How to Use Facebook to Build a Real Estate Business

From building a real estate Facebook business page, to choosing the best Facebook ads strategy, this guide will help build and grow your real estate business using Facebook.

“Real estate agents have no idea how to actually generate leads on Facebook. None.”  (Inman)

“Facebook lead generation is NOT about post boosting, name recognition, getting likes or engagement. Facebook lead generation is a single aspect of inbound marketing. It’s about inbound marketing. Inbound. Marketing. (Inman)

“…inbound marketing focuses on creating quality content that pulls people toward your company and product, where they naturally want to be. By aligning the content you publish with your customers’ interests, you naturally attract inbound traffic that you can then convert, close and delight over time.” (HubSpot)

Creating a successful realtor Facebook page

Choose local business’ and Real Estate as a subcategory when you select your page type.

These are the basics. It is as simple as that.

Afterward you do need to use a few marketing tips to promote your page.

You need to create:

• Helpful tabs
• Use photos and videos
• Share interesting and informative facts
• Offer advice that is helpful
• Be funny
• Post images of your team to become more personable
• Post photos of eye-catching homes
• Infographics

Use data from your Facebook page actively to gain insight into your online presence

How to increase your visibility in a Real Estate Facebook group

While you’re probably focused on trying to stay active and relevant through the content on your realtor Facebook page, which should bring you more followers, more traffic, and therefore more engagement.  There are some simple things you can do which you’re probably ignoring or not exploring enough at the moment. This revolves around how you engage on Facebook groups.

Forbes advises you create an interest-based group around specific topics useful for all group members, rather than simply limiting your posts or discussions to talking about how great your business is. For instance, you can start a group where members can discuss the safest areas to live in a particular city, or the best parks to go for a run.

As an admin of your group, you can invite your network of realtors as well as potential buyers, or experts in the industry.

Another tip is to promote free offers. Members of your group can benefit from a discount or a freebie which you can pin at the top of your page. Forbes also suggests realtors or any business owners for that matter test and curate content on the group page before it goes to your real estate Facebook page. This way you make sure the content will get the right amount of attention and will not harm your brand.

You can also center the group around an event, like a real estate expo or a conference trade. This is guaranteed to bring you numerous visitors to the group page; and from here to your business Facebook page, there is only one step… or one click.

Last, but not least, you MUST offer excellent customer service. Make sure there is no question left unanswered for more than 24 hours, no tour left without a follow-up, etc. These are things you probably already practice, yet a dedicated customer service page is something you may need to think about.

How to stay on top of your competitors

If you want to keep up or exceed your competition, you must check out some successful realtors with a strong presence on Facebook. Some of the real estate agencies with the best Facebook marketing strategies, according to Curaytor.com are listed below:

• Zillow

With over two million followers, Zillow has one of the largest pages on Facebook. Also, even more, people like their page (2.19 million likes as of 13th November 2018). Some key things about Zillow are that they have a stylish Facebook page with the best-looking homes displayed, and all the necessary details included, as well as up-to-date content.

In addition, they keep their audience close even outside of Facebook. If you click on their link clearly displayed on their Facebook page and get to their website, an email pops immediately into your Gmail inbox if your accounts are synchronized. The tone of the email is friendly and informative, asking you to check out their most recent properties, to download their app and to customize your search.

• Dream Town Realty

Even if they are a local real estate agency, they are not letting this become a drawback for their marketing strategy. On the contrary, if you are a local brokerage firm like Dream Town Realty in Chicago, you have a series of features like a specific sidebar with local information, check-ins, and ratings. You can also follow their strategy and curate content from local publications.

• Movoto

As a national realtor, Movoto targets different groups on their Facebook page, from current and future homeowners to buyers and investors, in different locations in the United States, offering helpful information like access to schools or healthcare in the locations where they sell their properties.

• Joe Taylor Group w/ Simply Vegas Real Estate

This real estate agency is definitely setting an example in terms of using Facebook functionalities to their maximum potential to show off their amazing business. The cover photo shows their team whilst the photo carousel on their page includes multiple high-quality photos for each of their property.

• The Lanier Property Group, Inc.

The Lanier Property Group is taking the Facebook video functionality to a whole new level. Do you know those museum websites that give you a virtual tour of their new collection? Well, guess what. You can use it to give potential buyers a tour of the latest properties.

• Urban Lifestyle Group

They use the Facebook carousel to link ads to multiple landing pages so that viewers can check multiple listings at once. Great strategy, right? Urban Lifestyle Group also offers property tours on their Facebook page, and, what is more, they have their agents in front of the camera to give as closest to reality a tour as possible.

• DIGGS

DIGGS are using the power of social media to its full potential as they cross posts with their profile on Instagram and use a more personal approach through an informal language and photos were taken with a smartphone. However, the quality of the content or photos is not compromised in any way.

In addition to getting some inspiration from the real estate agents listed above, you need to make sure that every property listing not only includes smashing high-quality photos, but you also include contact details like a telephone number and a direct link to the property details on your website. Otherwise, how are you transforming an advertisement into a sale, right?

Also, you need to respond promptly to private messages and public comments asking for clarifications.

How to Use Facebook as a CRM

Most agents that I talk to have a challenging time coming up with a database of 100 people that know, like and trust them.

One of the greatest benefits of Facebook for a real estate agent is that you are already connected to the majority of your Sphere of Influence.  They are right there on your Facebook friends list.

The trick is to not be spammy, irritating, and salesy.  Find ways to remind your friends that you are a high quality real estate professional without telling them.

Don’t:  Ask everyone if they know anyone who is thinking of buying or selling.

Do:  Post a picture of you handing keys to your clients in front of their new home.

That is the difference between outbound marketing and inbound marketing.

How to Use Facebook as a Realtor

To conclude, you do not need advanced studies or training to use Facebook functionalities to help your real estate business grow. With some simple tips such as creating a slick and informative Facebook page dedicated to your business, your fancy looking properties ready to find an owner, you can already gain some visibility in the industry.

Also, if you apply a smart strategy by creating interest groups and getting people together, including potential buyers or the network of real estate agents, then you’re positioning yourself as an influencer in the field driving traffic and engagement on your Facebook page and your website, which is guaranteed to generate more leads.

Resources:
www.BitBranding.co
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1z_JsYGddY
https://www.practicalecommerce.com/15-facebook-marketing-tips-for-realtors
https://www.curaytor.com/7-Facebook-Pages-Worth-Stalking-and-the-Tools-to-Stalk-With
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/04/21/how-to-use-facebook-groups-to-increase-traffic-and-engagement/#23f60e545a8b
https://www.inman.com/next/stop-failing-on-facebook-8-ways-to-rake-in-the-real-estate-leads/
http://www.hubspot.com/inbound-marketing