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As seen in Mile 62 e-Magazine.
By Jessie Trapp, Marketing Coordinator
The internet is chock-full of advice for what you should be doing with your social media accounts. With endless tips and conflicting strategies floating around the web, the results from a simple inquiry online can leave you in a far more overwhelmed state than you were prior to braving the Google search bar in the first place.
Our advice? Take it in small, bite-sized chunks.
Whether you’re hoping to get started from square-one with social media, or simply looking to refresh your existing accounts, take things one step at a time. This strategy will still result in lead generation and major growth for your business, without adding loads more stress to your hectic schedule.
To get things started, we’ve compiled 30 days’ worth of real estate social media to-dos that are sure to give your channels a major boost:
Day 1: Image makeover
If there’s one golden rule for social media success, it’s that your images need to be on-point. If your pics are uber outdated or blurry, it’s time for a refresh. Real estate agents use their headshots constantly so please, please spend the extra cash to get them done right by a professional.
Day 2: Bio redo
Write a new personal bio. Save the novel for the “about me” section of your website and keep your social media bio short and sweet – emphasis on the short. Make sure you add a healthy dose of personality to intrigue visitors, not bore them away to your competition’s account.
Day 3: Research #hashtags
Hashtags can play an important role in driving your posts and profile to reach a more robust audience. To set your content up for success from day-one, have a hashtag lineup ready to go the second you get your accounts up and running. For more info on hashtag best practices, take a look at this HubSpot article.
Day 4: Account setup
Now that you have the building blocks of a strong social media account, it’s time to sign up for at least one (if you haven’t already). Due to the visual nature of real estate, we’d recommend being on a minimum of Facebook and Instagram. To set up/refresh your account:
- Create a username that can be used consistently across all of your social media accounts
- Make one of your new gorgeous headshots your profile picture
- Copy and paste your updated bio into the bio section of your new profile
- Add your website URL to the link section provided
Day 5: Create & post a video of yourself
Although it might seem easier to start off by posting an image, most consumers prefer video content, so you might as well come out of the gate strong and make a splash. Making an introductory video for your social profile will help visitors get acquainted with you quickly, increasing your chances of getting a follow from them. It doesn’t have to be anything too fancy or high-tech, but it should still scream quality. Most smartphone cameras these days should do the trick.
This video should include info such as:
- Who you are
- What brokerage you’re with
- What you love about working in real estate
- How clients can contact you
- Why you are excited about being on social media
Day 6: Post an image (or two)
Have any current listings that are especially beautiful? Show them off and real estate-ify your page by posting pictures of them. Get in the habit of posting these images as soon as you take on new listings. Again, don’t forget to add your #hashtags into a comment below your post!
Day 7: Follow 50 accounts
Now that you have some content on your pages for the world of social media to see, it’s time to get out there and start engaging.
Start by following 50 accounts (give or take). Ideally, these would include accounts of friends, family, other agents in your brokerage, or local businesses. This will create a base following focused on quality, not simply quantity. The point of posting on social is to grow your brand recognition, your following, and ultimately, generate leads for your business. Having fake accounts follow you just to say that you have XX number of followers likely won’t help you reach that end goal.
Day 8: Create a “current listings” Instagram highlight story
Highlight stories are a great tool for posting content that you don’t need to stay long-term. Making a highlight story dedicated to your current listings is the perfect way to give your followers a source they know they can refer to for quick glimpses at all the listings you have on the market. Get in the habit of checking it regularly to make sure it’s always up-to-date.
To learn how to create a highlight story, go here.
Day 9: Get local
You are the real estate expert in your neighborhood, and it’s time to spread the word! Share your new favorite restaurant, boutique, or coffee spot. The more you position yourself as the go-to advisor for your neighborhood, the more your audience will trust what you say and look to you for advice.
Day 10: Engage, engage, and engage some more
One of the biggest keys to success with social media is continually engaging with your followers. Like, comment, and share their posts as often as possible. The more you do, the more likely they’ll be to repay the favor, so do your best to make engaging on social a small part of your daily routine.
Pro tip: This is a perfect way to pass the time while in line at the supermarket, “patiently” waiting for your morning coffee, or simply something to do while in the elevator.
Day 11: Highlight a client
Whether or not they’ll admit it, everyone loves a little time in the spotlight. Post a pic of recent clients who you’ve helped sell a home, preferably in front of said home. People in real estate LOVE those pics, so you’ll likely generate loads of engagement from it.
Day 12: Hit pause
Social media rocks, as long as it doesn’t encompass your entire life. Take a day to put the phone away, live in the moment, and enjoy the people around you without obsessing over your Instagram account.
Day 13: Share a real estate-related stat or fact
Sharing accurate statistics and facts can help build your credibility and demonstrate to your followers that you know your stuff. Use a content creation site like Canva to quickly make an intriguing visual for your stat. Make sure to cite your source when you post!
