95% of American home buyers start their search online. This is a huge opportunity for realtors to reach more potential clients. To capture this opportunity, realtors should start building a strong presence on social media.
But which social media networks should realtors use? And how can they avoid pitfalls and maximize their success?
We will answer all these questions and more in this blog. First, let's look at three compelling reasons why realtors should use social media.
Why Use Social Media For Real Estate?
Businesses of all sizes are using social media to market their products and services. Real estate is no exception.
- Social media is the top marketing channel for realtors, with 80% of them using it to generate leads and referrals and stay on top of mind with their target audience.
- 50% of homebuyers use mobile devices to search for homes. This means that having a social media presence for your real estate agency gives you access to half of all homebuyers in the United States.
- Gen Z-ers, the next generation of homebuyers, are hooked on social media. 54% of them use it for at least 4 hours a day. Gen Z-ers are also eager to own homes, with 97% of them believing they will own a home at some point. Combine this with their love of social media, and realtors with a large social media presence have a big advantage.
Best Social Media Networks For Real Estate
Facebook is the go-to social media platform for realtors and Americans alike. 89% of realtors use Facebook to market their businesses, according to the 2022 Technology Survey by NAR. And no wonder: Facebook is also the most popular social media platform in the US. What's more, 30% of active Facebook users are between the ages of 25 and 34, which is a prime demographic for home buyers.
Examples of real estate agencies that use Facebook for marketing include Redfin, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, and RE/MAX.
Tips To Use Facebook For Real Estate
- Make a Facebook business page and fill out all the details, including your website URL.
- Use videos on Facebook, especially live videos. They get more views than photos and text posts.
- Post often. Aim for at least once a day, but the more social media posts you share, the better.
- Create Facebook groups for your target market(s) and start discussions, share content, and connect with potential clients.
- Run Facebook ads to reach your target market(s) faster. You can retarget your ideal client on Facebook and show them your ads for much less than other social media platforms.
- Focus on both reaching out to people in groups to raise awareness of your brand and responding to engagement on your content.
Next to Facebook, Instagram is the social media network of choice for realtors. Nearly 60% of realtors use this platform. Most Instagram users are between the ages of 18 and 34, which includes both Gen Z-ers and young millennials. And the main type of content on Instagram is photos, which are hugely important to homebuyers when deciding which houses to visit or buy. A picture is worth a thousand words, and being able to see inside a home and imagine yourself living there is priceless.
Some real estate agencies that use Instagram for marketing include Douglas Elliman, Compass, Nikol Klein, and Danube Properties.
Tips To Use Instagram For Real Estate
- Regularly post photos and videos of your listings, team members, and community on Instagram.
- Use social media management tools like Statusbrew to schedule your posts in advance.
- Use Instagram hashtags that are relevant to real estate and your target market(s).
- Engage with accounts in your target market, including businesses that serve your ideal potential client.
- Run Instagram ads. They are very targeted and have a high conversion rate.
- Track your social media marketing performance by monitoring Instagram analytics. This will help you create more of what works and less of what doesn't.
The third most popular social media platform for realtors is LinkedIn. You might think of LinkedIn as a platform for professionals, and you are mostly right. Most people don't join LinkedIn for fun like they would Instagram or TikTok.
But marketing your business to your peers is just as important - if not more so - than marketing to the general public. On LinkedIn, you can establish yourself as not only a successful realtor but also an authority in the real estate industry in your area. Having this kind of reputation can go a long way towards generating new leads and referrals.
Some real estate agencies that use LinkedIn for marketing include Cushman Wakefield, Inc, CBRE, and Keller Williams Realty.
Tips To Use LinkedIn For Real Estate
- Optimize for keywords: LinkedIn is also an excellent search engine to connect with like-minded experts, so people will find you if you use the right keywords in your profile.
- Add new connections: There's no better way to build a network of like-minded people than through LinkedIn. You can connect with buyers, investors, lenders, or contractors and grow your network.
- Use groups: LinkedIn has groups just like Facebook, and they are great for sharing content, getting advice, and connecting with other real estate professionals. There are even groups for specific niches and markets, so you can tap into a strong network of people who are interested in the same areas as you.
YouTube
It's obvious why having a large YouTube following would be beneficial for realtors. First, YouTube is the most popular social media platform among Gen Z-ers. Second, 43% of homebuyers of all ages find virtual home tours helpful. With a walkthrough video, you can show features of a home that don't always translate well in photos.
But home buyers also watch real estate videos for other reasons. Many realtors and industry experts have gotten a lot of engagement from posting videos that teach YouTube viewers about the housing market, home improvement tips, neighborhood tours, and more.
Some examples of real estate agencies that use YouTube for marketing include Erik Conover, Ryan Serhant, and Sotheby's International Realty.
Tips To Use YouTube For Real Estate
- Start a YouTube channel and keep posting new content. Aim for at least one video per week, but even one per month is better than nothing.
- Share your videos on other social media platforms to get more views and followers. YouTube likes videos that people interact with, so promoting your videos on social media (and via email if you have a list) is important.
- Include tags and keywords in your video titles and descriptions so people can find your content easily.
- Use eye-catching thumbnails that reflect your brand.
- Do some keyword research to find topics that people in your area are searching for.
- Encourage your viewers to engage with you in the comments section.
TikTok
TikTok is rounding out the list. In a survey by The Close, 18% of real estate agents said TikTok was important for their video marketing strategy. And TikTok reports that approximately 150 million Americans are using the platform. It's also the fourth most popular social media platform in the US, after Facebook, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger.
Tips To Use TikTok For Real Estate
- Make TikTok videos that show off your listings, home buying and selling tips, and real estate market updates.
- Use popular trends (like the ones you see in other popular TikTok videos) and incorporate them into your real estate videos.
