Social media has been a revolutionary marketing tool for most industries and real estate is no exception. Today we’re sharing six social media strategies that every real estate agent should be capitalizing on. Before getting into the article, it’s important to keep one thing in mind: ENGAGE. It is very important to not only use social media as a way to promote your services, but as a way to engage with your audience.
Set up a Facebook group or page. A great way to interact with those in your area and promote your business is to set up a Facebook page or group that operates as a community service or “shout out” page. The page will serve as a platform for businesses in your community to promote their services via your page at their request. This is a great way to attract local businesses and an audience. By “sponsoring/creating” the community group, your business will also be in the spotlight and reach a greater audience as a result. You can also use this page to highlight community events, current homes for sale, and upcoming open houses.
Include a spot for reviews on your Facebook page. Research has shown that the decision of buyers and sellers to work with a real estate agent is highly influenced by reviews and testimonials by past clients. This makes it very important to encourage past clients to leave reviews and even more important to make those reviews easily accessible to potential clients and those who have landed on your Facebook page. Having a plethora of great reviews on your Facebook page will create a more positive reputation of your services in the minds of your Facebook page visitors and might even encourage them to work with you.
Opt for video over photo whenever possible. Videos are known to be much more eye-catching and have a greater chance of leaving a lasting impression on viewers than photos. For this reason, opt to use videos in place of photos on your social media channels whenever possible.
Some ways to incorporate eye-catching videos include: - Using a Facebook cover video instead of a photo - Upload videos of properties to Instagram and Facebook - Stream live home tours of listings on Facebook or Instagram
Make use of Instagram stories and highlights. Instagram stories and highlights have gained immense popularity and have become quite the social media marketing trend. For good reason. They are a great way to showcase your services to clients and potential clients. Because Instagram stories are built into the top of the Instagram platform, they’re easily accessible and grab users’ attention as soon as they open the app. Have a new listing or open house you’d like to showcase? Add it to your Instagram story along with posting it to your feed. Then, take it one step further and create a “highlight” for that property to save it to the top of your profile. By doing so, you can add all updates for that property to its highlight section, making it easy for your followers to follow along and get the most up-to-date information.
Create a YouTube channel and upload video home tours. This one relates back to point number 2. Creating a YouTube channel where you can upload all of your home tours and other useful real estate related videos is a great way to engage with potential buyers and sellers and increase your credibility.
Share useful information on Instagram. Use Instagram as a platform to share useful real estate-related information with your followers. Aside from sharing your latest listings and open houses, Instagram is a great way to keep your audience engaged and even attract new followers to your profile. Share things like first-time buyer tips, home renovation tips, tips for staging, DIY ideas, etc.
“I should not be more excited about your business than you are.” - Dan Plowman