Real estate is a competitive business. With so many realty companies as well as buyers and sellers looking to do it on their own, real estate agents have a tough time clawing their way to the top. While most agents are on social media these days, some could use a little help getting that competitive advantage. Here are 5 things you may not have thought of yet.
1. Connect on LinkedIn
A recent study conducted by NAIOP Massachusetts and the communications firm Solomon McCown & Company, surveyed 100 real estate professionals and found that LinkedIn is the most popular social media platform among them. Furthermore, “52.3 percent of those polled said they use it” (Social Media Today). LinkedIn can be used by real estate agents to connect with brokers, developers, architects, and more. It provides an outstanding opportunity to connect professionally online and utilize one connection to make another.
2. Be Useful on Pinterest
Although your end goal is to sell a house, there are different ways to get there. You don’t need to go for the hard sell on all of your social networks. Instead, you can reserve some of the more visual networks for sharing your wisdom and providing useful information. Pinterest is an extremely popular platform for those looking for decorating ideas, DIY tips, and images of their dream home. By creating a Pinterest account, you can interact with potential clients and their dream boards. Share your own dream boards, decorating ideas, and tips for upkeep. Users will view you as a subject matter expert in all things “homeowner”.
3. Track Conversations on Twitter
Tracking conversations surrounding buying and selling homes couldn’t be easier with Twitter. By searching particular key terms in your area you can find people who are looking for realtor recommendations, complaining about their house search, or thinking about putting their home up for sale. Not only will this give you insight into what your demographic is talking about, it also provides an opportunity to engage. According to the study mentioned above, “65 percent of respondents said that engagement with their target audience was the most important goal for their social media campaign”. Engagement is indeed vital and Twitter offers a great jumping off point!
4. Showcase on Instagram
Instagram is all about powerful imagery. Users take the time to frame photos of fun occurrences, throw on a filter, and make something simple into something fabulous. You can too! When pushing a particular house, find a really neat feature like the gazebo in the backyard or intricate detail of the wood trim. Posts like these will make your Instagram fun to follow and could be enough to sway a user to put down an offer!
5. Share Advice on YouTube
Online video marketing offers a fun way to mix up your social strategy. It’s also great for SEO! In fact, YouTube is the second largest search engine meaning that after Google, people are going to YouTube for instruction and tutorials. Create a YouTube account and begin sharing short 1-2 minute videos with helpful advice. You can advise home buyers on what they need to get started or help sellers with useful tips for getting their home ready for the market. Be creative, useful, and entertaining!
Don’t be afraid to experiment with social media! There is a lot of opportunity out there to engage and interact with your current and potential clients. If you are in real estate and need assistance with managing your social media sites, please contact Informatics.
View the other Real Estate digital marketing blogs from this month:
3 Email Marketing Tips for Real Estate Agents
10 Value-Added Blog Post Ideas for Real Estate Agents
SEO Best Practices for Real Estate Agents