This stat/fact could be related to topics such as:
- The housing market in your local neighborhood
- The hottest design trends in the market
- Tips for getting the highest ROI on a home
Day 14: Post something personal
Did you just complete a marathon? Make an apple pie that’s to-die-for? Whatever it is, post a pic of something personal to your life. Your followers want to feel as though they can relate to you and giving them glimpses into what you’re up to outside of the realm of real estate can help accomplish that.
Day 15: Share an event on Facebook
Take a gander over to the “Events” section on Facebook and look for a local event that you feel your followers would enjoy. Once you find the perfect one, share it on your page along with some commentary on why you’re excited about it.
Day 16: Share a new blog from your website
Share your latest blog from your agent website on all of your social media channels. Not only is this yet another way to spread the knowledge and solidify your role as an advisor, but it’s also an easy way to grow your sphere of influence via shares and drive traffic directly to your website.
Day 17: Testimonials
92% of buyers trust referrals from people they know, so the more testimonials you can get from happy clients, the better. If possible, post one in the form of a quick video.
Day 18: Ask a question
Questions are a great way to get people involved and engaging with your account. Post two images of different living rooms and ask which one your followers like the most. Ask which concert you should get tickets to for your next social media giveaway. Whatever it is, make sure it’s relevant to your audience.
Day 19: Help another biz
Have a favorite interior decorator or painter whose services may come in handy for your followers? Highlight them in your next post along with the link to their website.
Pro-tip: Try to coordinate a share-for-share where both brands post about one another. It’s an efficient way to spread the word about your business among an audience who’s already invested in some aspect of the housing market.
Day 20: Squeeze in some humor
No one likes a dry social media page. Squeeze in a light hearted video, quote, or a real estate meme to mix things up.
When it comes to humor on social media, we could honestly all probably learn a thing or two from these accounts.
Day 21: Have HGTV
If you’re not watching Million Dollar Listing or Fixer Upper in your free time, do you even like real estate? Engage with your followers over your shared love for housing-related shows by posting a quote from your favorite show, sharing one of their impressive remodels, or reposting something from a star in the show.
Day 22: Show your appreciation
Spread the love by letting some of your most engaged followers know how much you appreciate them via direct message or by tagging them in a post. If they know that them liking and commenting on your posts is making a positive difference for your business, they’ll likely be encouraged to keep it up.
Day 23: Host a contest
Boost engagement by purchasing tickets to a local event or concert and hosting a giveaway for them on your social accounts. Have your followers enter for a chance to win by leaving a comment under one of your posts!
Day 24: Start advertising
46% of Americans check their smartphones before getting out of bed in the morning. Yes, we’re addicted. Yes, it’s probably only going to get worse. And yes, it’s most definitely time for you to leverage it. Incorporating digital ads into your social media plan is a must in order to meet your clients where they’re already spending time – online. Create an ad for your hottest listing now.
Day 25: Share a pro tip
Have a killer piece of advice about the home buying process that your audience might find helpful? Share it on social media along with a link to your contact information so they can easily contact you with any follow-up questions if need be.
Day 26: FAQ time
Is there a particular question that you’ve been asked multiple times by several different clients? Post the question along with the answer on social media. If multiple people have already asked, many more people are probably thinking about asking. Beat them to it and offer them the information they’re searching for proactively.
Day 27: Celebrate a holiday
Any excuse to celebrate with your sphere of influence is an opportunity worth taking on. If there aren’t any major holidays coming up, take a look at the #hashtag holiday calendar (yes, that’s officially a thing) and see if there are any worth celebrating on your social accounts.
Day 28: Research your competitors
It’s always valuable to have a grasp on what your competition is doing on social media and how you stack up against them. Take some time to browse through the social accounts of other local agents and see how they’re leveraging their channels. Who knows, you might even get some fresh new ideas for your own accounts!
Day 29: Look at your followers
Knowing your audience on social media is an essential step towards creating content that they’ll actually enjoy. Scroll through your followers on Instagram and Facebook and see who’s liked your Facebook page. If there are any names that you don’t recognize, check out their accounts and see what you can learn about them.
Take it a step further and look at the analytics provided by the social channels. This will provide information such as the gender, location, and activity trends of your followers.
Day 30: Plan out your next week
After a successful month of posting, engaging, and growing your biz, you should consider yourself a social media pro. Although managing real estate social media accounts requires constant love and care, if you do it right, it doesn’t need to become a source of stress in your life.
Sit down, open up your calendar, and plan out your next week of real estate social media posts. Get a system in place that allows you to think ahead, be thoughtful about your content, and avoid any last-minute scrambling. This will enable you to engage with your sphere of influence efficiently and effectively, while growing your unique real estate brand along the way.
