Social media is a gold mine for real estate agents. According to a National Association of Realtors study, 77% of realtors use social media for business. The same study revealed that 90 to 99% of people begin their home search online.
Social media has played an integral role in establishing roles and target audiences for Colorado Country Broker (my personal brand) and United Country Real Estate Western Land & Lifestyle Properties (my brokerage). I garner buyer interest through Colorado Country Broker, which is a huge advantage to my clients listing their homes and land with Western Land & Lifestyle Properties.
I’ve found success on social media because I understand what to post, how to form organic relationships with my community, and how to interpret social media analytics to drive more traffic to my listings. Other brokers frequently compliment my social media strategy and ask me what magical powers make it possible. I always tell them that social media isn’t a magic trick; it’s just social.
If you’re good at talking to people in person, you can be good at social media too. Here are four of my top tips for navigating social media as a real estate professional.
Form A Community
You must look at social media as a way to connect with your in-real-life network online. Think about where you’re trying to get listings and what message you’re trying to share. Create posts for that community.
As a real estate broker in Western Colorado, my goal is to use social media to share the perks of the Western lifestyle. I post about things going on in the community, photos of my weekend trips to the Grand Mesa, and share tips and tricks for buyers and sellers in the area.
My posts are organic, helpful, and local. Therefore, when I share new listings about “a cabin for sale in Cedaredge” or “a hunting property for sale on the Grand Mesa,” my community engages because those posts are relevant to them too.
Focus On Quality Over Quantity
While you’re building your community on social media, keep in mind that quality is always better than quantity. I’d rather have 100 engaged followers constantly supplying me with leads than 100,000 followers spread across the country who barely look at my posts.
In an area as small and niche as Western Colorado, I’m not trying to market my listings the same way a national e-commerce brand would. I’m educating buyers interested in moving to the area and showing sellers that I go above and beyond to get the best price and fastest sale for my listings. That’s a small demographic, and that’s okay.
Don’t Turn Your Page Into an Advertisement
One of the most common mistakes I see real estate agents make on social media is using every post to sell themselves and sell their listings. People hate ads. They’re not going to intentionally follow one.
When used correctly, social media is an indirect advertising tool, and you never have to explicitly beg your followers to click on a link. You advertise yourself as a trustworthy agent by sharing informative, educational, entertaining, and (then) promotional content. People don’t mind the occasional sales pitch if they respect and trust the person giving it.
Know What To Post
So, if you’re not using every post to try and sell your new listing, what should you post on social media as a real estate agent?
First, you have to decide what social media channels you want to use. Facebook and Instagram are the most popular channels for brokers. Facebook gives you the power of links back to your website, while you should reserve Instagram for eye-catching photos and videos.
Now, on to the content:
- Property photos and videos to make people stop scrolling and see what you have to say.
- Client testimonials to build credibility.
- Success stories to document your client relationships and marketing strategy at work.
- Area-specific lifestyle photos to show potential buyers why they should pay attention to your listings.
- Industry and market news to keep your followers up to date on what’s trending and when they should buy or sell.
- Home renovation ideas to help sellers maximize their return on investment and help buyers after closing day.
Takeaways
Why am I giving away these marketing secrets? Well, social media strategy isn’t proprietary and the biggest thing I emphasized throughout this article is how important it is to know my audience.
Luckily, I know my audience, and I know it’s primarily made up of buyers looking at properties for sale in Western Colorado and sellers who want to list theirs. When it comes to marketing my clients’ properties, I go above and beyond to stay up to date on the latest social media strategies to facilitate stronger relationships and sell properties faster.
And, if it happens to help a broker or two along the way, that’s great too! I’m confident in my community.
If you enjoyed this article, make sure you follow me on Facebook at Colorado Country Broker and United Country Real Estate Western Land & Lifestyle Properties.
