Why Real Estate Agents Should Use Social Media: Nowadays, social media is everything.
In the day and age of evolving technology, social media is everything. It’s used to make plans, catch up with far-away friends, read the news and so much more. These platforms are where our networks lie, both personally and professionally. This is why it’s crucial for those in an industry as network-dependent as real estate to take advantage of the platforms before them. Each platform has its own strengths which can provide unique communicatory benefits. We’ve created a condensed explanation of a variety of platforms to help you optimize your use.
Platforms & Their Strengths
Understanding which platforms are best for communicating certain information can help you make the most of your network and deliver your message in the most effective way possible. Each platform has its own benefits and shortcomings, giving you plenty of options to choose from, depending on your message and intent.
Facebook, first and foremost, is a very strong informational medium. It has a 63,206 character limit, allowing you to post more long-winded content about community events, properties for sale, client testimonials and much more. This is also the platform where many potential client audiences spend their time. The average user sits between the ages of 30-40, which is the prime age for a first-time buyer. This may also be considered a weakness, as younger audiences prefer other platforms. Using this platform to promote listings to first-time clients will give you a better chance of reaching your desired audience.
Instagram is a visual medium with a 2,200 character limit for written content. Real estate is primarily a visual industry, making the platform a perfect promotional tool. Using swipe-style carousel posts can be an excellent way to showcase a property, as it lets users browse photos at their own pace. You can compliment content with a description, allowing you to demonstrate features without having to go into great written detail. Instagram also has a “story” feature, which is a more immediate way of connecting with potential clients. With this feature, you’re able to post more consumable content including a poll, Q&A or live update that last for 24 hours. The one major weakness of Instagram’s platform is the inability to post without an image or video attached. However, we recommended turning to Facebook for these features as the same parent company owns both and they share compatibility features.
Youtube
YouTube is also an incredibly powerful visual platform. If used correctly, YouTube can be the strongest informational medium available. Although it’s almost strictly a video sharing platform, pictures are able to tell a thousand words and videos can tell a thousand more. You can supplement any written content with strong complimentary audio-visual elements to drive a more complete message. You can also condense any longer written content into a video format, or promote your YouTube videos on your other platforms. YouTube’s main weakness is its search and recommendation algorithms, which can make content difficult to find while browsing the site. You would likely have to direct potential clients to the YouTube content through another medium. Otherwise, videos will have to be very well-tagged before posting to attract your desired audience.
Twitter is a very niche platform and doesn’t see much success in the real estate industry. This is likely due to its 280 character limit and lack of visually-centered content. It’s also not a very good platform to build a network, but can have its uses. Twitter content is most consumable when it’s timely, so if you have any Q&As, polls, current information or updates, Twitter is likely your best platform. Otherwise, conveying large amounts of information can be difficult, and should be done through Facebook.
Which medium suits your needs?
In the end, use whichever medium you deem appropriate for your network. These are merely suggestions and recommendations on Why Real Estate Agents Should Use Social Media, but please do consider using the above mentioned-platforms to their strengths when promoting yourself and the work that you do best. Learn more about social media strategies to help your business grow.
