Globally, the UK presents one of the most fiercely competitive real estate markets. High costs, allied to strong competition in some sectors and chronic oversupply in others, presents unique challenges to developers and their marketing teams.

One keystone to a successful marketing campaign is a property brand identity. Whether you are marketing an industrial, office, or residential development, a well-developed property brand identity forms a clear point of differentiation between your offer and that of your competitors. Executed via the right activities and channels, it can make a massive contribution towards the success of a scheme – or its failure.

In this article we discuss the essentials of creating a property brand identity, beginning with some fundamental questions. What exactly is a property brand identity? Why do you need one? And how do you go about developing one? For all this and more, read on.

A property brand identity involves creating a distinctive and cohesive image that represents your development. This includes the name, logo, design, messaging, and overall personality that communicate the unique value and appeal of your project. For commercial and industrial properties, this identity must resonate with potential tenants, investors, and stakeholders, conveying professionalism, reliability, and suitability for their needs.

Reach recently worked with Harworth Group to market their Bardon Hill development. Located in the cut-throat distribution market of the East Midlands, it was crucial that this development stood out from amongst its peers. Bardon Hill was a great success for the client, aided in no small part by the property brand identity we created.

Why do property developments need a brand identity?

Three words to consider here are attention, perception, and value.

There is a temptation to think that brand only has relevance in B2C marketing, primarily where the product needs an emotive ‘pull’, such as with selling new homes. This aligns with a common misapprehension within property circles that every deal boils down to location and £/sq ft.

However, this underplays the role of emotion in all forms of decision-making. Attracting the attention, and shaping the perceptions, of your target audience are key steps towards securing the best end value for you. Thus, so long as people remain part of the decision-making process, property brand identity will always have an important role to play.

How a property brand identity achieves this can be summarised as follows:

The UK property market is bustling with developments, each vying for attention. A strong property brand identity sets your project apart from the competition, making it memorable and attractive to your target audience.

A well-defined brand identity fosters trust and credibility. When potential clients perceive your development as a well-branded entity, they are more likely to view it as professional and reliable.

A unified brand identity ensures consistency across all marketing materials, from brochures and websites to social media and on-site signage. This consistency builds recognition and reinforces your brand message.

A compelling brand identity can elevate the perceived value of your property, making it more appealing to tenants and investors. It signals that the development is of a superior quality and worthy of their consideration.

Above all, remember that the property market is a dynamic entity. Ensuring that your brand identity evolves with market trends and client expectations will maintain its appeal and relevancy.

Negative effects of a poor property brand identity

Conversely, a poorly considered property brand identity can have a negative effect. Inconsistent branding can confuse your audience and dilute your message, while a generic brand identity will fail to stand out. Ignoring the preferences and needs of your target audience can result in a brand that doesn’t connect with potential clients. And finally, a poor design or unclear messaging can give the impression that your property is not up to standard.

Property brand identity is important in every sector

Industrial logistics property brand identity

The industrial and logistics property market has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years, driven by the rise of e-commerce and the need for efficient supply chains. A strong property brand identity is crucial to distinguish your development from competitors.

In the case of Bardon Hill, the property brand identity we developed tells the story of the site in one well-constructed logo. The brand mark serves as a mnemonic device, illustrating the park’s location at the apex of the so-called ‘golden triangle’ formed by the M1, M42-A42 and M6 motorways.

Since the COVID pandemic, the office property market has become highly competitive. A distinctive property brand identity helps attract requirements from blue chip occupiers looking for grade-A office space.

The residential market is defined by strong competition, not just between rival developments, but between buying and renting, or new builds and second-hand stock. A compelling brand identity can make your development the preferred choice for homebuyers and renters.

For grade-A properties returning to the market, a rebrand is essential to attract new interest and build perceived value. A refreshed property brand identity can revitalise interest by signalling sustainability improvements or specification updates.

A comprehensive approach to building a property brand identity involves several strategic steps:

Understand your target audience, including their needs, preferences, and pain points. Conduct competitor analysis to identify gaps and opportunities in the market.

Outline your brand’s mission, vision, and values. What does your property stand for? What unique benefits do you offer? This strategy will be the foundation of your brand identity.

Develop a logo, colour palette, typography, and other visual elements to represent your brand. These should be appealing to your target market, and reflective of your brand strategy.

