Maximum Engagement Social Media Strategy?

3 social media strategies for maximum engagement..

I get more questions about social media than virtually any other topic.

So today I want to share three social media strategies you must use.

Related Article: Crucial Social Media Strategy For YOUR Brand?

Make Your Posts #StopWorthy

Think about your behavior when scrolling through your Facebook or Instagram feeds. Are you stopping and looking at every post, or simply scanning until something catches your eye?

Yeah, same here. We don’t have time to read every post.

We’re looking for something out of the ordinary. Something that punches us in the face, something interesting, provocative, entertaining, something that creates emotion or begs us to engage with it, something stop-worthy!

Related Article: Top CEO Social Media Strategy?

Hot Tip

Post after post of house pictures is not stopworthy.

So, let’s look at what types of posts are stopworthy:

--Things that promote engagement. For example, you could post a photo of a home and conduct a poll asking, “Guess what this home sold for?"

--Posts that play to people’s fears, worries and doubts. Put yourself in your clients’ shoes and do some brainstorming. What’s on their minds? What scares them about buying or selling a house? What are their worries? What do they doubt? Break down those fears and provide answers.

Related Article: Social Media Posts YOU Should Share?

Always Remember

We solve problems for a profit. The more you can view your business from the perspective of the customer and speak to their fears, the more you’re going to win.

Going “Live”

I’ve said it many times, but I’ll say it again: Facebook doesn’t care whether or not you like the way you look on video.

If you want to use Facebook as the valuable business tool it can be, you need to “Go Live” regularly.

Related Article: What Other Peoples Advertising Can Teach YOU?

Get Over Your Fears, Be True to Yourself and Just Do It!

Facebook’s algorithm ranks live content higher than any other format. Also, people receive notifications when you “go live.” This all means you’ll get more reach by going live, and you’ll also receive more engagement if your content is valuable.

That doesn’t mean you should go live all day every day. Be strategic and provide content meaningful to your audience to promote engagement!

If you feel like you don’t have enough followers to make going live worthwhile, reach out ahead of time and inform people you’ll be going live. Continue that process and build your audience, reach and engagement.

It may take time, but it’s essential in today’s video-first environment.

Related Article: YOUR Local Business Social Media Marketing?

Schedule It!

Making the most of social media starts by creating a schedule to follow instead of simply posting whenever you get around to it. Two great free scheduling tools to look into are Hootsuite and Buffer.

Download this poster for my recommendation for The Ideal Weekly Social Media Schedule.

Keep in mind these optimal posting times for various platforms:

--Facebook: During work hours.

--LinkedIn and Instagram: Before work and after work.

--Twitter: Noon and after work.

Related Article: Social Media Mistakes YOUR Company Makes?

Bonus Tip

It’s all about engagement! So engage!

Engagement is paramount in today’s social media world. Getting others to comment and reply to your posts will do wonders for your ranking. But it doesn’t end there!

The cardinal sin of social media is failing to reply to comments on your posts! Find the time, reply to every comment you get and elicit longer comments and a real dialogue.

Guest Authored By Tom Ferry. Tom is the CEO of Tom Ferry International, a Real Estate Coaching and Training Company whose mission is to hold professionals accountable to fulfill their greatness. Tom is named the #1 Real Estate Educator by Swanepoel Power 200 and is the bestselling Author of Life! By Design, and Mindset, Model and Marketing books. In his nearly 30 years of service to the industry, Tom has influenced well over half a million real estate professionals to increase their inner and outer wealth. Follow Tom on Twitter.

Related Article: Social Media Secrets To Going Viral?

"It’s all about engagement!

So engage!"

• 

  Post Crafted By:

  Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at GetMoreHere.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)

YOUR 2018 Real Estate Marketing Strategy?

Must-know social media strategies for real estate agents in 2018..

Without tools, human would have ended up in the same graveyard as dinosaurs. Instead, we put footprints on the moon. And I have to hand it to real estate agents — they’ve been pretty good at utilizing a variety of tools. I know they’ve broken in their share of cellphones.

Related Article: Marketing Strategies To Transcend YOUR Industry?

When computers came along, the good agents put lead management software to work for them.

Now there’s another tool that can take agents to untold home-selling heights: social media. Why? That’s easy: Real estate has been — and always will be — a people business and social media couldn’t be more about people. So, agents need to be on social media as much as they need to be on oxygen.

Social media is so important because that’s where the eyeballs are. In 2017, 81% of Americans had a social media profile, and over 200 million people in the U.S. alone are estimated to be on social media by 2020. What’s more, American social media usage is highest among people who live in the suburbs, people who earn over $75,000 a year and the most educated.

But that’s not all. Professional marketers are sold on social media, too. A recent survey of 271 marketing pros found that 41% say they’ll boost their social media marketing budgets “significantly” this year.

It's clear that social media makes plenty of sense for real estate agents. But the key is to use it wisely. When you hold a wrench by the wrong end, well, you’ll be at the job for a while. The same is true with social media: Done right, it can increase your trips to the bank. Done poorly, it can drive you to the poor house.

