Social media use keeps growing. So real estate agents now use it a lot to market themselves. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter help agents in important ways. These sites can help generate leads. They help build an agent’s brand. And they drive visitors to an agent’s website. So, having a good social media strategy matters. It can help an agent’s business in big ways.
In this blog post, we will look at some of the top tactics and best practices for utilizing social media to attract potential buyers and sellers.
Focus on Video Content
Video reigns supreme in today’s social media landscape. According to HubSpot, video content generates 1200% more shares than links and images combined. Real estate agents who incorporate video into their social strategy see higher engagement levels and increased lead conversion rates.
There are a few good ways to use video to generate leads:
- Create neighborhood or property tour videos to give potential clients a virtual walkthrough.
- Share market update videos with statistics and analysis about your local area.
- Film live videos to answer common FAQs and establish your expertise.
- Post before and after videos highlighting your staging or renovation projects.
Short, eye-catching videos often perform best on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Make sure to use compelling captions that inspire viewers to learn more.
Use Paid Social Ads
While organic content is important, running paid social media ads takes your real estate marketing to the next level. These targeted ads allow you to get your content and listings from highly relevant audiences.
According to real estate coach Tom Ferry, the average click-through rate (CTR) for real estate Facebook ads is 0.90%. This is significantly higher than the average CTR of 0.90% across industries.
Some effective paid ad options include:
- Boosted posts to increase the visibility of new listings or event announcements.
- Click-to-Messenger ads that drive conversations from social media to your inbox.
- Highly targeted ads focused on homeowners or first-time buyers in your area.
- Retargeting ads that follow up with prospects who have visited your website.
Allocate a portion of your marketing budget to run paid social campaigns on a consistent basis, testing different audiences and creatives. Use analytics to identify which messages and offers resonate most.
Host Live Q&As and Events
Live video provides an excellent opportunity to engage your audiences in real-time and create touchpoints for generating leads. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram have robust live broadcasting capabilities built-in.
Some live video ideas include:
- A weekly Q&A where you answer buyer and seller questions.
- An open house or property tour broadcast.
- Market trends live stream with neighborhood or city analysis.
- Live from an industry networking event or conference.
Promote your events ahead of time across your other social channels to drive tune-in. Then focus on delivering value during the broadcast – share your insight, highlight listings, and provide plenty of chances for viewers to engage.
After you finish, the video remains on your profile for continued viewing. Use it in future lead nurturing activities.
Optimize Your Social Profiles
As the foundation of your social media real estate marketing, your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube profiles need to be fleshed out and optimized.
Here are some profile best practices:
- Complete contact info: Include details like your phone number, email address, and office address so prospects can easily reach you.
- Compelling bio: Summarize your experience, specialties, and approach to real estate. Include keywords like “Real estate agent in [location]” for SEO.
- High-quality photos: Profile pictures, headers, and highlighted images should showcase you, your team, and high-quality real estate photography.
- Links to website/blog: Add buttons, website URLs, and links in your bio to drive traffic to your site for lead capture.
- Industry hashtags: Incorporate relevant hashtags like #realestateagent to tap into larger social conversations.
- Location tags: Tag your location in posts and videos to appear in geographic feeds where buyers and sellers are searching.
- Link other profiles: Cross-link your social profiles and websites to tap into multi-channel audiences.
A strong social media profile establishes credibility and provides 24/7 visibility into who you are and the value you provide.
Engage in Targeted Outreach
One of the most effective social media strategies for generating real estate leads is targeted outreach. Once you have built a solid base audience on your profile, you can extend your reach through direct communication with potential clients.
Here are some outreach best practices on platforms like Instagram and Facebook:
- Comment on listings from other agents in your area, providing your insight and expertise.
- Reply to comments from followers asking about buying/selling, and guide them to your DM or email.
- Proactively message homeowners who may be looking to sell soon based on signals like life events.
- Build relationships with partner businesses and cross-promote content to each other’s audiences.
- Follow hashtags related to homebuying and real estate to join larger discussions.
The key is personalizing your messages while providing value. Avoid overly sales pitches. Social selling is about starting natural conversations that convert to leads.
Track Your Performance
Implementing tracking links, pixels, and analytics is vital for measuring your social media ROI and refining your real estate strategy.
Tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Analytics, and Sprout Social provide data on:
- Traffic sources – which social profiles and posts drive the most website visitors
- Lead conversion – how many prospects convert into buyer/seller leads
- Engagement metrics – impressions, reach, clicks, comments, etc.
- Ad performance – click-through rate, cost per lead, ROI
Regularly review your metrics and double down on what’s working. Test new content formats and audiences. Over time, you will hone an effective social approach for capturing more prospects.
Key Takeaways
The bottom line is that social platforms host targeted, hyper-engaged audiences of potential real estate clients. Developing a strategic presence with value-driven, consistent content pays dividends for lead generation.
Focus on using video, running paid ads, going live, optimizing your profiles, smart engagement, and tracking data. With these social media best practices, you will be well on your way to real estate success!
