NEW YORK – A Trulia executive at the Mobile Marketing Association’s SM2 Innovation Summit said that bettering the brand’s presence on the mobile Web is just as significant as developments made to its mobile app.

The Trulia executive’s “Trulia Drives Growth by Combining New and Old Marketing Techniques” session focused on the brand’s multichannel approach and the significant resources that go into learning about its users. Trulia focuses on a mobile-first strategy that aims to answer the typical questions of consumers who are serious about home buying.

“What this means as a brand is a huge opportunity for us, which is to build a relationship with our customers and to offer lots of engagement along the way,” said Kira Wampler, chief marketing officer of Trulia. “I cannot encourage you more to spend time with your consumers.”

Combining tech, creativity
A statement heard repeatedly at SM2 was echoed by Trulia, which advised the audience to combine science and art in its marketing efforts. With this in mind, the brand dedicates hours to interviews with customers, followed by significant product testing.

Trulia, knowing its audience is predominately women who are college-educated and more affluent, has since spent time developing answers to the most frequently asked questions of these users.

For example, the brand provides neighborhood and schooling context on its listings, as well as reasonable estimates of what a user can afford.

By addressing the user frustration that comes with home search and buying, Trulia is well placed to leverage mobile and simplify that process.

App users are seriously interested in buying a home, which is why providing a great experience on mobile Web is so crucial for the brand, Ms. Wampler said. If users like what they see on Trulia’s mobile Web site, they are more likely to download the app.

Its most recent innovation Android Wear, expands on the Nearby Home Alerts function that Trulia recently introduced. Aimed toward serious homebuyers, the wearable provides real-time alerts of listings when wearers become near them.

Gaining strength
This summer, Zillow entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Trulia for $3.5 billion, forming what may have been the biggest player in digital home search and laying the groundwork for a more aggressive push into digital real estate advertising.

Both Zillow and Trulia are primarily media companies, generating the majority of revenue through ad sales to real estate professionals. Despite continued growth as public companies, significant opportunities of scale remain as the majority of advertising dollars in the real estate sector have yet to migrate online or to mobile (see story).

Following the prior, Trulia signed an agreement with New York State Multiple Listing System to ensure it can more accurately market listings and provide a better experience for users looking to buy or sell homes in New York state.

The Trulia Data Connect agreement is a direct data license that establishes a direct feed to Trulia through NY State MLS, and ensures the highest level of accuracy.  In the past, Realtor.com, National Association of Realtors and local MLSs were the leading voices of real estate, but as sites such as Trulia steadily gain consumer audience and reap the highest numbers in the industry of unique visitors each month, the Realtor family has become less exclusive (see story).

Founded in 2004, Trulia has learned over time that continuing growth of its company would require the application of great marketing efforts.

“The art and science of marketing has a big impact on a business,” Ms. Wampler said.

Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon is an editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York