CHICAGO – You’ve decided to use social media to market you real estate business. Great! But there are so many platforms, with new ones rolling out all the time, and there are so many different types of posts. How do you decide which platforms to use and what content to post? Let this post act as a guide to help you build a solid foundation for your social media output.
Try it all, pivot as needed
When a new platform rolls out, you should make it a point to try it out. I’d say it’s best to browse your device’s app store to see what social media apps are trending and try them out. A couple to look into and not “sleep on” are Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Clubhouse and TikTok. There are even niche communities like Bigger Pockets, which is one that I use and where I get a lot of business. Try them all and see what speaks to you most.
The early days of a platform are often the easiest ways to get thousands of eyes on your content. Everyone is new and looking for friends and pages to follow. The algorithm just wants to reward you for using it in the first place, so these eyes are low hanging fruit. Remember when reels first came out on Instagram? Remember when Instagram first allowed video? Almost all video uploads went viral! This is why early adoption can be so beneficial. Don’t be afraid to try new platforms out, and in the same vein, you don’t have to stick with one either if it’s not working out.
Not every platform is for everyone, so it’s ok if Facebook or another popular platform isn’t your thing. You should at least try to make it work, but most importantly, find the platforms you enjoy and are likely to revisit. If you hate the platform, you’re likely to fall off with your consistency. After choosing your platforms, it’s about understanding all the ways content is shared within it, and why people may share certain things in certain ways.
Know the purpose of the platform
LinkedIn is a platform for business professionals. This is where you want to reach your colleagues in the industry. Here is where it may be great to post about your small business financing program but may not be best to test your new comedy video. Another example: Instagram has stories, posts, reels, lives, and now Threads. Instagram is a platform heavy on the visuals and usually, it’s where you can promote your business and build personal connections.
Choosing where to post matters. It’s all about what goes where. In general, there are posts made up of text, images, videos, audio and many times, a combination of a few of these. Every form of content has its ideal place on the internet. Your content should be relevant to the platform, because each platform reaches a different audience. Let’s dig into the specifics.
Where to post
Each platform has a specific setup and allows for different kinds of posts. As an example, here’s how Instagram works: Stories are for your core followers to get real-time updates. Reels are to reach new audiences. Posts seem to be best for long term updates, still images, and videos longer than 90 seconds. Going “Live” seems to be the best way to spark interest quickly. Think of this like a breaking news update! (You can’t help but to tap on that ‘Now Live’ Icon sometimes.)
Also, if you’re using Instagram be sure to recycle your content! Post the same content to Instagram, AND Facebook, and then keep resharing it. Meta owns both and allows you to easily link your pages and share everything to both in one motion. There also seems to be a difference in audience/demographic on each platform, which is important to note depending on your target audience. This is backed up by research from popular social media resource, Sprout Social as well. Facebook users are generally from a mature audience age-wise, and they’re more interested in information and communication. Instagram is beloved by millennials and Gen-Z. The platform mostly favors photos, videos and quick, engaging bits of interesting information. YouTube is a search engine for videos, so you want to be sure to create your videos based on usefulness or informative on a popular topic and title them something searchable for best results.
So, what does this all mean for you? Well, take a look at your business and figure out which audience you want to reach. Then decide which platform will work best. If you’re selling condos on a golf course, you may have better luck on Facebook. If you’re looking for gamers and streamers to sell your new headsets to, you may be better off on TikTok or Instagram. Looking to sell some office space? LinkedIn may be the place for you.
Adjust based on results
Think of the platforms as different bodies of water. What you post is the bait and your core audience is what you’re fishing for. You want to be in the right body of water and be using the right bait so that you’re not trying to catch catfish with shark bait.
Be sure to look at your stats and take notice of what posts perform well so you can figure out why and replicate that model. On this note, it’s important that I mention that time is important here. Never stress too much over the view count, especially on new posts. I’ve had posts randomly take off months after uploading. Just keep sharing and keep engaging. Trust the process and pay attention to what works. As real estate professionals, we need exposure, not likes.
© 2024 National Association of Realtors® (NAR)