Your brand’s voice and tone should be consistent across all channels. Develop key messages that highlight your property’s unique selling points and resonate with your target audience.

Apply your brand identity consistently across all marketing collateral, platforms, and channels. Ensure your website, social media, brochures, and on-site signage all reflect the same branding.

Building a brand identity is not a one-time effort. Engage with your audience through regular updates, community involvement, and responsive customer service. Keep your brand top-of-mind and relevant.

When considering a property brand identity, the visuals tend to dominate people’s focus. However, the language used is just as important. A high-quality messaging platform develops and maintains the correct tone of voice for your audience. It also ensures that your collateral will always say the right things at the right time.

The above image shows the messaging matrix we developed for Bardon Hill. This is a useful tool for ensuring that your messaging platform covers all the major beats of an industrial logistics marketing campaign.

Common messages for a property brand identity

The specifications of your property should form a central theme of your branding. For commercial developments of all sectors, always state the floorspace in square feet (with square metres in brackets). Industrial development messaging should focus on efficiency and adaptability. For office developments, highlight state-of-the-art facilities and well-being. Residential properties highlight the number bedrooms, plus high-quality finishes and luxury touches. Clear, detailed descriptions of these features can attract discerning clients looking for top-tier spaces.

Location is a critical component of your property brand identity. Highlighting proximity to key areas, such as major population centres, primary arterial routes, or established and desirable neighbourhoods, can significantly enhance the appeal of your property. Emphasize the strategic advantages that your location offers, such as reduced commute times, access to suitable labour, and nearby amenities.

Flagging when your development will be ready to occupy is one of the most important key messages. State clearly whether the development is available now, or give a date based on your construction timeline. This can be narrowed from a quarterly date (“available Q4”) to a month as the construction progresses.

Excellent transport links are vital for commercial, industrial, and residential properties. Ensure your messaging covers the accessibility of your development, including proximity to public transport, major roads, and any planned infrastructure improvements. This reassures potential tenants and buyers about the convenience of your property.

Sustainability is increasingly important in property development. Highlight your project's green building certifications, energy-efficiency systems, use of renewable energy, and sustainable construction practices. Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability can enhance your property's appeal to environmentally conscious occupiers and investors.

Demographics are of huge interest to potential occupiers. Tailor your messaging to the specific needs and preferences of your audience, whether they are industrial businesses, corporate tenants, young professionals, or families. This targeted approach ensures your property brand identity resonates with those most likely to be interested in your property.

Partnering with reputable real estate agents will add credibility to your property brand identity. This partnership can reassure potential clients about the professionalism and reliability of your development.

A strong property brand identity is crucial for success in the highly competitive UK real estate market, being an essential step towards increasing perceived value, preserving consistency, and fostering trust. All are vital towards securing the best end value for your development.

In a properly constructed property brand identity, collateral should be the result of all the steps detailed above. In the case of Bardon Hill, the results of our preparation were an extremely eye-catching suite of materials backed up by a robust messaging platform.

Using the tips above, you can make sure your branding is distinctive, well-executed, and in line with the expectations of your target market. Delivered through the appropriate channels, it can make the difference between a scheme stagnating on the market or realising an outstanding price amid robust demand.

Want to find out more about property brand identity? 

Building Credibility: The Importance of Property Brand Identity

Our team at Reach Marketing was recently thrilled to join the launch of the Leicester Comedy Festival 2025 brochure at Voco Leicester. This year, the festival will run from February 5th to 23rd, boasting 720 events across 80 venues. With tickets now on sale, comedy fans have plenty to look forward to.

The event marked yet another year of collaboration with the festival, celebrating a longstanding partnership that began over three decades ago. And what an event it was – featuring laughter, networking, and a showcase of fantastic acts to kick off what promises to be the festival’s biggest and best year yet!

Shaping the Leicester Comedy Festival identity

At Reach, the Leicester Comedy Festival holds a special place in our hearts. It’s not only Europe’s largest and longest-running comedy festival but also a brand we’ve helped shape since its earliest days.

One of the greatest privileges has been helping build the Leicester Comedy Festival’s unique and recognisable identity. Early on, Reach helped to develop the LCF corporate brand, including implementing the now-iconic smile – an emblem that embodies the spirit of the festival and signals to attendees they’re in for a top-quality experience.

