May 14 2015
Has creating social media content become the most daunting task in your schedule? There's no "one size fits all" approach to developing a solid content strategy; it's important to research what people in your local community are talking about in order to get a feel for the type of information that is in highest demand. Sharing things like a local high school football team that will be competing in the state championship game or a delicious new local restaurant that people have been raving about are great for capturing your audience's attention and positioning yourself as a reliable source for things outside of real estate.
But capturing their attention is only half the battle. The real challenge comes with giving them a reason to continue following you. Since you are in the business of selling homes, you'll occasionally need to share some real estate related information as well. This is where a lot of real estate professionals run into the proverbial "fork in the road," as there's always the lingering question of whether or not your audience will be interested in this type of content. Instead of simply posting listing details or market data, use these five tips to show off your real estate expertise, while showing a little local love and still making it fun for you audience.
Word-of-mouth is still the top referral source for real estate professionals. What better way to get people talking about your business than by highlighting happy clients that live in their community? Whether it's a friend, family member or a co-worker, your followers will feel more comfortable contacting you if they see that people they know had success working with you in the past.
You're already helping people find their home. Why not offer some tips on how they can improve it, too? Homeowners are always on the lookout for ways to make the place they live more enjoyable and sharing fun DIY projects will give them the inspiration they need to get started. Instead of always scouring the internet for examples to share, take a look at your listings to see if any of the previous owners have already tackled a noteworthy project. This will allow you to lightly promote your listing, while also providing them with ideas to improve their own home. Even if they haven't worked with you in the past, continually offering this value through social media will keep you top-of-mind when it comes time for them to buy or sell their home.
Everyone likes to dream, so give them something to dream about by sharing pictures from extraordinary homes! Backyard oases, top-of-the-line kitchens or master bedrooms fit for a king will all capture the eyes of your audience, because they will be imagining what it's like to live there themselves. Again, this would be the perfect opportunity to promote one of your own listings that has features like these without coming across as "salesy." Asking questions like "What kind of party would you host in this beautiful backyard?" will give them a reason to interact with your post and will help keep the conversation going.
Hosting a contest or sweepstakes is the perfect way to generate more engagement, because who doesn't like free stuff? Create a #hashtag around a real estate theme and offer some sort of incentive to get them to participate. It could be something as simple as posting pictures of a favorite room in their home with your designated #hashtag for a chance to win a gift card to a local restaurant or retail store. The upside for giving out prizes from local businesses is that they may return the favor later by mentioning you in one of their posts, which will give you exposure to their audience. The opportunities are endless; you just have to be creative!
Give your followers a daily dose of laughter with a popular meme or viral video that everyone is talking about. Humor is a great way to humanize your brand and it shows that you're not all about doing business. If you see something that you've found amusing, don't hesitate to share it, because there are plenty of people out there that will probably find it funny, too.
Social media shouldn't be used solely as a lead generation tool. It's better served for connecting with members of your community on a personal level. These are just a few tips for producing real estate related content that your audience will want to engage with, but you can download the Homes.com Social Media Checklist for more ways to optimize your presence here.
To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.