Social Media… What started as a simple way to share pictures and connect with friends has become one of the most influential business tools spanning all industries. Social Media marketing has truly transformed how businesses generate leads, engage with clients and customers, produce direct revenue, and more.
Social media platforms are integral to your business’s success and growth as a real estate agent. There are millions of active users across multiple platforms. Using these platforms to boost your brand awareness, expand your audience reach, target specific markets, and showcase your expertise to earn trust is beneficial.
Most importantly, with a social media marketing plan in place, you will likely see a growth in your leads and be able to connect directly with followers in meaningful ways. With so many platforms available, which one should you incorporate first?
We’ll explore seven top social media platforms that real estate agents commonly use so that you can generate quality leads immediately.
The Benefits of Social Media Marketing
There is a reason social media marketing has become a leading source for business growth. There are multiple benefits that traditional marketing can’t compete with, which we’ll discuss below. When you create your marketing plan, consider all of the facets of social media that you can incorporate, such as:
Brand Awareness
You can create a consistent image and voice that people will become familiar with and, if the content is engaging, will remember. Your goal here is to share your expertise, recent successes, and market knowledge and showcase your unique personality that people will enjoy working with.
People who see your posts regularly will begin to align your presence with a recognizable and trustworthy entity in real estate. If you’re consistent with the days and times you post, your followers will be more likely to think of you when buying or selling their next property.
Audience Reach
Our world is becoming increasingly more transient. There are more opportunities to work remotely, and with that freedom, people are moving across states to be closer to friends, family, and their ideal location.
“36% of fully remote workers and 44% of hybrid workers planned a move in 2023, compared to just 27% of on-site workers. Flexible remote jobs allow remote workers to move to a new city or state, regardless of its proximity to their job.
The most common reason remote workers moved was to be closer to family or friends.
28% of remote workers who recently moved did so to be closer to their friends and family. Millennials make up a large portion of remote workers, and many are choosing to move closer to family as they start having kids, a trend we foresee continuing through 2024.” (Source)
With literally billions of users worldwide, social media platforms allow you to reach an audience far beyond your local area. Whether through organic posts, paid ads, or viral content, you have the potential to connect with thousands of potential clients.
Target Marketing
Knowing your audience and what will appeal to them is the key to a successful marketing campaign. One of the most powerful aspects of Social media is that it allows you to target specific demographics. As you know, one of the cornerstones of success is being the expert and go-to agent in a particular neighborhood or zip code.
Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to filter your audience by age, location, income level, interests, and more to attract potential clients who are more likely to purchase in your target market. As one Reddit user aptly put it:
Showcasing Expertise
You can get incredibly creative in the ways you want to demonstrate your knowledge and skills through social media. Depending on which platform is best suited for your needs (there may be multiple), you can create live webinars and interactive quizzes, post engaging home tour reels, market updates, give staging tips, etc.
Ultimately, you are giving your viewers valuable information they are intrigued by, learning from, and interested in. This builds your trust with your audience and helps establish your reputation as a knowledgeable and accessible agent they can contact for advice and, hopefully, your services.
7 Social Media Platforms Real Estate Agents Should Use
Not all social media platforms are created equal, and some are better suited for real estate marketing than others. Here’s a breakdown of the top seven platforms and how they can help you generate leads so you can decide which one will be better for you to spend more time developing your presence and audience growth:
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Facebook
Thanks to its massive user base and versatile marketing tools, Facebook remains a top choice for real estate agents. In fact, “Facebook is the largest social media platform globally at 3.065 billion monthly active users worldwide.” (Source)
If your main goal is to grow your audience reach and build an online presence, Facebook may be your top choice.
- Why it works: Facebook’s targeted advertising options make reaching potential buyers and sellers in your local market easy. Additionally, groups and community pages provide excellent opportunities for organic lead generation through building an interactive community.
- Best practices: Create a business page, post regularly, and respond quickly to any engagement through comments and messages. Use Facebook Ads to target specific demographics that align with your current available listings.
More insights from a Reddit user:
“With the widest reach of any of the social media for real estate agents, Facebook is ideal for real estate marketing. The age demographics fit neatly into the average buyer/seller age range, posting is quick and engagement with potential real estate leads is a snap.”
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Instagram
If you tend to favor more creative engagement tools, Instagram is perfect for showcasing visually appealing content. You can create reels with trending music to showcase listings or videos of yourself sharing valuable market knowledge.
You can create engaging carousels or post videos of your reaction to touring a home for the first time.
How you edit and present your videos also helps you establish your unique brand. Ideally, people will get a feel for what it would be like working with you, so be mindful that you make your posts and reels professional and enjoyable.
