How to win the real estate social media game in 2023

social media marketing strategy for real estate is key to generate leads and boost sales. This is because homebuyers are increasingly searching for properties online and this includes social media channels. Sprout Social provides some interesting stats in this regard:

  • 77% of realtors actively use social media for real estate in some way, shape or form
  • 47% of real estate businesses note that social media results in the highest quality leads versus other sources
  • 99% of millennials (and 90% of baby boomers) begin their home search online (as opposed to in-person referrals)

In this blog, we’ll look at what social media marketing is and how to leverage it in 2023. We’ll also look at how to create an effective real estate social media strategy and which tools to use in order to win the real estate social media game in 2023. If you are a realtor or real estate agent, keep reading and discover how you can take your real estate social media strategy to new heights!

Table of Contents

  1. What is social media marketing?
  2. The benefits of social media for real estate
  3. Creating an effective social media strategy
  4. How to Choose Social Media Sites for Real Estate Marketing?
  5. What social media platforms are best for real estate?
  6. What are the top tools used to boost social media strategy?
  7. Best practices for using real estate social media tools
  8. Conclusion

1. What is social media marketing?

“Social media marketing is the use of social media platforms to connect with your audience, to build your brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic. The five core pillars of social media marketing are strategy, planning and publishing, listening and engagement, analytics and reporting, and advertising.” (Buffer)

“Social media marketing is also the process of creating tailored content for each social media platform to drive engagement and promote your business.” (DigitalMarketing.org)

2. The benefits of social media for real estate

There are several benefits that social media can offer your real estate business. For now, let’s look at 5 of the most important:

  • Social media platforms are some of the most used spaces across the web, a place where people are actively participating. This provides the opportunity for real estate businesses to reach out and interact with their target demographic where they are at.
  • Social media channels typically offer a way to showcase a product or service offering visually. In the case of real estate, this is an obvious benefit. A realtor or property developer can quickly promote a property or project through high quality photos or real-time videos. This reduces the need for in-person visits, saving valuable time and resources.
  • Social media can provide a way to increase traffic to your real estate website if sharing content that is relevant to and resonates with the audience being served. Every piece of content is an opportunity to convert a potential customer into a homebuyer.
  • Social media analytics provides crucial insights into audience demographic and behavior. This can be very helpful to know whether tweaks need to be made to your social media strategy for more effective targeting.
  • Digital marketing for real estate agents can help you humanize your brand. Use the channels to define your brand’s personality and then use this tone/voice consistently across channels. Show off your real estate team through photographs and have actual humans respond to comments or posts. This Forbes article provides some great tips on this topic.

3. Creating an effective social media strategy

Real estate social media marketing requires a well thought out strategy that seeks to achieve key business objectives. For your strategy to be effective, you will need to be mindful of the following:

Establish your goals

Identify what it is you want to achieve through your real estate social media strategy. This may be to increase website traffic; enhance brand awareness; promote your property listings; generate leads and boost sales, etc.

Identify your target audience

Not every audience is the same on every social media channel. You need to identify who the audience is you wish to attract and who are most interested in your product. This requires creating buyer personas (people that can be grouped based on demographics like age, job, role, income level, education, location, etc.) Once you understand who your buyer personas are, the next step is to find out where they can be found online. This will help you establish what social media channels to leverage.

Other ways of establishing your target audience are by:

  • looking at who your competitors are engaging with on their channels and who is responding to their posts
  • talking to your own customers and asking what social media platforms they typically prefer to use

Serve diverse content

For real estate content to have impact, it needs to be valuable, informative and answer the questions your target audience is looking to answer. It must also be relevant to the channel on which it is being delivered. For real estate, consider serving the following type of content:

  • Real estate updates and news to keep your customers, opportunities or leads informed as to what is going on in the industry.
  • New listings and property highlights to give your audience direct insight into your entire real estate portfolio
  • Tips, tutorials and how-to’s on all thing’s real estate, This could be to do with renovation, landscaping, gardening, interior design, budgeting, etc. The choices are infinite
  • Customer testimonials to build trust and credibility; provide social proof; to humanize your brand; and for increasing conversions (Wyzowl)

Know when to post and how often to post

We’ve established that content is very important. But even the best quality content won’t get the engagement you seek if it’s posted at a time when nobody is looking for it. Knowing when to post your content is crucial to maximize brand exposure and grab your audience’s attention. It will also help with boosting lead generation and conversion. This SproutSocial provides valuable insights on the best times to publish posts.