- Use popular music and audio to reach your audience in a creative way.
- Engage with other accounts on TikTok.
- Make short videos that answer your target audience's questions.
- Partner with established brands to help you grow your following on TikTok. Just make sure to choose brands that your target audience follows so that you are attracting the right audience.
How To Manage Social Media Networks For Real Estate?
Start Conversations With Potential Clients
Most homebuyers in their 20s and 30s look for homes online. This makes it harder to talk to them in person or over the phone. So, use social media to start conversations with potential clients.
Join in on discussions in the comments sections of posts that are about your business. You can also send private messages to potential clients.
Instead of talking about yourself, focus on their needs. Maybe they are having trouble with something. Offer to help them. Be a resource and answer their questions. Invite them to have a real conversation with you, not just a sales pitch. This is a chance to build trust and relationships.
Post Consistently
You need to post consistently to build a strong presence on social media. This is partly because of human psychology and partly because of social media algorithms.
To build any kind of successful relationship, you need to be in touch and communicate regularly. Social media is no different. Algorithms seem to promote content from users who post regularly. This means you have to do your social media homework every day.
Luckily, there are ways to automate your real estate social media marketing. First, set aside some time each week to create a content calendar. This way, you don't have to find and post content every day. Second, invest in a platform that will help you schedule your content in advance.
When you are creating your content in advance, don't forget to research and prepare hashtags to go along with your posts. Hashtags help social media users find your content, which leads to more likes and follows.
Share Success Stories
Research shows that people connect more with brands that have a core story because it's something they can relate to. A Psychology Today article on storytelling says that stories give people something to believe in, engage with, and share. They are a way to spark the imagination.
Social media is an excellent place to tell your brand's story. You can also use it to share other's stories, like customer testimonials and success stories, as well as small wins to celebrate your business. By giving people something they can relate to on a more personal level, you are building trust and likability, which will attract new clients and deals.
Provide Valuable Real Estate Insights
Use your social media channels as an extension of your website blog. The point of blog posts is to establish yourself as an expert and thought leader in your field. By doing this, you are providing value to your audience in the form of ideas and information. And when they are ready to take action, they will come to you.
Your social media is no different. You can take snippets of valuable information from your blog posts and create social media posts out of them, along with interesting and informative graphics. Ideas for content include market trends and statistics, tips for buyers and sellers, home renovation ideas, and local events.
Use Branded Visuals
So far, in this guide, we have mentioned the importance of graphics and visuals when using social media. Instagram is a completely visual platform, but it's also because human psychology makes us all connect more with visuals and images than with text.
However, a plain image without any branding or call to action is confusing. Sure, it might be nice, but your audience won't know what to do next.
This is where branding comes in handy. First, adding your logo and brand colors will help your audience identify your posts more easily. Second, you can use design software to overlay text on your images with information.
For example, let's say you're a real estate agent, and you have a new listing that just hit the market. If you just post a photo of your listing with no description, your audience member might scroll past thinking, "Nice house," but nothing else. Of course, you can include information in your caption. But keep in mind that audience members often won't read the caption unless the associated image is intriguing enough to stop them from scrolling.
Instead, try posting a collage showing the property's exterior along with a couple of interior shots. Then, overlay some text with words like "Just Listed," along with the address, listing details, your logo, and how to get in touch with you. Now, the audience will see a stunning house, see that it's for sale in their budget, and know that they can easily reach out to you. This shows the power of a well-branded graphic.
Build And Maintain Relationships
Don't let your real estate social media efforts go to waste. Many real estate professionals start talking to potential clients on social media but then forget about them. Keep track of the conversations you have had and follow up with them later. Even if a potential client says no, it doesn't mean forever. They may just not be ready right now. Use a system to remind you to follow up with them after a set amount of time. You want to show them that you are interested in helping them, but you don't want to be pushy.
Use Social Media Management Tools
Realtors use social media to start conversations, teach people about real estate, and give recommendations. This helps them build long-term relationships with potential buyers and sellers. However, managing social media is tough when you are busy managing your business. That's where social media management tools like Statusbrew come to your help.
Statusbrew supports almost all social media platforms that a realtor would want to use, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. This multiple-platform support makes Statusbrew an excellent choice for managing real estate marketing from a single dashboard.
It comes with a massive range of scheduling and analytics features. If you like managing your social presence on the go, Statusbrew also has an app for Android and iOS devices.
And here's the best part: Statusbrew offers a 14-day free trial. So, you can take a spin of the platform and see what functionality you need in your plan.
Wrapping Up!
Real estate social media isn't about getting the most likes, friends, or retweets. It's about building your brand and connecting with people on a deeper level. Don't try to sell things right away. Instead, focus on telling stories that people can relate to and offering insights and value that will help them solve their problems.
That way, you will attract new business naturally. Plus, social media marketing is much cheaper than old-fashioned print marketing. It becomes even easier with the use of a social media management tool like Statusbrew to manage your client communication brand reputation and to analyze the impact of your efforts.
Book a FREE demo today to understand how we can help!
Statusbrew is an all-in-one social media management tool that supports Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and even Google My Business.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Here are some commonly asked questions about real estate social networks:
How to network social media on real estate?
Join relevant groups and communities. Follow other real estate professionals and influencers. Share your own content & engage with others.
How is social media used in real estate?
Social media is used in real estate to generate leads, for marketing listings, and to build relationships.
What social platform do realtors use?
Realtors use social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok.
Is TikTok good for realtors?
Yes, TikTok is good for realtors if you are targeting a younger audience between the age group of 25 to 34.
Why Instagram is good for realtors?
Instagram is a visual platform. So, it allows realtors to share high-quality photos and videos of your listings which is great for connecting with potential clients visually.
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