In these fast-paced days of the digital era, if you’re not using social media, you’re getting left behind. No matter what industry you’re in, you can benefit from the vast engaged audience that social media provides. This can come in especially handy when trying to leverage the potential of these free platforms when making a sale on a home. Skeptical? Don’t be. It’s easier than you think and here’s how..
Step 1.
Hire A Realtor With A Social Media Presence
Some real estate agents use social media to market their listings and some do not. A real estate agent with a social media skill-set is very valuable these days. It’s important to find an agent that has an established sphere of influence on social media. This will not only help broaden the audience that sees your listing but automatically target people in the industry that may have clients looking to buy. Also, if your agent has a current business Facebook page, you have the ability to run targeted ads linking to your listing.
When looking at potential agents, check out their business pages on social media and gather as much information as possible. Do they have many followers? The more followers they have the more exposure you’ll have. Do they post regularly and keep their content up-to-date? The more they post the better. Consistently updated content on a social profile ranks higher in many newsfeeds and is seen b more people. Do they have many positive client reviews on their sites? A lot of reviews means that this isn’t the agent’s first rodeo. They have likely used social to market previously and have had success doing it.
Step 2.
Invest In Good Visuals
Let’s face it, looking at houses isn’t what it used to be. This is simply because when you go to see a house nowadays, you’re not seeing it for the first time. Chances are you’ve already saved the listing to your smartphone and scrolled through the pictures critiquing every square foot before agreeing to go take a look in person. Since this is the case with many buyers, you need to sell them on the images of the house before you can sell them on the actual house. To do this, you need great pictures and videos. Do not try to do this yourself unless you have experience. Invest in a professional photographer and/or videographer to put together the most visually-appealing representation of your home possible. Have the photo shoot when your home is extremely clean, with minimal furniture and decorations as these tend to clutter the space and make it look smaller. Also, make sure it is a clear and sunny day. Most people are more likely to see themselves in a home if the sun is shining through the windows with the space looking bright and welcoming. Exterior photos are better on sunny days as well (obviously!).
Video is a great way to give buyers a feel for the home instantly. Virtual tours have become a common thing amongst motivated sellers in recent years as it adds an element of distinction to the listing. Also, if you’ve got a great lot or a great location, drone footage can be an amazing add-on as well. Saying you’re “steps from the beach” has so much more impact when buyers can see it for themselves.
Ask your agent (that you carefully selected using credentials outlined in Step 1) if they have the ability to host your photos and videos on a separate landing page that is exclusive to your listing. Many social media savvy agents are willing to create a separate website for each listing. This presents the most professional looking listing and makes your agent very easily accessible to anyone that would like a showing. Also, your home won’t be just one of several results on an MLS search, so buyers are less likely to get distracted and move on.
Step 3.
Share, Share & Share Some More
Once you’ve hired the right agent and secured the best photos & videos possible, you are ready to make your house listing active and share it with the world! You already know your agent will be sharing the listing on all of their social pages, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it as well! You can either share a direct link to the listing OR upload the photos and videos yourself with a description of the property and details. Uploading the photos is recommended as links are not as highly prioritized in newsfeeds. For example, Facebook is more likely to show a post with photos and video than a post with just a link. To take it a step further, embedding video in your post, such as a virtual tour, gets the most organic exposure possible. Also, take note that some platforms (such as Instagram) do not support links at all, so photo and video uploads are the only option.
It is not a bad idea to share your listing more than once on each social platform. Once it’s been up for a few days it can get ‘stale’ and people are less likely to see it. Reposting the listing gives anyone that didn’t see it the first time another opportunity. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to give updates on it; such as a drop in sales price or open house date. Another good thing to do is to tell friends and family to share your post on their social media profiles as well. The more people that share it with their “followers” the better. Information is spread so virally these days that all it takes is simply getting the information out there and your audience will do the rest. Someone may have a friend of a friend that they know wants to buy a home where your selling. It’s all about getting people to talk and use connections.
Interested in using these tools but don’t have any profiles set up? Here are four of the very best options to start with for social media engagement. They are easy to use and free to set up!
Nextdoor
The thought of selling a home can make some people cringe… but, it shouldn’t be that painful! There are so many social media resources available to you that make it a lot easier than it used to be. Take advantage of the way information is distributed nowadays and get your message out to as many people as possible. It may surprise you just how quickly you can get things done!