Social Media and Selling Homes
How Much Should Property Professionals Rely on Social Media Marketing?
In today’s market, social media has become a go-to for many shoppers.
In fact, Search Engine Watch reveals that when it comes to consumers, ‘71% are more likely to purchase products and services based on social media referrals.’ This is understandable when shopping for a revolutionary new face cream or a pair of shapewear leggings, but can it really translate to property sales?
In this blog, we will explore the benefits and drawbacks of social media marketing for property developers, as well as how homebuilders can maximise the potential of social media when marketing their homes.
Is Social Media the Best Platform for Marketing Homes?
Using social media marketing to sell or rent out properties is the subject of much online literature, written by professionals in both the property and marketing sectors – and for good reason. Property Talk explains that, ‘According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), social media is the best source for generating leads.’
‘About four billion active users are on different social media platforms every month,’ reveals Property Talk, adding, ‘Therefore, it’s unsurprising how effective online platforms are in the real estate sector.’ Social media management solution provider, Sprout Social, goes further, highlighting that, ‘99% of millennials (and 90% of baby boomers) begin their home search online (as opposed to in-person referrals).’ As reported by Statista, ‘Millennials stated that they spent 2.25 hours per day on online social platforms.’ This gives property professionals ample opportunity to get their attention to show off their beautiful new homes.
What are the Drawbacks of Marketing Homes on Social Media?
When it comes to marketing new homes, social media appears to be the perfect place to show off neat architecture and pristine developments. After all, social media relies heavily on images and videos, and new homes can certainly fit the bill when it comes to producing great visuals.
However, social media channels were not created for the purpose of advertising, like a billboard, for instance, and this does lead to some difficulties. When scrolling, users can be irritated by frequent ads, keen instead to see what the accounts they follow are posting. There is also an element of user fatigue, that hinders the building of excitement about a new home if they are seeing too many posts of this type regularly.
Marketing solutions provider, Tech Jackie, points out: ‘Because it’s so easy to comment or engage, anyone can easily write negative comments on your business.’ This means if you market your new homes or a new development on these platforms, there is the potential to tarnish your reputation. Tech Jackie advises that, ‘If your business is unknown or just starting to gain momentum, the chances of getting an attack are more likely.’ So, although you might reach a wider audience through social media, it is worth weighing up the risks to your organisation and whether your reputation is strong enough to withstand negative attacks.
However, despite the drawbacks, the widely held opinion amongst both property and marketing professionals is that social media marketing is a must in the real estate sector.
So, how can homebuilders get the most out of social media when marketing new homes?
1. Research Your Target Market to Showcase Properties on Relevant Platforms
Consumers will soon tire of seeing the homes you’re showing them if they aren’t the type of properties they’re in the market to buy or rent. Homebuilder Reach advises developers to first, ‘Determine who your ideal clients are, including their demographics, interests, and needs.’ Once you have established what your potential customers want to see online, you have valuable data that should help you create your social media marketing plan. As Homebuilder Reach explain, ‘This will help you create content that resonates with them and choose the right social media platforms to reach them.’
2. Harvest the Power of Video Footage
According to Expand My Business (EMB) Global, ‘Social Media Today reported that real estate listings incorporating videos receive 403% more inquiries.’ This is a significant figure, and a sign of what really works to entice today’s home-seekers to take another look. You don’t need to worry if you don’t have an in-house video production team. Video production can be outsourced and used to create captivating visuals, both sweeping through your developments and exploring the interiors of your show homes.
3. Use Social Media to Capture Move-in Day Marketing with Good Reviews
It would be unwise to imagine that the marketing of your homes should end once the sale has been made, even if it’s the final house on the plot. Social media is a great platform for increasing brand awareness and securing a good reputation. As EMB Global points out, ‘Social media provides real estate professionals with an unprecedented way of connecting directly with their target audience on an intimate level.’ So, after delivering the house of your homebuyer’s needs, along with an exceptional customer experience, these happy homeowners are prime fodder for your feed. Happy customers captured on move-in day, ideally with a thoughtful Welcome Gift, make for great marketing of your brand. If they’re willing to talk in a video about the excellent customer care they’ve received or have some positive comments that you can quote in a caption, then all the better.
4. Use Social Media to Better Connect with Potential and Previous Homebuyers
Homebuilder Reach highlights that, ‘Social media allows you to interact with potential clients in real-time, providing an opportunity to address questions, concerns, and feedback.’ Property Talk goes further, explaining that, ‘This makes it easier to establish a connection with the buyer and answer any questions they may have.’ When you are responding to potential or previous customers directly, and on a platform where this interaction can be seen by other potential customers, you are already showcasing your dedication to your customers’ experience, which is no bad thing to remind people of.
5. Social Media Can Do More than Market Your Homes
Real estate photo editors, Box Brownie, note that, ‘For potential homebuyers, constant, in-your-face promotion has minimal appeal.’ Consumers want to see the people behind the brand, and feel that the brand has a personality of its own that they can connect with. StartUps Magazine reports on a recent study that found, ‘57.5% of customers buy from brands with strong personalities, whilst 51.2% of people have purchased from a brand because of the way they spoke online.’ It might be difficult to come up with content ideas that showcase your brand’s personality but there are a couple of key methods homebuilders can use. Homebuilder Reach advises, ‘Share behind-the-scenes content that showcases your team and company values. This helps humanise your brand and allows potential clients to connect with you on a more personal level.’
6. Things to Remember About Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is now an artform all of its own, with marketing departments hiring individuals, or even whole teams, to manage their online social presence. But even your social media marketing is in its infancy, there are some important components of social media marketing that you shouldn’t ignore.
Hashtags
The power of hashtags should not be underestimated. They can significantly increase the reach of your posts as they can be discovered by any followers of that topic. ‘You can use general hashtags to appeal to a broader audience. You can also be more specific with your choice of hashtags by adding your neighbourhood and type of home to reach a more specific audience,’ advises Property Talk.
Research
Social media is a constantly evolving world of trends. If you’re utilising its powers for marketing your homes, staying abreast of these trends will yield significant results. Researching trends on social media is easily done with a number of online tools, such as Google Trends, Hootsuite and Social Mention.
Data
Finally, data. No advice on social media marketing would be complete without mentioning the importance of looking at the data: track the success of your posts and use that knowledge to plan your next campaign. As Sprout Social points out, ‘Without continuously analysing your efforts, you’ll never know how one campaign did over another.’ They go on to advise, ‘Some examples of important metrics to track include reach, clicks, engagement, organic and paid likes, follower growth and conversion rate.’ Keep your eye on the numbers and plan accordingly.
When it comes to including social media in your marketing strategy, there are many elements to consider before devising your plan and approach. According to The Sprout Social Index™ 2023, over half (53%) of consumers say their social media usage has increased over the last two years, proving this to be an arena you would be wise to take advantage of.
You can find out how we can help you create impressive visuals, enhance the customer journey and provide 5-star review-worthy aftercare by booking a call here.
