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Creating great marketing does not have to be complicated or expensive. While high-level agents often invest in professional support for listing videos or long-term campaigns, there are plenty of marketing materials you can create yourself. In fact, for modern agents who want their brand to feel authentic and fresh, doing it yourself can be the best way to keep your message personal and current.
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5 ways to DIY your content marketing
Here are five pieces of marketing collateral that any agent can DIY, with practical tips to help you do it well.
1. Social media graphics and posts
Social media is often the first place clients see your brand. Your posts should feel like an extension of how you show up in person. Tools like Canva make this easier than ever. One of the best ways to create consistency is by using Canva’s brand kit feature.
Load in your brand colors, fonts and logo to make sure everything you create looks like it belongs to you. A feature many agents overlook is Canva’s “Styles” button. This tool instantly updates any template to match your brand kit with just a few clicks, saving you time and creating a consistent look across your posts.
2. Local guides
Your local knowledge is one of the biggest assets you have. Turning that knowledge into a guide is something you can absolutely handle on your own. Clients want to know the best spots to grab coffee, spend a weekend or explore their new neighborhood. A local guide, whether a simple PDF or a few Instagram slides, can help you build that connection.
The key is to keep it personal and easy to read. Use Canva or another template tool to create something clean that highlights a few local favorites. Share a short note on why you love these spots or how they fit the lifestyle of your ideal buyer.
3. Reels and short-form videos
While you should leave it to the professionals to film a property listing video, creating short-form video content yourself is a major way to stand out online. Reels are meant to be quick, fun, and engaging, and you can easily create them on your phone without a crew.
Good lighting and clean angles still matter, but your personality is what draws people in. Show up with energy, and find ways to connect a property’s features to the lifestyle of the buyer you want to attract. When your video feels real and connected, it will always resonate more than something that feels staged.
To save time and make your videos look polished, consider using editing tools like CapCut or Instagram’s new Edits app. Not only do these tools make editing easier, but platforms like TikTok tend to favor when you use trending CapCut templates, and Instagram is currently boosting videos that use the new Edits app in its algorithm. These tools can give your videos a professional edge without taking away the personal feel that makes them resonate.
4. Brand tone and voice
This is one of the most important parts of your marketing and something you can refine with AI tools if you approach them the right way. Instead of asking AI to create a generic brand for you, use it as a partner to help you clarify what makes your voice unique.
Ask AI like ChatGPT to prompt you with questions about your personality, how you want clients to feel when they read your posts, or what three words describe your style. You can also upload inspiration photos that show the colors and feel you are drawn to, then let AI help you uncover your brand tone and style so it sounds and looks like you.
5. Email newsletters
Newsletters are still one of the most direct ways to stay connected to your network. Tools like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and Flodesk make it easy to build simple, clean emails that look professional and feel personal. Focus on sharing updates that feel real and relevant. A short note about what you are seeing in the market, a quick story from a recent client experience or a helpful tip is enough to keep people engaged. These days, consistency and content matters more than fancy design. If you keep showing up with valuable insights and a genuine voice, your readers will stay connected.
Bringing it all together
The key is not to aim for perfection but to make sure everything you put out reflects who you are and how you show up for clients. Use the tools that make it easier, like Canva’s brand kit, short-form video on your phone, and AI as a thoughtful partner for finding your voice and boosting creativity.
These five pieces of marketing are places where doing it yourself can actually strengthen your brand. When you create your own materials, you stay close to what makes your voice different. That authenticity is what clients respond to most.
Alyssa Stalker is a real estate branding strategist and host of the Above Asking podcast. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Instagram.
