It’s 2018 and social media isn’t going anywhere. How has your Facebook page been performing lately? Have you been in touch with any new prospects? If not, you might need a little guidance on how to maximize your presence on your social networks.
Social media is all about connections. It has become essential to Realtors for finding new clients, building brand identity and making potential customers believe you take your business seriously. So if 2017 wasn’t a stellar year for you on social media, here’s how to make 2018 a lot better.
Have A Plan
The same way you need a clear and focused plan for your business, you’ll need to plan your social media as well. So schedule your posts each week. Find themes for the week or the month, and don’t be afraid to get creative. The goal is to establish yourself as a trusted, well-educated and well-respected Realtor. Be active and consistent.
Pick Your Platforms
Each social media platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, so pick the ones that will be most effective for you. Here are some helpful statistics on the top social media sites that can help you pick the ideal ones to use for your business. Don’t waste your time on the ones that don’t apply to you. It’s better to focus your efforts on just one or two platforms than to struggle to maintain profiles on too many.
Determine How to Best Manage Your Social Media Presence
Real estate is such a fast-paced industry it can be difficult at times to manage multiple marketing platforms and still have the right amount of focus on your clients. Using a proven social media management service can take the pressure off as well as give you reports on the performance of your marketing efforts.
Use Effective Hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to get noticed online. They can be particularly useful on Instagram. Here is an article on some of the most effective hashtags for Realtors to use to get noticed. Best practices change over time on social media, but currently they call for the use of one to two hashtags per tweet and about 12 hashtags for each Instagram post.
Talk To Your Audience
The whole point in you having social media as a business is to engage with your audience. So when someone leaves a comment on your post, don’t just like the comment and move on; spark a conversation. Respond and engage in a dialogue with them.
Follow The 80/20 Rule
Never heard of the 80/20 rule? Well, basically it means that 80 percent of the content you post should be informative to your audience and the other 20 percent can promote your business. This is an essential rule of social media marketing. Instead of telling everyone how awesome of a real estate agent you are, provide valuable information to your readers and your engagement will explode. You can find a lot of this type of content on the Long & Foster blog.
Utilize Video
Videos continue to dominate online marketing. They are a great way to show off your personality and make a good first impression on potential clients. If you’re not comfortable in front of the camera, you can start with short video clips to get your feet wet. Make sure you have the right equipment to ensure your videos look professional.
Consider doing a video on Facebook live by giving a tour of a home while you’re preparing for an open house. Facebook’s algorithm is currently prioritizing live videos over all other content, giving them the best reach out of all types of content.
Get Started
Social media is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal and as it changes and adapts, you should be keeping up with the most effective ways to use it. Being creative on social media doesn’t come naturally to everyone, so here are some easy places to get started. Now is the time to get your name out there and show people you’re the perfect agent for them.
Content provided by CityBlast, a Long & Foster partner