Now more than ever, attention is digital, and in commercial real estate (CRE), that reality is reshaping how properties get leased. The average person scrolls over 300 feet of content daily on their phone, taller than the Statue of Liberty. Social media users now spend nearly 2.5 hours a day across seven platforms, including LinkedIn and Instagram, where brokers, asset managers, and tenants are increasingly active. If your property isn’t showing up in that scroll, it’s likely not showing up at all.
Passive Promotion Doesn’t Compete in a Digital-First Market
Many traditional avenues, such as flyers, email blasts, and third-party listings, depend on the prospect to seek out information. But today’s leasing prospects, whether tenants or brokers, often aren’t actively searching—they’re passively scrolling. This shift in behavior is colliding with record mobile usage and an increasingly competitive attention economy.
As CRE companies scale their operations, digital visibility is evolving from a one-time push to an ongoing strategy. JLL projects that 90% of CRE firms will integrate AI into their operations within five years, with automation playing a critical role in sustaining consistent market presence. The firms that thrive will be those that deliver messaging in the platforms and feeds where decision-makers already spend time.
What Effective Digital Visibility Looks Like
To stay relevant, assets need to mirror the digital habits of their audience. That doesn’t mean flashy ads or endless content, but rather consistent placement in the right digital spaces—LinkedIn, Google, Instagram, and beyond. Research shows it takes an average of six to eight marketing touchpoints to generate a viable sales lead. In commercial real estate, where decision cycles are often lengthy and complex, this highlights the importance of sustained visibility, not just a single burst of promotion.
Tools like RealtyAds help automate this kind of presence, ensuring properties remain embedded in the daily digital experiences of end-users and decision makers. Automated digital strategies help provide teams with consistent outreach, maintaining the frequency and relevance needed to influence leasing decisions over time—without relying solely on manual outreach.
The Measurable Impact of Staying Top of Mind
Consistent in-feed visibility drives measurable outcomes. When assets maintain a digital presence, they don’t just generate impressions; they increase broker engagement, tour activity, and deal flow. Properties that prioritize ongoing visibility are better positioned to stay competitive as prospects move through the leasing funnel.
Future-Proofing Leasing Strategies
Digital strategy is no longer a supplemental strategy effort in CRE; it’s fundamental. As more companies integrate automation, data-driven targeting, and AI-native platforms, staying top of mind in the digital scroll will separate the listings that get attention from those that get overlooked. Whether through platforms like RealtyAds or other digital solutions, the goal is the same: ensuring your properties appear where decisions are made—on the screen, in the feed, and in real-time.
