Using Your Social Networks to Expand Your Global Reach

In a recent article on the Global View blog, the National Association of REALTORS® discussed how to leverage your social networks for more global opportunities. One of the biggest takeaways of the article is that while many real estate professionals think the best way to leverage social media is by posting their listings and walking away, there are actually much more effective ways to showcase yourself as a global expert.

So how can you use your social networks to promote your global real estate expertise? Start by sharing valuable content that your audience actually cares about! Beyond just sharing links to your listings, use your social media channels to demonstrate your knowledge of the local market and share your global marketing expertise. Not sure of the best ways to share this content on your social media channels? Below are five important tips to remember when sharing on social media:

1. Content is still king – And it should be sticky, too! According to Simply Measured, "sticky content is content that is memorable and shareable, as opposed to disposable." When your audience finds value in your content, it "increases the length of time they spend engaging and encourages them to share with their friends. It also gives people a compelling reason to come back for more, perhaps without even being prompted."

2. It's all in the story – The art of storytelling is at the base of every successful social media strategy. By providing interesting and authentic content, you build an enticed audience. Don't forget – there is such a thing as information overload! Remember that you're engaging with a potential client, not a fellow real estate professional. You have to speak your audience's language and provide them with content that appeals specifically to them. Try to stick to the 80/20 rule with what you share – only 20 percent of your content should be directly related to your brand.

3. Visually pleasing – Photos and video are the curb appeal of social media. It's what initially catches the attention of your audience and encourages them to engage with you further. A survey conducted by CMO Council found that "nearly half of survey respondents indicated that the use of photography (46 percent) and video (36 percent) is critical to their current marketing and storytelling strategies." While illustrations and infographics are important, dynamic visual assets like pictures and videos with real people in them are imperative.

4. Pay for ads – The Social Agent Today Blog states that "paid advertising on social media will essentially be a necessity for marketing success." Whether Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, it's a great idea to utilize the ad-targeting features to get your message in front of a larger audience.

5. Leverage multiple platforms – As a real estate professional, you must understand that potential buyers and sellers are spread throughout various social media platforms and it's your duty to meet them where they are. To help you understand the different platforms that are available to you, ListHub created a social media cheat sheet:

Now that you have a good basis for improving your overall social media strategy and posts, you can use those tips to focus on promoting your global marketing strategy to potential seller clients, or demonstrating to global buyers that you are the local market expert who can help them find their dream home. Are you a NAR CIPS designee? Use the CIPS private networking group on Facebook for referral exchanges with other designees and connect with others who may have global opportunities to share with you. Don't have your CIPS designation yet? Click here to learn more.

Did you know international buyers spent an estimated $102.6 billion on U.S. real estate last year? Expand the efforts of your social media marketing with ListHub Global! ListHub Global provides brokers the opportunity to market their listings to the international marketplace, with the same data protections and managed listing distribution platform available through ListHub today.

This article originally appeared in ListHub's global newsletter.