Many real estate agents and brokers already use social media as a branding tool, but it can also be used to generate leads.
About 7 in 10 Americans have social media accounts, which provides an opportunity to reach potential customers, showcase your expertise, and build relationships with people who might be interested in your services. Utilize platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to best reach your target audience.
You shouldn’t use a lot of sales pitches on social media, and you should provide value in a way that people are already accustomed to seeing. Social media can transform your real estate business if you use it correctly.
How to Use Social Media to Generate Leads
1. YouTube
The majority of buyers and sellers want to work with an agent who uses video, according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). YouTube can be a great source of leads for real estate agents, but most agents have yet to take advantage of it.
To create a branded YouTube channel, add your logo, color scheme, and a complete description of your services. After you complete this task, add a video of yourself to introduce potential clients to who you are.
Although you can start creating videos that promote your listings, it’s important not to overload your content with too many sales pitches.
You should also post videos that show popular spots in your neighborhood, or videos that act as a virtual tour of beautiful properties. Alternatively, you could post videos filmed with a drone, in order to show a property from a different perspective. Add a clear call to action at the end, with links to your website and contact details.
You don’t need fancy equipment to shoot your videos. A majority of smartphones are now able to shoot in 4k high definition, so the quality of your results should not be compromised. Just invest in a basic tripod and tripod mount and follow these tips:
- Always use hyperlapse to reduce camera shaking in your videos
- Disable the autofocus function on your smartphone
- Avoid harsh lighting for outdoor shots and get ambient lighting for indoor shots
- Learn how to use post-production software like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker
Before posting your videos, make sure you have specified the appropriate category and included keywords in the description. This will help ensure that your videos are seen by your local audience. This technique will improve the ranking of your videos in both YouTube and Google searches.
2. Pinterest
There is more to using Pinterest for real estate leads than just pinning your listings. You can also use it to connect with potential clients, learn about their interests, and build relationships. The key to success on Pinterest is creating a strategic plan for the types of photos you share, which groups you join, the quality of your pins, and how you make your pins stand out.
First, join the best real estate group boards on Pinterest. Board members who are experienced agents can teach you how to create postings that are unique and captivating.
Make sure to vary the types of pins you post so that potential clients are interested. Don’t just post listings all the time. You should only have about 10% of your pins be listings.
You could create boards on interior design, home improvement, or gardening to attract a wider range of people.
When pinning something to your account, take the time to fill out the description, with a focus on local keywords (e.g. Williamsburg Brooklyn boutique condo) to get leads in your farm area, and then edit the pin to add your website’s URL.
If you leave a Pinterest photo without any information or a way for users to find out more, you’ll lose a lot of leads.
Effective free Pinterest lead-generation strategies:
Optimize Your Pinterest Business Profile for SEO
Use keywords in your display name and bio so that potential leads can find you when they search on the platform.
Create 5 to 6 Branded Boards
These are categories of multiple pins. A board on social media strategies might pin different social media strategies. You should start with 5-6 boards that explain what your business is all about to visitors.
Build Your Pins
Looking for a specific something on Pinterest? Search for it and click on the pins that interest you. This allows people to save your content to their own board and follow your account if they like the content, which results in more of your pins appearing on their homepage.
Link Out to the Right Pages
Pins can be thought of as the first step in a marketing funnel. For each pin, you can create a link to a page on your website that is relevant to that pin. The page can be an article, a store page, or a landing page.
Optimize Your Pin Descriptions With Keywords
By using keywords that your audience is likely to search for, you can optimize your pin descriptions to receive organic traffic. If you want your website to rank well for questions related to car repair, you should include those keywords in the website’s description.
3. Facebook
If you can only use one social media platform, Facebook is the best option because it has the most users.
You can reach potential customers on Facebook without spending any money. If you do not have a Facebook business page, the first step is to create one.
When you are finished, you can begin posting content that will be useful to people in your farming area. This can include updates on the local market, news from the neighborhood, and reviews of restaurants.
A good way to drive traffic to your website is to rewrite and improve upon popular real estate articles and post them on your site. Then, share these articles in relevant Facebook groups.
Make sure that no more than 10% of your posts are listings. Most people come to Facebook to relax and take a break from the outside world, not to be sold to.
You can also use Facebook Advertising to target potential customers who fit a certain profile. If most of your clients are parents aged 30-40, you can set your Facebook ads so that only this target group will see your posts.
This allows you to make your ads more visible to people who have already visited your website.
The free Facebook lead generation strategies involve building your Facebook business page’s following by sharing articles and posting educational updates.
You can promote a lead magnet by making a post on the newsfeed or in a private Facebook group. If potential customers want to download something from your website, you can require them to give you their contact information first.
Here are the sequential strategies for generating free leads on Facebook:
Craft a Valuable Lead Magnet
Choose a lead magnet type, design it, make it easy to download, and plan how you’ll deliver it to your audience once they find it.
