Over 1 billion people are active on Facebook on a daily basis. But what does this mean for the real estate industry?
Everything. Even given the recent scandals about consumer data and social media, people are still turning to social media to engage with friends, share content, network, and discover brands they love.
As a realtor, you know that a relatively stable housing market does not necessarily guarantee clients. For this reason, marketing—particularly cutting-edge advertising—is always a need.
I’m here to say that social media should be a part of that need; in fact, it can help meet your marketing needs in a powerful way, provided you do it right. Here’s a glimpse at the social media basics all realtors should get a handle on now.
Know That Social Media Is a Marketing Strategy
First things first, social media does not operate as a stand-alone channel when it comes to advertising. It should be seen as a component—a vital component—of your holistic digital marketing strategy.
If you play your cards right, social media can leverage all of the other hard work you’ve been doing to retain and attract homebuyers and sellers, including SEO, that snazzy new website you just launched, and your blog.
Clients will recognize if your social media accounts are inconsistent or visibly “separate” from your other advertising methods. View social media much as you view your website: it, too, is a digital business card you’re flaunting to the world.
It should be consistent with your values, mission, and online presentation. Whether you specialize in luxury condominiums, property management, or mortgage services, everyone visiting your social media profiles should know what you’re all about.
Choose One or Two Platforms
A lot of realtors assume that in order to engage with the broadest audience possible, they have to set up profiles on every single social media platform. This makes sense on the surface, but flooding the social media market in this sense is actually ineffective.
This is because every platform caters to a different audience and demographic. It’s wise to choose one or two platforms that will best showcase what you have to offer, rather than spreading yourself thin across all that’s out there.
I recommend Facebook as the ultimate channel for realtors, as well as LinkedIn. Facebook enables clients to leave reviews, which can be a key part of your online reputation management strategy. LinkedIn is a professional network, enabling you to post industry articles and showcase your authority.
Instagram is another option for realtors who want to give clients quick visuals of property listings and team members. If your current marketing scheme is image-heavy, don’t leave this platform out of your social media plan.
Treat it Seriously
I’ve already alluded to this in this article, but a social media marketing campaign should be treated as seriously as any other advertising effort.
One of the biggest mistakes realtors can make when implementing social media marketing is to be halfhearted with social activity. Yet social media gives you a great chance to engage in real-time with clients, promote valuable content, and even send out surveys!
Be wise with your social media campaign, and show it some respect. Take your time as you craft it and give it your all—clients will notice.
Stay tuned for more posts about how to build an effective social media marketing strategy in the real estate industry.
