Are you happy with the ROI from your social media campaigns? The social landscape changes almost daily, and it can be hard to stay in the loop. Here are a few of our favorite social media tips that will help you turn sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram into lead-generating machines.
Build a Responsive Site — and Maybe an App
Some 40 percent of people surveyed said they’d abandon a website that took more than three seconds to load. That means you could be losing close to half your audience before they even have a chance to see what you’re about. Make sure your site is designed for optimal viewing on both desktop and mobile devices, and that the layout is easy to navigate.
For bonus points, consider launching a branded app. You can send users push notifications about new listings or price reductions, offer account-only features such as property mapping and personalized listing portfolios, and encourage reviews and message board discussions, building a valuable community in the process.
Ask Questions
When you meet with a new client, do you spend the time rambling on about your own best attributes or do you seize the moment and ask the buyers or sellers about their needs, hopes, dreams and concerns? Hopefully, you’re doing the latter, and that’s the same approach you should take to social media.
Post two photos of a room staged in two different ways and ask your followers what they think. Ask people to comment on a post with their most burning real estate questions. Whatever creative ideas you dream up, the results are two-fold: You’re gathering important information that can be used later for marketing/targeting purposes and simultaneously making your audience feel their input and opinions are valued.
Use Visuals
Social analytics giant Kissmetrics says that photo-based posts on Facebook garner 84 percent more click-throughs, 52 percent more likes, and a whopping 104 percent more comments. It’s not surprising; most people are more motivated by an interesting picture than they are by a wall of descriptive texts, especially when you consider how fast we flick through our news feeds.
- Post multiple photos of a newly listed home in a photo album, not separately; doing so could get you a massive 180 percent more engagement.
- Be careful using stock photos; opt for the personal/proprietary whenever possible.
- Use photos that are self-explanatory, not confusing or overly general.
Turn Your Rolodex into Leads
Once upon a time, mixers and business lunches were your chance to pitch prospective clients. These days, technology has moved networking online and strategies need to be adjusted. All those connections you have on LinkedIn? You can export the contacts and start building a rapport one by one, or invite them all to your newsletter should they want to stay abreast of local real estate news or hear about your open houses. Using sponsored ads on Facebook and Twitter to capture email addresses is similarly rewarding; just make sure you’re not adding people to an ongoing subscription without their permission.
Get Industry Specific
The big social sites are a great way to broadcast your brand message to a huge segment of the general population, but sometimes your best bet is to narrow your focus. When you want to reach other real estate professionals and buyers and sellers who need the assistance of a pro, sites like ActiveRain.com can be invaluable. Active Rain is both a social network and a research base, providing everything from blogs to product reviews to a referral network to a readership of more than two million visitors per month. Agents can establish their authority by blogging about on-trend topics, take advantage of peer-to-peer training and overall raise their profile within the industry and beyond.
