Real estate brokers have long to-do lists that can sometimes feel overwhelming. Tasks can include listing properties, staging homes, building your real estate social network (and others), and managing your team. You don’t have much downtime. Add multiple real estate offices to the mix, and your task list can get quickly out of control.
In real estate, relationships drive business. Leveraging the right social networks can help you connect with potential buyers, showcase properties, and build your reputation as a trusted professional. However, not all platforms are created equal, and choosing the right ones can make or break your online strategy.
For brokers, agents, and developers, it’s about more than likes or followers—it’s about generating leads, strengthening client relationships, and closing deals. With so many options out there, understanding which networks cater to your industry and how to leverage them effectively is essential.
Here are the benefits of investing in social media for your real estate business:
- Increased brand awareness: By consistently sharing valuable content, showcasing property listings, and engaging with your audience, you can gradually build a recognizable and trusted brand.
- Improved customer engagement: Engaging with your followers through comments, messages, and live videos can help you stand out as an attentive and customer-centric real estate professional, leading to more referrals, repeated business, and positive reviews that can significantly impact your reputation.
- Targeted advertising: Whether you target first-time homebuyers, luxury property investors, or individuals looking to relocate, social media advertising can ensure your content reaches the right audience at the right time, resulting in more qualified leads and a higher return on investment (ROI).
- Increased website traffic: Your social media accounts can serve as a powerful traffic driver to your website, where potential clients can explore property listings, learn more about your services, and get in touch with you.
- Cost-effective marketing: Many social platforms offer free business profiles and cost-efficient advertising options that enable you to reach a wide audience without breaking the bank. Additionally, the ability to track and measure the performance of your social media campaigns allows you to adjust your social media marketing strategies in real-time, thus optimizing your marketing efforts.
- Your visibility increases. You no longer have to rely on billboards, leaflets, and posters to advertise your business. By building a social media presence, you can reach many more people, not just locally (and, you know, people move across the country or even the world these days much more frequently), and target the right ones with social media’s personalized content suggestions and ads.
- You can target your content much more precisely. You don’t have to rely only on printed media, which is much harder to target for the right audience. Whether you rely on organic content or social media ads (or a mix), you have much higher chances of reaching the very people who can become your clients.
- You can measure the effectiveness of your ads. So you’ll know – almost instantly, as opposed to print advertising – what kind of content works best and what exact results it brings you when it comes to your real estate clients.
- You can drive more engagement. It’s no longer just about people calling you about specific listings. It’s also about sparking conversations, sharing your knowledge and interesting facts, and getting people to respond, share your content with others, and essentially, make “friends” with your brand.
- You can show up as an expert. And that’s a super effective trust-building tactic. And guess what? Trust is super important in the real estate industry (I don’t have to tell you that.) The more people trust you, the more clients you’ll end up having.
- You can build your brand reputation. Online reviews are your best friend. People like hearing about your services from others who are happy clients rather than from you as a brand. And collecting reviews that are available to everyone often means additional (free!) advertising in one of its most effective forms.
- You can generate leads at a wider scale and in a more cost-effective way. Think about a social media ad displayed to thousands of potential leads as opposed to printing thousands of leaflets and leaving them for random people to find them. Social media wins, hands down.
For many brokers, agents, and realtors, social media marketing is the answer.
- Instagram (in particular, Reels set to music)
- X/Twitter
- Snapchat (the least popular)
Facebook, with over 2.11 billion daily users, stands out as a powerful platform for real estate professionals. Its vast reach and diverse features allow brokers, agents, and developers to connect with potential clients, showcase properties, and build trust—all in one place. Here’s how you can make the most of Facebook for your real estate business:
- Create a Professional Page: Set up a dedicated business page with a clear profile picture, cover photo, and detailed contact information. Use this page to establish credibility and keep followers updated on new listings, events, or achievements.
- Leverage Facebook Ads: Use targeted ads to reach specific demographics, such as first-time buyers or investors in a particular location. Experiment with ad formats like carousel ads to showcase multiple properties or video ads to highlight key features.
- Host Live Property Tours: Use Facebook Live to give virtual tours of properties, answer questions in real time, and engage with potential buyers directly.
- Join and Create Groups: Participate in local community groups or create your own focused on real estate advice or market trends.
