Anyone who has been in the real estate business for a while understands the importance of a healthy customer relationship. Growing your real estate business is all about trust and credibility, so you need to become the go-to local expert. Your customers should be able to trust you as they trust their closest friends. It is all about relationship building. This is just one reason social media marketing is a natural choice for realtors.
We are all aware that a huge portion of our internet time is now spent on social media. More and more people are now using social sites to look at businesses and properties. According to a National Association of Realtors report, more than 40 percent of buyers look online for properties and real estate agents. 17 percent of these people contact a real estate agency after they are satisfied with their search.
It Is Exactly Where Your Prospects Are
Location, location, location – these are the three main pillars of real estate. Location is equally important for real estate marketing as well. You need to locate your prospects. Social media allows realtors to be exactly where they are. It only makes sense to establish your presence on that platform and engage your audience in the way they like.
One of the major advantages of social media is that people are more active and vocal on those platforms. It is easier for you to understand what your potential customers are looking for and the things they like or do not like about a certain property. You can respond to their queries and comments in the most convincing way possible and change their mind without even meeting them face to face. This saves time as well as money for both parties.
No wonder social media is considered a low-cost yet high-value marketing option. And makes all the more sense for a business where understanding customer requirements are of utmost importance.
There Are Multiple Ways to Showcase a Property
Real estate is all about making a property more appealing for prospects. When it comes to creating an appeal, social media is unbeatable as a marketing platform. Contrary to what most people believe, heavy visual platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest aren’t just for fashion brands such as leather skin shop; industries such as real estate and finance are also making use of these platforms to get conversions through effective engagement.
You can use Instagram and Pinterest to showcase the properties you are selling. On many platforms, you can even create and post a full 360 degrees’ view to give prospects a clearer idea of how the property looks and feels in real life.
Another great way to showcase a property to prospects who aren’t able to pay a visit is to live stream an open house event. It is like any open house but with guests who can’t physically make it to the event. You can reach a larger audience and expect better offers.
It Can Establish You as an Expert
When people choose a realtor, they look for someone who has experience and expertise. Now, most realtors would agree that it is quite common for their peers to lie about their experience and expertise. These are the kind of facts that have further fueled customer’s skepticism. They won’t take your word for it. They would investigate and see if you really know your business in and out.
That is where you can truly utilize the power of the original social media marketing, i.e. blogging. Write more blogs about real estate and housing. Share market updates with your prospects. Tell them tips and tricks to getting the best property or selling a property. The more you write about it, the easier it is for the prospects to trust you as an expert.
A YouTube channel is a great way to make Vlogs instead of blogs. You can share your expertise, talk about the industry, share interesting stories, and answer the hottest questions on the mind of property buyers and sellers. Not to mention, you can actually monetize your blog or vlog to make some extra money for your business.
It is the Digital Word of Mouth
Speaking of image and reputation, clients, are more likely to believe clients. They will take their words over yours. That is the reason word of mouth marketing has remained an important aspect of real estate marketing for ages. People rarely trust a realtor who wants to be recommended by someone they know. Word of mouth is hard to get around, but not in the digital world.
Testimonials and customer reviews aren’t that difficult to get in the digital world. People love to share their experiences on social media. Whether they have a great experience or not, they are likely to talk about it on the social media. You can even ask your customers to leave positive feedback on social media pages. If the experience is good enough, they wouldn’t mind the request.
Since most people search the internet for reviews before choosing a people company, what people say about you on social media plays a vital role in improving your overall digital presence.
Social Media Can Help You Build a Brand
Branding isn’t limited to professional logo and website these days. It takes a lot more. There are so many competitors out there that you need to make your brand stay in your prospect’s memory and on their mind. That requires frequent exposure to your brand colors, logo, message, or name. Social media allows you to do that without being too invasive.
When you are active on a platform your prospect is checking every other minute, they will be seeing your name and message multiple times in a day. It creates brand familiarity. You will be the one they will think of the day they decide to buy or sell a property.
Conclusion
Real estate is a competitive industry. Old-school marketing strategies seldom work these days, although you don’t need to 100% quit on all of them. Social media, on the other hand, brings in everything that has been missing in your marketing strategy. It will help you establish your reputation as someone who really cares about the value customers will get out of their property sale or purchase. Social media marketing, if done right, can help a real estate business grow without bounds.