Here are my best tips on tapping social media for your real estate business:

Related Article: Real Estate Agent Social Media Marketing?

1. Understand Your Options

The social media outlets I recommend for real estate agents are Facebook and Twitter (the main staples that seem to get the most press), Instagram and Pinterest (both primarily visual, which is good for agents who like to show off their spectacular listings) and finally LinkedIn (mostly a business-to-business outlet, which could lead to referrals from other agents).

2. Get Purposeful

Social media can increase awareness and get people talking about you and your services. It can also drive traffic to your website. Heck, if you post just the right thing at the right time, it might even go viral. All of these are worthy goals, but for me, it’s important to remember the primary reason for using social media: It can bring you leads. Keep that five-letter word top of mind with all your social media efforts. Always have a response option — call, e-mail, etc. — so readers can easily follow up with you, and have a strategy to reply quickly to any and all leads.

Related Article: Social Media Secrets To Going Viral?

3. Be Interesting And Helpful

With so much information on the internet these days, actually helpful info stands out and grabs attention like a cup of steaming hot chocolate on a snowy winter’s day. When you write your social media posts, think of yourself as a teacher, not a salesperson. Educate with solid facts and material readers can use. Pledge to improve the quality of your future posts. If you do, you’ll become known as the go-to real estate pro worth spending time with.

4. Go With Video

The next time you’re at a movie, sit near the front and then take a look back at your fellow viewers. More than likely, the word "mesmerized" will come to mind. We love our moving pictures. So put videos of your listings and anything else viewers might find helpful in your posts and you could capture more followers. According to Facebook, one in five videos streamed on the platform is a live broadcast and daily watch time ballooned more than four times over between 2016 and 2017. Consider doing an open house using Facebook Live to interact with various potential buyers.

Related Article: YOUR Local Business Social Media Marketing?

5. Snoop Your Competition

The cool thing about social media is it’s easy to find. Take some time to visit your competitors’ social media sites and see what they’re doing to generate some ideas you might use on your own social media posts.

With social media in your marketing tool belt, you’ll be equipped to grow your business, engage your prospects, build your reputation as a true real estate pro and make 2018 a year to remember.

Guest Authored By Bubba Mills. Bubba is Owner and CEO of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching, Small Business Mortgage & Real Estate Coaching focused on helping clients balance success in business while bringing value in life. Follow Bubba on Twitter.

Related Article: What Other Peoples Advertising Can Teach YOU?

"With social media in your marketing tool belt, you’ll be equipped to grow your business, engage your prospects, build your reputation as a true real estate pro and make 2018 a year to remember.." -BubbaMills

• 

  Authored by:

  Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, CO  where I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)

Real Estate Agent Social Media Marketing?

New real estate agents are often told they should have a social media presence. Unfortunately, no one ever seems to know quite what that means or how to choose among the many different options..

Personally, I use Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to build a connection with my customers and the community.

_{Related Article: Building YOUR Personal Real Estate Brand?}

But when making your selection, the most important thing is to have a social media plan that you as an agent feel comfortable with. There is no right way or wrong way, and one tool is not necessarily better than another. The best choice is what works for you!

The first thing to do -- regardless of the social media channels you ultimately choose -- is to figure out what goal you are trying to accomplish. I’ll let you in on a little secret: You won’t sell a house from social media alone.

Using these platforms is actually about making potential customers aware of what you can do for them. Your plan should be to become the go-to person when someone is thinking real estate.

Be sure that every post is public, so that people will see your information when they are doing research. Here are five other tips to help you navigate social media as a new agent.

_{Related Article: YOUR Social Media Business Presence?}

There’s no difference between your personal page and your business page

In real estate, you are the business, so don’t think for a moment that what you post — even in private — won’t get out. You should treat both pages as business. An easy rule of thumb: If a post would embarrass your mom, don’t do it.

Steer clear of online arguments

You will never win. It’s more useful anyway to become friends with everyone — even the competition — as once you’re connected, you can keep an eye on what they’re up to.

Use Facebook to communicate general real estate intel

Even if you market a different neighborhood, updates connected to the wider community — garage sales or nice holiday decorations — show that you are deeply involved and know your stuff.

_{Related Article: Your Social Media Share Strategy?}

Post useful real estate intel such as tips, local happenings and statistics to show you’re the area expert.

Keep your LinkedIn posts professional

Remember, LinkedIn is the Facebook of business, so it’s critical that you treat the platform with the upmost professionalism.

_{Use this platform to connect with area influencers, and consider the premium membership so that you can send messages to people you otherwise wouldn’t be able to connect with.}

_{Related Article: Tips For Growing YOUR Small Business?}

_{Tell your story with pictures on Instagram}

_{A fun complement to Facebook, Instagram provides a great opportunity to show off the beautiful community you serve — not to mention specific listings to tempt would-be buyers!}

_{If you’re image-minded or visually inclined, use Instagram to tell the stories you encounter in real estate. People love great visuals.}

_{No matter what tool you decide to use, be sure to make it easy for others to get in touch with you. It may sound obvious, but don’t forget to clearly post your company’s name and a link to your website on any social media platform.}

_{Always take the extra time to think through anything you consider posting. Once something goes live, it’s visible to the public and will stay there forever, so that extra five seconds can make a big difference to you and your company for years to come!}

_{Guest Authored By Miguel Berger. Miquel is the president of Better Homes and Gardens RealEstate Tech Valley in New York. Follow Miguel on Twitter.}

_{Related Article: Must Know Skills To Master Social Media?}

“No matter what tool you decide to use, be sure to make it easy for others to get in touch with you. 

