1. Create a Facebook Group
Facebook Groups are an excellent way for real estate agents to generate meaningful conversations as well as lead generation. The key is to create a specialized group around an area of interest in your market. This way, you can target potential clients who are specifically interested in that topic. For example, a local agent might create a Facebook Group for first-time home buyers in their area. They can then answer questions from new home buyers and establish themselves as a local expert.
To start a Facebook Group, click on the dropdown arrow in the top right of your Facebook profile and select “Create Group.” You will then be prompted to enter a group name, choose a privacy setting, and add members. It’s important that you include your real estate business information in the “About” section of your group. This includes your location, business description, credentials, and more. This will help potential clients recognize your content as authentic and trustworthy.
As the creator of a Facebook group, it’s your job to ensure that the content you share is relevant and engaging. A boring and dull Facebook Group will quickly lose traction and will not yield any leads for your business. Posting content that encourages interaction among members such as questions, interesting blogs or article about the real estate industry, polls, and free information and resources is more likely to generate engagement and lead to sales.
It’s also helpful to recruit past clients who have worked with you in the past to join your group. They will be more likely to recommend your services to others in the group and provide social proof that you’re a quality real estate agent.
3. Start a Podcast
Podcasting is an effective way to drive traffic to your website or other online business. It can also help you establish yourself as an expert in your field. Creating a podcast is relatively easy, but you must have the right equipment and skills to produce high-quality audio. A good recording space is important, as is a microphone that captures your voice clearly and does not pick up ambient noise. You should also consider editing your audio to cut out any unnecessary content and to keep it focused on your topic. Lastly, you should prepare your podcast for distribution by writing a brief description of each episode and including helpful SEO keywords. You should also create simple cover art or hire a graphic designer to help.
Once you have established the format for your podcast, it’s time to choose a name and decide how long each episode will be. You should also choose whether you will host the show yourself or invite guests to join you. It’s a good idea to research other podcasts on your chosen topic to get an idea of what works and what doesn’t. You can also use this research to find out what kind of content your audience is interested in and what types of shows they listen to.
It’s also a good idea to include a link to your website on your podcast listing platforms. This will allow your audience to easily access additional information about the topics you discuss, as well as links to purchase your recommended products or services. You may also want to add affiliate links, which will earn you a commission if someone clicks on them and makes a purchase.
4. Start a YouTube Channel
Video is one of the most-consumed types of online content, and real estate professionals can use YouTube to grow their audience and generate leads. Using the right YouTube strategies, agents can create compelling and engaging videos that deliver value to prospective buyers and sellers.
To optimize YouTube, make sure to include a relevant title and a unique description for each video. Search engines look at these when ranking a video, so you want to ensure that they match the keywords your target audience is searching for. Also, try to incorporate evergreen content into your videos. These are topics that can remain relevant even as the real estate market fluctuates.
Another key element is to provide a clear call to action (CTA) at the end of each video. This can be a link to your website, social media accounts, or contact information. This will encourage viewers to take the next step, like signing up for a homebuyer or seller consultation with you.
You can even partner with other real estate influencers on YouTube to expand your reach. Find influencers who have a similar audience to yours and collaborate with them on videos that will benefit both parties. Just be careful to avoid competing with them in terms of the type of content you post.
If you aren’t familiar with creating YouTube video content or need help with branding and design, consider hiring a professional agency to get the job done. With a service like 99designs, you can submit a brief detailing your needs—like a logo, YouTube banner, or complete brand kit—and a variety of designers will present their ideas for your review and selection. Then you can choose the design that best fits your vision and budget.
5. Start a LinkedIn Group
LinkedIn Groups are a powerful tool for attracting and engaging with targeted groups of potential customers. Groups allow members to share information and ideas in a closed environment while keeping discussions relevant to the community. LinkedIn also promotes group conversations and content to the main feed of each user, allowing members to easily stay top of mind with their target audience.
When starting a new Group, it is important to establish a clear set of ground rules. This can help avoid some of the most common issues that plague many Groups, such as spam and irrelevant content. Make sure to regularly check all posts to weed out any that violate your guidelines, and always remove members who consistently violate them.
Once you have a solid foundation, encourage group members to invite their connections. This is a great way to grow your membership base and ensure that only those who meet your community’s standards are joining your Group. You can manage invitations by clicking the ‘Manage Group’ button on your Group homepage, then choosing ‘Invite connections’ or ‘Manage requests to join’ in the navigation box.
It is also important to consider the size of your Group when inviting new members. If your Group is too large, it can be difficult to keep quality conversations going and to establish an authoritative voice for the group. Make sure to carefully review any new member’s profile before approving or declining their joining request, and encourage them to keep their profiles updated with relevant keywords. This will ensure that they can be found in search results by prospective members. If you are concerned that you might reach your maximum group size while still complying with LinkedIn policies, you can contact them to request an increase in the number of allowed members.