When likes, shares lead to spikes in sales

Social media can be an effective platform to generate leads for real estate firms.

Similar to any industry in the world today, real estate marketing has also been disrupted by mobile technology.

And for the past two years, real estate practitioners have realized that social media is one of the most effective platforms to generate leads. That is why they are already revolving their strategies, identifying goals and tracking analytics around it.

Here are some ways how real estate developers and marketers can maximize social media to their advantage.

Know the best social channel for your type of real estate project and identify the best practices of each.

1. Facebook

No other app to date provides as valuable analytics than Facebook, which currently has some 2 billion users.

Real estate firms should definitely establish business pages. For individual brokers, make sure you do not mix your personal posts like what you had for lunch with your property listings. The popularity of this tool relies in its ease of use and the capacity to mix effectively the use of visuals and copy.

Allot a budget to pay for boosted posts to ensure your content is seen by your target demographic. The mix of interesting content, timing of posts, and creation of events will help increase your fan base.

2. Instagram

With twice the reach of Twitter and having the advantage of being owned by Facebook, Instagram has been so popular with the millennials because of its visual standards, making it ideal to showcase the properties at its best.

3. YouTube

It is the second most popular search engine next to Google. Creating a YouTube channel allows you to take your clients to a virtual tour of your projects at a fraction of the cost of a televised broadcast.

4. LinkedIn

A great LinkedIn profile can win you leads and buyers. A professional looking headshot and great written headline will help you score appointments and referrals. Make sure that you regularly update your profile and research on strategies to increase your visibility.

5. Pinterest

This virtual bulletin board allows you to reach people who are interested in the boards that you created. It is interesting to note that 80 percent of Pinterest users are female so it would be helpful to create posts that appeal largely to this segment.

Expand your digital marketing budget

On your next budget planning, make sure that digital marketing, specifically, social media advertisements will be given a spotlight. Expenses will include sponsored ads and professional fees for photographers, writers and videographers. Public relations in this aspect now includes bloggers, vloggers and influencers.

Promos and giveaways are now also being actively coursed through social media. For developers, a free day pass to allow followers to use their facilities will be a way to generate visits.

Of course, complementary to an active social media campaign is a fully-functioning and updated website since this should be the landing page of all the posts that you have created in various media channels.

Avoid these pitfalls in social media marketing

1. It takes you too long to respond. Acknowledge positive comments immediately with a thank you and politely address irate clients’ concerns via private message. This is why you’ll need a social media administrator.

2. Hardselling is the best way to get your audience disengaged. Always remember, your post can easily vanish with a thumb’s swipe. Try to follow the 80/20 rule wherein 80 percent of the posts would be content that create value for your customer, while 20 percent will comprise the direct advertisement of your project.

For example, infographics can be used to illustrate the advantages of investing in condotel projects. You can also create a step by step guide on how to finance your dream house and lot, while for condo projects, you can provide design ideas on how to maximize spaces.

3. Ignoring analytics. The greatest advantage of a social media campaign is that everything is recorded digitally. This analytics feature will significantly help marketing managers in designing content and budget allocation.

Social media advertising is a continuous study of consumer behavior. This platform poses a perpetual challenge for marketers to come up with creative content, sincere engagement with their audience, and smart strategies to market high ticket purchases like real estate.

Since it is constantly evolving in such a dynamic pace, real estate agents should quickly adapt and be equipped to make social media advertising their most valuable selling tool.

The author is a licensed broker and the vice president for marketing services of Royale Homes Marketing Corp., a marketing arm of Sta. Lucia Land Inc.