Why is social media vital in your real estate marketing strategy?
There’s no denying that we’re living in a digital age where the defining characteristic is connectedness.
Social media marketing should be a key element of your real estate business because home buyers and sellers are already using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. In a market that is always changing, it’s likely that potential clients will want to work with agents who can help them through the process.
While our opinion might hold some weight, you should really see for yourself how social media marketing can benefit real estate agents. Having a strong social media presence can help them get ahead of their competition.
Be where your clients are
Social media platforms are everywhere. According to research done by the Pew Research Center, 79% of people aged 18 to 29 years old use Facebook, while 67% of them are on Instagram. Meanwhile, 82% of those between 30 and 49 years old use at least one of the different social media platforms.
This is important because the two demographics cover the majority of home buyers. The median age of first time buyers in the U.S. is 33, and the typical homebuyer is around 45 years old. If you ignore social media, you are ignoring a large number of potential clients who need your real estate advice.
Generate more leads and enhance customer service
Many social media platforms now permit users to leave comments on posts and send direct messages. Posting social media content like new listings or featured communities could generate interest and eventually result in customers. Those with questions about your services or commission rates can also direct message you for more information, which is often more convenient than making a phone call or sending an email.
In other words, real estate content allows you to generate more leads, which is essential in today’s highly competitive real estate market.
Build brand awareness for your real estate business
There are a lot of real estate agents and brokers who are trying to get customers in any given area. However, social media marketing can help you establish your authority and show your expertise so that you can stand out from other real estate businesses. For example, posting success stories can demonstrate your can-do attitude and resourcefulness, positioning you as a go-to real estate agent. Additionally, you can share helpful news to show that you are up-to-date with the industry.
More targeted and cost-effective
Social media sites allow you to boost posts or create timeline ads to reach more eyeballs, which is great for real estate agents who are looking to save on advertising costs. You can target ads according to demographics, location, and interests; this means that only social media users who likely need your services will see your posts.
A deeper look into social media channels
You’re probably convinced that social media marketing is effective if you’ve made it this far. Before you start preparing a social media content calendar, take some time to learn about the major social media platforms that are shaping the landscape today.
WHAT IS THIS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM?
The most prominent social media platform in today’s landscape is Facebook. It is arguable that Facebook is the most influential platform as well. due to its expansive reach. Facebook can help real estate professionals engage with both local and international leads. Since it is a multimedia platform, real estate agents can take advantage of posting photos and videos of listings.
HOW MANY USERS DOES IT HAVE?
It is estimated that Facebook will have 2.936 billion users worldwide in 2022. In America, it is estimated that 69% of adults use the platform.
HOW SHOULD A REAL ESTATE AGENT USE IT?
Facebook is a social networking site that allows you to do many different things. You can create event invitations, host live Q&As, and post videos.
EXAMPLES TO EMULATE
This is a listing video from Joyce Rey, a successful real estate agent in Beverly Hills. The video uses high production values and cinematic shots to make the property more attractive to buyers.
WHAT IS THIS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM?
It’s been 10 years since Instagram was acquired by Facebook. Even though they’re both owned by the same company, they’re quite different from each other. Instagram is more focused on visuals, as seen in the high-quality photos and stories. With Facebook, you can like and comment on posts, but you can’t share them natively.
HOW MANY USERS DOES IT HAVE?
Instagram has around 1.21 billion monthly active users globally according to data from Statista. There are roughly 115 million social media accounts on this platform in the U.S. alone.
HOW SHOULD A REAL ESTATE AGENT USE IT?
The timeline feature on Instagram makes it look like a luxurious and perfect place, which would be great for a real estate agent who is trying to sell high-end homes. An example of this would be if they post photos of the property in a carousel format, which would highlight all the best features of that particular listing.
EXAMPLES TO EMULATE
The Oppenheim Group’s luxury properties are displayed prominently on its Instagram account. beginning with grand overhead shots and then zooming in to show the detailed interiors.
WHAT IS THIS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM?
Twitter is a microblogging platform where real estate agents can share social media posts with photos, videos, and text captions. It has the reputation for being the most “real-time” platform, where experts share or comment about real estate industry developments on the fly. As with other platforms, people can follow, like, and share content.
HOW MANY USERS DOES IT HAVE?
Although it does not have as large of a following as Facebook or Instagram, Twitter’s 300 million users worldwide is still a significant number. In the United States alone, there are about 77 million social accounts for this platform.
HOW SHOULD A REAL ESTATE AGENT USE IT?
Twitter is the best place to talk about real estate. You can share news, give your opinion on topics like mortgage rates, and provide tips to first-time buyers. Also, a lot of people use Twitter as a way to extend their customer service. They answer questions and address concerns through direct messages.
EXAMPLES TO EMULATE
Hilton & Hyland isn’t just a luxury real estate agency, but a thought leader in the high-end property sector. It shares thought-provoking and informative articles from trusted sources, such as Forbes.
WHAT IS THIS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM?
