Chances are that your agency already has a social media presence. Have you asked yourself lately if you’re using this medium to your best advantage? If you already have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and perhaps other social media accounts, maybe it’s time to step back and see if there are ways that you could improve the content and your strategy. Here are some tips to consider:
- Take a look at how the accounts are being managed, and who’s contributing content. While there’s no “one size fits all” approach, it’s often best to have one person coordinating all the accounts rather than different people managing the platforms. Having one person managing all the outlets usually provides improved posting consistency as well as better content targeting. You might consider appointing a social media team to help brainstorm content, set strategy, and offer suggestions for maximizing your agency’s use of each outlet.
- Have a plan. If you’ve designated a social media team, ask them to produce a short-term as well as a long-term plan for social media content and scheduling. Having a set plan will help with more consistent postings and will help direct content. This approach can also help keep your content fresh and interesting.
- Be creative with how you post new real estate listings. While social media is certainly one of the best ways to spread the word about listings, particularly those that have just come on the market, if you’re simply posting a link to the listings, you may be missing some great marketing and communication opportunities:
- Make sure the lead-in to the listings link highlights some of the best features of the property to pique interest and encourage readers to actually click the link and find out more.
- Ask the listing agent and other agents to offer comments about what makes the property special and include those in the lead-in.
- Ask readers to share the listing link with anyone they know who may be interested in a property of that type or in that particular area.
- Most important, make sure your social media isn’t just a repetitive list of listing links. If that’s all your followers will come to expect, you’ll run the risk of them just scrolling right past your posts.
- Don’t be afraid to personalize your posts. Real estate is about relationship building, so let your agents’ personalities and interests shine through on your social media. Has an agent recently achieved an impressive sales goal? Has an agent’s child received an academic scholarship or an athletic honor? Maybe one of your office staff has been recognized for community service? Post about it and share the good news with your followers. Include your clients in this effort, too, when possible and with their permission.
- Sharing photos on social media always adds interest to posts, but don’t overlook the power of video, too. Instead of posting a photo of clients in front of their newly purchased home, consider posting a short video of them walking into the home for the first time, or playing in the yard with their kids. Videos have a way of making a story come to life in a way that photos can’t.
- Include information about community events that might be of interest to your clients and followers. Share information from other sites about home improvement and maintenance, such as helpful articles from the HSASM Newsletter.
Remember, having a social media presence isn’t only about what your agency posts. Interacting with your followers via “liking” their posts, commenting, and responding to comments is also important in building social media relationships.