Best Social Networks For the Real Estate Industry
February 16, 2022
Working in real estate is about more than simply representing buyers and sellers as they engage in transactions. It’s a people business. And, it’s ultimately the business of marketing – as an agent, as an agency, as a product (the home). The more people like and respect you, the more they’re willing to do business with you.
But if they don’t know you’re out there, you won’t get their business. So, how do you connect those dots and what channels should you be prioritizing your marketing resources toward? First and foremost, leveraging social media is essential.
According to the National Association of Realtors, 77 percent of real estate agents use social media. That’s a good thing, because 99 percent of millennials search for homes online. Here’s a look at the best social media platforms to use as you build your real estate brand. People are out there looking for you, so make sure they can find you — and make sure you look good!
Facebook might be the oldest social media platform out there, but it just happens to be the best option for realtors, homebuilders, or anyone looking to get their name out there in the real estate industry. Why? It’s got the biggest user base, and anyone with a personal profile already has a built-in audience for posts regarding their real estate career — a major plus for those involved in real estate as a side hustle.
Perhaps the best reason to use Facebook, though, lies in its user interface. Facebook makes it easy to share posts made under a different profile. You can use your real estate account to share relevant posts made by your agency, or you can use your personal profile to boost posts made under your real estate profile. What’s more, people can directly click on the links you post, allowing them to go directly to product listings or to your company’s website.
On top of this, Facebook boasts a demographic that skews older than competing social media sites. That might not be desirable in some industries, but when it comes to real estate, you want to target people with the funds and the desire to buy or sell property — something you’ll find much more easily on Facebook than, say, TikTok.
Lastly, Facebook has a layout that many real estate agents are already familiar with. There’s little required in the way of education, meaning you can create a business profile for your real estate business and start posting right away. Sponsored posts and Facebook ads make it even easier to get the word out and target your ideal customer.
In some respects, Instagram is even better than Facebook. While it doesn’t cater to the older audience as well as Facebook, it’s the top social media platform for millennials, who are increasingly looking to buy houses and invest in real estate as they get older. Instagram also adds a bit of youthful flair to a real estate agent’s appeal; although Instagram is hardly new and trendy, it can help potential clients to feel like you’re one of them and not some soulless agent.
As a largely visual platform, Instagram is nearly perfect for real estate. It’s easy for realtors to showcase their latest offerings, and with the ability to include as many as ten photos in a post, it’s easy to showcase the best features of properties that are for sale. Video functionality lets agents take potential clients inside for a closer look, including virtual tours. Instagram Stories are also perfect for in-the-moment announcements, like new properties for sale and open houses that are taking place that day.
Though Instagram is among the best real estate social networks, it has one major drawback, and it’s one area where the platform is at a huge disadvantage to Facebook. Instagram does not allow followers to click on links within posts. Real estate agents can put a link in their bio on their profile page, but only one link at a time. This makes it harder for interested buyers to learn more about a property showcased by the agent, and that might be all the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity. Use Instagram for its customer base and visual properties, but understand its limitations.
Will you sell a lot of homes promoting your real estate business on LinkedIn? No. But as we said earlier, real estate is about people, and LinkedIn is a great place to showcase your connections and build new relationships. Real estate agents work with a variety of people within the industry, and your ability to give business to your contacts is a significant asset as a realtor.
Your LinkedIn page should reflect the connections you’ve built, including endorsements and recommendations for those with whom you’ve worked closely. As those individuals do the same for you, you’ll build credibility and give prospective clients another reason to work with you.
Zillow
Zillow isn’t exactly social media — as all homebuyers know, Zillow is a listing resource that showcases properties for sale. But much like an up-to-date social media profile indicates a thriving and active business, a current and accurate agent page on Zillow sheds light on your credentials and on your effectiveness as a realtor.
People seek out Zillow to learn about homes they’re looking to buy, or for listing houses they’re trying to sell. As a result, realtor information on Zillow isn’t the first thing someone will look for. However, a Zillow profile full of positive reviews and previous sales can do a lot to put a potential client at ease.
It shows clients that they’re working with a knowledgeable and experienced professional that can back up their claims. Best of all, it sets you apart from other real estate agents who don’t have that same experience or simply didn’t bother to post about it on Zillow. A little time spent on your Zillow profile will take you a long way.
Non-Realtors
With so many real estate agents in the marketplace, the competitive landscape among realtors can be very intense. Social media is a natural destination for these individuals. But social media isn’t only for realtors. Anyone who works in real estate can use Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to promote their businesses.
Contractors, decorators, renovation experts and homebuilders can all utilize social media in their respective businesses. Renovations are perfect for before-and-after picture comparisons that can not only be posted to social media, but shared by followers to other people.
Homebuilders can post their progress on their latest builds in various stages, including time-lapse videos that can be uploaded to either Facebook or Instagram. The possibilities with social media are only limited by your imagination.
Social media marketing is a natural fit for anyone in the real estate industry. Its high level of reach combined with its low cost makes it the perfect addition to the marketing campaign of any real estate professional. If you’d like more information about how we can help you to market your real estate business on social media, don’t hesitate to contact us at Commit Agency today.
