Long are the days when businesses would advertise through billboard ads, radio and newspaper. Technology has taken a hold of the marketing department in every single industry, and real estate is no exception. Because of this increase in social media engagement, it’s necessary for real estate agents to have an active and useful social media presence and strategy. Otherwise, people may view your business as untrustworthy. However, is important to know that using social media to increase your real estate business goes beyond creating a post once a week, or throwing a silly joke in here and there.
Nowadays, social media has become such a powerful tool for the industry that it can make or break your entire year as a real estate agent. Not only does social media provide ways for you to further connect with local clients and groups, it can build trust and spread your marketing efforts through friends of friends.
However, in an ocean of social media outlets, which ones will be the most effective for your specific market?
Tool #1 Facebook.
Let’s face it. So many of us use Facebook several times a day! People are hooked on posting about life on their walls, telling the world what they think, and reconnecting with friends through the help of this outlet. So why not take advantage of it and use it to market your real estate business?
Step 1
Create a business page. Do not use your personal Facebook page to market your real estate business under any circumstance! Doing so shows a lack of professionalism and dedication to your business. Creating a fan page is very easy, it can be customize to your preference, and the best thing is that it’s FREE!
Step 2
Post interesting facts about the neighborhoods and areas you're targeting. You can post upcoming events, historical facts, or anything that has to do with these areas that will grab the attention of your audience.
Step 3
Post pictures of your listings and create a link that will take the prospect directly to your page. Keep the post short and sweet, but make sure is an attention grabber!
Step 4
Show you care about your clients! You already show this in real life, so why not do it on Facebook! Post a picture congratulating your client for a recent closing or welcome them home. You don’t have to give out their names, you can use the initial of their names instead. A simple “Welcome to your new home W&N” or “R&J finally got the keys to their new home!” will let your client know you are thinking on them, but at the same time, you are keeping all their information private. You can also recognize your team in any closings to celebrate their success as well.
Step 5
Engage with your clients through contests and giveaways. This can include things about your neighborhood or asking people to give their best décor secrets. Make sure to post the winning prize and when the drawing will be held. People love to participate in contests, and it’s a way for you as a realtor to get to know your client at a more personal level, while having fun at the same time!
Tool #2 Twitter
Twitter has become the new way of texting, getting the latest news and getting to know people. This powerful social media outlet only lets you post 144 characters at a time, but the reach you can get (nationally and around the world) goes beyond any other form of advertisement. So go ahead and use this tool to your advantage! The key to success here is to continuously “tweet” using the right hashtags and actively engaging with your audience.
Step 1
Create your business Twitter account. Just like Facebook, creating a Twitter account is completely free of charge! The wonderful part about this tool is that once you create your profile, you can immediately connect and interact with people in your industry, clients, and even celebrities!
Step 2
Tweet about your listings! When doing these posts, it is imperative that you add a link to the listing as you have a limited amount of characters you can use. Make sure your tweet is an attention grabber. Copy and pasting a link and nothing else does not count as a legitimate tweet. Use the 80/20 rule. Make the tweet connect with your audience 80% and only use 20% to talk about your listing.
Step 3
Tweet tips about moving and home décor. People are constantly moving to new places or wanting to redecorate their homes so this will be of much interest to them. Post links to videos, tutorials, website links, and articles for these themes. Your audience will appreciate all of your tips and help.
Step 4
Tweet local news about your neighborhood. People want to know what is happening around them and a lot of them get their news via Twitter. Most people don’t have the time to sit down to read the newspaper. Go ahead, then, and tweet links of the latest news and invite your followers to engage in a conversation.
Step 5
Don’t be afraid of hashtags (#). Using the right amount and types of hashtags will allow your posts to be viewed by people other than your followers. Use related and specific hashtags and make sure you are not spamming the tweet with irrelevant mentions. To properly use this too place the hashtag in front of the name of the city, the neighborhood, or certain places or things that are related to your post (do not use spaces).
Step 6
Invite people to engage with you by asking questions. Allow your followers to say what’s on their minds and what they would like. Ask questions that people can relate to and make sure to answer them! By doing this you are getting to know your client and their likes and dislikes. For example, you can ask:
- What is your favorite thing about moving to a new home? #home #moving #newhome
- Where do you like to go for furniture shopping? Do you have any secret spots? #furniture #buyingnewfurniture
- How often do you renovate your home? #renovations #newhome #homedecor
Tool #3 Pinterest
Pinterest is a fairly new kid on the block but its reach and power is out of this world. The concept is very simple. You create boards of things that you like, post them, then they are ready for the world to see. This is the fourth largest social media outlet and it’s all about connecting through images, which is every realtor’s strength. Your listings get sold by appealing to visual emotions right? Go ahead and apply this to Pinterest!
Step 1
Set up a board about a neighborhood. Include places of interest, shops and services available in the community.
Step 2
Set up board about home décor. This is the perfect opportunity to show people how to decorate their homes and this is one of the most popular types of boards to follow. People want to know how to make their homes look brand new with simple tips and new ideas.
Step 3
Set up a board for your listings. Make sure to add the most appealing pictures and set this board to be one of your first four boards. People tend to look at those more often than the rest of your board gallery.
The following is a great example of what your profile can look like:
Step 4
Use hashtags like you would in Twitter. Once again, be specific to your niche and community and don’t hashtag every word you use. It doesn’t look very professional.
Step 5
Cross Promote Pinterest and Facebook. The beauty of Pinterest is that you can set the system to post everything on your boards directly on Facebook as well. This allows for a greater social reach and a higher engagement rate.
While there are many people that have not jumped on the social media bandwagon, it is important to recognize that things have changed. Social media is an inevitable part of every marketing strategy nowadays. People want to be heard and they want to feel part of your business. So go ahead and engage with them. Give your future clients a closer look at what you do as a real estate agent and show them your appreciation. You already do that in real life, so why not do it through social media too?
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