Powerful Ways to Increase Your Social Media Following
Powerful Ways to Increase Your Social Media Following
There are currently 3.2 billion social media users worldwide, which equates to 42% of the world’s total population.
That number is only going to continue to grow. Are you maximizing your social media networks to their fullest potential?
As a real estate agent, you most likely have some sort of social media presence. And if you don’t, that statistic proves that you should start right now. When done correctly, social media can help you establish trust with your online audience, build your brand, and form relationships with homebuyers and sellers that you may not have reached otherwise.
According to this report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 47% of those in the real estate business cite social media has given them the highest quality of leads.
That statistic is a huge indication that if you don’t use social media in your business effectively, you’re missing out. Whether you’re just starting to build up your social media presence, or you’re looking for a few tips/tricks to help increase your current following, I’ve got your back!
Prioritize Your Networks
One of the main struggles agents have is that they don’t have enough time to focus on their social media marketing. With limited time, it’s crucial to prioritize the networks you should engage on the most. So, a good first step is to identify where your online audience spends most of their time.
According to the same report by NAR mentioned above, the top three social media networks used in real estate businesses are Facebook (97%), LinkedIn (59%), and Instagram (39%). Facebook has 2.2 billion users, LinkedIn has 645 million users, and Instagram has 1 billion users.
It’s fair to say that Facebook is the social media powerhouse, and a large portion of your demographic because people from all ages now have an account. Even my Grandma has joined the club! Here are a few things you want to make sure you’re doing with Facebook.
Create a Business Page: Chances are, you already have a personal Facebook page, but you’ll want to sign up for a free business page. Facebook links business pages to personal accounts, so it’s super easy to sign up if you already have a Facebook account.
I’m not saying that you can’t use your personal Facebook page to connect with contacts on the real estate and housing market, but it’s in violation of Facebook’s policy to create a personal profile page to sell and promote your business.
Business pages include some pretty cool tools like Page Insights where you can view page likes, post reach, and engagement. You can also add a call-to-action (CTA) button on your page that you can link out to your website. There are several pre-made buttons you can choose from such as ‘learn more, sign up, contact us,’ etc.
There are other tools such as a locator map to help people find your office, search optimization to attract clients, and advertising opportunities.
Install the Facebook Pixel: If you end up using Facebook ads or plan to use them at some point in the future, you’ll want to install the Facebook Pixel on your website, which is a piece of code that will help you track visitors and get the most out of your social media ad budget.
If you have access to your website’s code, you can install it yourself, or you may need the help of your website developer. It collects data that helps you track conversions from Facebook ads, optimize ads, build targeted audiences for future ads, and remarket to people who have already taken some kind of action on your website. For example, when the same visitors who browse your website later visit Facebook, you can display an ad or video to them.
Join Local Facebook Groups: You’ll also want to join local Facebook groups and actively engage in them by sharing relevant content, commenting on other posts, and answering questions that may be directly asked to you. If you have your own blog, or use your KCM Blog, that’s a great place to start. There are likely a variety of Facebook groups available in your area such as neighborhood groups, parenting groups, garage sales, pet groups, etc.
Once you’re in these groups, you’ll want to read the rules to make sure you stay on the administrator’s good side. You’ll want to be helpful and provide value where you can by answering all of the real estate questions and post highly-relevant tips/content you know that audience needs. If you have a positive interaction with a potential client or another agent, you should send them a direct message to keep the conversation going or offer up your contact information or link to your website/blog in the comments.
Pro-Tip: Watch for moving sales, because these homeowners may be in need of a good real estate agents!
LinkedIn is often referred to as the unofficial social network for professionals, but it can be a great lead generation tool. The content you share on LinkedIn may differ from what you share on your other social media networks, and you don’t need to post as often as you do on Facebook and Instagram, so the quality of your posts really matters.
Create a Company Page: Similar to Facebook, LinkedIn also has the option to create a business or company page, which is where you want to start. You need to be as detailed as you can with your company page. This includes completing your bio and outlining your current and past experience in real estate, niche market, if you have any certifications, and include a link to your website and all of your social media accounts. You’ll also want to create a professional banner using the same branding you do for your website for consistency.
Set Up a Showcase Page: In addition to a company page, you should consider setting up a Showcase Page, which is an extension of your company page. This page allows you to promote your blog, referral programs, listings, open house flyers, Buyer & Seller Guides, or anything else you want to highlight about your brand, to specific customer segments. Once you’ve created these, they’ll be listed under “affiliated pages” on your main LinkedIn page.
