Social media is one of the best tools for real estate marketing in this day and age. With active users of all ages, lifestyles, and locations, you can connect with your ideal customers no matter who they are. With the ability to share photos and video content, you can easily attract eyes to your listings. That said, if you aren't utilizing the right strategies, you can waste valuable time, turn away leads, or miss out on much-desired business. 

Let's explore the dos and don'ts of social media marketing within real estate to ensure you are advertising effectively. 

The Dos of Social Media Marketing For Real Estate

1. Choose the Right Platforms

The first step in successful social media marketing is choosing the right platforms. Facebook is the perfect platform for connecting with buyers and sellers, while TikTok and Instagram are great for marketing properties.

2. Optimize Your Profiles

Your profile is the backbone of your presence on any social media platform. Therefore, creating an optimized profile is one of the most important steps for gaining traction. For an optimized business profile, use a professional, high-quality headshot and cover image. Write a compelling bio that includes key information, such as who you are, what you specialize in, and how to contact you. Also, be sure to include links to your website and other pages.

3. Post Quality Content Regularly

If you want your content to engage your audience, share only high-resolution images and videos. Plus, provide value through educational posts on topics such as home-buying tips, staging advice, and mortgage insights. Going live for a property walkthrough or Q&A session can also be valuable for your audience and provide them with an opportunity to engage with you one-on-one.

4. Share Client Testimonials 

Hearing from clients who have had success working with you builds credibility, which in turn influences your audience's trust in you. Use social media to post reviews from past clients. You can share video testimonials or written reviews through templated graphics.

5. Incorporate Geotags and Local Content

When marketing real estate, it's important to target local audiences specifically. You can do this by sharing hyper-local content like blog posts, informing your audience about upcoming community events, the best restaurants in the area, or what to do locally for entertainment. Tagging specific locations or using certain hashtags (such as #ohiohomeforsale or #philadelphiarestaurants) can also increase local visibility.

6. Leverage Paid Advertising

Paid advertising can drastically increase your ad visibility on social media and further enable your posts to reach the right audience. Facebook and Instagram make it easy to create targeted ads. You can even adjust your ads over time and control your budget and audience parameters. 

7. Track Performance and Adjust Strategies

Tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and Instagram Insights allow you to track performance metrics for your social media posts. By consistently monitoring engagement, reach, and lead conversions, you can adjust your strategy accordingly.

The Don'ts of Social Media Marketing For Real Estate

1. Over-Promote

While the goal of social media marketing is ultimately to gain new business, you should avoid constant self-promotion. Instead, balance promotional content with educational and engaging posts. A good metric is to follow the 80/20 rule: 80% educational and engaging, 20% promotional.

2. Neglect Consistency

Infrequent posting leads to lower engagement and reduced visibility. To stay consistent, create a content calendar and leverage automated tools like Buffer or Social Connector in DeltaNET®. A general recommendation is to post on Facebook and Instagram at least once daily and on LinkedIn at least three times weekly.

3. Ignore Negative Comments

Transparency builds trust, so it's always better to address any negative comments or reviews on social media about you or your brand promptly and professionally. Never just ignore or delete comments and negative feedback.

4. Use Poor Quality Images or Videos

While consistency is key, it's best not to post if you don't have a high-quality photo or video ready. Posting low-quality content can lead to consequences such as unfollows or decreased interest in your services.

5. Forget About Compliance and Ethics

When posting on social media, you must comply with real estate laws and regulations. For instance, do not violate fair housing laws by targeting audiences by specifications like age or income level. Instead, target audiences by location and preferences. You must also avoid making misleading claims about the market or specific properties and be transparent regarding sponsorships and partnerships. 

6. Spam Followers With Irrelevant Content

As important as it is to post regularly, it's equally important that the content you post is relevant to your real estate brand and audience. To avoid posting irrelevant content, create separate accounts for posting business-related and personal content, and understand your target audience.

7. Ignore New Trends and Algorithms

The digital world is evolving fast, with changes in trends and social media algorithms happening constantly. So, while one strategy may have worked for a few years, it could be time to update it to accommodate more recent trends and algorithms.

By following these dos and don'ts, you can create a robust social media strategy that effectively showcases properties to the right audience and builds lasting relationships. Remember that success on social media requires a balance of consistency, quality, and authenticity. The most successful real estate professionals understand that using social media isn't just about selling; it's about creating value, establishing expertise, and fostering trust within your community. 

As algorithms and trends continue to evolve, staying adaptable and willing to learn will keep you ahead of the competition. Whether you're new to social media marketing or looking to refine your current approach, implementing these best practices will help you maximize your online presence and, ultimately, your business growth.