Setting a clear real estate marketing plan is one of the highest-return decisions you can make heading into 2026. The question is not whether you should set marketing goals, but whether the goals you set are grounded in real data about what top-performing agents actually do. The Luxury Presence 2024 State of Real Estate Marketing Report (published August 2024, based on survey data collected from real estate professionals across the United States) offers a detailed look at where agents are investing, what is working, and where the biggest gaps remain. Those findings have only become more relevant as the market has shifted heading into 2026. Below, you will find a framework for turning that data into a real estate marketing plan with goals that are specific, measurable, and built for the year ahead.
Expert insights to fuel business growth
Download the 2024 State of Real Estate Marketing Report now.
Find It Fast
Key takeaways
- Lead quality now outranks lead volume as the top marketing priority for real estate professionals, with 35.6% naming it their number-one focus in the 2024 report.
- Agents earning $400,000 or more in gross commission income rank personal brand development equally with lead generation, signaling that brand is a revenue driver, not a vanity metric.
- 30% of solo agents still do not use a CRM system, leaving significant revenue on the table from their existing databases.
- Agents who promote listings across five or more marketing channels report double the average gross commission income compared to those using fewer channels.
- Business websites have overtaken social media as the most important marketing tool, with SEO gaining significant traction heading into 2026.
- The average real estate marketing budget rose by nearly 12% to $14,213 as of the 2024 report, and that number is expected to climb further in 2026 as agents invest more in digital channels.
Goal benchmarks at a glance
Before you map out individual goals, it helps to see the full picture. The table below summarizes the seven goal areas covered in this article, the primary metric to track for each, the benchmark from the 2024 report, and a suggested 2026 target you can adapt to your own business.
| Goal area | Primary KPI | 2024 report benchmark | Suggested 2026 target |
| Lead quality | Lead-to-client conversion rate | 35.6% of agents named this their top priority | Increase conversion rate by 10-15 percentage points from your current baseline |
| Personal branding | Content pieces published per month | Agents earning $400K+ GCI rank brand equal to lead gen | 4 or more pieces per month across owned channels |
| Database management | CRM adoption and contact engagement rate | 30% of solo agents do not use a CRM | 100% CRM adoption with segmented follow-up workflows |
| Channel diversification | Number of active marketing channels | 5+ channels correlates with 2x average GCI | 5 or more channels actively used for listings and brand |
| Video marketing | Videos published per month | Agents named video the most underrated channel | 20% more video output than your current monthly volume |
| Website and SEO | Organic traffic and local keyword rankings | Websites overtook social media as the top marketing tool | 15-25% increase in organic traffic quarter over quarter |
| Marketing budget | Annual marketing spend | Average budget rose ~12% to $14,213 | Allocate 10-15% of projected GCI to marketing |
Use this table as a reference point. Every section below breaks down the “why” behind each goal area and gives you a concrete way to set your own target for 2026.
Prioritize lead quality over quantity
According to the Luxury Presence 2024 State of Real Estate Marketing Report, generating high-quality online leads remains the top marketing priority for 35.6% of real estate professionals. That is a clear signal: agents are no longer chasing volume for its own sake. The shift toward quality reflects a market where conversion matters more than clicks, and where the cost of pursuing unqualified leads has become too high to ignore.
In 2026, this trend has only accelerated. Buyers and sellers are doing more research before they ever contact an agent. By the time a lead reaches your inbox, they have likely visited multiple websites, read reviews, and compared agents. Your real estate marketing plan needs to account for that behavior by attracting leads who are already further along in their decision-making process.
That mindset captures the shift perfectly. The goal is not just more leads. The goal is more of the right leads, the ones who convert to closings and grow your market share.
How to set this goal for 2026
Aim to increase your lead-to-client conversion rate by 10 to 15 percentage points over the next quarter. Track this against your current baseline using your CRM. Start by refining your targeting criteria on paid campaigns. Then audit your lead nurturing process for gaps where qualified leads are falling out of your pipeline. If you do not know your current conversion rate, that is the first number to find.
