A lack of consumer engagement is one of the reasons REALTORS® lose potential deals. With the interactive nature of social media, there are countless opportunities to connect with clients and communicate effectively. The first step is to establish specific social media accounts for your business. The second is to learn the best ways to use these sites to reach potential clients. Consider six savvy real estate social media marketing tips every real estate agent should know.
Discover the Many Faces of Facebook
Facebook is still one of the most commonly used social media sites. There are many ways to share content on Facebook. Post photos and video tours of your latest listings. Use the events feature to announce upcoming open houses in the area. Create groups for buyers and sellers to get the latest updates. And resist the temptation to post about your business continuously. The goal of social media is to become more sociable. Give your company a humanized profile by sharing a few personal photos of you touring homes or posing with smiling buyers at closings. Share local happenings, such as community and school events. The majority of your posts should focus on customers rather than your company.
Master the Minimalist Approach on Twitter
REALTORS® can say a lot with just a few words on Twitter. Did you read or write a compelling article about a real estate topic? Do you have a new listing with all the bells and whistles buyers want? These are some of the many opportunities to create Tweets. Offer buying and selling tips, advice about moving, and share information about community events. Post several times a day to get more views and generate leads. Use relevant hashtags with every post. Hashtags help people who are searching for specific topics find your Twitter updates. Be sure to connect with reporters from your local news outlet so you can begin to establish a relationship with them. This will help position you as a local expert and a resource they may turn to if they ever need input on a real estate story.
Get Visual on Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube
Real estate agents recognize that the right picture is worth a thousand words when it comes to describing properties. Some of the most successful agents hire professional photographers to shoot images and video of their high-profile properties. Sites such as Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube are places to post visual updates of houses and commercial buildings. Create boards on Pinterest that tell a complete story about a home, with photos of every room and outdoor space. And now Instagram Stories offer one of the hottest places to share visual elements. YouTube, a familiar favorite, continues to be an excellent place to post video tours and links to your listings.
Connect with Professionals on LinkedIn
Real estate professionals benefit from having a robust LinkedIn profile to connect with local businesses and brands. LinkedIn also offers opportunities to publish informative articles and reports. Become an authority on a specific topic, interact with local professionals, and build a referral network to generate more leads.
Keep Up with the New Kids on the Block
The new kids on the block are millennials and Generation Z. Both are coming of age and looking for their first homes to buy or rent. Keep up with the younger generation by having a presence on the latest social media sites they use most. One of them is SnapChat, which recent research revealed is the leading social media site used by people age 24 and younger. Short, catchy images and statements appeal to this group and help you capture the latest generation of real estate clients. This content has a short shelf-life, however, so choose your social platforms wisely based on your time.
Check Your Social Media Metrics
Once your social media accounts are well-established, check your metrics. Check your number of followers, how many likes or shares your post have, and the level of engagement you have on each site. Use this information to see which types of posts and images create the best buzz. And always remember to make it easy for people to share your updates on social media. Use simple layouts on your website and social media sites. Include links to all of your profiles on each site. Add sharing buttons on your listings, articles, and blogs. Become interactive on social media. Read articles and posts by other industry leaders and share them. Over time, this increases your number of connections and how many shares your posts get.
Fortune magazine observed how sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others have changed how we reach and interact with customers as well as the way we do business. And real estate social media marketing is one of the fastest ways to reach more clients. Creative posts and compelling images pique interest and generate leads. Real estate agents who recognize the power of social media are branding their businesses and attracting more leads.
