Social Media for Realtors

Social Media for Realtors: 11 Proven Strategies to Get Leads

In the age of social media, more and more realtors are moving their businesses online. A robust real estate social media marketing plan is vital to stand out.

All real estate agents can benefit from using social media to build their client base. Realtors can also use it to connect with other real estate agents and potential homebuyers (or sellers).

In this article, we’ll look at 11 ways to use social media for real estate marketing and to improve lead generation.

Why Realtors Should Use Social Media

The one thing real estate professionals never seem to have enough of is time. Between communicating with existing clients, showing houses, and attending open houses, you probably think you don’t have time to invest in one more thing.

Social media platforms can be time-consuming, but the benefits far outweigh the effort. If you’re new to social media marketing, don’t be afraid to start small, with just one or two sites.

With millennials an increasing portion of new home buyers, it’s essential to be where your clients are, and that’s on social media.

1. Create a Facebook Business Page

If you only have time to commit to one site, choose Facebook. This platform offers you the most flexibility and customizable options. There are multiple ways to engage with your audience and advertise your listings.

Facebook is the social media version of your website. Your page can be customized to include most of the same features while facilitating engagement and connection.

Ensure all of your contact information (email, phone number, website) is up to date and matches what people will find if they Google you. Better yet, include a Call to Action button like “Contact Us” or “Call Now,” available exclusively to Facebook business pages.

Having easy to find contact info on any social media channel is crucial because people still use agents to buy homes, so you want to be seen as easily accessible.

Your Cover Photo

Choose a visually pleasing cover photo for your business page, and don’t be afraid to change it up. You can use a professional picture or a high-quality shot of a house you have for sale or a stock photo with a dedicated hashtag over it.

Your Dedicated Hashtag

Having a dedicated hashtag for your real estate business is an excellent way to track your social media marketing efforts.

Choose something related to your business name or that emphasizes your mission.

Having a dedicated hashtag allows you to track things like:

• Demographic
• Reach
• Influencers
• Related Keywords

Professional Images

You can hire a professional photographer in an ideal world, but that’s not always an option. Use pictures you have taken yourself for listings and make sure the room is well lit. Try to get some shots with people in them: It will help potential buyers imagine themselves living there.

Choose Your Added Features

Facebook offers businesses multiple options here, such as a place to include client testimonials or reviews. You can also select things like:

• Agent Profile
• Photos
• Houses for Sale
• Posts
• Events
• Videos

You can even add a place where clients or interested buyers can book an appointment.

2. Create a Twitter Account

Unlike Facebook, your Twitter account can (and should) be more personal. Create an account for yourself, include in your bio that you’re a real estate agent, and list your company’s website.

Twitter is an excellent option for real estate agents who want to stay involved with their clients or offer updates about available properties quickly.

Don’t Be Afraid to Get Personal

Sites like Twitter allow you to share more personal things to build trust and generate more authentic leads. You can do this by:

• Sharing a short video of you walking your dog in a neighborhood with homes you’re selling
• Offer “Pro Tips” about how to choose the right home for you and your family based on personal experience
• Share pictures of your bathroom remodel
• Create a collage of photos of you and your kids gardening

Share Interesting Links

Twitter is a great place to share links to other sites, like new listings on your Facebook page or the latest blog on your company website.

The one downside to Twitter: You have to tweet often to get the most benefit: Several times throughout the day is ideal, as is having time to respond to threads or comments on your tweets. Accounts who tweet more frequently tend to have greater visibility and exposure.

Schedule Your Tweets in Advance

Don’t have time to tweet organically? Take advantage of TweetDeck, Twitter’s free extension to schedule your tweets. This option means you can write all of your Tweets on Monday and schedule them to go out multiple times a day, every day, for the rest of the week.

Use Relevant Hashtags

The right hashtag can help new people discover you. You can also take advantage of hashtags to find new homebuyers. Some popular hashtags include:

• #openhouse
• #listing
• #realestate
• #realtor
• #luxury

Use no more than three hashtags per post to avoid a cluttered tweet.

3. Join Instagram

Instagram and social media marketing for realtors go hand in hand, as both are all about pictures. You’ll need to take a page from Twitter and use hashtags when you post. Which ones you choose will vary based on what you’re sharing, your location, and if you have any branded hashtags. Don’t forget more general hashtags like #beautiful or #picoftheday.

The Power of Tagging

One of the many benefits of social media is connection. Attend another real estate agent’s open house and snap a picture with them. Then, post that picture to your Instagram story and tag them in it. Your post will also boost their visibility, which increases the odds of them returning the favor.

Flashy Photos

Of course, you’ll want to post stylish photos of your latest listings, but don’t stop there. Create custom images with reviews from clients or use stock photos with your dream kitchen aesthetic.

