With more than half of the world now using social media*, making use of company channels to sell homes is a no brainer when trying to directly reach target audiences.
When the UK entered its first lockdown, the home buying process primarily went online due to safety concerns, but this quickly returned to physical viewings, accompanied with virtual tours to maximise interest.
In the last year estate agents have begun actively using social platforms more frequently to further push available properties, keeping potential homebuyers informed of listings and developments.
Through regular posting, video walkthroughs and influencer marketing – the property industry has blown up on social in the last year with traditional agent activity being combined with social media to boost property sales as a whole.
Combining social media with real estate has untapped potential that the property industry should be utilising as part of its wider marketing strategy.
The UK has the highest percentage of social media users than anywhere else in the world, with social media influencing 81% of consumer buyer decisions **, so its important agents look to utilise social and influencers as part of wider marketing strategies as much as possible, to tap into buyer markets, especially the younger millennial generation.
There are several ways you can use social media to boost your property business:
@summernewmann Inside a £700,000 Nottingham penthouse! (the waterside apartments) ? currently for sale with FHP Living. Let me know what you guys think???
Generating leads via social media
According to Forbes, social media is the biggest factor in the global property market*** and it’s important to utilise this potential to generate leads for your business. Influencer marketing is one of the best ways to showcase properties and often involves creating shareable content that has the potential to go viral.
Partnering with influencers to provide exclusive tours of properties will create content across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, giving homes a valuable push to market whilst including key company messaging.
Content such as a ‘walk through’ style tour to promote developments, will in turn generate interest and leads from the talents’ audience.
Social media advertising
Facebook and Instagram advertising is a method of paying to reach audiences on social media. This can be done through crafted ad content or sponsoring existing posts on your company social platforms. Ads are a powerful tool as they can be refined to target a specific audience that may have an interest in properties, for example; age, location, interests and behaviour.
Industry news and insights
Use social platforms to share news and insights into the property industry. This in turn will position the team as experts and build trust and rapport with potential buyers. The property industry is fast moving, and this can be seized as an opportunity to be the first to react to breaking news, for example; stamp duty holidays or the announcement of a new mortgage scheme.
Reviews
Reviews are incredibly powerful and can be the difference between a client opting to use services or going elsewhere for a company with a higher rating. Create an easy way for clients to leave reviews of the business and use it as a prompt for agents to ask clients upon completion of a house sale or letting.
Here at Jennie Holland PR, we provide social media services to a number of clients in the property sector. For social media support and advice, and to find out more about the best strategies and social media tools for your business, contact the team for a chat.
Sources
*https://www.digivate.com/blog/social-media/idiots-guide-social-media-facebook-beginners/
**Datareportal, 2020
*** https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesrealestatecouncil/2020/03/05/social-media-is-the-biggest-factor-in-the-new-real-estate-market/