Best Practices for Creating Your Online Presence

An inescapable truth in today’s digital world is that establishing a successful online presence is pivotal to your success as a luxury real estate professional. Gone are the days of promoting a static website that lists your biography, contact information, current listings, and sales history. Expand your online presence by staying current with social media trends and using the latest platform to connect with potential clients while building a credible reputation.

While it’s important to note that agent-to-agent referrals and client recommendations are vital factors in expanding your business, having a robust social media presence can help facilitate these referrals with agents and clients worldwide. Regular posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, WhatsApp, and other social media will help build trust and contribute to your “recognition quotient.” A continuing social media presence with engaging, pertinent content is not only an advertising tool but also a way to showcase your expertise, your community involvement, and your professionalism.

Although your real estate website will provide a basic introduction to you and your services, a comprehensive real estate online presence fills in the blanks and humanizes you. Think of social media to build and solidify relationships, allowing current and potential clients to learn more about you.

The Importance of Content That Generates Leads

Social media can be a blessing or a curse for your brand — finding out which one will depend on the content you publish. The internet is highly competitive, and your window of opportunity to spark interest is merely five to ten seconds. Therefore, effective social media management requires thoughtful planning, research, and consistent posting. While curating relevant content that generates new leads is essential, finding the right community to publish your content will make or break your online presence.

Find a community or a group of people who resonate with you and your brand. Showcase professionalism and style, and capitalize on your passions. Authenticity resonates with potential clients, so strive to “be real” in your social media posts. Be yourself, and don’t try to appeal to everyone. Think of your social media content as a window showcasing your talents, personality, and expertise.

Best Practices for Creating Your Online Presence:

1. Join an Online Community: Associating with like-minded individuals is essential to your success as a real estate professional. Online communities help grow your sphere of influence and create an authentic reputation for your business. Tailor your posts around your market area and the local community. Encourage interaction and engagement by posting about local events and concerns.
   
2. Plan and Schedule Your Social Media Posts: Creating content and posting every day is unrealistic for busy luxury real estate professionals like yourself! Therefore, it’s best to plan ahead and schedule your content to keep your followers interested and engaged. You’ll also have the opportunity to prepare your responses or engage in conversations with your followers without feeling overwhelmed.
   
3. Ditch the Sales Pitch and Focus on Lifestyle: Not everything you post has to be about real estate, nor should your posts and photos only be about your listings and sales. Find content that interests you or topics that resonates with your personality and values. Share your hobbies and interests, offer helpful tips and advice, or repost any social causes you believe in to show your followers that there’s a real person behind your profile.
   
4. Highlight Your Content with Consistent Hashtags: Whether you’re on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, hashtags will help viewers find your content. However, don’t get too obnoxious with the hashtags, or you’ll risk looking like a spam post.
   
5. Create Visual Interest: If you use photographs, be sure they are clear and high-quality. Always identify people and specific locations. Most people love seeing themselves on social media but always secure permission in advance to post a photograph of an individual.

Need Some Help? Join Our Community!

Finally, as influential as real estate social media has become, quality and pertinence are vital. Think of social media as a specialized marketing tool, and understand that it should never become your primary task. Time spent on social media is time that might better be used for lead follow-up and client consultations. As your business grows, you should consider hiring a team of experts to handle your marketing efforts, including social media marketing.

Join the Institute Network Community of 6,000+ members and take advantage of the various resources available. Members gain the distinct advantage of a strong referral network and the ability to nurture meaningful connections with agents in both countries. That alone can help boost your local listings and promote new leads. Connect with us and learn more ways to set yourself apart in this competitive industry!