Monitor and respond

Having social media presence is not enough. You must respond to your audience when they comment on a post, send a DM or mention your brand. This interaction is what creates a connection between your real estate business and your audience. It’s what builds trust and establishes relationships with people that you want to turn into loyal customers.

Use your CRM to monitor and adapt campaigns

A smart real estate CRM system like Qobrix provides the tools required to manage sales and marketing campaigns. The Qobrix CRM Campaigns module allows you to easily track the source of a lead and attribute it to the campaign from which they originate. Knowing which real estate marketing campaign generates the most leads enables you to modify those that are performing badly. You can also generate reports per campaign and share these with your sales and marketing teams. This will help them identify where the leads are coming from and which are converting into opportunities or sales.

4. How to choose social media sites for real estate marketing

The most crucial factor to consider when deciding which social media platforms to use is to start where you feel most comfortable. Utilize the resources you already have and engage your audience on that network.

It may be tempting to keep up a profile on as many social media sites as you can. Don’t. There are too many platforms, and if you use social media extensively, it will take time away from your core business. Additionally, dividing your time makes it more difficult to expand your audience.

Platforms provide chances for visibility and interaction, but brand awareness doesn’t cover expenses by itself.

Gaining a return on your social media investment requires a lead generation component, therefore if a site doesn’t offer a viable method of getting leads or doesn’t have an audience that will give leads, it’s a waste.

Instead, put your energy into creating two or three robust social media profiles and use them to promote one another. Take into account the following elements while selecting your platform:

  • Users in your location,
  • average user age,
  • the number of active users.

Whatever you do, keep in mind that engaging on social media by itself won’t boost your sales. Instead, concentrate on creating leads and attracting new clients. It’s not about accumulating as many likes as you can. The goal is to generate more business

5. What social media platforms are best for real estate?

So, which social media channel is the most effective for real estate? This is not a simple question. You don’t need a ton of distractions since you are too busy managing your business. Looking at what other real estate agents and realtors are utilizing for their real estate marketing strategy can be the best method to receive a clear solution. A NAR survey reveals that: 89% of realtors use Facebook, 53% use LinkedIn, and 59% use Instagram.

Let’s examine some of the social media platforms that are currently more widely used.

Facebook

Facebook is most probably going to be where most of your target audience is at. Leverage the platform to engage with prospective leads and opportunities. Use Facebook to publish consistent property related content and make use of its ability to book appointments. Monitor for comments and feedback from customers and engage accordingly. Build a community and keep your audience updated with company updates as well as your most recent listings. If you’re looking to target a specific demographic, Facebook Ads are a great way to do this.

Instagram marketing for realtors

In terms of sharing visually stimulating content, Instagram is where your real estate business needs to be. Highlight your listings by sharing high quality property photographs. The platform is renowned for attracting an audience through the aesthetics of the posts. This is no different for real estate businesses who use the channel. Make use of beautiful, high-resolution visuals combined with engaging copy to attract likes, shares and followers. For real time posts that connect, use wildly popular Instastories as well. They’re a quick and easy way to share moments and advertise your brand in a way that feels more authentic. There are currently 1 billion monthly active users on Instagram worldwide. Of those, 500 million accounts watch Instagram stories daily.

LinkedIn

From a networking perspective, LinkedIn is a great option. Set up a company page and publish content regularly. Establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry by sharing insights on current market trends and consumer behaviors. Use it also to promote your listings.