- Why it works: The platform’s visual nature makes it ideal for real estate agents to highlight properties’ standout features and lifestyle potential in the neighborhood and build a personal brand.
- Best practices: Use Stories and Reels to share behind-the-scenes content, virtual tours, or quick tips for buyers and sellers with high-quality photography and videos. Use trending hashtags like #DreamHome or #RealEstateAgent to help increase your visibility in your niche. Also, use trending audio to help boost your audience reach.
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LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a professional networking platform. It is a great resource if your primary goal is to build your industry network. Posting market updates and engaging other real estate professionals, lenders, and attorneys can help you build a helpful community to promote your business and help theirs.
- Why it works: It’s a great place to build your professional networks for inside information and keep your knowledge up to date as well.
- Best practices: Join real estate pages, create your own business page, participate in discussions, and post thought leadership content to showcase your expertise and grow your industry networks.
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YouTube
YouTube is the go-to platform for video content like webinars, interviews, and instructional videos, making it an excellent tool for real estate agents. Here, you want to establish a line of content that people will tune into for specific information.
Suppose you aim to educate real estate agents on how to do better business or teach first-time homebuyers what they can expect on their homebuying journey. In that case, you want to create enough content to help target that audience.
You’ll establish your knowledge and build trust once again.
- Why it works: Advice and tips are highly regarded in the real estate industry because of the high-dollar deals. People want to feel confident in their decision-making, and if you take the time to share your knowledge, you are simultaneously building trust.
- Best practices: Optimize your video titles and descriptions with keywords to improve SEO. Consistency is key. Post regularly to build a subscriber base with content that people value.
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TikTok
Don’t underrate the impact TikTok can have on your business! TikTok’s short, engaging video format is well-established among younger audiences and is becoming more popular in companies.
Similarly to Instagram, you have all the creative power to grow your audience and generate leads. Posting anything from virtual home tours to a day-in-the-life as an agent video can help build your familiarity and brand.
- Why it works: It’s an innovative way to showcase properties, share quick real estate tips, and add a fun, personal touch to your brand. It also establishes that you are up to date with today’s marketing practices.
- Best practices: Use trending sounds and hashtags to increase the reach of your content. Also, use high-quality videos and get creative with your engagement methods.
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Pinterest
Pinterest is the go-to inspiration platform for home design, decor, and lifestyle content. Its visually appealing content is purposeful in helping people determine their wants and needs while giving them resources on where to purchase them.
While it’s less popular amongst real estate agents, you can build a presence by showcasing unique trends specific to your market. Perhaps you’ve noticed a trending bathroom style or new architectural features? You can create visual boards to share with audiences to inspire others and promote connecting over real estate trends.
- Why it works: Many users turn to Pinterest for home decor ideas, making it a great place to showcase listings and staging tips.
- Best practices: To grow your presence, create boards for different property types, neighborhoods, or interior design ideas.
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Twitter
Again, it is less popular for real estate marketing. However, Twitter can still be useful for sharing quick updates on market trends and engaging with your audience. You can also connect with other industry professionals about specific topics affecting real estate in specific areas that benefit buyers and sellers.
- Why it works: It’s an excellent platform for sharing links to blog posts, new listings, market updates, industry news, and events that could affect real estate business.
- Best practices: Keep your tweets concise, and always include a call-to-action. Use hashtags to increase visibility. Share links as much as possible.
Tips for Effective Social Media Marketing
To maximize your results, focus on creating a strong, consistent campaign that aligns with your goals. As another Reddit user wisely pointed out:
Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Set Clear Goals: Define what you want to achieve, whether it’s increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or growing your professional network.
- Create Quality Content: Don’t just throw something together because you have to. Sloppy content could deter potential followers and clients. Create content that is visually appealing, informative, engaging, and in line with your brand.
- Be Consistent: Post regularly. Also, maintain a consistent tone and style across all platforms.
- Engage With Your Audience: Quick responses to comments and messages will help build trust and demonstrate your authenticity to foster strong relationships.
- Use Analytics: Most social media platforms provide audience data. Analyze the data after each post, and adjust your marketing plan based on what works best.
Which Platforms Are Best for Real Estate Agents?
Social media marketing is an indispensable tool for real estate agents. While all seven platforms have advantages, Facebook and Instagram stand out as the most effective, especially when it comes to generating leads.
LinkedIn and YouTube are excellent for establishing expertise and reaching a professional audience. Depending on your target audience, TikTok, Pinterest, and Twitter can complement your marketing strategy to promote your brand in a fun and engaging way.
No matter which platforms you decide to use, the key is to stay consistent, create valuable content, and effectively engage with your audience.
So, start building your social media presence today and watch your real estate business thrive!