It may sound obvious, but don’t forget to clearly post your company’s name and a link to your website on any social media platform.."

• 

  Authored by:

  Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)

Building YOUR Personal Real Estate Brand?

Social media has become a key branding tool for professionals across all fields, including real estate..

Brokers and agents can connect with fellow industry players, push out information about listings or open houses and use social listening tools to identify potential clients who may be looking to buy.

But as with any brand, no one will want to follow you if all you post about is business.

Your social media audience wants to know that there's a human being behind your accounts, and it's important to have a healthy mix of personal and professional content to keep people engaged.

Members of Forbes Real Estate Council offered 10 key ways to use social media as an effective brand-building tool without alienating your followers.

Related Article: How To Make Social Media Pay?

1. Show Your Personality And Charm

You may be focused on selling your product and service, but it is paramount that you incorporate the importance of intangible factors like personality and charm. You've been in sales your whole life because every day you are selling your most important asset: yourself. It may sound clich, but people do business with people they like. So sell yourself; the business will come later. -Alex Chieng A & L Real Estate Team

2. Be Yourself And Let People Into Your Daily Life

Don't be afraid to let people in on your daily life. If you post little snippets of your life, people will love following you. Keep your social media positive — happy pictures of your friends and family, and then sprinkle in a little bit of work-related subjects. Be real! When you make people laugh, they will be glued to your reality. -Angela Yaun Day Realty Group

Related Article: YOUR Social Media Brand Voice?

3. Find A Balance

It’s important for your social media to be a reflection of yourself, personality and all. But at the same time, remember who your audience is. Your followers are likely interested in your real estate knowledge, not necessarily how you feel about the current political climate. Make sure to find a balance or people might not take you seriously in the real estate industry. -Joshua Hunt TRELORA

4. Have Your Clients Blow Your Trumpet

I have seen some younger brokers/agents use social media to engage with their customers and use that as a brand building tool. It adds more validity to your skills when praise comes from your clients rather than yourself. Tagging your clients in a post mentioning a successful closing might be the first step to brand building on social media. -Nikhil Choudhary Zenith Engineers Inc

Related Article: YOUR Social Media Brand Screenplay?

5. Focus On Facebook

The biggest mistake most good agents make with social media is they try to do it all. The vast majority can't; they are too busy. The best one for agents is hyperlocal: Facebook. You can connect with your sphere and your neighbors. There is no better way to reach your audiences to build your brand. Use Facebook in the course of your daily routine and post as you go. -Kevin Hawkins WAV Group, Inc.

6. Be Consistent

To build brand awareness you need to stay consistent with your message, whatever it may be. Make sure to be active across your social media platforms on a daily basis and find a way to differentiate yourself and stand out from the herd. -Engelo Rumor List'n Sell Realty

Related Article: YOUR Social Media Business Presence?

7. Don't Try To Sell

Use social media to build your personal brand, not to sell your product or service. Post items that help people understand who you are, what you think and what you stand for. Be very careful never to criticize others: Whatever you say on social media is out there forever, in writing, for anyone to see. -Lee Kiser Kiser Group

8. Add Value To The Conversation

Whether you currently use social media or not, it is critical to understand that your brand is already being talked about online. By using social media, you can steer the conversation in the direction you desire. The No. 1 rule of social media is to provide value. Always make sure you're adding value to the conversation while keeping the goals of your audience in mind. -Sarnen Steinbarth TurboTenant

Related Article: Social Media Secrets To Going Viral?

9. Be Where Your Clients Are

When developing and managing your social media brand, it's important to focus on those channels where you'll have the most impact. The greatest content in the world is useless if no one is seeing it. Survey your clients and prospects to find out what social media channels they're using and what type of posts they like to read. -Lisa Fettner ReferralExchange

10. Go Behind The Scenes

Use social updates, videos, live streams and other tools to show off your listings, but your life. And I'm not talking about a video of you standing in front of a Bentley — I'm talking about the real grunt work that goes on behind the scenes whether you're staging, flipping or listing a home. -Kent Clothier Real Estate Worldwide 

Guest Authored By Forbes Real Estate Counsil. Forbes Real Estate Counsil is an invitation only organization for executives in the Real Estate industry. Follow Forbes Real Estate Council on Twitter.

Related Article: Promoting YOUR Social Media Content?

“As with any brand, no one will want to follow you if all you post about is business.

Your social media audience wants to know that there's a human being behind your accounts, and it's important to have a healthy mix of personal and professional content to keep people engaged.."

• 

  Authored by:

  Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)