Social media can be an effective lead generation tool, but it can be equally effective as a time-waster.

Even if you’re using the best social media platforms for real estate marketing, you could still end up spending too much time throwing ideas against the wall, hoping something will stick.

What you need is a solid marketing strategy to use as a guide. As a good first step, it helps to be aware of which social media platforms are best for real estate agents and how you can use them to generate leads. In this article, you’ll get all of that and more. Let’s get started!

What Are the Best Social Media Platforms for Real Estate Marketing?

Social media platforms are perfectly designed to foster connections and facilitate relationship building. And that’s why they’re highly conducive to helping real estate agents build a strong network and connect with potential clients.

The reach potential alone is enough to see real estate social media marketing as a worthwhile pursuit.

  • There are approximately 258 million social media users in North America. (That’s about 69% of the total population!)
  • Among U.S. adults, four in ten use Instagram, and nearly seven in ten (69%) use Facebook.

With stats like that, it’s safe to say that many (if not most) of the people you’re trying to reach are active users of at least one social media platform.

But with so many options out there, it can be tough to know where to focus your efforts. To save you the time it takes to research and learn by trial and error, here are the six best social media platforms for real estate:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • X (Formerly “Twitter”)

So which social media platform is best for real estate marketing? Facebook and Instagram (both owned by Meta) definitely belong at the top due to their popularity and built-in lead-capturing functionality (called the Lead Ads Manager).

But it’s important to note that, while Facebook and Instagram are most likely to produce the best results in terms of lead generation, the list above isn’t necessarily a ranking. Because identifying “the best” social media platform is ultimately going to depend on which one helps you achieve your unique business goals.

(If you want some inspiration, here’s a list of the best real estate social media accounts to follow.)

The best social media platforms for real estate marketing are Facebook and Instagram. Before you start (or restart) your own, get inspiration from agents like these who are nailing the social media game.

How To Leverage the Best Social Media Platforms for Lead Generation

Let’s take each of the best social media platforms listed above and learn how to turn them into highly effective lead generating machines.

Facebook

If there’s only one social media platform that you choose to leverage, it should be Facebook. It’s the largest social media site, with over 2.74 billion active users worldwide.

You can market to prospective clients on Facebook (and Instagram simultaneously) for free. The first step is creating a Facebook business page, if you don’t already have one. Once you do, you can start posting content that people in your farm area will find useful such as local market updates, neighborhood news, and restaurant reviews.

You can also use the Facebook Ads Manager to target specific types of leads. For example, if the majority of your clients are parents between the ages of 30 and 40, you can use Facebook’s ad platform so that only people fitting this profile will see your posts. Facebook also allows retargeting, meaning you can make your ads visible only to Facebook users who have already visited your website.

Another good strategy is to choose a frequently shared real estate article online, rewrite it (and improve on it) and post it on your website, and then share your rewritten article in multiple relevant Facebook groups.

(You don’t have to waste time wondering what to post. Learn how to do it quickly and get more than three dozen real estate social media post ideas.)

Facebook Screenshot Blanca Saldana

Aside from listings, Blanca Saldana’s Facebook page is filled with useful information like this – Mortgage Myths Busted in 90 seconds.
Source: www.facebook.com/blancasaldana/

Instagram

Instagram is forecasted to reach more than 1.4 billion monthly active users within the next two years, which is clearly something real estate agents should be capitalizing on.

Instagram is among the best social media platforms for real estate because it’s such a visual medium. You can post photos or videos of listings you’ve sold or interesting places in your farm area.

You can also update your Instagram account with photos of your recent wins and, when possible, post testimonials from your clients to boost your reputation. Stay on top of the most relevant and popular hashtags specific to your farm area so people can find your posts.

Real estate hashtags work similarly to long-tail keywords you use for your website’s SEO. Use these hashtags on your posts but remember not to overdo them to avoid drowning the link to your blog or website.

Instagram screenshot @realtorsterling

Realtor Sterling’s Instagram account has over 17,000 followers. The photos mostly consist of sold listings with hashtags appropriate for its farm area.
Source: www.instagram.com/realtorsterling/

LinkedIn

Many real estate professionals aren’t leveraging LinkedIn for lead generation. This is probably because this social media platform serves more of a professional purpose than a social one. People don’t come to LinkedIn to comment on friends’ posts or to browse photos. They come to LinkedIn to search for people in their network, and this is what real estate agents should focus on.

