How to Plan Social Media Marketing Strategy for Real Estate

The complexities of buying and selling property make people run to real estate agents. The agent should not take vulnerable clients for a ride. He should be trustworthy and should keep the interests of the client foremost in mind. Some people say that is where social media comes into play. Social media is an icebreaker. It forges a lasting and confidential relationship between client and realtor. There are benefits of using social media marketing strategies for initiating and closing real estate deals. That said, there are real estate social media strategy tips.

Table of Contents

Real estate is a business that cannot survive without proper advertising. And now that social media is here, the focus can easily be shifted from billboards and hoardings to the internet, which has a much wider reach than printed advertisements. Due to the evolution of social media, it is not only for connecting with friends and family anymore, it can also be effectively used to advertise something and gain followers or potential clients. This is entirely true when it comes to real estate as according to a study, 77% of realtors are active social media users, and thus, in today’s world, the younger generation can easily be approached when it comes to buying or selling houses, property or apartments.

According to the same study, almost 47% have stated that business leads on social media are more effective than advertisements or leads anywhere else. The problem is reaching the newer generation in such a way that a serious subject such as the buying and selling and the investment of property interests them. This can only be done through the means of social media as stats show that almost all millennials, that is, around 99%, begin looking for a property on the internet.

Sell the Town

Tell and inform homebuyers of the neighborhood, not just about the house or the piece of real estate that has been put up for sale. People like to know the town and the locality they would like to move to. Give them more than just demographics. Use social media to give them more than just a glimpse—let them in on the pros and cons of the town and locality. Use informal titles given to cities and towns to sell real estate in that city and town. Post videos and beautiful pictures on Twitter and Instagram—on Facebook and YouTube.

Ring True!

Many realtors get their content ghostwritten. Don’t! The copy must ring true. Customers have a sixth sense. They catch on to flowery language and then it’s kaput for the sale. Social media gives the realtor the chance to be one-on-one with the customer. The relationship is intense and intimate. There is an element of trust. So, write your piece from the bottom of your heart. Authentic social media content is not hard to create and present. Open a conversation with the client and let it flow!

Inform Buyers—Educate

There are lessons to be learned in real-estate—stories to be told, again and again, to customers, potential and existing. It opens a relationship and enhances old ties. The conversation could be about how to avoid making mistakes when buying a piece of real estate in a so-and-so town and such-and-such neighborhood. Such stories educate people on the advantages and disadvantages of buying and selling property—give them a far better buying and selling experience. And needless to say, social media adds oodles of charm to the experience. Something like #RealEstateThoughtForTheDay on Twitter will be a hit on social media.

Chat to Know!

Yup. People have questions regarding homes to purchase now like they used to have before the advent of social media. But where they ask them has changed. Real estate agents are not the ones contacted the most. Online is where the most number of questions are asked and answered—about a piece of real estate or a home in the swankiest locality in town. Social media like Facebook have dedicated real-estate pages of numerous real-estate players, which respond to queries about homes to buy and sell. Including photographs and prices per square yard! Ask questions on social media and then start a dialogue—put social media marketing strategy for real estate to its best use.

Respond Promptly and Courteously

Social media is all about being ‘social’. Respond to queries — promptly and courteously. Engage with “followers”. Post comments. Give a pass to abusive comments. Don’t waste time on them. The bullies will fade into the background when consistently ignored. Acknowledge praise. Remember most social media users are looking for information about a home they had seen or found about. Use the comments to direct potential customers to other properties for sale.

Give Value to Home Listings

Let potential customers know of homes you’re buying and selling—marketing! But don’t just talk of the property in question. Think of the most asked questions and turn them into social media posts. Answer the queries honestly. Post pictures and photographs that are easy on the eye. Gently steer the conversation to homes listed for sale. Content is King! Keep that in mind. Draw people out and see them return for more of the same.

Video Marketing

Estimates say Facebook sees upwards of 8 billion daily video views. YouTube will have plenty more billions. Don’t forget videos are elementary for marketing these days on the Internet and social media. As somebody said, home buyers are visual buyers. They “look” to buy! So do not give videos the pass when drawing up your social media marketing strategy for real estate. Videos lend a moving emotional connection to the home buyer. Besides, videos improve search engine rankings.

Not First-Time Buyers Alone

Assuming you are chatting with only first-time home buyers on social media is erroneous. Social media platforms like Facebook are great forums to engage with “friends” interested in buying a home—get to know what they expect from their realtors. Don’t take them as greenhorns in the business. It will be the easiest thing to drive them away. They might have more than just a basic understanding of real estate and home buying. Treat them like adults. Do not patronize.

Listen to What People are Posting

Everybody loves themselves and the content they post, link and tweet, or retweet. But does that mean it resonates with everybody who sees it on social media? Chances are they will not. This brings us to the fact that social media is more about listening than chatting. Listen to what people are posting about the brand, about themselves. Post to get feedback. Initiate informal online polls and serve the results hot! This will help businesses to understand their customers and their preferences better.

Already Clients!

Draw previous or existing customers into your circle of social media friends/followers. The “already clients” are valuable, and precious for business. They are already satisfied customers. They will promote your business via Facebook posts, Twitter handles, and YouTube videos. The more of them, the bigger the circle! Shared experiences and feel-good stories will make it a cozy club of the friendly!

Summing up

Using social media for real estate has numerous benefits. One is the sheer number of social media users with each one of them spending at least 2 hours every day on them. Besides offering this huge base of potential customers, social media is also excellent for targeted advertising—something which is right up the realtors’ alley! To sum it up, social media helps build brands and brand awareness. It builds trust and it is fun! It is great for drawing up a digital marketing strategy for real estate.