Countless real estate agents have transformed struggling businesses into extremely successful ones through marketing, including social media. Effective users of social media often stumble into success by accident, and they may not be able to describe exactly how they did it.

In this article, we will zero in on five powerful social media tricks that can help real estate agents reach a wider client base and even increase their sales.

1. Engage with Clients

Social media is all about forming connections. Replying to comments and tweets makes your fans and followers feel appreciated, and in turns, more likely to respond to your calls-to-action. 60% of today’s consumers take negative actions towards brands that are unresponsive on social media. Those actions include telling their friends about their experience and not recommending the company’s product or service.

Be sure to respond to any inquiry or customer service issue within 24 hours, and don’t forget to check your direct messages. In addition, take advantage of compliments that you receive on social media. Ask the customer if you can use their opinion as a testimonial!

2. URLs Matter

On Twitter, posts can’t exceed 140 characters, and a long website link can eat up those characters fast. Using a URL shortener like Bitly or TinyURL will leave more room for your message to clients and allow you the ability to track clicks and see where they are coming from.

3. Video Listings

Most homebuyers and sellers go online to research prospective agents, so recording a short video to introduce yourself can help them get to know you as a person. Post walk-through videos of listings and show off the best features in the neighborhood. Don’t forget to ask clients to record testimonials after the sales go through. For bonus points, connect your Google+ profile to increase exposure on search engines.

4. Get Maximum Impact with Photos

A picture is worth a thousand words, and when it comes to real estate social media marketing, it’s also worth money. Photos create something that will catch your audience’s eyes when your post shows up on their Facebook and Twitter feeds. Posts with photos get more comments and click-throughs than simple text posts.

If you’re posting about a new property on Facebook or Twitter, add a picture of the property to improve your results. If you’re posting an interesting statistic, include a graph or pie chart to reach a bigger audience. Be sure to optimize your image size according to the platform where you’re posting. As a rule, horizontal images work well across platforms.

5. Create Facebook Ads

As organic reach decreases due to Facebook’s algorithm updates, fewer of your followers will see your content if you do not advertise. An easy way to advertise is to boost posts that are already performing well. Facebook offers businesses of all sizes a wide range of ad products and targeting options that can help you reach very specific audiences cost-effectively.