There are tons of professional groups on LinkedIn for real estate and you’ll want to join as many of them as you can, particularly local groups. These could be your real estate association, MLS, or local professional networking groups. Follow what people are discussing and contribute your own content in those groups, much like the example used above in Facebook. Each time you post, you’re positioning yourself as an expert to those outside of your network.
Pro-Tip: If you really want to position yourself as the market expert, create your own group in LinkedIn. Pick a niche or topic that hasn’t been covered yet. This will allow you to connect with new people and become the online trusted advisor.
The content you share on LinkedIn should be less fun/casual and more professional, so think blog posts, infographics and videos. Since you now have a combination of connections with people in groups you’ve joined, groups you’ve created, and your showcase page, you have a decently sized network for sharing with agents and consumers. The higher the quality of your posts, the more eyeballs and shares you’ll receive.
Facebook is the largest social media platform, but Instagram is the hottest platform right now. It’s an entirely visual platform and if you think about it, one that homebuyers are very drawn to for that reason.
An important note to point out is, as mentioned in the above statistics, less agents are currently using Instagram right now but, there are significantly more users on Instagram than on LinkedIn. Agents who jump on the Instagram bandwagon now have a tremendous opportunity to connect and engage with their followers. This opportunity might not last long as other agents catch onto this trend, so take advantage of it while it lasts!
Post Authentic Content: The first thing we recommend is to post your own photos and videos. Your online audience wants to see you as an agent, your listings, your content, your market update videos etc. Don’t use stock photos that have nothing to do with you or what you’re selling (unless you’re posting a thumb-stopping photo on a must have kitchen, living room, closet, etc.).
Don’t Go Photoshop Crazy: Don’t edit and filter your photos to the point that you completely alter the image being captured. Fixing bad lighting is one thing, but if you’re editing a picture of a home to where it’s unrecognizable, it’s misleading to your clients. The point is to show off the home as is.
Stay Consistent: Consistency is key when it comes to Instagram. From the tone of voice used in comments to the aesthetics of your posts, stay true to your brand in every way possible. Your posts don’t all need to look exactly the same, but if you have specific branding colors, use them throughout all posts to create synergy. People are naturally drawn to aesthetically appealing visuals.
Hashtag Like a Champ: Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, which doesn’t necessarily mean you need to use them all up. On average, you should use anywhere from 10-15 hashtags per post.
Including a hashtag will help increase your social media presence, as they make your content viewable by anyone who has an interest in that particular hashtag. This means your content will be viewed by others outside of just your followers. Not sure which ones to use? Here are some examples to get you started:
#realestate
#yourneighborhood + real estate (ex: #richmondrealestate)
#yourneighborhood + homes for sale (ex: #richmondhomesforsale)
#realty
#listing
#FSBO
#greatvalue
#househunting
#makememove
#luxuryliving
#homegoals
#broker
#foreclosure
#openhouse
#condo
Do Use Video: Video is a powerful marketing tool right now and Instagram is the place to use it. Create short, impactful videos to post within your feed (three seconds – one minute) stories (15 seconds max/story), or IGTV (up to 10 minutes) to connect with your followers. As a real estate professional, video is a unique opportunity for you to educate and build trust with your online audience.
KCM Member Krys Benyamein creates his own ‘Knowledge Drop’ videos using KCM content and puts his own personalized spin on them.
Pro-Tip: Record a video of yourself highlighting three to four bullets of your daily KCM Blog and post to your feed or your stories. Make your video short and sweet, under 60 seconds. You already have the content to create an awesome video and showcase your market knowledge, so use it to your advantage! When you post to your Instagram feed, you can simultaneously share to your Facebook feed or stories. No need to reinvent the wheel here – repurpose content whenever you possibly can.
Bottom Line
Every social media network is its own beast, but when used together effectively, they can be an untapped goldmine for obtaining new followers. Implementing some of these strategies should help you gain leads and build brand authority, but at the end of the day, remember you are establishing relationships so provide value to your online audience whenever you can. Creating trust with your following doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time, practice and patience.
Good luck on your social media journey!
We’re happy to answer any specific questions you have about increasing your social media following. We can’t claim to be experts, but our team is happy to help as much as we can.
Just reach out to us at support@keepingcurrentmatters.com if we can help!
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