The proof is in the pudding, so they say, or in this case in the numbers. There is no denying that the proof of users on Twitter and Facebook and other Internet social media sites is growing by the day.
In fact, statistics show that there are over one billion users to date on Facebook and over three hundred million on Twitter. The rest of the ‘millions’ are on YouTube and other blog and social media sites. What is a plus for the real estate industry is that there is an opportunity to engage those users and figure out what they are doing to get positive results of putting out the word with virtually no money at all and how are they doing it,
These users will probably tell you that all you need is determination and commitment, as well as a little creativity for you to make social media a big part of your real estate business.
Realtors and real estate companies are taking advantage of the social media’s growing trend, and it may be your time as well. You can promote your brand through these sites and take the opportunity to use all the tools available to join conversations and establish a brand right online. It gives you the opportunity to network with potential business associates and clients and list your active listings.
There’s no doubt that the Internet and social media is emphatically changing the way people are out there doing business. Let’s face it; the web is very often where people go for news, purchasing and answers. Smart real estate professionals are taking notice of this and enhancing their presence, answering questions about target listings and putting themselves in a position of the one to go to as the expert in the real estate field.
There’s No Time Like the Present to Connect
Although social media is still relatively new and growing stronger every day, this may be the time to incorporate it into your business strategy. In this way, you can grow with its technology enabling you to be ready for what’s to come. Now is the time to generate leads and promote new business to your real estate world.
So, does your real estate company need social media presence?
It is a must. It is a vital part of marketing for any real estate firm or agent.
It is important to establish a presence on each of the Big Three – Twitter, Google and Facebook and has become a must in business.
LinkedIn has also become an important place for B2B connections and transactions, and is often looked at by business owners as “Facebook for business”.
Here are some facts revealing the incredible role social media has in business today, and this is reported by the Social Media Marketing Industry report:
- Eighty percent of today’s businesses feel that social media is crucial to their business
- As little as six hours in one week’s time gives them lead generation benefits
- Seventy-five percent report positive results regarding their increase in traffic
Now that we have established some of the social media benefits of your target marketing, there are specific benefits to the real estate industry which show the following:
- It helps showcase your brand
- Affords you the loyalty of prospects
- Social media definitely increases your exposure and enhances the trustworthiness of yourself and your firm
- Your sales will expand
- Social media definitely will cut your marketing costs and boost traffic to your site as well as your search engine ranking
Using social media allows you to cut advertising and marketing costs significantly and at the same time, gives your company the opportunity to grow exponentially with a small amount of effort.
Since its inception into the marketplace, it has firmly taken over all traditional print advertising and marketing. It most definitely increases your return on investment, and the most exciting miracles can happen in your business market.
By far, the importance of social media today is indisputable. It’s a place you can feel the buzz and see the action surrounding your business, and all it takes is creativity, determination, passion and being as consistent as you can be. Competition doesn’t really matter anymore because there’s a whole new world out there with the power of social media.
Don’t let the competition in your industry beat you to the punch. Your very next client could come from the impact you made on your social media site.
Here are some highlights frequently used in social media:
- Twitter: Conduct a chat with those following you by asking questions or giving insight. Make sure you are targeting the right audience. Tweet tips about moving and the all-important staging of your house if you are selling. Tweet about new schools, stores and activities in the neighborhoods you are targeting
- Facebook: Facebook has now introduced a new metrics making it possible to send your ads to certain areas and audiences. It is all based on demographics and sends geo-targeted ads to targeted people looking to buy or rent in that area. This strategy is a good conversion generator
- Pinterest: This is the TH largest social media site. Pin exciting videos. Get the right audience to view your clips including how-to suggestions
- Instagram: You can design and develop images that advise your target audience of open houses
Realtors are really some of the greatest marketers in a person to person scenario. They have a knack when it comes to getting to know their clients personally. However, sometimes they are not exceptionally great at applying it all to their social media (no offense intended).
Remember, there is an 80/20 rule in social media marketing. Many agents are not even aware of this. It goes like this: Post 80 percent about your client’s interests, updates and lifestyles and the 20 percent of your content should be about your product and you.
In summary, if you are a real estate agent who has not, as of yet, learned the art of social media, it can be a little daunting. However, social media is one of the most prestigious and lucrative ways to spread the word about yourself and your properties. Put your toes in the water and test it out. Pretty soon you will be swimming with the best of them. There’s no time like the present!
Author:
Christopher Dill is the lead SEO ninja at The Dill Design. He has a passion for helping businesses grow through digital inbound marketing and increasing organic sales and conversions. Chris also manages responsive web design projects for SMB’s.
