Most buyers today start their home search online, as compared to years past. The very first impression a customer has of your product is your online presence. Thus, it’s important to put time and thought into your branding strategy on social media.

Ultimately, buyers and sellers are demanding more agents to utilize social media to list and market their homes. Real estate agents need to be able to use social networking as a referral network to gain business, to educate their market and to display homes. Here are some best practices on how to be successful through social media.

Use video to capture attention.

Because consumers value visual information, using video and images to communicate is important. Create agent introduction videos for consumers to put a face with your brand and a personality to your agents. These can be broadcast on YouTube, Pinterest and your website. These videos will help form a connection with a client prior to even speaking with them in person.  One of our agents at The Crockett Team was recently contacted by a client who wanted to hire her because he saw her agent video and felt she could best represent his interests.

Videos can be created for other purposes as well. Testimonial videos are beneficial for potential clients to hear others’ experiences, and listing videos help consumers see more of a home before decided to schedule a showing appointment. Be creative and incorporate videos into your social media strategy.

Highlight your team and listings.

Your team is your brand, so show them off on social media. In addition to agent introduction videos, use images and company news to highlight your team. Share what is going on in your office and at company events on Instagram and Facebook. This can help potential clients to get a feel for your company culture and see your company as innovative and forward thinking. Images of new listings and home interiors are great ways to show off your listings visually on social media.  Use Pinterest to highlight homes for sale. Create one board for listings or create multiple boards for each individual listing to show off interiors and home features.

Be time sensitive.

Holidays, national events and local happenings are opportunities to utilize social media to gain consumer interaction. Create seasonal boards on Pinterest, post local events on Facebook or celebrate the holidays through company photos on Instagram. The sky’s the limit when it comes to social media, but being sensitive of what is going on globally, nationally and locally will help your brand build relationships with consumers on social media. For example, as Thanksgiving approaches, create a Thanksgiving board on Pinterest and fill it with seasonal décor ideas and favorite recipes, share your images in the office of seasonal activity, and wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving on Facebook. These small steps will set you apart as a company who wants to build relationships

Show off your city.

Posting local events on social media is one way to show off your city, but remember consumers are visual so incorporating photos or videos will only propel the success of a social media post. Pinterest is a great hub for images, so create a board about your city, your neighborhoods and fill them with images from around town and listings within those areas. These are easily shared and will position you as a resource on your area.

Educate.

We live in a society where people love to continue learning. Educate your consumers on the buyer and selling process. Share tips on moving, staging, or easy renovation ideas. Use Facebook to share news market updates in your area. Create and share educational infographics and blog posts on Pinterest, Twitter or Facebook.

Use these tips to put you on the path to social media success. Be creative and create a unique voice for your brand.  Remember, social media is about building relationships. While not every follow, like, comment or share will lead to an immediate closing, it will put you as a valuable resource. Building those relationships will help you be the first company your followers think about when they are ready to make the big move to buy or sell a home.