YouTube

According to this QuickSprout article, real estate listings with video receive 403% more inquiries than those without videos. This makes video an incredibly powerful marketing tool for any real estate business. Other interesting statistics about YouTube from Oberlo include:

  • 2 billion users worldwide use YouTube
  • 79% of users say they have a YouTube account
  • 78.8% of marketers consider YouTube to be the most effective video marketing platform
  • Everyday people watch 1 billion hours of video on YouTube and generate billions of views
  • 62% of businesses use YouTube as a channel to post video content
  • 90% of people say the discover new brands or products on YouTube

TikTok

Tik Tok has gained a lot of attention and is undoubtedly a platform that fosters creativity. Tik Tok has a rising professional presence despite its origins as a site for young people to exchange amusing videos.

This site is definitely a fantastic way to meet new people and share entertaining and imaginative videos. This is a great platform to establish a presence on whether you are a real estate coach, want to network with other agents, want to learn amusing insider secrets and tricks of the game, or simply showcase your stunning homes.

The best TikTok accounts to follow in real estate are listed below.

Twitter for real estate

Twitter’s issue isn’t a shortage of the right users; more than half of its users are in the 25–49 age range. The issue is that Twitter is not designed to create relationships that last.

The most recent eye-catching news and trends are mostly what people are talking about. On this site, it is challenging to cultivate connections and funnel leads. If you use Twitter for personal purposes, you might look out for chances to advertise your real estate company. It may also be a location to keep an eye out for market and economic trends.

Twitter appears to be a good platform for marketing your real estate company at first glance. With more than 50% of Twitter users between the ages of 25 and 49, the user base is unquestionably the right demographic.

The issue with Twitter is that it is nearly impossible to create any form of network or launch an effective campaign. The most recent news and popular hashtags are the focus of this website.

Pinterest real estate marketing

Just like Instagram, Pinterest is a visual platform.  As a result, it’s a terrific place to exchange listing photos. While it might not have Facebook’s flair, it has a surprisingly large user base. Additionally, it fits the ideal demographic for the real estate market. Here are some fundamental details:

  • The bulk of Pinterest’s 86 million monthly users are under the age of 49.
  • 85% of women turn to Pinterest for inspiration when planning life events, compared to 53% on Facebook and 44% on Instagram.
  • 43% of users want to purchase their dream house within the next five years.

That last number is significant, and to any realtor, it should be a huge, flashing neon sign. Pinterest may not have as many visitors as some other websites, but those visitors are the perfect ones.

The takeaway: Social media for real estate works provided your message on each channel resonates with the audience you’re targeting.

6. What are the top tools used to boost social media strategy?

Social media for real estate surpassed the MLS (multiple listing services) and the real estate agents’ customer relationship management (CRM) software as the top digital tool for generating quality leads in the last 12 months, according to 46% of real estate agents. The correct tools are essential for efficiently planning, generating, posting, and measuring your social media activity.

Animoto

With videos generating up to 480% more interaction than photographs, video marketing for real estate is more important than ever before. Thankfully, the days of needing expensive professional video equipment and hours of time-consuming video editing software training are over.

Now, all you need is a smartphone and a simple tool like Animoto. It makes it simple to put together images, videos, and your narrative to showcase a new property or community and draw people to open houses.

Using Animoto makes it easier to create and edit videos for any social media site, including Facebook Reels, Instagram Stories, TikToks, and a real estate YouTube channel. Uniquely, Animoto offers over 10 real estate-specific video designs that are great for tours, listings, testimonials, and advertisements. Animoto is an essential social media management tool if you decide to take advantage of the phenomenal marketing potential of video.

Canva for real estate

One of the most well-liked, user-friendly, and well-respected design tools among company owners, social media marketers, and real estate experts is Canva. Both novice and experienced real estate agents can easily design stunning visuals for social media, blogs, emails, advertisements, and other forms of marketing thanks to its user-friendly interface.

For all types of social media postings, including infographics, Facebook covers, Instagram posts, stories, and blog headers, Canva provides thousands of designs with fonts, layouts, and photos. You may use Canva to make videos and animations for your Instagram strategy as well as flyers or postcards for your listings. Canva can rapidly become a crucial marketing tool for your real estate business if you want to develop the greatest social media for it.

