Real Estate Agents: Why Your Social Media is Failing

Social media is a very powerful tool for your real estate business. Consumers and clients are a here and now kind of entity and want to follow those who can provide that. They want to engage with someone who is:

• A Resource of Information
• A Trustworthy Reference
• Is Consistent

As a real estate agent, I am sure that you have some type of social media account. But like most agents, they find that there is a lack of participation associated with one or all of their social media. Don’t worry, this is actually common. But lets take a look at why it is failing and how you can fix it.

Lack of Engagement

Do you like conversing with people who are unresponsive? Neither do those we are active on social media. When a user likes a post, responds to an article, or shares your information they are engaging you. With that, they would like something in response. Failing to engage followers, your target audience or the social media world in general can limit your visibility tremendously.

This is a very important part of social media, but a simple one. Engaging users who have shown any type of interest will only help in building a relationship. Social media relationships (I know it sounds weird) can help build your online presence and essentially your business. Sending an email, saying thank you across social media, or mentioning them in a post will create a loyal follower.

Lack of Quality Content

Posting information that no one wants to read is actually more common than you think. Just getting content on your website or social media is not the main goal. Many social media accounts, and websites for that matter, suffer because quality content is lacking.

This area takes a little bit of research. Knowing your target audience and what readers are looking for can help drive your content. Providing quality content that is shareable needs to be your main focus. Whether it is an informative article, an event you’re hosting or small insight on the latest happenings, it is crucial that each piece of content has a purpose.

Inconsistent

Social media is a highway of information. Ideas are being shared, information provided and news announced every second of every day. The social media business accounts that are being left behind are the ones that are inconsistent. You might have posted an amazing article 4 weeks ago, but what have you done for me lately. Users want to know that they can rely on you to provide what they need on a daily basis. A lack of consistency is the easiest way to lose your following because there is always someone else who will step up to the plate.

Set a schedule. Force yourself to set aside time for you or your team to post each day across your social media. Overflowing your social media is not necessary, but consistent posting is vital. Your followers, or potential followers, want to know they can rely on your for all of their needs.

Targeting the Wrong Audience

Having you ever been talking to an audience and it seems like no one is paying attention? It brings on an unsettling feeling. Well when you are targeting the wrong audience on social media no one will pay attention to what you have to say. Just sharing information to whoever is out there is not the best strategy. You need to hone in on who is interested in what you have to say.

Researching networks, competitors and those who have shown industry in your industry is a great place to start. See who is talking about your industry by simply searching key terms that have association. Find networks of businesses and consumers who are interested in what you are wanting to share. Targeting the right audience will increase your visibility much quicker. Soon their followers might just realize they are intrigued with your content and become loyal followers.

Not Easy to Find

A detrimental mistake that many real estate agents make is making themselves hard to find. There are many causes to this:

• They use their personal account solely for their business
• Inconsistent contact/business information
• On the wrong Social Media platforms
• Inactivity

All of these, and more, make it difficult for any user to find you. No consumer wants to waste time going on a treasure hunt to find a business. Being consistently visible is the only way to stay in the conversation.

Conclusion

Having an active social media account is important for your business. Developing an effective strategy and executing that strategy will help build relationships, grow your business, and reach an audience that was not possible before. Make sure to avoid these costly mistakes and use your social media effectively.