If you are wondering whether you should market your real estate business through social platforms, data from NAR shows that 47% of real estate businesses generated high-quality leads from social media than other sources. Most first-time home buyers are also millennials aged between 22 and 40, which overlaps the digital age group. Unlike before, the real estate industry has gone online, shifting from cold calling and other traditional marketing strategies.
Realtors, cash home buyers like Leave the Key Homebuyers, and independent developers should leverage social media to build client trust, generate leads, and close sales. Below are effective social marketing tips for implementing in your real estate business.
1. Choose the Best Platform
You should choose the best social media platform for real estate marketing before engaging your target audience. Like other niches, not all social platforms work best for real estate marketing, and spending much time on all platforms isn’t prudent. While you should experiment to find a platform that yields results, use expert advice for fast results.
· Facebook for Real Estate
Facebook is undoubtedly the most popular social platform globally. In the real estate market, a large percentage of first-time homebuyers spend at least 38 minutes daily on this platform. Coupled with the fact that Facebook has the largest audience, you shouldn’t ignore the importance of this platform for your real estate social media marketing.
While more than 70% of U.S. citizens are Facebook users, most real estate businesses ignore or overlook the importance of this powerful channel. Primarily, most realtors feel overwhelmed by the thought of finding the right target market from this large population and choosing the right marketing option.
However, Facebook makes it easier for marketers to run their marketing campaigns. You can interact with leads, add listings, schedule calls and appointments, and more. You can also take advantage of Facebook Ads to find leads and conversions.
· Instagram for Real Estate
Very few realtors have tapped into the power of Instagram. Unlike Facebook, Instagram is a very visual platform that relies on photos and videos. This perfectly resonates with real estate marketing, as quality pictures and videos should accompany product listings. You should make your business discoverable, use relevant real estate hashtags, and engage actively with your audience to succeed in Instagram marketing.
· LinkedIn for Real Estate
While LinkedIn is primarily a B2B social network and not the best for finding potential homebuyers, it is perfect for growing your real estate network. You can use LinkedIn to connect with other realtors, developers, and marketers. Below are a few tips to consider when using LinkedIn for real estate marketing:
- Optimize for keywords – LinkedIn has a powerful search engine. Using the right keywords in your profile makes it easy for other people to find you.
- Add new connections – Making connections is the best way to network with buyers, lenders, contractors, and investors in real estate.
- Use LinkedIn groups – Apart from Facebook, you can share content, connect, and get professional advice from LinkedIn groups. LinkedIn is a professional network, and you can tap into their strong knowledge from groups.
· Twitter
Getting traction on Twitter is challenging, especially with the 280-character limit, but it remains a great platform for connecting with potential buyers and sellers. Like LinkedIn, you should use Twitter to establish your business as an industry leader and source of insights in the real estate realm. Below are a few strategies to achieve this:
- Follow for follow – Building your Twitter base is as simple as following other users. It is only through this that you can get a good following.
- Run Q&A sessions – You can also establish your Twitter presence by leading Q&As and allowing other users to ask you questions.
· YouTube for Real Estate
You can also stay ahead of your competition through YouTube marketing. Create a real estate channel on YouTube and publish high-quality videos showcasing properties, neighborhoods, and other real estate news.
2. Create Personalized Content
Unlike other industries, you shouldn’t be shy about marketing your real estate business on social platforms. However, instead of spamming buyers and sellers with pitches, consider the following tips:
- Post property photos – Social media marketing for real estate is very visual. High-resolution pictures are central to successful marketing. Quality photos not only encourage likes and comments but also compel social media users to initiate conversations.
- Share success stories and testimonials – Most clients have difficulty choosing between the many agencies and companies in the real estate market. Providing social proof of satisfied customers shows the human side of the business and builds your reputation.
- Company milestones – Besides being social, you should highlight your business track record by sharing awards and accolades. Instagram stories are the best place to keep your clients looped in this.
- Home tips and renovation ideas – Sharing home tips and renovation ideas keeps your followers engaged. Home improvement ideas keep prospective and past buyers engaged.
- Virtual open houses – While you can’t substitute offline events. Hosting virtual open houses in your latest listings helps generate leads.
3. Take Advantage of Social Media Marketing Tools
Social media marketing is tedious and time-consuming. Fortunately, advancing technology has made it possible for digital marketers to simplify digital marketing. Make use of the following social media marketing tools:
- Free stock photos for real estate – You can access free real estate photos from websites like Unsplash, Burst, and Freepick to save on your marketing budget. Simply pick suitable images, add captions, and upload them to your social profiles.
- Chatbots – Real estate chatbots automate lead generation and qualification. The bot initiates immediate engagements with customers who click on your posts.
- Scheduling tools – Uploading all your social media posts manually is certainly tasking, especially for those with packed schedules. Scheduling tools, like Hootsuite and Buffer, can upload your already prepared content.
Endnote
Real estate marketing for social media might seem intimidating. However, getting your properties online and generating leads and conversions is simple, even for beginners. Other general social media marketing tips, such as creating quality content, engaging your audience, and having a solid marketing strategy, are also effective.