Social Media: What Agents need to Know

Time and time again we see agents get stuck in the routine of posting listing after listing or dumping money into paid ads without giving any sort of value-added information in their day to day posting. We’ve put together our top social media advice and post ideas for you to incorporate into your own online strategy so you can not only increase engagement and leads from your social media following, but grow it as well.

1. Get on a scheduler

If you are not already familiar with this, allow us to briefly explain. A social media scheduler allows you to integrate all your social media channels into one place. Allowing you to create one post and schedule it to post to numerous platforms at the same time. In essence killing anywhere from 2- 8 social media birds at a time if you would.

2. Post Consistently

One of the biggest mistakes that we see all the time is irregular posting. Post often and post quality value added content. Post once daily at least and try to take advantage of new features social media platforms roll out like stories and reels and participating in these will often boost your visibility in the algorithms. Far too often we see Realtors get motivated for one reason or another, social media posting increases for a short amount of time and then as the motivation dies down so does the posting.

3. Engage with Your Followers

Do just set it and forget it. This is a HUGE mistake. So many posts go up with comments underneath that never get replied to or get replied to way too late. Every comment and like or other emoji reaction on one of your posts is an opportunity to create further conversation and increase leads and ultimately, sales results. Take the time to engage with every comment and do so quickly. I know some very successful realtors that even take the time to message people who have simply liked or loved a post. And seen them turn that conversation into a sale.

4. Use the 80/20 Rule

This is a common one, please bear with us if you are already familiar with it. The 80 / 20 rule refers to 80 percent of your content being value added and the remaining 20% being for sales. In today’s competitive market the less sales oriented you can be and the more authentic and natural the discussion the more likely you are to close the sale. We will delve into content ideas for both value-added content and sales focused content later in this article.

5. Use Hashtags

So often misunderstood and left out, Hashtags are an important piece of the social media puzzle. By incorporating hashtags at the end of your post you increase the keywords that post will possibly show up for in a search by a potential user. Be sure to include a personal hashtag, brokerage hashtag, plus the hashtags related to the community, neighborhood, house style and any other pertinent points of interest or potential search you would like the post to potentially show up for in a search. The ideal number of hashtags is typically 7 - 12. Some examples are #LuxeOmni #ChristinaGentry #LuxuryRealEstate #NewYork #NYC #NYCLuxuryHomes #VictorianHome

6. Watch Your Numbers

Pay attention to the analytics of your posts and make note of which ones are engaging and which ones are not so much. Take the time to review your posts and their analytics in comparison with each other once a month. You will start to see patterns emerge as to what posts are garnering engagement and which are not. Pay attention to the images, text copy and hashtags. Don’t fret about the less interesting posts, but focus your energy on the ones which were and create your next set of posts with this new information.

7. Engaging Content

Take the time to craft intentionally engaging posts and content. These can be anything from asking questions and creating polls and quizzes to answering homeowner and homebuyer questions. Ask for input on staging or compare two listings with a this or that inquiry. This can garner some valuable input from your followers as to what types of homes they are more attracted to and why. Create a recurring weekly post or live video series that answers frequently asked questions and asks followers to engage with questions of their own at the end or in the comments. You can then use these to reach out to potential buyers or sellers as well as having questions to use for future posts and videos.

8. Contests & Monthly Giveaways

Contests and regular giveaways are another fun and engaging post idea, from Halloween Costume Contests to Best Christmas Light Décor and more, these can be a fantastic way to increase your visibility on social media and are lots of fun for your followers too. Partner up with different local businesses for a regular monthly giveaway to your most engaged followers and theirs too This is a great way to take advantage of their following as well as expanding your reach within the community. Be sure to check the local laws in your area regarding contests as well as the current rules on the social media platforms that you will be promoting it on to stay in compliance.

9. Value Added Content

Value added content can cover a wide range of topics, the goal with this content is to provide your followers with some sort of information or experience which is beneficial for them. Whether that be information that educates them, inspires them, or makes them feel good or laugh. Some great examples of this are sharing home buyer advice, seasonal home maintenance and care tips, design and renovation ideas and tips, events and happenings in the community, especially free events & holiday-oriented events, inspiring quotes, advice for home buyers and sellers, important or positive local and business-related news. Congratulate new homeowners and Infographics, introduce your most recent blog or share before and after photos of recently renovated homes you have sold or that are up for sale. Recommendations to local businesses and services such as house cleaning, landscaping, pool maintenance, dog walkers and more are all great examples of value added content.

10. Feel Good Content

Everyone loves a feel good moment. Take advantage of that and highlight the ones which you encounter in your day-to-day business as an Agent and active member of your local community. Working with a charity? Highlight that and them. Hire on a new realtor or give one a promotion? Be sure to brag on your business staff, accomplishments, and milestones. Celebrate your secretary’s birthday, show off the puppy that your client brought to the showing. Customer success stories, with permission of course. Local spotlight on one of your favorite community businesses. Share customer testimonials. Online thank you posts to other businesses, staff, or clients. Pay attention to what resonates with your audience and post more similarly styled content moving forward.

11. Post Sales Oriented Content Wisely

Stick to the 80 / 20 rule and this part should be minimal and easy to accomplish. Posting new house listings and price drops, happy new homeowners are likely already on your to do list. Some more subtle posts which are geared towards driving sales would be creating virtual home showings and open houses and posts to promote them. Asking for feedback on a staged listing. Asking this or that house preference and then following up with everyone individually that expressed interest in one of the homes. Show off home features and highlights and share neighborhood amenities, features, and highlights and gauge the engagement and feedback. Don't forget to include the occasional friendly reminders about any current discounts or special offers or loan opportunities.

By adhering to a consistent social media posting routine, curating and posting value added content geared towards your community and followers the hard work will pay off and the numbers will rise. Be sure to pay attention to analytics and to shy away from posting the content which is less engaging and focus on creating more content in line with the posts that are resonating well. Be authentic and be the best Real Estate Agent you can be and be sure that you are giving your followers good quality content that is engaging and filled with value added information.