Constant Contact

The email marketing capabilities of Constant Contact make it a popular marketing automation solution. It offers cost-effective tools for realtors to access, such as a scheduling tool, Facebook and Instagram ad maker, and multi-site discussion dashboard. You can instantly publish posts you create in Constant Contact to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter with just one click.

Constant Contact also offers a user-friendly CRM for managing all of the people on your email list, your followers, and the contacts you create through comments and direct messaging. It helps to track user behavior so you can nurture leads, increase conversions, and even prioritize users depending on their activity.

Agorapulse

Your entire collection of social media marketing statistics is housed in Agorapulse. Even the strongest social media plan would fail if it wasn’t being tracked or measured. Agorapulse offers data visualizations so you can more easily grasp ideal posting times, the top real estate hashtags, and how your success stacks up against that of other real estate experts.

Agorapulse offers a central inbox to handle all discussions, including comments, messages, and mentions, in addition to the analytics dashboard that aggregates several social network feeds. To manage comments and messages on social media, you can classify, control, and manage all interactions in one place rather than switching between multiple social media platforms.

The social listening tool also continuously scans the internet for mentions of your business so you can stay informed and actively manage its reputation. You can continue to post and remain on top of content, comments, and messages on all social media channels with just these two capabilities.

Loomly

For content inspiration, planning, scheduling, and tracking across many platforms, Loomly is one of the best social media tools for real estate professionals.  More social media platforms are supported by Loomly than by any other application or social media scheduler on the market. This elevates it to the top of the list for every real estate social network, regardless of your goals—creating leads, growing an audience, or boosting your bottom line.

In addition to automating scheduling, Loomly assists you in generating fresh ideas for articles based on hot topics, RSS feeds, events, holidays, and social media best practices. It also offers custom post concepts, topics, and automated optimization advice.

You may implement new real estate marketing concepts using various media, boosting your audience reach and engagement.

Additionally, you can simply increase your following and lead creation with comprehensive analytics and learn more about what your market reacts to.

7. Best practices for using real estate social media tools

Many of the tools mentioned above have the power to drastically increase your social media following, interaction, and ultimately, the success of your real estate firm. However, social media platforms are not magicians. You still need to put in the time and work if you want to use them in your real estate marketing plan.

In light of this, the following are recommended practices to follow while utilizing real estate social media tools:

  • Create a range of content: Jazz it up! Nothing will come of posting only real estate listings, so avoid doing it. The top social media pages for real estate provide listings, behind-the-scenes footage, memes, and personal narratives.
  • Pick your social media tools carefully: Avoid trying to buy and utilize a lot of social media products at once. As your success on social media increases, start out cautiously and keep expanding your toolkit.
  • Always include a call to action (CTA): Without one, even the most compelling material will fall flat. Each of your social media profiles should have a clear next step for users, encouraging people to contact or meet after every post.
  • Prioritize data: Even if you don’t intend to go further into data and analytics, it’s crucial to continuously track a few fundamental metrics. Make sure the social media tool you use can help you keep an eye on what your audience is most interested in and informs  you of the ideal time to publish on each site.
  • Repurpose content: It’s a recipe for disaster to try to come up with daily material for four distinct social media sites while also taking care of your customers. Repurpose the same idea for each platform when you have something to offer to save time and effort and maximize results.
  • Be prepared for a learning curve: The most effective social media tools include a variety of capabilities that require time to investigate and test out. Plan to allow yourself time to learn the best and most effective methods to use on each platform that you pick.
  • Stay true to your brand: Prior to spending time and energy on building a social media following, it is important to identify your audience, your values, and your brand. Your real estate branding will set you apart from all the other realtors advertising in the industry.

8. Conclusion

It’s clear that social media for real estate is a valuable tool to promote your business, market your property listings, engage with prospective homebuyers, increase lead generation and conversion and boost customer retention.

Use the tools at your disposal to manage and track the platforms you choose. When you engage with your online community, your audience is guaranteed to grow so make genuine connections with your followers and watch them become long term customers who not only share your vision, but tour tweets too!