As a real estate agent, you understand that when potential buyers start looking for a home, the first place they turn is the web.
According to a survey held by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) in 2021, the majority of domestic property searches commence on the internet.
However, being part of the activity is more than publishing your offers online and expecting customers to arrive automatically.
According to a NAR survey, the majority of agents (52%) stated that social media was the source from which they received their greatest leads, and half of them also admitted to using it to build and maintain connections, and to promote property listings.
No matter the number of digital advertising platforms that come out, real estate is still all about people. One that revolves around personal connections.
Social media channel for realtors
If you are aiming to reach the most people, Facebook is the best platform to use. This popular platform has roughly 2.91 billion individuals using it each month around the world, with a projected 193.9 million in the United States.
You can expect to be able to reach a wide variety of people on Facebook, from those interested in taking their first steps into home ownership, to couples with kids, to people exploring properties of various prices, and individuals hoping for a luxury or holiday home.
Tips to help you nail it on Facebook
Tip #1. You should switch up your cover photo often and make sure to include images of good-quality homes in the picture whenever you can.
Tip # 2. Include tabs for home listings, community events, and real estate tips and advice on your primary real estate Facebook page to make those topics readily available.
Tip # 3. Ask previous customers and people from your sphere of influence to connect with you on social media, as well as that people you already have in your contacts list.
Tip #4. Respond to all comments. When trolls come into play, never stoop down to their standards.
Tip #5. Share community info. It’s possible that subscribers could be interested in farmer’s market times, theatre shows, school charity drives, or where Girl Scout snacks can be found, as well as other stuff.
Instagram is an ideal platform to display your fashion and items through stunning visuals and pictures. Essentially, people visit Instagram for all things aesthetically pleasing.
Facebook is an ideal platform for talking to first-time home buyers because its 194 million U.S. users are primarily millennials.
Tip #1. Using eye-popping photos and videos.
Tip #2. Opting for the appropriate hashtags to aid individuals locate your page.
Tip #3. Utilizing location tags to concentrate on your nearby crowd.
Tip #4. Crafting an account bio that gives your supporters a glimpse into who you are and what you do, along with a photo that portrays your individualism.
Tip #5. Being yourself. Don’t limit your posts to real estate. Put your passions and your style on display.
No matter your purpose—be it setting up a mark, becoming more prominent, hiring workers, or meeting potential customers—LinkedIn permits you to flaunt your expert knowledge, aptitudes, and triumphs.
Tip #1. If you are in a supervisory role within a real estate company, create a corporate page featuring an engaging description of what sets your business apart from the other businesses in the industry. Individuals who are part of a team or who work on their own are able to make their own profiles and encourage others to join them.
Tip #2. Keep your bio and your profile photo up-to-date. This will improve your profile’s visibility on a search engine, such as Google, through optimization, therefore making it easier to find.
Tip #3. Show off your accomplishments. Post updated data regarding rankings, awards, and transactions that demonstrate your abilities and successes on both your personal and business pages.
Tip #4. Post consistently. Posting regularly on LinkedIn will make sure that your contacts have you at the forefront of their minds.
Tip #5. Be a thought leader. Spread information and other relevant stories with your personal point of view on the current themes and matters to illustrate that you are seriously pondering on what is happening in the sector.
Twitter has an impressive 206 million active daily users around the globe and 77 million from the US alone. It is a great platform to acquire followers from your target audience and get helpful insights from promoters such as premier real estate professors, financiers and other notable personalities in the market which can amplify your social media marketing plan.
Tip #1. Learn from real estate influencers to acquire knowledge about what is successful in the real estate sector. Build credibility by commenting with your own professional experience.
Tip #2. Spread the word about your content on social media platforms through Twitter, and use Twitter entries to further advertise other posts. If you have uploaded a video to YouTube, let people know about it by tweeting the link to it.
Tip #3. Advertise upcoming functions such as open houses and summarize parties that you have gone to to demonstrate your involvement with the area.
Tip #4. Whenever someone follows you, make sure you return the favor; likewise, retweet posts that allude to you.
Tip #5. Create Twitter Lists so you don’t miss important tweets. Post short snippets frequently. You can post several times a day on Twitter without worrying about posting too much. This is unlike other social media sites.
YouTube
Producing long-form content takes a lot of effort, and the competition on YouTube is intensifying. In order to build an effective presence, it is necessary to produce multiple videos.
Tip #1. Generate captivating material that directly responds to essential customer problems. Simply by addressing a common query and offering a clear, advantageous response, you can demonstrate to potential buyers that you comprehend what they value. This may aid you in creating an atmosphere of respect and expertise, as opposed to merely touting yourself as exceptional.
Tip #2. Create thumbnails. These are the little postage-stamp-sized previews for scrolling videos. The more appealing your visuals and titles are, the simpler it will be to get noticed and captivate viewers.
Tip #3. Construct an impressive “About” section to facilitate appearing in search engine results and convince viewers to sign up for your channel.
Tip #4. Spread the word about your videos by posting on other social media sites, putting them in your newsletter, and sending emails about them to your contacts.
Tip #5. Include key words, hashtags, and labels to aid customers in locating your video, which will also help your material rank more prominently in search engines.
When it comes to marketing on Pinterest, it’s recommended to utilize this platform to demonstrate your expertise in the real estate business and let people become familiar with you gradually.
