How to Create Your Social Media Playbook

There are usually three rules when it comes to real estate, “Location. Location. Location,” but now there are three more rules that have crept into an agent’s day to day, “Content. Content. Content.”  

Social media has become an integral part of doing business today. Whether you’re showcasing a hot new property, announcing a new addition to your office or sharing market trends in your area, connecting with a wider audience on social media has become vital. Managing your online presence can seem like a hassle, but we’re here to help. Following these tips will help give you the most bang for your social media buck without eating into your busy schedule. 

Your Social Media Playbook  

The main headache for agents new to social media is where to find relevant content to keep your audience engaged. A certain amount of variety is necessary to keep people from tuning out. We did a deep-dive and looked at agents that are knocking their social media game out of the park. 

Here’s your winning social media playbook. 

Be you. Be genuine. Give away something personal. Let’s not be transactional, instead focus on nurturing relationships between you and your audience. This will give them a reason to keep coming back for your content. And speaking of content…  

Plan it out. Have a content calendar for one post a day or every other day. Here’s a sample to get you started:

  • Day 1 – Share an active listing or an amazing detail about it.  
  • Day 2 – Share a testimonial, your designation or your awards. Make it all about YOU.  
  • Day 3 – Be loud and proud about a previous sale. Make a case that you’re a customer’s best option to help them buy or sell a home.  
  • Day 4 – Share something from any of the Long & Foster social channels. Be sure to follow and like us on FacebookTwitterInstagramand LinkedInto access our great content!  
  • Day 5 – Talk about what’s going on in the neighborhood where you practice. New restaurants, live music, gym classes, or anything else that sparks enjoyment. 
  • Day 6 – Let’s talk numbers. Whether it’s market data or trends, be a thought leader. Be a trusted source of information for your audience.  
  • Day 7 – Share something unrelated to real estate that gets you excited, like a cocktail recipe, fall décor, cars or kids. Have fun with it.  

Use video, video and more video. Make sure to leverage video in your social content. Here are a few ideas on what to share:   

  • Property videos or virtual walkthroughs.  
  • Videos from LFTV, like Real Talk with Boomer & Gary or CEO is in the House. 
  • Your own videos: Go to a farmer’s market and make a quick video from your phone – let’s show the community in action.   

Leverage ready-to-share content from Long & Foster. Visit our Marketing Gallery to find ready-made graphics to celebrate holidays and special occasions. Look at some of our top stories on Newsroom, then just copy and paste the link on your social. It’s that simple.  

Take advantage of scheduling tools. Just having available content means nothing if you don’t have the time to post it. Social media may not be your highest priority and you already have a lot on your plate. If that’s the case, we recommend using a scheduling app. This will allow you to plan your content potentially weeks in advance, letting you engage with and grow your online audience while you focus on in-person relationships. These programs also give you an added layer of metrics that you can’t always get from the native platforms, helping you gauge how your content is landing.  

Social media can seem intimidating, but with these tips in tow you can be content with managing your content.