There is no doubt that real estate is a competitive market. In fact, most real estate agents are part of larger companies and therefore find themselves having to brand and market their independent business in order to even stand out among their colleagues.
Fortunately, social media provides an exceptional way for you to get the competitive edge and help you to obtain more referrals and sell more homes.
Throughout the country, many people are turning to Facebook and other social media platforms to expedite the home selling process, quickly reaching buyers in their target market. In fact, many real estate agents see around a 20% increase in referrals when they start effectively utilizing the power of Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and YouTube to target their niche market and make the soft sale.
However, effectively using social media is not as easy as it sounds – it takes time and experience. Below are a few ways that you can leverage the power of social media platforms to grow your real estate business and professional presence.
A Branded Facebook Fan Page
When it comes to real estate marketing, Facebook is incredibly powerful. However, many real estate agents fail by combining their personal pages with their business interests.
Instead, every agent should have a separate Fan Page that is visible to the public. Here, you post everything from pictures and videos of your current listings to blogs and helpful tips.
For best results, consider having a custom fan page created to help not only with your branding efforts but also with functionality.
Invest in Facebook Ads
With Facebook, reaching your target audience has never been easier. With their built-in ad system, you can actively target individuals based on their location, interest, hobbies, educational status, material status, and much more.
Imagine you are a Birmingham real estate agent looking to obtain more visibility in the Mountain Brook area. Within minutes, you can creatively setup an ad campaign that puts your message in front of only people in the Mountain Brook area.
If you are creative, and know how to effectively utilize these ads to make the biggest impression and obtain the desired reach, you can quickly reach your niche.
Plus, you have the option to optimize for reach (which is great when trying to sell a home) or for likes (which helps you build a following on your page). Costs are low, too – a typical investment is around $1 per like. Even at only $50 per month you can quickly build up a following on your Facebook fan page, which goes a long way to communicate credibility.
Use Pinterest with Keyword Optimized Boards
Along with using Facebook fan pages and ads, real estate agents can also create community boards on Pinterest and post pictures of their current listings on the respective boards.
For example, if you have three homes for sale in Homewood, you would create a “Homewood Homes for Sale” board and keep the board up-to-date with active listings. Always make sure the pins link back to your website or the webpage for the property.
Get Active on Google+
Finally, real estate agents should also become more engaged on Google+, specifically in communities. This platform should also be used to post pictures and increase your following; however, you can also post in community groups that consist of individuals from right within your city. These communities are very similar to “groups” on Facebook.
The key for real estate agents looking to utilize the internet to sell more homes and get more referrals is social media. Effectively using Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+ can go a long way at helping agents gain the competitive edge while also reaching their target audience.
For best results, turn to a company that specializes in helping to utilize the power of social media and other digital means to grow business and drive leads. Contact us today to learn how Uptick Marketing can help you take the next step at growing your real estate business, even in the most competitive markets.
