The trick to real estate in today’s digital world is to be tech-savvy. As a real estate agent, your business and services, and the way in which you market them need to stay current with the world you live in. It’s crucial to be familiar with the internet, smartphones and tablets, but you also need to be aware of the applications available on these platforms, as they can help you succeed within the industry. One of the biggest cultural and technical trends of today is Snapchat. With 100 million daily active users as reported by Expanded Ramblings, Snapchat can be more than just a source of entertainment, but a powerful marketing tool for your firm.
What is Snapchat?
Snapchat can be summed up as being all of the most popular social media apps combined into one. It’s a messaging app that allows users to communicate via text, photos and short videos that only for a short amount of time. For example, you can take a photo of the interior of a new home you’ve listed on the market, and share it directly with your clients (they must also have a Snapchat account). They’ll be able to see the photo for up to 10-seconds. You can also share it on your story to connect with everyone that follows you, in which it’ll appear for 24-hours.
Use your Snapchat to Provide your Clients with What They Want
There’s no denying that most people do use Snapchat as a source of entertainment. However, people also subconsciously (and consciously) use Snapchat to find valuable information that pertains to them, such as fancy interiors, do-it-yourself projects, home gadgets and even home listings. Whether your clients are using it for entertainment, information or a combination of both, you can leverage it to provide valuable content.
Share photos and videos of homes for sale, unique interiors and even home gadgets that everyone will enjoy. Even if your clients aren’t buying or selling a house right now, they will start to associate your Snapchat as being an entertaining, valuable and informative place for enjoyable content.
Brand Yourself as an Area Expert with On-Demand Geo Filters
Arguably, one of the best Snapchat features for real estate agents is the geo filters. These are filters (similar to a virtual sticker) that Snapchat users can apply to their content if they’re in a specific area. For Snapchat users, placing a geo filter allows you to brand your content without having to say much. When you’re in a specific area, unique filters become available that are associated with your location.
For real estate agents, this provides an excellent marketing advantage. You can instantly brand yourself as an area expert by creating a geo filter specific to an area. For example, when users are in a city and/or area, they can use your fun, unique and innovative filter. In turn, everyone that they share their content with will also see your filter, which helps build brand awareness and generate interest. You can have your geo filter available for anyone within a minimum of 5,000 square feet to a maximum of 5,000,000 square feet.
Use On-Demand Geo Filters to Promote an Event
Since on-demand geo filters are associated with a specific location, real estate agents can use them to promote special events. If you’re hosting a community event or participating in a local charity, brand your real estate services with an on-demand geo filter. This allows you to raise brand awareness, while also bringing awareness to the event and/or charities in which you’re involved.
In addition, the on-demand geo filter would be available for everyone at the event. As such, all attendees would also be enticed to apply the filter to their content because it pertains to them and helps create a story within their content without having to type a message, apply stickers, emoticons, etc.
The Snapchat Secret is Creativity
The secret to Snapchat success is creativity. The on-demand geo filters can be used to promote everything from an open house, community event or local charity – and that’s only to name a few. However, it’s up to you to find new and innovative ways and designs in which you can use geo filters to bring awareness to your brand and services. The filter needs to be informative, yet visually appealing. After all, you are designing an on-demand geo filter with the hopes that other people within the area will also use it to increase word-of-mouth and interest.
So, it’s imperative to keep your clients in mind when choosing an on-demand filter to implement into your Snapchat marketing strategy. While it may be tempting to design one with your name and phone number, you have to remember that it needs to be something your users will want to apply to their content. It takes a bit of creativity, but the rewards can be exponential.
Snapchat’s on-demand geo filters definitely have the potential to change the way businesses advertise on their platform. The options are endless and constantly evolving, and consumers love it just as much as businesses do. So, this is one social media application you’ll want to add into your social media marketing strategy.