Given that 431 million people use Pinterest (78.7 million of them being from the United States), not everyone is always prepared to make a purchase or offer something up for sale. Typically, when they are starting to consider something they want to buy, they visit the website to find suggestions and motivation.
Tip #1. Use original photography rather than stock photos. Pinterest puts a lot of stock in the quality of images, and it’s not surprising that stock photos tend to be rated lower.
Tip #2. Create your own boards. Don’t just pin your posts to existing boards. Making your own boards about the features you like in a house (such as fireplaces, herb gardens, or exquisite main entrances) is a great way to acquire followers.
Tip #3. Be sure to include your phone number, address, and email in the profile of your pin. (You’d be surprised how often this one gets overlooked!)
Tip #4. Use text sparingly. Agents often take advantage of Pinterest to offer insights to buyers and sellers. They do this with a captivating photo and title, and then direct readers to a blog to acquire additional information.
Tip #5. You can employ the Pinterest search bar to make a decision on where to put your post. This will provide you with an idea of which hashtags are currently being utilized and how many people are engaging with each hashtag.
Crafting A Social Media Strategy For Real Estate
1. Research Your Customer’s Persona
Develop separate profiles for both purchasers and sellers since their desires for how to purchase or put up for sale a real estate property vary. The trick is to begin with a wide view and then become more specific.
Begin by gathering data to construct your persona and identify criteria such as age, salary, and daily routine. Establish a narrative for the persona and cluster your customers into 3-4 core personas. Figure out what their requirements and ambitions are and discover any issues or obstacles that could be an impediment to making a successful house flip.
Questions like these can help you define your buyer persona:
- How much are they generally spending?
- How much home-owning experience do they have?
- What internet channels they spend the most time on?
Ask questions similar to these to define your seller persona:
- Are they moving to a new city?
- Are they looking to buy a bigger property?
- Are they aware of the asking price their home will sell for?
2. Define Your Social Media Goals
Setting SMART objectives provides you with the capability to observe your growth and thus remain motivated.
If you are aiming to boost your GCI (gross commission income) by a total of $550,000 through the use of social media. In order to reach this goal, break down your target into smaller goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound (SMART).
Each and every objective your real estate business has on social media should be exact, straightforward, and exact.
The goal is to increase Gross Commission Income by $550,000 by utilizing a relationship-driven approach and reaching 50 agreements that have an average value of $400,000 with a 2.75% commission rate.
Make sure that your social media objectives involve measurable targets and key performance indicators. Monitor the amount of appointments accomplished, agreements finalized, bargains sealed, payments acquired, and profits obtained.
Have ambitions that will push you to your maximum potential but are also realistic enough to achieve.
It is essential to make goals that are pertinent to the ongoing work you are undertaking for your company.
Given a timeframe, setting a goal to increase your GCI by $550,000 becomes more achievable. A month, six months or a year are all acceptable timeframes to complete this goal, and having this in mind will help steer your current activities.
3. Create High-Quality Content
Given the intense competition in real estate, it’s essential to set yourself apart on social media and provide something that enhances your reputation and brand identity. Be sure to abide by any fiduciary duties, and do not share anything that conflicts with those rights.
Written content
Most companies in the real estate industry limit themselves to only publishing ads and property listings – the issue is that no one enjoys having to scroll through a lot of ads. Instead:
- Share your brand’s story and tell people why you are passionate about real estate
- Explain how you got started in the industry and let people know who works in your company
- Share customer stories describing the problems they faced and the challenges they overcame
- Describe locations and the list of services and facilities in each geographical area
- Ask people questions and give your expert answers in a F.A.Q. Page
Create content that is tailored to your pre-existing customer personas, regardless of whether it is a post to a social media site, a written article, an ebook, or a newsletter. Think of ways this content can meet the needs of the personas.
Stand out visually
Real estate listings with professional photos are more likely to attract attention on social media compared to those without any images or featuring low-quality pictures.
Here are some tips to stand out visually:
- Hire a professional photographer to post high-quality photos of properties
- Share staff photos, pictures of events, and show people your brand values
- Put out slideshows that are perfect for how-to content, market information, and serves as quick guides for buyers
Video content
An enthralling and fascinating video of the dwellings and properties that you are offering for sale will attract the attention of potential buyers, and make them more likely to make contact with your real estate agency.
4. Pick A Target Audience And Advertise Smartly
Utilize paid social media advertisements for real estate as a response to the diminished natural reach. Here are some strategies for making effective ads that will increase the number of leads you receive.
- Use the location, demographics, interests, and behavioral targeting options
- Use carousel ads to show multiple properties (or even multiple rooms of a single property)
- Be transparent in your ad copy to build customer trust
- Plan ahead to up your ad budget during peak times
- Use testimonials and reviews to instill confidence in your services
5. Analyze, Optimize, And Repeat
Once you have put in the effort to list properties, set up your social media accounts, and launch advertisements, you should take a step back and find out what strategies are most beneficial to your real estate business.
You won’t get far with the time and money you’ve spent on marketing your real estate business on social media if you don’t have quantifiable info to back it up. Therefore, it is essential to gauge your achievements on social media and then alter social media tactics as needed for better performance.
Establish key performance indicators to monitor the effectiveness of your social media plan.
- Increase website traffic
- Raise follower count
- Generate more contact form submissions
- Produce more property inquiries or sales
- Improve engagement rates