The festival brochure: an annual highlight

Each year, designing the Leicester Comedy Festival brochure is one of our team’s most exciting projects. This flagship 180-page guide is a labour of love that showcases every act, performance, and venue involved in the festival. It’s a vital resource for festivalgoers, brimming with detailed listings that are regularly updated to ensure accuracy right up to publication. Our goal? To make the brochure both functional and fun, capturing the festival’s spirit while guiding comedy lovers to the events they won’t want to miss.

From modest beginnings, the Leicester Comedy Festival has grown to become a cornerstone of the comedy world, only rivalled in scale by the Montreal Comedy Festival. We’re immensely proud to have played a role in its expansion since 1994, providing creative support that has helped it flourish into one of Europe’s premier cultural events.

At the launch event, some of our team had the chance to see the festival’s top acts at the Pick of the Fest showcase. Hosted by the talented Nina Gilligan, the show included laugh-out-loud performances by Lindsey Santoro, Darren Harriot, and Jamie D’Souza. It was the perfect way to celebrate the release of this year’s brochure, and we’re thrilled that more people will soon have their hands on it as they plan their festival experience.

As we look ahead to February, we’re excited to see the Leicester Comedy Festival light up our home city once again. We’re honoured to be part of its journey and grateful for a partnership that has brought joy to so many over the years. And, if you’re passing by, don’t forget to 

Find out more about our work with the Leicester Comedy Festival 

Building Partnerships That Last: Celebrating Leicester Comedy Festival 2025 with Reach

This original research by Reach Marketing in June 2024 provides a comprehensive analysis of the visibility of various website types in Google search results for the keyword phrase “industrial units for sale” across 97 UK locations. The analysis reveals that property search portal websites overwhelmingly dominate the Google search results, whereas estate agent and property developer websites are notably underrepresented.

Property search portals such as Rightmove and Zoopla hold nearly 77.3% of the top 10 Google search results. These websites benefit from superior SEO practices, high authority, and extensive local content, making them highly visible to users searching for industrial units.

Estate agent websites account for only 5.4% of the top 10 results, while property developers are virtually absent, with just one website making it into the results. This indicates a significant missed opportunity for these sectors to capture organic search traffic.

Property search portals also dominate the top 3 positions, capturing the majority of organic clicks. Rightmove, Zoopla, and Estates Gazette are the top performers, appearing frequently in the top spots, which emphasises the need for industrial property marketers to focus on these platforms.

Despite the low difficulty of ranking for these keywords, property developers rarely appear in search results. Implementing basic SEO best practices can significantly improve visibility.

Developers should not rely solely on agents for marketing. By enhancing their own online presence, they can control branding and accelerate the sales process.

When selecting agents, assess their approach to digital marketing to ensure complementary efforts.

Simple SEO improvements can help estate agent websites rank higher, providing an additional path for users to find available properties.

Strategic Use of Search Portals: Focus on the top-performing portal for a specific location to reduce costs and maintain effectiveness.

Utilise Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising to achieve top visibility on Google search pages, especially for high-volume locations.

Although consultants perform well, there's room for improvement to consistently reach the top 3 positions.

Similar to industrial agents, using PPC can ensure prominent placement in search results, bypassing competition from major property portals.

Our study focuses on the root keyword “industrial units for sale”. “Industrial units'' is an industry specific term more likely to be used by an industry insider, such as an agent or a logistics manager within a large organisation. The use of the term as part of a query in Google Search is thus an important hint towards the quality and intent of the user behind the search, i.e. searches containing the term are more likely to be of high quality and have meaningful commercial intent.

In turn, the findings and recommendations of our study are targeted towards this niche.

The keywords included in our study are “industrial units for sale” + location. Geography has a crucial relevance in real estate transactions, thus it is expected that when users have a real estate related query (“industrial units”) with a transactional intent (“for sale”), location will become an important factor.

For this study, Reach has limited locations covered to cities and towns in the UK with a population of over 100,000 people as of the last census. The following 97 locations have met the criteria:

Industrial units for sale: State of Search and Recommendations

 Reach Marketing Communications, one of Leicester's longest-established marketing agencies, is pleased to announce a successful management buyout. The new leadership team consists of senior Reach figures Owain Prorok and Tara Daya overseeing creative, and Tracey Lloyd and Lucy Bloomfield supervising client relations. The transition already complete, the new directors are already driving the company forward with renewed energy and focus.