Invest in personal branding
Across all survey respondents in the 2024 report, personal brand development ranked as the second most important marketing priority. Among agents reporting gross commission income of $400,000 or more, personal brand development ranked equally with lead generation. That is not a coincidence. As your business grows, your brand becomes the thing that separates you from every other agent in your market.
In 2026, personal branding is no longer optional for agents who want to compete at higher price points. Consumers expect to see a consistent presence across your website, social media, email, and video before they decide to work with you. The agents who treat brand as a system rather than a side project are the ones winning more listings and commanding higher commissions.
How to set this goal for 2026
Set a goal to publish thought leadership content consistently. Aim for at least four pieces per month across your owned channels, including your social media platforms, website, and email list. For many agents, a consistent content cadence looks like this:
- Post on social media at least once per day
- Send an email newsletter at least once per quarter
- Create and share video content at least once per week
- Update your website at least once per quarter
- Request client testimonials on a rolling basis
Each of these touchpoints reinforces your brand. The goal is not perfection on any single channel. The goal is presence across all of them.
Work your existing database
Generating more opportunities from existing databases ranked as the third priority in the 2024 report. This makes sense: your past clients and warm leads already know you, trust you, and are far more likely to convert than a cold contact. Yet according to the Luxury Presence 2024 State of Real Estate Marketing Report, 30% of solo agents as of the 2024 survey do not use a CRM system at all. That is a massive gap between what agents say they want and what they are actually doing to get it.
In 2026, the agents who are winning repeat and referral business are the ones with a system for staying in front of their database. A CRM connected to your marketing efforts saves time, creates consistency, and keeps you top of mind when someone in your sphere is ready to buy or sell.
How to set this goal for 2026
Build a systematic approach to database management that includes:
- Updating contact information on a regular schedule
- Segmenting your database by buyer stage, geography, or past client status
- Establishing a consistent follow-up schedule for every lead tier
- Connecting your CRM to automated follow-up workflows
Tailor the goal to where you are right now. If you do not have a CRM, get one. If you use a free version, evaluate what you gain by upgrading. If you already pay for a system, take a class or schedule a demo to make sure you are using it fully. If you can afford to hire an assistant, bring one on to clean up your data. Your database is one of the most important assets in your business. Make sure it is working for you, not sitting idle.
Presence CRM is purpose-built for real estate workflows and designed to help agents nurture leads and maintain client relationships with automated, agent-approved touchpoints. It tracks the entire client journey from first contact to closing and integrates with your broader marketing efforts so nothing falls through the cracks.
Diversify your marketing channels in 2026
According to the Luxury Presence 2024 State of Real Estate Marketing Report, agents using five or more marketing channels to promote their listings reported double the average gross commission income compared to those using fewer channels. That is one of the clearest correlations in the entire report: more channels, more income.
This does not mean you need to be everywhere doing everything. It means you need a deliberate mix of channels that work together. In 2026, the agents earning the most are the ones who combine a strong website, consistent social media, email marketing, paid advertising, and at least one additional channel like video or a local podcast.
How to set this goal for 2026
If you are currently using fewer than five marketing channels, set a goal to add one new channel per quarter. For example, you might start a YouTube channel in Q1 and launch a local real estate podcast in Q2. The point is not to spread yourself thin. The point is to build a system where each channel reinforces the others.
Embrace video marketing
Video content continues to be the channel agents call the most underrated. When the 2024 report asked agents to name the most underrated marketing technique, video was the most commonly mentioned answer. That gap between recognition and adoption represents a real window of opportunity for agents willing to commit to video in 2026.
Short-form video has become a primary discovery channel for buyers across Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. Agents who show up consistently on these platforms are building familiarity and trust with potential clients long before the first phone call.
The agents who are visible on camera are the ones buyers and sellers remember when it is time to choose an agent.
