There are a lot of sophisticated nuances around the use of social media as a marketing tool, and while big corporations employ entire departments of experts to explore those nuances, small businesses or solo practitioners – for instance real estate agents – often lack the bandwidth.

And yet, social media is the lifeblood of the marketing strategy for most agents. It’s a necessary ingredient to sales, especially during quiet markets.

However, there are some cardinal rules of social media that are totally within anyone’s capability and focusing on the basics can help you build a strong foundation for success.

As you begin to plan your marketing efforts for the coming year, here are some basic rules for crafting a social media presence.

Social media vs. websites

Social media platforms are great for posting and updating your fan base but having a website to direct clients to for more information positions you at a higher professional level and increases your credibility.

Your website can be simple, providing basic information about you and your team, but it can also afford a great opportunity for posting more in-depth educational materials about real estate transactions, as well as brief blogs about what is happening in your local market.

And most importantly, remember to keep your personal social media sites for friends and create business accounts for your real estate content. For some social media platforms, business accounts are required, so make sure your accounts are in line with the rules.

Make a plan, execute the plan

“Let’s do some social media,” is a not a strategy, but quite frankly, it’s how a lot of us approach this very important marketing tool. To be successful on social media, the first rule is to create a plan for the year and stick to it. Consistency is one of the most important rules of success. Here are a few things to consider when creating your plan:

• Identify which platforms you are going to focus on (don’t try to be on every platform)
• Research what other agents are doing successfully
• Create a calendar appointment with yourself each week to ensure you are posting regularly

Mix up your content

Keeping your audience in mind, create content that not only promotes you and your listings, but also connects you to the community in which you live and work and builds good will with your audience. For instance:

• Promote non-profit events and fundraisers such as Toys for Tots, or your local food bank
• When new businesses open in your market, give them a shout out
• Highlight an award received by a local person or business, especially in real estate or lending
• Feature a member of your team for an outstanding achievement or local volunteer work
• Give a virtual gold star to your title or closing agent for a job well done
• Provide quick tips for homebuyers and sellers

Make it about them

In all your messaging, make sure you make it about your clients, your team, and your service providers and not about your successes. When your messaging highlights everyone else’s accomplishments, you build a stronger community of followers who will in turn, want to highlight and support your successes.

And while it’s OK to share some personal information to help your clients to get to know you better, make sure you aren’t straying from the core message, which is your proficiency as a real estate agent and your desire to educate and assist homebuyers and sellers.

At Florida Agency Network (FAN), we have formed a strategic alliance amongst members and third-party providers to better serve our customers. Contact us today to learn how our customized solutions protect and streamline the closing experience for you and your clients.