MARKETING REAL ESTATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA: TOP-7 STRATEGIES

The internet has firmly established itself as the go-to place for property shoppers. After all, 99% and 90% of millennials and baby boomers respectively start their search for homes online. More so, according to 47% of realtors, the highest quality leads come from social media.From these statistics, it is difficult to overemphasize the importance of social media in marketing strategies for real estate agents. 

Many realtors are aware of the effectiveness of social media marketing, so they seek to exploit the opportunities thereof. One needs to be smart and make the most out of marketing real estate on social media through different content strategies such as virtual staging and other imagery for listings. The following are some of the tricks you can use.

#1. Choose the Right Platform 

Social media has many platforms – LinkedIn, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter among others. These programs attract members of different demographics, with Snapchat and Instagram having the youngest membership, LinkedIn is more business-oriented, while Facebook is more about the personal life of the middle-aged audience. A realtor needs to carefully consider the strengths and weaknesses of each platform and adjust accordingly.

Real estate markets are also demographic-sensitive. It is, for example, not common to have young people buy luxury real estate unless they use the money of the rich parents. A realtor can focus on marketing real estate of a lower value for younger customers on Instagram and Twitter. 

Facebook is the biggest converter for real estate marketers, and it has an older audience to whom luxury homes can be sold. However, middle class and budget-friendly property options are more than relevant there too.

LinkedIn focuses on business to business connections, and it could work with corporate clients and for networking with other players in the industry. It is also a perfect place for those real estate agents that provide office places for rent.

#2. Open a Business Page on Facebook 

Some realtors seek to use their personal accounts for social media real estate marketing. Choosing such an account for marketing real estate on social media has many limitations. Hence, marketing is best done using business profiles whose design is professional. 

Such profiles provide the user with opportunities to view data on the number of visitors and what they are interested in. Such information helps realtors make decisions on what to market. The business page also has tabs and, with them, more space on which a realtor can give the details on the property they are marketing. 

Facebook business pages also allow for the promotion of offers, which increase the visibility of the real estate an agent is marketing. Particularly, Facebook Ads Manager is one of the most effective and up-to-date ways to conduct a marketing campaign. 

#3. Use Virtual Staging and Quality Imagery

As seen earlier, the vast majority of potential home buyers start their search for homes online. 85% of these seekers consider images depicting their property to be an essential factor in their decisions moving forward. Fortunately, innovative CG technologies are now available, so such things as virtual home staging and VR tours allow people to visualize the potential of the home including furniture layout and other amenities. 

The staging influences the decision-making process for the prospect giving them all the needed information before they even contact a realtor. Virtual staging provides sliders to show the property before and after staging, VR tours, and other visuals that enable customers to have a clear view of the property. 

Virtual staging also has the advantage of being affordable – a real estate agent can get it done for each of the properties on offer at a fraction of the cost of physical staging. 

#4. Get Your Social Media Accounts Verified

Social media pages that have been verified have higher viewership. On Facebook, a verified page has more viewership than of unverified pages in the same business. Verification usually is free as long as all the requirements have been met, and it gives the verified realtor a considerable advantage in marketing real estate on social media. 

More views for verified pages are because such pages rank higher in Facebook searches. The blue check of verification further builds trust for the realtor in their activities in marketing real estate. After all, there are all types of people on social media. Many of them misrepresent themselves, and verification sets one apart from such people in the eyes of customers.  

#5. Talk about the Neighborhood

Homebuyers are usually not just interested in the features of the house. They also like to know about the neighborhood where the property is located. If the buyer has a problem with the area, it can’t be solved by a furniture replacement or such measure. It is, therefore, imperative for realtors who want to be effective in marketing real estate on social media to provide as much information on the neighborhood as they can. 

Realtors should write articles about their cities of operation and provide other relevant information to ensure interested buyers are well informed. This is another way to make sure the people who finally make contact have had as much information as they need to evaluate the property and decide if they want to go ahead with further negotiations.

#6. 80/20 Rule

It is easy for one to fall in the temptation of talking too much about themselves on the social media pages. Even in the real estate business where the realtor and the company are virtually synonymous, the golden rule of social media is that 80% of information should be on real estate and 20% on the agency and realtor.

Both types of information are essential, and they should be disseminated as per the prescribed percentages. The 20% on the realtor should allow the personality of the individual or firm in question to shine through. This way, a potential customer would have confidence in the realtor through a mpre personal connection.

#7. Educate Customers 

Sharing insights and knowledge of the business with customers helps them make decisions. Realtors go through many difficulties in the process of their work. These difficulties usually result in lessons on how to go about the real estate business as many buyers are unaware of the possible pitfalls in the industry.

Educating customers is not only a way for the realtor to inform them but an opportunity to showcase the agent’s experience in the industry. Showcasing their understanding is vital in marketing for real estate agents since most buyers focus a lot on the credibility of the realtor before they can decide on purchasing.

Marketing in real estate needs to move with the times, and having a social media strategy is indispensable in today’s real estate market. The tips outlined above are just a few of the ones an agent can use to expose their portfolio and services to a broader audience. 

Want to develop a competent marketing plan for real estate? Contact us for top-tier virtual staging services to enrich your social media presence and magnet new leads.