Build your network by consistently sending connection requests (weekly) to former clients or other agents and by joining local groups. Being able to establish a good network can generate referrals and even potential clients from your second and third degree connections.

Once you have a solid network, start posting articles that provide helpful information, such as industry trends or explaining a particular real estate concept. You can also post, on occasion, your accomplishments or milestones (e.g. 100th property sold). These types of posts will not only build your reputation, but also emphasize your expertise as well. By the time someone among your connections needs a real estate agent’s services or wants to recommend a realtor to someone, your name will be top of mind.

LinkedIn screenshot Jill Epstein

Posting useful information like industry trends help build your reputation and increase your connections, as you can see from Jill Epstein’s profile.
Source: www.linkedin.com/in/jillepsteinhomes

PRO TIP:

Social media for real estate agents is a lead generation and marketing channel. But keep in mind that your prospects use it as a way to relax, entertain themselves, see what’s trending, and keep in touch with family and friends.

So don’t use too many sales pitches. Instead, provide value in a way that people are used to seeing on social media. If you follow this simple rule, regardless of which social media platforms you use, you’ll find that it can do wonders for your business and brand.

YouTube

YouTube, the second-most visited site in the world, can be a great tool to use for lead generation. But most real estate agents have yet to take advantage of it. Considering the consumer needs and expectations of today, skipping video can be a costly marketing mistake.

The first step is to create a branded YouTube channel – add your logo, color scheme, and a complete description of your services. Once you’ve done this, add a feature video of yourself to introduce yourself to potential clients.

At this point, you can start creating listing videos, but as in all of the other best social media platforms for real estate agents, the objective is not to saturate your content with too many sales pitches. Also post videos highlighting popular spots in your neighborhood, virtual tours, or drone videos of beautiful properties. Add a clear call to action at the end, with links to your website and contact details.

You likely won’t need fancy equipment to shoot your videos. Chances are, your smartphone can shoot in 4k high definition, so even with that you’ll get quality results. Just invest in a basic tripod and tripod mount and follow these tips:

  • Always use hyperlapse to reduce camera shaking in your videos
  • Disable the autofocus function on your smartphone
  • Avoid harsh lighting for outdoor shots and get ambient lighting for indoor shots
  • Learn how to use post production software like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker
  • Learn what it takes to get great listing photos.

Before posting your videos, make sure that you have specified the appropriate category, and included keywords in the description to target your local audience. This will help your videos rank both in YouTube and Google search results.

YoutTube screenshot Jessica Edwards

Jessica Edward’s YouTube channel has almost 12,000 subscribers. Her videos include answers to common real estate questions and some listings.

Source: www.youtube.com/user/thecarolinasfinest/videos

Pinterest

Surely Pinterest doesn’t belong on a list of the best social media platforms for real estate… right?

Wrong.

Similar to Instagram, Pinterest is a great real estate marketing tool because it’s an image search platform and it has a large number of users (more than 460 million). Plus, it can help you boost traffic to your website where you can have an even better chance of turning them into clients.

There’s more to using Pinterest for real estate leads than pinning your listings. It’s all about the strategy – what kinds of photos you share, which groups you join, the quality of your pins, and how you stand out.

First, make sure that you’ve joined the best real estate group boards on Pinterest. You can learn from veteran agents on the board how to create unique postings that stand out.

Diversify your pins to appeal to prospective clients — don’t post only listings all the time. In fact, listings should make up only about 10 percent of all your pins. Ideas for other boards besides listings include an interior design board, a home improvement board, or a gardening board to appeal to a broader audience.

When pinning something to your account, take the time to fill out the description, with a focus on local keywords (e.g. Williamsburg Brooklyn boutique condo) to get leads in your farm area, and then edit the pin to add your website’s URL. A number of leads get lost on Pinterest when they are left without information or a way to find out more about a photo.

