Attention real estate agents in 2021 – are you squeezing the full potential out of your social media efforts?
Social media is a tricky thing to get a handle of, especially for the generations that grew up without the ability to regularly check Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter on hand-held devices. The world of social media might seem foreign and strange to many of us.
However, social media’s immense potential as a marketing tool for your services should not get overlooked. Social media is a powerful way to advertise your specific real estate services to a broader audience – and, sometimes, might be the primary way of attracting new clients.
So, what should real estate agents in 2021 do with their social media efforts? In this blog post, we’ll outline some of the best practices to help you get the best out of your social media.
Don’t Limit Yourself to One Platform
Prefer Facebook to LinkedIn? How about Instagram over them both? No matter what your preferences might be, it’s a great idea to have a social media presence on all three of these major platforms (Twitter isn’t absolutely vital, but it’s at least an excellent idea to have an account to reserve your space). As we’ll explore later, all of these major social media platforms have their uses when it comes to marketing your service.
Use #Hashtags and @Tags to Grow Your Reach
Be sure to use the social media tricks of the trade! When you #hashtag a topic in your text (for example, #realestate or #realestatesale), you make your post prominently visible for other people – and potential clients – searching for information on the same topic. It’s an easy way to introduce yourself to new markets. Another tip? Don’t forget to @tag clients, vendors, and other providers in the posts they’re involved in. They can re-share the posts to their own network – and you never know who might end up a client!
Use Correct Grammar!
This may sound very basic – but one of the top rules for real estate agents in 2021 when it comes to social media must be the use of proper grammar and spelling. Nothing turns off potential clients more than a social media post littered with grammatical and spelling errors. It’s essential to check, double-check, and triple-check every post you put up for correct grammar and spelling (especially when it comes to clients’ names or various geographical locations). It’s perfectly okay if you’re not a strong speller or writing doesn’t come naturally to you. Try running posts past a trusted source or using spell/grammar check software or online outlets to ensure that everything is airtight before you send it out into the world. Another tip? Make sure your facts are correct; you don’t want to get prices, data, or other easily-checkable information wrong in one of your social media posts.
Match the Message to the Medium
Remember, there should be a unique writing style for each of the social media platforms you write for. They’re all social media outlets at their heart – but each of them has different goals and audiences. You must tailor your post for each outlet; the little differences are critical.
- Remember that LinkedIn is primarily a business and sales-focused website; it’s a more interactive, online resume geared towards professionals. When people log on to LinkedIn, they’re not looking for entertainment; they’re looking for rock-solid information for their finances and careers (real estate included). It’s not the medium for jokes, banter, political commentary, or friendly pictures of kids’ Halloween costumes. It is a medium to show you’re serious about your career. Have a great-looking, professionally done headshot. Fill out your resume in its entirety. Get recommendations from clients. Share insightful, engaging industry articles. When you message people, be polite, direct, and engaging. Treat it as you would an industry get-together.
- Facebook is a more social outlet. You can have a little more fun with Facebook and show a bit more personality. Try sharing some pictures of the family, some lighter and more entertaining links, and plenty of pictures. Give a little more insight into your character – but strike a balance between fun and businesslike. Play around with your messaging to find the right tone.
- Instagram is a visual social media platform, so the pictures are the critical element. Great – not just good – photography is crucial for your messaging on Instagram. If you want to make your Instagram a centerpiece of your social media strategy, try investing in professional photography for your posts. A great, professionally-done picture of one of your sales will send your reputation and credibility through the roof on Instagram.
Share Articles From Trusted Sources
It’s a great idea to share articles from trusted sources on your social media platforms (LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook work best for this). It’s an easy way to show insight, explore different topics, and invite diverse commentary and discussion from your followers. However, it’s also critical to be very careful when selecting the sources you do share. Try to avoid inflammatory or biased websites or websites with shaky sourcing and other glaring weaknesses. Another thing to watch out for? Make sure the websites you link to don’t have a connection to competitors or rivals; it might surprise you what you find out after a little digging.
Explore Paid Social Media Advertising
When it comes to your social media, the first priority should be to expand your network in order to gain more possible clients. In order to do that, you need to spread your content far and wide. It is possible to achieve the exposure you need through your self-built (or “organic”) network – but investing in paid social media advertising across different networks can deliver an even wider audience and potential client base. With paid advertising, you also have the powerful option of choosing the demographic you’re looking for – down to the age range and geographic area. For real estate agents in 2021, that’s an extremely potent part of the toolbox. If you have the budget for it, paid social media advertising could be extremely effective.
How LemonBrew Can Help
In order to create that type of social media presence that attracts the eyes of potential clients, you need to be aware and informed – and that’s where LemonBrew comes in. With LemonBrew, you’ll get the perfect resource for everything real estate – with an in-depth library of blog articles and features to explore. On our blog, you’ll be able to explore everything you need to know about the real estate industry. Check out articles like “The Best Real Estate Agents Know These Four Things,” “5 Ways to Manage Your Finances in an Uncertain Time,” and “How Long Does it Take to Close on a House?” to get the cutting-edge insider information that people want to read about.