Understanding The Difference between Facebook And Instagram For Real Estate Marketing

Social media has taken over marketing in recent years, with 69 percent of the public using social media of some sort. You may do all your brokerage’s social networking or elect to turn that over to a marketing specialist. Whatever you choose, it’s imperative that you understand the demographics of each social platform to wisely spend your marketing time and money, while carefully branding your brokerage.

Facebook has emerged over the last 13 years as a powerhouse among the social networking platforms. According to Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet, 68 percent of adults in the United States use Facebook. Facebook acquired Instagram—a newer social site—in 2012. Its use is becoming more popular at 28 percent of U.S. adults and amassing over 800,000 users to date, trailing far behind but still second to Facebook. Part of Instagram’s growing popularity is the ease of post and paid ad sharing between the two sites.

Facebook Friends

Facebook may already be central to your marketing plan for its wide range of demographics and the sharing of all types of media—photos, messages and video—across desktop, mobile and tablet formats. Its use is split almost evenly between males and females.

Many view it as a networking forum for older adults, but that’s not a well-rounded picture of this versatile site. While Facebook does attract a larger share of the over 49 crowd than other social sites, Pew Research Center’s data indicates that ages 18-29 are big Facebook users (88 percent) with those ages 30-49 close behind in usage (79 percent).

Content should be engaging in more than one way, so create a mix of videos, images, information and calls to action that elicit user interaction to get followers. A little tasteful fun goes a long way on Facebook.

Instagram Images

Facebook purchased Instagram back in 2012, and it has retained most of its unique nature. Both social sites share photos, videos and messages, but Instagram features images first and foremost, allowing the user to add numerous digital filters, as well as use image hashtags and geotags. You can create your own hashtags for events, open houses and more to gain traction. Since December 2017, users can follow hashtags, so your image hashtags need to be relevant, retain your style, and be interesting to grow your followers. Instagram’s newest rollout—Stories—is a Snapchat-like feature that is quickly growing in popularity.

Instagram is primarily intended for use on-the-go with a smartphone, appealing to younger users. In fact, Instagram’s core users are ages 18-29 (59 percent) with a higher percentage of women of any age favoring the site. Ages 30-49 make up 33 percent proving this network is a haven for those ages 49 and younger.

As a real estate broker, structure your Instagram posts around interior design, as that is a favorite topic on this platform. Has a local or national celebrity viewed a listing or sold a home using your brokerage? Snap a photo and post it (with permission), as celebrity and entertainment posts are hot. Visual consistency and imagination go a long way toward building your Instagram following.

Stand-Out Instagram Marketing

Instagram is all about the aesthetics. To leverage marketing on Instagram that plays to your brand and brings in sellers and buyers, it helps to study a few real estate accounts of those who are rocking it in the world of Instagram marketing.

Here are some tips to help individualize your brokerage on the Instagram platform:

• Display great images—it’s all about consistently branded visuals
• Create branded hashtags
• Add multiple hashtags—some of the top posts use 10 or more hashtags
• Use images with your contact information/logo
• Post strictly listings or add a few photos of the team and/or clients for a more personalized appeal

Play Off Each Other

Instagram is a logical choice to add to your marketing arsenal to attract more of the on-the-go Millennial masses and even some older groups. As they play off each other, using Facebook and Instagram together equals a robust social sales strategy.

At the end of the day, a consistent approach to social media usage is just one part of your marketing and sales strategy. At Weichert, we have the systems that can help you pull it all together. Contact us at 877-533-9007 to learn more or go to weichertfranchise.com

Original content posted on https://www.weichertfranchise.com/blog/understanding-difference-facebook-instagram-real-estate-marketing-2/

How To Win the Real Estate Listings Battle

As we all know, one of the biggest challenges we’ve been faced with in the recent real estate market is the supply of listings. They are at a premium. So how does your company be the brokerage of choice when it comes to competing for listings that are out there? The good news is that by stepping up your game and in some cases, rethinking techniques both tried and new, you really can improve your ability to compete and win these clients. By delivering a stellar experience before and during your listing appointment, including an equally powerful listing presentation, you can give yourself a tremendous competitive edge. Here are some key ingredients of both.

