Best Practices: Social Media Marketing for Real Estate

As a real estate agent or broker, utilizing social media marketing has become a vital component of online marketing. The National Association of Realtors has provided intriguing statistics that emphasize the significance of social media in the real estate industry.

In 2022, nearly half (47%) of home buyers started their home search online, and some found their real estate agent online as well. Furthermore, nearly all home buyers (96%) used online tools to find their dream home.

Social media marketing for real estate has expanded the possibilities for both new and established agents to reach a wider range of clients. By using social media, real estate agents can effortlessly engage with potential customers in their local target market or across the globe without leaving their office. It is one of the most cost-effective ways to promote your real estate business and establish yourself as a leader in your field.

However, it is essential to equip yourself with the necessary knowledge to use social media marketing for real estate in the most effective way possible. Here are some important considerations to keep in mind.

Best Practices: Social Media Marketing for Real Estate

Generate Brand Visibility

As a real estate agent or business owner, it’s crucial to prioritize boosting your brand’s visibility through social media marketing. By utilizing social media platforms, you can introduce yourself to locals and establish a strong online presence for potential buyers and sellers in your area.

To start off right, take these steps:

• It is vital to optimize your social media profiles so customers can find you. Using relevant keywords in your username, profile descriptions, and URL address is crucial. Including your contact details like phone number and website is also essential. 
• You should fill out your contact details, including your phone number and website, so potential customers can easily reach you. On platforms like Facebook, where there is ample space, you can write a short bio and fully detail all your service offerings.
• Another essential thing to do is add social media links wherever possible, such as your website, blog, and other channels like YouTube. 
• Use attention-grabbing cover photos that immediately let visitors know about your business. For example, if you specialize in luxury real estate listings, you can upload a cover photo of a beautiful luxury home. You can also use an image that represents the area you serve. Remember to add your website or phone number to the photo and your logo.

Target Your Audience

You can easily target a specific audience using various tools on most social media platforms. Facebook, specifically, offers hyper-targeting for both organic posts and ads. In addition, you can define demographics such as age, profession, income, area, and interests to reach your target market.

In addition to geography and interests, X (formerly Twitter) offers targeting based on gender, language, followers, device use, and behavior. Pinterest, Instagram, and other social media networks provide various targeting options.

To get started right, follow these steps:

1. Know who your target market is and where they socialize. What are their interests, professions, lifestyle choices, etc.? Knowing your audience will help you set up options for organic posts and paid ads within your social media platforms. Read this post: 5 Ways to Find Out Where Your Target Market Socializes for ideas.
2.  To ensure you use the targeting options to your advantage, find out what keywords and key phrases your target market uses when searching for a home or a real estate agent. Use Google Trends or Buzz Sumo to find popular search terms.
3.  Use your keywords and target audience information when crafting your posts and setting up your ads. Hashtag your keywords on all your social posts.

Engage Your Audience

While social media is a public space where many interact with friends and be entertained, it has increasingly become an area where people receive much of their daily information, from news to how-to articles.

Therefore, it is essential to be social and regularly post informative, helpful, and entertaining content.

Rules and ideas to follow:

1. Regularly publish content that is informative and helpful to your target audience. Articles from NAR, or your local real estate association, and from your local mortgage lender are great places to curate and share free, useful content.
2. Entertaining and inspiring images are a fantastic way to engage your fans. But make sure it’s part of your overall branding strategy. Holidays are a great time to share an inspiring image. Striking nature photos or images of your local community will capture your fans’ attention. Read this post 9 Image Apps That Will Help You Create Amazing Graphics.
3. Publish on a 4:1 ratio. Don’t turn off your audience with a stream of direct sales pitches. For every one post that is a direct promotion, publish four that are purely for your audience’s benefit.
4. Talk to your followers. Ask them questions in your posts, reply to comments and criticisms, and thank them when they like or share a post.
5. Post listings using available tools, such as Facebook’s Marketplace real estate section. You can list your homes with up to 50 photos, property descriptions, and contact info. Don’t forget to put a link to your Website listing and contact information. On Twitter, you can publish up to four photos with descriptions or a video. Instagram offers publishing video or images to newsfeeds, Stories, and Reels.
6. Host live-streamed open houses. In today’s new world, where we need to limit close contact, using a social media livestream is a fantastic alternative to in-person open houses. Most platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, offer live-streaming services.

Conclusion

Social media marketing for real estate is a fantastic way to create brand awareness, engage with current and new customers and establish yourself as a leader in the real estate industry. If you start right and follow these social media best practices, you will quickly gain a following and establish a loyal fan base.

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