What Moves Her is sharing actionable thought starters to include in your own social media, and a talk with an early adopter of social media on the importance of consistency and authenticity online.
We recently explored the topic of Social Media Self-Promotion for Real Estate Agents. It’s proven to be such an engaging topic that we’re continuing our discussion.
We’re looking at some ways to jump-start your social media real estate content, using structures that are already proven to be winners. We’ll also hear from Kristen Robinson, Realtor, Coldwell Banker Apex about how she’s used social media to build her personal brand, experimenting to find your voice, and why consistency is so important to social media success.
Ideas for structuring engaging social media content
We’ve all been there. We’ve all stared at our social media account wondering “What on Earth am I going to post about today?” It’s easy to feel overwhelmed about social media—particularly for real estate agents. And while we can’t tell you exactly what to post, we certainly can show you some effective post structures to help you with the how to say it part.
If you google real estate social media post ideas, you’ll literally find more than eighty-five million hits. We’ve combed through an awful lot of them to bring you the most effective strategies.
- What I love about this business…
What I love about this business posts allow you to share good news. It could be something you recently contributed to in the community, a recent closing or listing, or a heartwarming anecdote about something that happened to you recently on the job.
Why this works: As Inman said, “Excitement draws a crowd, and when you post positively about your business, you become magnetic.”
- Seven things to do before buying (or selling): Insider content like this demonstrates your expertise and helps cement your reputation as a trusted advisor.
Why this works: The Internet loves lists. And people always want to read content from someone in the business—especially if it can help them.
- Polls and quizzes: There’s no quicker way to get a feel for your followers and their interests than a poll. You can use polls as a trial balloon for future content, and quizzes to boost engagement in a fun and light-hearted way.
Why this works: As Skyword.com said, “Polls and surveys allow people to express their opinions and be part of the conversation. Moreover, people are curious about how their views line up with the rest of the world.”
- Share seasonal home tips: What do you need to do to winterize your home? What are some smart spring-cleaning strategies? Sharing seasonal homeowner content is a great way to engage with homeowners who want to protect their home. And who knows…it could lead to new business for you down the road.
Why this works: It’s another way to demonstrate your knowledge and establish yourself as a trusted advisor. It also makes you a “good follow.”
- Neighborhood guides: What are some of the best restaurants in your area? What are some great local businesses to publicize? What is there to do for fun in your neck of the woods? Neighborhood guides are excellent conversation starters, plus they help establish your bona fides in your community.
Why this works: Promoting local businesses can help you establish yourself further in the community. Plus, it’s great content for recent home-buyers new to the area.
Show up regularly and engage with others
Kristen Robinson, Realtor, Coldwell Banker Apex got into real estate at just 25. At that time, social media still wasn’t a big force in the industry. She became an early adopter and used social media to build her brand and business in a big way. When most other agents were relying on print ads and business cards, Kristen saw an opportunity and became a social media real estate influencer.
We recently talked with Kristen about her journey, and best practices for using social media to build your real estate brand.
Tell us a little about how you’ve built your personal brand to promote your business?
Kristen: Ever since I first got into real estate, I’ve leveraged social media to build my personal brand and create a community of engaged followers. I embrace authenticity, consistency, and the power of storytelling to differentiate myself from other agents in the market and to truly build and nurture relationships.
How has the importance of social media impacted your business?
Kristen: I jumped into real estate when I was only 25 years old. I understood that the chances of a buyer trusting someone at that age with one of the biggest financial purchases of their life was slim and I knew early on that I had to work 10x harder and get creative to establish credibility and trust. At that time, social media marketing was not common, so I saw a unique opportunity to leverage these tools to differentiate myself from other agents.
I like to see using social media for my brand as thousands of coffee meetings to generate leads and build relationships. Ultimately, it’s a free resource that has allowed me to engage with and build a community, all while portraying a narrative that is authentic to myself and my brand.
What are your favorite ways to use social media to promote your business and your personal brand?
Kristen: I’ve always loathed this line commonly used in the industry: “call me if you know of anyone wanting to buy or sell real estate.” It is so cold and generic and insincere. I personally like to show my value by leveraging storytelling to demonstrate how I serve my clients and what value I bring that differentiates myself from other agents. I also believe that creating a consistent brand goes a long way.
For instance, I make sure all my marketing flyers are cohesive and consistent; my colors, taglines, hashtags, and style are very specific to me. I edit all my pictures with the same presets, so it gives that light, bright, bold look.
I also believe that to really build relationships through social platforms, it’s helpful to be authentic and give your audience a real look at who you are. That’s why I often share beyond real estate, openly posting about our life struggles, successes, our family, my medically fragile child, our stressors, and our joys. I think giving people an honest and raw insight into your life helps them relate to you and view you as a person they can work with and trust.
Lastly, I also love to integrate my personal passions into my posts. I share a ton about travel, home design, style/fashion, and décor on my Instagram. It gives me a space to share other things I enjoy, all while being able to tie real estate back into it.
How do you empower your team to try new marketing techniques and embrace social media?
Kristen: I am a firm believer that my way is not THE way and it does not work for everyone. I am a very out-of-the-box person that likes to push limits, and I like to find my own ways of doing things. So I encourage exactly that, be different. Don’t follow exactly what I do, find what works for you. Test out different types of content and how you deliver messages.
I also encourage creating a brand tailored to your unique personality. What are your power colors? What marketing style is appealing to you? What is something key about you that everyone will remember? For me, green is my power color. Everyone does red, black, or blue but you never see green. I am also a redhead, so I really play up the “ginger” card because it is a distinctive physical trait people remember. Essentially, find what makes you unique and explore what works best for you.
Are there any top tips or resources you’d like to share with our community to help them level up their social media presence?
Kristen: Consistency is key. You do not need to post every day, 20 times a day. The most important thing is to show up regularly and engage with others! Have you ever had someone just randomly give you a compliment or say something nice to you? How does it make you feel? You can deliver that same feeling with a reply or a comment on a post and chances are, that person will remember it. Additionally, make sure you are providing value. By offering knowledge and resources, you’re able to show your worth and establish credibility, even without having a listing or an active buyer. I also recommend finding people to follow that are who you strive to be like or admire. Watch what they are doing, get inspired and create your own content strategies.
Now it’s your turn
Do you have any social media post formats that have worked for you? What was your “Aha moment” when you first understood the power of social media to build your professional brand?
Let us know. Email us at WhatMovesHer@anywhere.re or share with us on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. We want to hear your thoughts.
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