Provide a Listing Experience.

 

We use the term “experience” here with great deliberation. The days of throwing a quick CMA together based on a few publicly available local sales is not going to cut it. In 2019, if you really want to stand out to buyers and sellers, you’re going to have to do more than that. The client experience with you starts the moment you first contact them to the day you complete the transaction (and beyond!) and every moment in between. Use all the tools and technology at your disposal to show them you are energetic, up-to-date and on top of the details. Don’t let your agents be tempted to discount commission. Instead, agents should use the entire listing experience as an opportunity to showcase their value by explaining how their skill set and resources will deliver the most desirable results. The entire client experience must show that you are professional, tech savvy, and someone they can trust to navigate the process.

Trust. Getting to know the client and their needs should be built in to the listing process, in addition to creating the presentation itself. Taking the time, demonstrating that you have listened, truly understand the home’s unique attributes and that you will do what you say you will do, will go a long way toward reassuring the Client that they will be in good hands.

Be Detailed. Be Consistent. And Show Exactly What You Will Do.

The listing presentation itself can speak volumes. A powerful template used consistently by your agents is the first step to ensure all clients receive a consistent experience from your brokerage. It should be customized to the sellers to make them feel special. The other benefits to having a set template is that it will give off the impression that much time was spent putting it together, adding to the consumer experience. The plan should walk the seller through all the steps of the process and clearly outline all the agent will do to sell the home. This helps paint a picture for the seller and puts their mind at ease that the agent has it together, is organized and has a very clear plan to get the job done. An agent simply giving a presentation that’s “All About Me” is not going to make the seller feel that the agent has their best interests in mind.

Make the Impression Last, Even After You’ve Gone

One of the common reasons that a listing is lost is that potential clients are left with too many unanswered questions after the agent leaves. One of the best ways of solving that problem is to give a comprehensive, professionally branded listing presentation, but make sure you leave behind something that summarizes all you discussed for them to review and digest.

Branding: A beautifully branded booklet that unifies your brokerage mission statement, your company values, and what makes you unique will showcase how committed you are. You can bet that sellers will see your listing presentation as an example of how you would represent them should they hire you.

Marketing Strategy: It can be easy for sellers to become confused between the offerings of various agents vying for their business. If the listing presentation clearly explains the marketing strategy that you plan to use for their property and the unique capabilities of your brokerage, it will be easy for them to understand what your team brings to the table.

Systems & Tools: Buyers and sellers are more educated than ever and they will favor agents that have proven systems and high-tech tools on their side. Outlining the technology resources that you implement to deliver the best possible results will show them that they are not just hiring an agent, but rather a large extended infrastructure of people, processes, and technology that brings diverse expertise and action to the problem of selling their home.

Weichert franchisees and agents have experienced first-hand how a listing presentation that incorporates each of these elements can elevate the overall listing appointment experience and significantly improve their success rates. Through our DOORS listing presentation and associated processes, Weichert agents clearly communicate their value, expertise, available resources and detailed, multi-channel approach to their marketing.

Give Yourself An Edge

As an independent broker, it can be hard to stand out from the pack. That’s why you need to make the most out of every listing lead you get. That’s also why a partner like Weichert can be so valuable to you. One of the investments we make on behalf of our affiliates is a great Listing Presentation and providing a system of listing a property that includes all the things discussed above. With our tools and an agent’s attention to the customer, it’s a winning combination for your brokerage again and again to help you win the listings game in your market.

For more information about this and all the tools and systems available to Weichert affiliates, visit weichertfranchise.com or contact the team at Weichert Franchising today at 877-567-3350.

Original content posted on https://www.weichertfranchise.com/blog/how-to-win-the-real-estate-listings-battle/