Build a Facebook Business Page
Creating a branded page is a key step in enacting your overall marketing strategy. This page will serve as a central hub for your brand, helping you better connect with your target audience and achieve your marketing goals. An online presence is a way for potential customers to find and learn about your business. It can include a website, social media, and online reviews. Your posts will appear on their newsfeeds when they start following you.
Post Relevant and Engaging Content
Share posts from other brands that are similar to your own content, such as giveaways, open-ended questions, or articles. The posts that are most popular in terms of comments, shares, and likes have the farthest reach.
Share Articles From Your Brand
Share articles that you or your company have written to increase your authority and grow your page’s audience.
Start a Private Facebook Group
Create a group into which you invite potential leads. Premium offers like discount codes and other unique content that differs from what you post on the regular newsfeed can be shared on your page.
Offer Your Lead Magnet for Free
You can generate leads by posting your lead magnet in the newsfeed or private group. When people submit the form to get something, they become leads.
4. LinkedIn
LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for real estate professionals looking to generate leads, yet many are not taking advantage of it. The most likely reason for this difference is that the social media platform in question is used more for professional purposes than for social ones.
People don’t come to LinkedIn to comment on friends’ posts or to browse photos. They come for a different purpose. The LinkedIn search function can be used to find people in your network, which is something real estate agents should keep in mind.
You should try to connect with former clients or other agents on a weekly basis to grow your network, and also consider joining local groups. Having a strong network can help you get referrals and potential clients from your less-close connections.
After you have created a strong network, start posting articles that offer helpful information, such as current industry trends or explanations of particular real estate concepts. You can mention your accomplishments or milestones on your profile from time to time. For example, you could mention when you hit your 100th property sold.
By writing these types of posts, you will not only improve your reputation, but also show your expertise. If you make yourself available and easy to remember, people in your network will think of you first when they need a realtor or when someone they know needs a recommendation.
Salespeople on LinkedIn can generate leads by creating and optimizing their personal profile, and by posting updates and articles that their audience will find helpful.
After connecting with potential leads on the platform, businesses can direct message them to continue the relationship and pitch an offer.
Below are the best free LinkedIn lead generation strategies to try in order:
Optimize a Personal LinkedIn Profile
You should create a professional profile on social media platforms with a photo that will attract your target audience, a headline that is relevant to them, and a summary of how you can help them. This will help you to reach out to more potential clients and get more business.
Post Updates Your Ideal Leads Will Enjoy
You can grow your audience on LinkedIn by posting about industry trends, interesting articles, and other helpful information.
Write Niche-Specific Articles
If you want to be seen as an expert on LinkedIn, treat it like a blog and publish articles directly onto the platform.
Select or Create an Offer
Pick what you’re going to offer your potential leads. This meeting is for sellers to learn more about leads’ businesses. marketers can use lead magnets like eBooks and online courses to entice people to click on their ads.
Participate in Industry Groups
Try joining some industry groups that are related to what you do. These groups are full of people who could become leads. You should share articles, answer questions, and recommend a call with someone if they mention a problem you can help solve.
Connect and Direct Message Potential Leads
The best way to pitch your offer is to first build a relationship with a good-fit lead. You can do this by sending them a direct message.
5. Instagram
The visuals of real estate fit well with Instagram’s presentation. You can post photos or videos of listings you’ve sold, interesting places in your farm area, or anything else related to your business.
You can also improve your reputation by posting recent photos of your wins on Instagram and, when possible, testimonials from your clients. Keep track of popular hashtags related to your farm so that people can find your posts.
Hashtags can help improve your website’s SEO by working similar to long-tail keywords. Use hashtags on your posts, but don’t overuse them, or you’ll make it hard for people to find your blog or website.
6. Twitter
The process of sourcing leads on the Twitter platform is called Twitter lead generation. B2C and B2B marketers use Twitter to generate leads by posting interesting tweets that their target audience would enjoy.
Businesses often start by using free strategies and then add paid strategies like Twitter ads to reach more customers.
Here are the free Twitter strategies in order for generating high-quality leads:
Create a Business Account
If marketers want to grow a following, they should create a brand account. They will be able to create a consistent brand voice on the platform without confusing followers with personal tweets.
Use a Personal Account
Building personal accounts can help salespeople boost their reputations as experts and engage with potential leads.
Post Original Tweets and Retweets
It’s important to post interesting tweets about topics that your target audience is interested in. Also, retweet ones that your audience will like. This will help build your credibility.
Include Calls-to-Action in Some Tweets
You should tweet about your promotions about 10% of the time, and include a link to a landing page for a lead magnet like a webinar or consultation.
Engage Directly With Specific Individuals
The platform allows salespeople to find and connect with decision makers by responding to their tweets. You can contact them directly with an offer.
Remember
There are many opportunities for businesses to generate leads through social media platforms. The platforms you use depend on where your audience is active and what your personal preferences and business goals are.
It is better to be amazing at two platforms than mediocre at five. Choose one or two social media platforms to focus on, make profiles on them, and start sharing content that your audience enjoys. If you build trust and familiarity with your audience, they will be more likely to buy from you, and you will get more leads.
