to summarise, to cite and recommend inside answers.”
He said that agents should aim to establish themselves as area experts and find their own niche within the space where they provide their services.
“You have to be really focused on where you service, who you service and then become an expert in that space.”
The hidden social media giant
When building a social media presence, most would immediately focus on YouTube, Instagram, or LinkedIn, but Weekes said there was a secret tool many were neglecting: their Google Business Profile.
“Your Google Business Profile is the number one social media tool that you have.”
“If you understand how people research and check you out from a social media perspective, then you can start to craft the kind of conversations you need to have to build trust and have people find you.”
Weekes said that while agents needed to utilise video on their social media platforms to establish trust with clients, it was more important to ensure they had a plan and style that remained consistent across all major platforms.
“What you say is far more important; you have to have a consistent message.”
“If you don’t have a consistent message and if the AI engines don’t understand who you are, then it won’t recommend you.”
Additionally, Weekes said it was important for agents to maximise their online presence and cater to both SEO and GEO.
“You aren’t choosing between Google and AI, you are actually building a footprint that works in both environments.”
Listen to the whole episode here
Interested in becoming a real estate agent? Join REB’s New Agent Academy.
One of the industry’s key education and networking events, it connects early-career agents with some of Australia’s top performers, offering real-world insights to help fast-track your success.
Whether you’re breaking into the industry, building momentum in your first few years, or looking to sharpen your edge in a competitive market, the academy is designed to give you the tools to get ahead.
To secure your free tickets to the REB New Agent Academy, click here.
The REB New Agent Academy will be held in Brisbane on 28 May, Melbourne on 5 June, and Sydney on 12 June.
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