Gary Love and Asgoo Pirbhai, the previous owners, have taken consultative roles, ensuring that the company will continue to benefit from their invaluable experience.

Reach Marketing Communications has been delivering industry-leading brands, creative communications, and event management services for more than 30 years.
Our clients come from a wide range of backgrounds, including industry, government, the arts, and professional services but our main specialism is industrial property marketing. The new management team will reinforce these key strengths, with a greater focus on digital marketing, web development, SEO, and social media.

The new Directors express their heartfelt gratitude to Gary Love and Asgoo Pirbhai for all their hard work in establishing Reach Marketing Communications. Their vision and leadership in establishing one of Leicester's most respected marketing agencies has provided a solid foundation for the new management team to build upon.

"We are thrilled to drive Reach Marketing Communications forward with fresh energy," said Owain Prorok, Creative Director. "Our talented team is dedicated to building on our established strengths and embracing new digital innovations. We look forward to continuing our work with our valued clients, plus welcoming new ones as we expand our service offering."

 Reach Marketing Communications is a leading marketing agency based in Leicester, UK, known for its expertise in brand development, creative communications support, property marketing, and events. With a 30-year history, Reach provides creative and compelling digital and print marketing solutions to a wide range of clients, including industry, government, professional services, the arts, and property.

Established Leicester Marketing Agency Announces Management Buyout

Compared to Facebook or Twitter (now X), TikTok was a latecomer when it launched in 2016, but it has quickly become one of the most widely used social media platforms worldwide. Rapidly closing in on 3 billion users, TikTok regularly vies with Google as the world’s most popular website.

Thanks to its phenomenal reach, TikTok has emerged as a powerful platform for content creators, influencers, and businesses, particularly within the real estate sector. From housebuilders to industrial logistics developers, TikTok is proving to be a valuable tool for showcasing products and boosting brand reputations.

As one of the UK’s leading property marketing agencies, Reach Marketing has kept ahead of this explosive trend. In this blog, we'll explore how you can use TikTok for real estate and offer some top tips to elevate your engagement metrics.

Why Use TikTok for Real Estate and Property Marketing?

TikTok is perfect for real estate and property marketing for several reasons:

Thanks to the platform’s highly effective recommendation algorithm, your TikTok videos can reach millions of potential customers and stakeholders – not just buyers and renters, but occupiers, investors, political figures, and the public too.

TikTok is also particularly good at matching their large user pool with the specific content they want, making targeting a breeze. When posting on TikTok, you don’t only get quantity, you get quality as well.

TikTok thrives on easy to produce short-form videos. This bite-sized content, usually between one and two minutes long, can showcase a property or real estate brand in a format appealing to an attention-poor audience.

For longer messages, you can also opt to split your content in multiple, linked TikToks (part 1, part 2 etc.). This is a great way to keep the momentum going on successful posts and trends. You may want to consider this when marketing a new residential development, or to show the different features of a new industrial scheme.

TikToks recommendation algorithms consistently outperform other platforms in linking new users to the freshest content. As a result, users are increasingly using TikTok as a search engine, bringing it into competition with the likes of Google and Bing.

The major difference between TikTok and other social media platforms is the algorithm that delivers your content. Traditionally, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or X favour network-based content, showing you what the people you have connected with are posting and interacting with. TikTok moves away from this, basing the core of the content delivery on individual interests. TikTok serves you the content it thinks you are interested in, even if the content creator is new to you.

This targeted delivery is what makes TikTok ideal for real estate marketing. Its algorithms can find users interested in different aspects of real estate (e.g. buying a house, or warehousing) and then serve your content to these users, even if they have not previously interacted with your TikTok channel or brand.

To make this as effective as possible, make sure you stay on top of hashtags and sounds, two massive content classification tools in the TikTok algorithm.

With its short-form content, unique editing features and interactive elements, TikTok keeps viewers engaged, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

 shows that TikTok’s engagement rate (by followers) stands at a whopping 2.65%. Although this might not seem a lot, it is miles ahead of competitors, with Instagram’s engagement rate being 0.7%, Facebook’s 0.15% and X’s 0.05%. Therefore, posting your content on TikTok can yield more enquiries, viewings, and sales for your real estate business.

TikTok isn't just for selling a specific product, it's also a great way to build your brand.