4. Create a Pinterest Account

Pinterest is a social media site worth considering for realtors because you can create themed boards. Create them for things like:

• Your latest listings
• Places to visit in your city
• Lifestyle interests, like if you’re into cooking or crafting (to let people connect with you on a more personal level)
• Home décor and decorating tips
• Your dream kitchen (or bathroom or closet)

Connecting and engaging on Pinterest is as easy as liking, commenting, and re-pinning.

5. Start Your Own YouTube Channel

YouTube may be a hit or miss option for you, depending on whether you currently use videos to show and sell houses.

If you don’t currently, you can always put this option on the backburner, but if you’re already doing video walkthroughs or virtual tours, YouTube is an excellent choice to step up your game and increase your audience.

There are dozens of ways you can use YouTube. Here are a few options:

• Simple walkthroughs (you and your smartphone, talking about the house’s features)
• Music tours (perfect if you hate the sound of your voice but still want to show the house)
• Renovations (you can do before and after videos and interviews with clients doing renovations)
• Video content (perfect if you have a blog and want to offer clients another way to absorb your wisdom)

Be sure to share your latest YouTube videos on Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram. If the video is long, you can always edit shorter clips for your other social sites.

6. Start a Blog on Your Website

If you don’t already have one, you definitely should. Blogs are a great way to increase visibility, get more traffic to your site, and build your reputation as a trustworthy, knowledgeable realtor.

You can cover topics like the home buying process, staging tips, moving advice, and choosing the best neighborhood.

Writing about your take on industry trends is another great topic. Don’t just share statistics and facts: Include your interpretation and what clients should take away from it.

A blog is one of the best ways to keep old clients returning to your site while also scoring new ones. It will help keep you and your company ranked higher on Google.

Plus, having a new blog article to promote gives you something to share on your social media sites.

7. Promote Your Success Stories

There’s a fine line between celebrating your clients and being a show-off, so make sure to keep the focus on your clients. Consider asking your clients to share their story, or take a cute picture (like them holding their new keys or a house-warming gift) to share.

Potential clients will see their happiness as a sign that you care about more than making your next commission. Follow-up with your clients if they plan to do any work and share photos once they finish.

8. Ask Your Clients to Post Reviews

New clients are more likely to reach out if your page is full of glowing, five-star reviews. While not everyone is a fan of leaving reviews, consider offering them an incentive, like a discount on their next sale or purchase through you or being entered to win a cool prize.

Testimonials, which tend to be longer, are also great to get. And if nothing else, just a simple sentence explaining how easy you were to work with can do the trick.

Make sure to share your reviews across multiple social media sites. Include a section for reviews on your Facebook page, create a visual for Instagram with a quote from a lengthy review, or share a short snippet on Twitter (and link to the full review).

Always say a few nice words back when a client takes the time to leave you a review. Something as simple as “Thanks, Gary, you and Jenny were such a pleasure to work with!” will create a positive image of you and be more likely to generate new leads.

9. Follow the 80/20 Rule

If you’re not familiar with social media etiquette, this means that 80% of your posts should be customer-focused, and 20% should be about your business.

In other words, your feed shouldn’t be endless listings. Instead, you want to offer posts centered on your customers or clients.

People thinking about buying a home will have questions. Be the one to answer them. Offer advice about staging your family room or the best color to repaint your bathroom. Tips and tricks for first-time sellers will earn engagements and paint you as an expert.

Avoid endless streams of copy that are pushy and sales-orientated. Instead, post pictures of a remodel in progress or of updates on a new build.

10. Share Local Interest Content

Sharing community-centered content goes well with the 80/20 rule. Talk about the local bonfire happening on Saturday, or share updates about the library renovation.

Showcase local businesses like restaurants and shops (both great for photos) and highlight family-friendly neighborhood events. You can post about upcoming garage sales, school closures, or picnics in the park.

These are still relevant to real estate and will help position you as an active community member.

11. Contests and Giveaways

Everyone loves free stuff, which means terrific opportunities for advertisements for you. If you need more reviews, offer a house-warming basket as a prize to all clients who purchased through you in the last 90 days.

Set up a giveaway on Facebook for a bottle of wine or a cute houseplant for any new client who books a meeting with you in the next two weeks.

You’ll gain new followers and expand your realty community.

In Conclusion

Social media can be one of the easiest ways to connect with both new and old clients. You can boost your presence, get new leads, and position yourself as a friendly industry expert.

The right social media marketing strategy for your real estate business will take some time to develop, so remember to post to your social media accounts often and post things of interest to your clients.

Suggested Reading

• • 7 Useful Tips for Real Estate Internet Marketing
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  • Realtor Lead Generation: 12 Proven Strategies to Get Leads
  • Realtor Web Design: Design Services that Generate Leads
  • Social Media for Realtors: 11 Proven Strategies to Get Leads