Social Media Marketing Tips for Realtors 2021

The need for real estate agents to be online is more present than ever. A recent National Association of Realtors study found that the vast majority of individuals begin their home search online, and for most people, that translates to one space - social media. How can real estate professionals use this space to their advantage? What do all good real estate social media campaigns have in common? This guide can help you better understand how to use social media to your advantage as you work on marketing your listings. 

Choosing a Platform

The first step to market your brand on social media is to select the right platform. There are plenty to choose from these days, so make sure you’re doing your research before choosing a platform. You don’t just want to look at how many users a platform might have worldwide. Instead, you’ll want to understand how many users a platform has that fit within your demographic. 

Imagine, for instance, you’re working with thirty-somethings who are career-established and ready to buy their first homes in Miami. A platform that caters to teenagers, then, may not be the right choice to meet your needs. Look carefully at the number of users in your area and what age and lifestyle demographics the platform reaches most to get the best results. As a general rule, Facebook offers the most expansive reach for real estate agents, and Instagram is growing in popularity, too. LinkedIn may be an avenue you want to pursue as well.  

Understand the Conversation

Social media is a great place to advertise your newest listings, but it’s so much more than that. If you only ever advertise your listings, you’re far less likely to get the number of regular followers you want. Instead, you’ll need to engage in the conversation. Keep an eye on your posts so that you can respond to any comments that are made. 

Ensure everything you post is engaging, and post a variety of materials. From your new listings to congratulating new homeowners to tips and advice for sellers, you want to stay fresh and stay engaged. You are your brand, so create a conversation. Social media is NOT just a place to list and walk away. Instead, you must become part of the party. 

Creating Regularity

Posting on a routine basis is essential. If you post once a month, then once a week, then once every two months, it’s going to be tough for your followers to stay engaged. Instead, you need to post at least three times each week. Find the right posting time for your demographic, then choose a scheduling service to ensure all your posts are delivered on time. 

Add Video

Video is the way to connect with your audience today. It’s quickly becoming one of the most engaging ways to improve your posts, and it performs well on almost every platform. Offer educational videos, informational content, or even walk-throughs of your newest listings. You may even want to live stream your next open house to drive a bit more engagement. 

Remember, though, should you choose to add a video to your strategy, you’re going to want the right equipment to do so. Nothing is worse than trying to watch a social media video when you can’t hear what’s happening because the team didn’t invest in the right equipment at the outset. 

Don’t Forget About Your Local Audience

Real estate is about working with people. You want those in your area to trust you, so they’re willing to buy a home from you or list with you. The single best way to build that trust is to create local content that helps others understand how knowledgeable you are in the area and how much you know about the trends that are surrounding your local market. Posting about what’s happening in the neighborhood or even the greater area around the neighborhood is a great way to connect with those looking to buy and sell alike. 

Use Hashtags

Hashtags are a great way to boost the number of likes on a post, but they’re also an excellent way to help buyers and sellers find your content. Before you decide to include hashtags in your posts, make sure you do some research. Choose only those that are relevant to your brand and your location. It’s okay to experiment a bit with hashtags to see what might work best for your brand, but make sure you know how they work before you begin using them. 

Social media has already had a significant impact on the real estate market, and it’s not likely to let up any time soon. Instead, it’s up to you to create unique real estate marketing ideas you can use online to help attract a wider audience.