TikTok is often used as an awareness generation platform. A great example of this is RyanAir. Their TikTok content isn’t always aimed at getting you to book a flight, but rather to be visible and relatable. They attempt to improve their brand reputation by heavily employing memes and trends to stay relevant and fun.

Whilst a more jocular tone might not be the best for all brands, the key take away is that the informality of TikTok is useful for creating a relationship with your audience, presenting your brand on a more personal level, and improving your reputation.

These are important factors, especially for industrial real estate marketing efforts. Some developments may not always enjoy community support, so using a social media tool like TikTok can provide the necessary platform to connect with the community to build trust and a positive image.

Creating Content with TikTok for Real Estate and Property

Using TikTok for real estate and property marketing is easier than you might think.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

While quality is important, authenticity should be the main point of your content. Make sure to not turn your available property into a movie set, as that might make your content unappealing. Find the sweet spot between highlighting your property’s features without being misleading.

In the same note, heavy editing is not advised on TikTok. Using the apps native editing tools is highly encouraged, but you will find them limited compared to professional editing software such as Adobe Premiere. Don’t be tempted to over edit your videos for the sake of movie magic, as this might hurt your overall engagement. The quality of your videos should come from your content, not the editing.

Keep your videos short and to the point. Remember that 2.75% engagement rate? To make sure your viewers watch your videos, pay close attention to their structure. We recommend presenting the key message of your video in the first 3 seconds.

For example, when marketing a new residential property for sale, you can mention the number of bedrooms, the location, and the price (or any other key features) at the beginning of the video. Users that are interested in your offer will stay and engage with the rest of the video.

Below is a chart showing an optimal way to structure your video to maximise engagement.

Keep your content fresh by using different video styles, such as virtual tours, property highlights, and behind-the-scenes footage. For more on this, see below.

TikTok favours fresh content, so make sure to upload at regular intervals. The time of posting is also important. The best advice here is to keep testing different posting days and times, then compare the results.

Presentation Styles for Real Estate and Property TikToks

There are three general presentation approaches you can consider:

An estate agent can be featured in the video talking about the property. This is a great way to create authenticity and can help your engagement, especially if the presenter is comfortable being in front of the camera.

For those that are a little camera shy, the next best option is voiceovers. You can record yourself talking over the video and discuss the features of each room as the camera goes around the property. TikTok makes this very easy in their editing tool.

If you can’t find the right voice for your video tour, you can just add text over your video to showcase the property features. When doing this, ensure you use an appropriate sound for your video to create an engaging experience.

Content is key on TikTok, and to that end you might be wondering what types of videos to create. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Keep your tours simple and to the point. Start off with the property’s best features, the ones that are going to keep viewers hooked wanting more.

For residential tours, entrances, lounges, and kitchens are always good areas to consider for the beginning of the tour.

For industrial tours, start with the main entrance, before moving through the atrium, offices, and into the main warehouse space. Finally, remember to show the external areas, including the goods yard and car park.

In either case, make sure to cover all areas of the property, but don’t spend more time than needed in each space.

A ‘sizzle-reel’ highlights the best features of a property in a short, punchy form. Drive up the excitement levels with a pacey soundtrack.

When doing TikTok for real estate, showcasing the development process allows you to show features of your property that would otherwise be hidden in the finished product.

Whether it’s building materials, construction methods, or the finishing process, highlighting these in a video stimulates demand for the finished product.

Share testimonials from satisfied clients to build trust and credibility with potential customers. A video tour of a happy client’s property will further show the features, while also adding inspiration.

TikTok Tips & Tricks for Real Estate and Property Marketing

Now that you're familiar with the basics of using TikTok for real estate and property marketing, let's explore some tips and tricks.

One of the easiest ways to increase the visibility of your TikTok videos is by using popular sounds and hashtags related to real estate and property.

Pay attention to trends and incorporate them into your videos to increase their reach. When selecting your sound, make sure to select one that is fit for commercial use to avoid any copyright issues.

Below is a list of hashtags we at Reach sometimes use in our real estate TikToks:

Mastering TikTok for Real Estate and Property Marketing

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Building Credibility: The Importance of Property Brand Identity

Building Partnerships That Last: Celebrating Leicester Comedy Festival 2025 with Reach

Industrial units for sale: State of Search and Recommendations

Established Leicester Marketing Agency Announces Management Buyout

Mastering TikTok for Real Estate and Property Marketing

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