Pinterest Screenshot Denise Robinson

Denise Robinson’s Pinterest account has over 40,000 followers. She has 133 boards for categories like real estate selling and buyer tips, interior design, and listings.
Source: www.pinterest.com/DeniseRobinsonRE/

Twitter (Now Known as “X”)

The first way to take advantage of X’s huge reach (of more than 230 million) for lead generation purposes is to follow major real estate professionals in your area. See what kinds of things they are tweeting, and retweet current and informative news in your niche to keep your followers interested.

Try to get involved in as many discussions as you can, offering insight and professional advice to establish your reputation.

Twitter advertising (Promoted tweets, Promoted trends, Promoted accounts) can also work well once you’ve gotten hold of a solid number of followers, as a sizable amount of retweets, likes and favorites can generate leads.

Promoted tweets allow you to purchase advertising space around a popular hashtag which has been proven to be effective on X. Using promoted tweets brings your content to the top of relevant search results, while a promoted account lands your X account among the “who to follow” lists.

Twitter screenshot Ryan DeMent

Ryan DeMent’s X account has quite the number of followers and most of his posts are useful information for sellers, buyers and real estate agents.
Source: www.twitter.com/Ryan_DeMent

❓FAQ: “Should I Use My Personal Social Media for Real Estate?”

Using your personal social media can be a good marketing strategy. But if you do, it’s essential that you approach it strategically and professionally. Here are some considerations to help you decide:

  • If you already have a strong following on your personal accounts, it might be better to stick with your pre-built network than starting from scratch.
  • Using your personal account can help your brand have a more “human” touch, rather than coming across as too “corporate”. But on the other hand, a business account may help present yourself as an expert-level, established professional.
  • Brand recognition is also something to keep in mind. It’s always a good idea to aim for a cohesive brand experience across all of your marketing channels (i.e., social media, website, print materials, etc.).
  • If you use your personal account, it’s important to be mindful of what you share and don’t share. You may not always want to share your personal photos, videos, and opinions with new leads, clients, and business partners. And the reverse might be true too: your friends and family may not want to get a bunch of marketing content from you.
Create a robust marketing plan that takes the guesswork out of your social media strategy. Get our “2024 Marketing Plan” to identify the strategies and tools you need to get more leads and grow your business for years to come.

Increase Efficiency By Using the Best Social Media Management Platforms

The upside of using social media for real estate agents is that it helps you generate leads. But the challenge is, the day-to-day execution of managing them all simultaneously can be difficult and time-consuming. That’s where social media management platforms come in.

By using a social media management platform, you can streamline your marketing efforts and increase efficiency. Here are four of the best social media management platforms you can use to work smarter without working harder:

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a comprehensive social media management platform that allows you to manage multiple social media accounts from one dashboard. It offers features such as content scheduling, performance analytics, and team collaboration. Hootsuite has various pricing plans, starting at $19/month.

Planoly

Planoly is a visual planning and scheduling tool specifically designed for Instagram. It allows you to plan and schedule posts, track analytics, and manage comments and direct messages. Planoly offers a free version, as well as paid plans starting at $7/month.

Buffer

Buffer is a social media management platform that allows you to schedule content, engage with followers, and analyze performance across multiple social media platforms. Buffer has a free version for individuals, as well as paid plans starting at $15/month.

Sprout Social

Real estate social media marketing is often difficult. Sprout Social can keep things manageable with features that help you with content planning and scheduling, social listening, and performance analytics. Sprout Social has various pricing plans, starting at $99/month.

Ready To Streamline All of Your Marketing?

Market Leader Pro is the leading all-in-one solution for generating more real estate leads and turning them into lifelong clients. It includes:

✅ Advanced marketing automation tools that make it easy to create and schedule social media posts
✅ Marketing center filled with 1,000+ customizable print and email campaign templates
✅ Customizable website you can seamlessly link to from your social media channels
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✅ Mobile app that enables you to quickly respond to inquiries and stay productive while on-the-go
✅ Plus, Market Leader’s team of advertising experts can generate a predictable number of exclusive buyer and seller leads for you each month and automatically import them into your CRM.

About the author:Emile L'Eplattenier photo
A nationally recognized founder, branding expert, and industry thought leader, Emile cut his teeth in real estate in 2007 crafting marketing strategies for the Chrysler and MetLife Buildings.

 

 

 

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