In other words, LinkedIn is Facebook for adults. It’s a platform where professionals can go to showcase their skills and credentials. LinkedIn has many of the same features as other social media platforms, such as the ability to post videos and live streams.
HOW MANY USERS DOES IT HAVE?
Even though LinkedIn is considered a “grown-up” platform, it has a large user base of 830 million users worldwide. In the U.S. alone, 190 million professionals use LinkedIn.
HOW SHOULD A REAL ESTATE AGENT USE IT?
LinkedIn is a great platform for real estate agents to build up their reputation and credibility. Agents can start by filling out their professional profile, detailing their years of experience in the industry and any awards or accolades they have received. They can also share their insights into the property market on LinkedIn to further establish themselves as experts. LinkedIn is primarily a professional networking site, so real estate agents should also reach out to and connect with other agents they admire.
EXAMPLES TO EMULATE
Christophe Choo, a top-producing real estate agent in Beverly Hills, uses LinkedIn to post information about the housing market. He recently wrote and shared a blog post discussing the correlation between recessions and the housing market.
TikTok
WHAT IS THIS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM?
Although it is fairly new, TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms. It is not only used to post videos of popular dances, but also by real estate professionals to advertise their listings and generate leads. The majority of TikTok users are young adults between the ages of 18 and 35, making it the perfect place to find younger home buyers.
HOW MANY USERS DOES IT HAVE?
TikTok now has one billion users worldwide, with approximately 80 million users in America.
HOW SHOULD A REAL ESTATE AGENT USE IT?
If you want to make your TikTok more engaging for potential home buyers, try using virtual tours. Utilize music clips, filters, stickers, and voiceovers to make each clip more interesting. For more tips on using TikTok for your business, check out our blog.
EXAMPLES TO EMULATE
The Jills Zeder Group has increased its presence on TikTok by posting content that is both trendy and informative. For example, it has given the viral “What Can $$$ Get You” trend the luxury treatment, as you can see in the video below.
YouTube
WHAT IS THIS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM?
If you want to have a strong social media presence in real estate, you must have a YouTube channel. This is because YouTube is the world’s biggest video hosting platform. In addition, YouTube is owned by Google, so each video you publish can actually help with your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. YouTube is considered a social media platform because users can comment, like/unlike, and share videos.
HOW MANY USERS DOES IT HAVE?
Many people around the world use YouTube regularly, with about 2.6 billion people using the site globally. In the United States, there are 240 million people who visit YouTube regularly.
HOW SHOULD A REAL ESTATE AGENT USE IT?
There are a lot of different ways you can use YouTube videos to your advantage. You can use them for virtual tours, live Q&As, sharing fun facts about a featured community, posting client testimonials, or giving home buying tips. You don’t have to worry about making your videos too long because people usually spend about 19 minutes a day on YouTube. Just make sure your videos are extensive, comprehensive, and informative.
EXAMPLES TO EMULATE
Aaron Kirman is an experienced luxury real estate agent who uses YouTube videos to teach aspiring realtors how to succeed in the industry.
Pinterest is a social network where people connect over shared interests in projects, rather than pictures from vacations or news stories. Homeownership is a perfect example of something that people can get inspiration, learn from experts, and express themselves about on Pinterest.
If you’re a Realtor looking to establish yourself as an expert on home decoration, curb appeal, or home improvement projects, Pinterest is the perfect platform. And it’s not just about pretty pictures – some of The Close’s most popular pins are simply lists of tips (like “7 Tips to Get More Page Views For Your Real Estate Blog”).
A pin on Pinterest will remain active and relevant for months, whereas a post on Facebook will only remain relevant for a day, a post on Instagram will only stay relevant for a few hours, and a post on Twitter will only stay relevant for a few minutes.
Best practices for your real estate social media strategy
Now that you understand the social media platforms available to you, it is time to create a plan. Use these best practices to become a successful social media influencer in the real estate industry.
Start small (for now)
You don’t need to be active on every social media platform at the same time, especially if you are just starting out. You can start by choosing one social media channel and becoming proficient at it before moving on to another one. Facebook is a good place to start because it is very prevalent and can be used for many different purposes.
Embrace cross-posting
You can create a single real estate social media post and share it across all your platforms. You don’t need to create separate posts for each platform unless you want to. Just make sure that your assets are the right size for each platform so that they look good when you post them.
Have a content calendar
You are likely to be too busy to think of social media content for real estate on the fly, so it is important to create a content calendar that covers all your posts for the week or month. You can also hire an in-house digital marketer or a marketing agency to take care of content development, graphic design, and posting for you.
Post regularly
If you want to have a strong social media presence in the real estate industry, you should aim to post at least one high-quality piece of content every day. This will give your audience something to look forward to, and keep them coming back to your account.
Don’t use your personal account
Although it is okay to share aspects of your personal life on social media, it is important to remember that your social media page should be focused on your professional life as a realtor. Presenting yourself as a professional is essential on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, even though they are social channels.
