Successful real estate agents have mastered the art of attracting qualified prospects and turning them into customers. In the past, agents relied on traditional real estate marketing strategies such as sending prospecting letters, radio and TV ads, hosting open houses, or going door to door handing out flyers. However, in today’s technologically advanced world, new marketing strategies for real estate agents are required. Top real estate agents are now leveraging digital real estate marketing strategies to connect with prospects and build relationships with customers. Digital marketing for real estate lead generation could be in the form of email marketing campaigns, pay-per-click advertising, hosting webinars, posting valuable blog content, and search engine optimization. However, one popular strategy among real estate agents is social media marketing, with Facebook being a favored platform.
Related: Online Lead Generation for Agents: 7 Ways to Beat the Competition
According to statista.com, Facebook is the most popular social media network, with about 2.5 billion monthly active users worldwide. In the US alone, there are about 190 million Facebook users. Recent findings have shown that the biggest group of users in the United States is people between the ages of 25 and 34. So it’s clear Facebook marketing should be a part of every real estate agent’s strategy. Let’s look at some of the benefits of Facebook marketing for real estate agents before we dive into how it works and a few practical tips.
The Advantages of Facebook Marketing for Real Estate Agents
So, what are the advantages of using Facebook for real estate social media marketing?
- Targeted advertising – Real estate Facebook marketing is one of the best ways of targeting a specific group. You can advertise to people based on their location, behavior, interest, or age.
- Cost-effectiveness – Facebook advertising is one of the most cost-effective advertising strategies. You can spend as little as $5 and reach hundreds of prospects. Reaching the same audience using traditional strategies would cost so much more.
- Increases brand awareness – Real estate Facebook marketing can be very effective in building brand awareness. The more your audience is familiar with your real estate agent business, the higher their chances of buying from you when they are ready.
- Facebook advertising is measurable – The results of real estate Facebook marketing are measurable. You will be able to easily see how many clicks, impressions, and conversions you are getting.
- Facebook ads enable remarketing – Remarketing is an advertising technique that enables you to advertise to recent website visitors. If someone visits your site but doesn’t take any action, you can re-target them using Facebook advertising. This strategy can greatly increase conversions and boost your real estate agent career.
- Facebook ads build engagement – Engagement consists of comments, likes, and interactions on your ads. This could also lead to real estate referrals when your posts are shared. The more connected your audience is, the more likely they are to convert.
How Does Facebook Marketing Work for Real Estate Agents?
Facebook marketing for real estate agents starts with creating a Facebook business page. Though it is possible to advertise through your personal profile, a business page is a better idea for three reasons:
- It looks more professional.
- A Facebook business page comes with marketing features that are not available in a personal account.
- While a personal Facebook profile has a limit of 5,000 friends, a business page allows you to have a following of even millions.
Here are some ideas for creating an effective Facebook business page:
- Use a professional profile photo – Your headshot or logo is usually the first thing people see when they land on your business page. Therefore, make sure it looks vibrant and professional. In addition, it should be the right size for a Facebook profile photo (180 x 180 pixels or 360 x 360 pixels).
- Update the cover image – Your cover image is also very important for first impressions. The Facebook cover could be a video or an image with graphics. For example, you could upload images of properties that you have helped people to buy or sell. The recommended dimension is 820 x 360 pixels.
- Add contact information – When people visit your business page, they will want to find multiple options for reaching you. Therefore, be sure to add your website URL, office address, phone number, and email address. Don’t forget to mention your business hours.
6 Great Facebook Marketing Tips for Real Estate Agents
Let us look at some tips for an effective Facebook marketing plan:
1. Target the right audience
The trick in Facebook real estate advertising is to narrow down your audience as much as possible. You don’t just want 100,000 random people to see your advert. It would be better for only 1,000 quality leads to see your perfectly targeted Facebook ads. They are more likely to click on them and become a customer.
The first thing you need to do is target a location based on where you are selling property. Facebook comes with a geo-targeting feature that allows you to target by zip code. You should also target the age ranges most likely to sell or buy homes. Facebook also allows demographic targeting based on income level and homeownership status. Under homeownership, you will find three options; renters, homeowners, and first-time homebuyers.
That is not all. Facebook also allows behavioral targeting. For example, you can target people who are ‘likely to move’. Using all these targeting options will make it easier to find people that are most likely to buy, sell, or rent homes which makes Facebook marketing for real estate agents very effective for generating quality leads.
2. Use the right real estate Facebook ad for your audience
Once you’ve figured out who to target, it’s time to create appropriate real estate ads for that audience. For example, the images and language you might use for someone approaching retirement will be different from what you might use for young people who are purchasing their first home. Your ads should have a mixture of copy, photos, and videos. If you are selling a home, you could create a 360 real estate video. This allows potential buyers to tour the house using their mouse. Images of your rentals and listings should capture different rooms, angles, and neighborhood features.
3. Include a clear, compelling call to action
When someone visits your business page or sees your ads, they should know immediately what you want them to do. Facebook offers a wide range of CTAs which you can use including ‘Contact Us’, ‘Learn more’, ‘Call Now’, ‘Download’, ‘Apply Now’, or ‘Send Message’. You can even customize your call to action as you wish. For example, if you have an agent profile on Mashvisor, you could place a ‘View My Profile’ CTA on your cover photo. Mashvisor agent profiles are a great way of attracting new qualified real estate leads based on your knowledge of the real estate market and the quality of your work. Claim yours now.
4. Allow reviews on your page
Whether you are an experienced or new real estate agent, reviews are very important for building trust with potential clients. Besides having written reviews, you could also post photos of your happy customers (with their consent, of course). This will significantly boost your real estate lead generation efforts.
Related: How a Real Estate Agent Should Work with Reviews on the Internet
5. Share helpful content
Buying or selling a home can be a scary experience, especially for a first-timer. Use your business page to share tips that will make the buying or selling process less stressful for your audience. Such educational content will boost your credibility and make it easier to connect with real estate prospects. Don’t forget to respond whenever someone leaves a comment on your post.
Related: How to Engage More Clients on Social Media for Your Small Business
6. Track everything
Facebook ads for real estate agents will only be effective if you track your performance. Check your analytics for impressions, cost per click, click-through rate, cost per action, and conversion rate. This will show you what is working and what isn’t, thus helping you implement better Facebook marketing ideas in the future.
Conclusion
Facebook marketing for real estate agents can be very powerful if used correctly. Be sure to follow our tips when applying this strategy and you’ll be generating quality leads in no time. Don’t forget to check out Mashvisor’s Real Estate Agent Profiles as another way to market yourself and your services.