So we’re going to switch gears a little bit here on the blog, and speak not to just prospective renters and homebuyers, but also to agents themselves. Working in real estate…you learn it’s a research business, a knowledge business, a relationships business, and an advertising and marketing business. And social media can help you build and sustain all of those important tenets of the job. In this article, we’ll go through everything from setting up your socials to targeting and marketing so that you reach your clients in the best way possible.
Use Case #1: Get Visible
If you’re not on social media, or if you’re not responding and interacting with clients through the use of it; now’s the time to start. Actually, if you’re not active on socials as a real estate agent, and you’re doing okay…you must be a great agent. So much is happening on social media these days! At a minimum, we’d recommend getting a business page on Facebook. This helps differentiate between personal and professional posts, and almost more importantly allows you to check out the analytics and data behind your page.
Images and video make the biggest splashes, so here’s where you want great photos of your properties and areas. The FB algorithm rewards engagement, so asking your audience questions and holding contests are great ideas to get people interested in your content. Then there’s Instagram. It’s of course a visual platform, so once again professional photos are key. Collages are now okay on IG, so you can even show multiple pics of a listing. Finally, think about adding a LinkedIn page if you haven’t already done so; it’s a great platform to link with other agents and brokerages, plus many clients (and prospective clients!) already use the service at their workplace.
Use Case #2: Connect
As mentioned above, social media ‘works’ using algorithms. If your post is engaging, it’s shown to others who may also engage with it. Basically, if you create interesting content, it’s in the interests of the social media companies to push your posts in front of more people. So don’t just push out advertisements to everyone! Why? People don’t generally respond to ads. You have to think: what do potential homebuyers in my specific area want to know about? If your market is anyone younger than people in retirement age, there’s a very good chance those same individuals are searching for homes online. What are they looking for? Walk people through the home buying process, answer basic questions with some of your specialized information. Become a helper. Connect.
Use Case #3: Focus, Then Be Consistent.
There are so many social media platforms out there. And each one has multiple components; there’s stuff like Instagram Stories, Facebook Live, et cetera. Do you need to do all of it? Well, it doesn’t hurt to have a large social media presence. But trying to be everywhere all the time isn’t a good idea; you’ll just end up being mediocre everywhere. So it makes sense to focus. Figure out who your audience is, and where they hang out. Social media is the same as real life in this way; you have to find the neighborhood you like. Facebook is one of the oldest-skewing platforms. If you have a lot of great photos, head for Instagram. If you work with commercial clients, it would make sense to focus on LinkedIn. Ask your clients what socials they use!
Once you find a target, you have to be consistent. Socials reward weekly or daily work. This might mean planning out or scheduling content, but if you stay consistent it will get your stuff in front of your clients more often.
Use Case #4: Just Like Staging, Tell A Story
This part cannot be overstated. Stories are interesting.
Why are you doing this? Why are you in this business? Where is your business located? What area do you serve? Who are some of the people who’ve found great homes throughout your services? These are all things you should be able to answer through your social media. But how to do it? It’s not ‘easy,’ but then again it’s not hard either. You just have to tailor your content in the correct way.
Here are a few examples; talk about the neighborhood, area, city, or state you serve! It’s more than just listing the price and amenities of your properties. Why would someone want to live there? (Besides the countertops.) These types of stories help your potential buyers find your site and then help them imagine how things would be if they lived in that area or that home. These are good things. When things work out for one of your clients, consider asking them for a quote or even a testimonial about the process or the neighborhood. You’d be surprised how many people are into it.
Nothing makes you look better than satisfied clients, saying positive things about your business in a truthful way.
Use Case #5: Use Visuals To Your Advantage
We’ve already touched on it above, but visuals are extremely important in social media. People have short attention spans, and while an article or testimonial is great, it’s a picture that will grab prospective homebuyers first. Once they are interested they can dive into the rest of the content. Are you good at things like photography, graphic design, or Photoshop? If so, it might be time to put those skills to work. If not, these are things that might be worth investing in. You want your listings to ‘pop,’ and you want your business to look professional yet approachable.
This is where a good logo and web design come in handy. A lot of successful agents and agencies ‘tag’ their photos, which allows buyers to make their way back to your business. If you’re into collages and ‘inspo,’ think about one other social media platform; Pinterest. Users on that service build ‘boards,’ and if your images look good and are tagged, it allows the details to be seen by clients.
There’s one big visual medium we haven’t really spoken about yet, but it’s important; moving visuals. Videos. Yes, you should think about YouTube and Vimeo as well. If you think a picture or an article grabs people’s attention, think about things like Facebook Live Q and A sessions or video testimonials; they’re amazing for generating interest and providing info. At the middle and high-end, the industry leaders are already doing it. You should too.
Either way, by using these tips you can leverage social media to help your clients and yourself! Thanks for reading, and good luck out there.
WHO IS FULTON GRACE?
We are one of Chicago’s leading providers of comprehensive real estate services. We are home to an ever-growing team of savvy & reputable local realtors, seasoned property managers, and customer-service-oriented staff. Whether you’re looking to find a new home, sell your home, or have your property managed, let us be your trusted real estate advisors.