Social media for real estate has come a long way

We hate to break it to you, but the days of posting listings in the local paper and hoping buyers see your client’s yard signs are coming to an end. Likewise, if you’re only posting your listing to the MLS and to third-party databases, like Zillow or Trulia, you may be missing out on key home buyers.

An astounding 79% of internet users in the United States are using Facebook, and Twitter has 330 million monthly active users worldwide. For 21st-century listing agents, having a presence on social media is a necessity.

It is important to use social media to establish a brand and position yourself as a thought leader in your industry. It is also a powerful platform to promote your listings and attract home buyers.

In this post, we are going to focus on 3 techniques to use on social media channels to attract home buyers:

Participate in Facebook Groups

Facebook designed Groups over 8 years ago to provide a collaborative space for like-minded users to discuss industry trends, to socialize, and to network. In 2016, Zuckerberg reported that more than 1 billion users actively engaged in the Facebook Groups feature in a single month to explore shared interests.

There are thousands of active real estate Facebook Groups available to join with many of the members frequently posting listings on the discussion boards. Real estate groups allow listing agents and buyer’s agents to communicate quickly and begin the house buying process.

To find a local real estate group, log in to your Facebook account and navigate to the Groups page. Click ‘discover’ and begin finding your local real estate groups!

Increase engagement with listing posts

Promoting a new listing to your social media followers will only be as good as the reach and engagement your post generates.

How do you increase your reach and engagement? To start, you will want to use high-quality, attractive listing images. Consider using professional photography to stand out on your followers’ news feeds. If you’re curious about the benefits of professional photography or looking to make a switch, check out this free guide.

Another way to drive engagement to your listing posts is to create a narrative around your listing images. Captivating content helps home buyers picture what living in the home, neighborhood and city will be like. The hard facts can typically be saved for the MLS and online databases. Social media is for evoking emotion and creating a space for followers to relate.

Now that we established a strong visual foundation, let’s take it a step further.

Instead of posting a few images and a link to your listing, try creating a digital listing flyer. These customizable social media listing flyers can feature your listing’s images, the description, and your contact information. Digital listing flyers make it extremely easy for your followers and colleagues to share your new listing with their friends on social media. (Remember to set your posts to ‘public’!)

To make your own digital listing flyers, download these free social media templates.

Create a messenger chatbot

Chatbots, which are essentially robots used to engage in conversations with users, seem to be gaining momentum on Facebook.

Chatbots allow businesses to reach people that share similar interests on social media. They are great for answering questions and generating valuable leads. Real estate agents can use chatbots to share new listings with subscribers, schedule showings, announce upcoming open houses, and more.

 

Video of Quartz Chatbot – Via ADWEEK

Improvements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Programming (NLP) has made it possible to use conversational language to nurture relationships and increase conversions in a completely automated manner. Maruti Tech Labs posted this thorough article about the rise of chatbots.

 

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As social media platforms continue to evolve and grow, it is necessary to stay knowledgeable about the latest technology trends and innovations. Start adding the techniques we discussed above to your social media strategy and begin networking with online home buyers today.