How to set this goal for 2026
Set a goal to create and publish 20% more video content per month than you are producing right now. If you are currently publishing zero videos, start with two per month. Content types to consider include property tours, market updates, neighborhood guides, and client testimonial clips. Track views, engagement, and inbound inquiries that originate from video to measure your return.
Strengthen your website and SEO in 2026
Business websites overtook social media as the most important marketing tool in the 2024 report, with SEO gaining significant traction. This shift highlights the value of owning a strong online presence that you control, rather than relying on rented platforms where algorithm changes can erase your visibility overnight.
In 2026, the importance of your website has only grown. AI-powered search tools and answer engines are pulling information directly from well-structured real estate websites. Agents with strong local SEO and regularly updated content are showing up in more searches, earning more organic traffic, and generating leads without paying for every click.
How to set this goal for 2026
Set a measurable target to increase organic traffic by 15 to 25% quarter over quarter. Make a concrete goal to improve your search engine rankings for key local real estate terms, such as “homes for sale in [your city]” or “[your neighborhood] real estate agent.” Track your website performance monthly using Google Search Console and your analytics platform. If your website is outdated or not built for SEO, that is the first problem to solve.
Increase your marketing budget with intention
According to the Luxury Presence 2024 State of Real Estate Marketing Report, the average real estate marketing budget rose by nearly 12% to $14,213 as of the 2024 survey. That number serves as a baseline for 2026 planning, and budgets across the industry are expected to continue climbing as agents invest more heavily in digital channels, video production, and SEO.
The question is not just how much to spend. The question is where to allocate. The agents who see the highest return are the ones who tie their budget directly to the goals outlined above: lead quality, brand, database, channels, video, and website.
How to set this goal for 2026
Set a goal to allocate 10 to 15% of your projected gross commission income to marketing. Then distribute that budget across the goal areas where you have the biggest gaps. If you are not producing video, allocate budget there. If your website is underperforming, invest in a redesign and SEO. Review your budget allocation quarterly and shift dollars toward the channels that are producing the best return.
What multi-channel goal setting looks like in practice
Setting goals across multiple channels is one thing. Seeing what those goals produce in the real world is another. The R1 Companies case study offers a clear example of what happens when a real estate business commits to a multi-channel marketing plan with measurable targets.
After partnering with Luxury Presence, R1 Companies saw organic impressions grow by 673%, engaged leads increase by 48%, and marketing costs drop by more than 79%. The team ranked for 5,129 top-10 keywords and saved an estimated $317,000 in costs that would have gone to less efficient marketing methods (Source: Luxury Presence Case Study: R1 Companies, 2024).
Those results did not come from a single tactic. They came from a coordinated system that combined SEO Marketing, Content Marketing, Social Media Marketing, and Paid Advertising, all running consistently and all measured against clear benchmarks. That is the kind of outcome a real estate marketing plan built on data can produce.
Presence Marketing delivers this kind of system for agents and teams. It maintains your brand presence around the clock, generates qualified leads on an ongoing basis, and saves agents more than 10 hours per week on marketing tasks. Every piece of content is reviewed and approved by the agent before it goes live, so quality stays high and your voice stays consistent.
Turning 2026 Marketing Goals Into Consistent Growth
A strong real estate marketing plan for 2026 comes down to focusing on the right priorities, then measuring them consistently. When you build around lead quality, personal branding, database management, channel diversification, video, SEO, and budget, you create a system that is easier to track and far more likely to produce results. The agents who will grow most this year are the ones who set clear benchmarks, review them often, and adjust quickly when something is not working.
FAQs
Expert insights to fuel business growth
Download the 2024 State of Real Estate Marketing Report now.
About the author
Kate Evans is a content marketing strategist at Luxury Presence, the leading growth platform for high-performing real estate professionals. She develops data-driven editorial content and supports SEO strategy and brand voice frameworks that help agents attract qualified leads and establish market authority. Her published work covers topics including CRM strategy, social media marketing, and digital growth, supporting thousands of agents in scaling their businesses through modern marketing.