- Post High-Quality Content Consistently: Share property listings, market insights, client success stories, and tips for buyers or sellers. Use eye-catching visuals and keep captions engaging to encourage likes, comments, and shares.
- Engage with Your Audience: Respond promptly to comments and messages using Facebook tools like autoresponders or Messenger chatbots to communicate consistently.
- Utilize Facebook Marketplace: List properties directly on Marketplace to tap into a large audience actively looking for rentals or homes to buy.
- Build local presence: Facebook is an excellent tool for establishing a strong local presence, as it allows you to connect with potential clients and other professionals in your area.
- Showcase property listings: With Facebook’s variety of content formats, it’s easy to display property listings in a visually appealing and organized manner, attracting potential buyers and sellers.
- Engage with the community: Joining and participating in real estate Facebook Groups and community events advertised on the platform can help you build rapport with your audience and position yourself as a local expert.
- Targeted marketing: Facebook’s targeting capabilities make it an ideal platform for reaching your ideal client demographics and maximizing the return on your advertising campaigns.
As a visual platform with strong engagement capabilities, Instagram offers a unique way for professionals to connect with prospective clients, showcase properties, and build brand awareness.
One thing you should keep in mind is that Instagram predominantly attracts users between the ages of 18 and 34. This younger demographic is particularly relevant for real estate professionals seeking to connect with first-time homebuyers or individuals looking to rent.
How to Use Instagram for Real Estate
Here are some tips for using Instagram as a real estate professional:
- Create visual listings: Use Instagram to create visually appealing listings that capture the essence of the properties you’re selling or renting.
- Focus on personal branding: Build a personal brand as a trusted real estate expert by sharing your insights, experiences, and local knowledge.
- Foster engagement: Interact with your audience through comments, likes, and direct messages. Answer questions promptly and foster a sense of trust and connection.
- Establish a local influence: Become a local influencer by sharing insights into the neighborhoods you work in, including local attractions, schools, and amenities.
- Connect with millennials: If your target audience includes millennials, Instagram is an excellent platform to engage with this demographic, which often relies on visual content and social media for home-buying decisions.
- Optimize Your Profile: Create a business profile with a professional photo, clear bio, and contact information. Include keywords like “Real Estate Agent,” “Luxury Properties,” or location-specific terms to improve searchability.
- Post High-Quality Visuals: Share stunning property photos, 360-degree views, or video walkthroughs. Use natural lighting, clean compositions, and captions that highlight key property features.
- Use Keywords in Captions: Incorporate relevant keywords in your captions, such as “2BHK in Mumbai,” “Luxury Apartments,” or “Affordable Homes,” to improve visibility and help potential clients find your posts.
- Leverage Instagram Stories and Highlights: Use Stories to share behind-the-scenes content, host quick property tours, or post time-sensitive updates. Save key Stories in Highlights for easy access to important content like listings or testimonials.
- Create Reels for Engagement: Reels are a great way to share short, engaging videos of property walkthroughs, neighborhood highlights, or market tips. Use trending audio to increase visibility.
- Engage Actively: Respond promptly to comments, DMs, and mentions. Like and comment on posts by local businesses or potential clients to build connections.
- Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with local influencers or photographers to showcase your listings or promote your services to their followers.
- Run Instagram Ads: Use targeted ads to promote listings, events, or services. Experiment with carousel ads to showcase multiple properties or Story ads for immersive experiences.
- Host Virtual Open Houses on Live: Use Instagram Live to walk through properties, answer questions in real time, and create excitement around your listings.
LinkedIn, often associated with professional networking and job hunting, may not be the first platform that comes to mind for real estate professionals.
However, with its focus on business connections and industry-specific content, LinkedIn offers a unique platform to network, establish credibility, and generate quality leads.
Additionally, LinkedIn gives you access to a segment of well-established professionals with higher incomes, which can lead to better conversion rates than on other social media platforms when targeting luxury house shoppers and investors.
How to Use LinkedIn for Real Estate
Here are a few ways to use LinkedIn as a real estate professional:
- Networking: Connect with real estate investors and agents, mortgage lenders, mortgage brokers, and other industry. professionals to expand your personal network.
- B2B opportunities: If you’re involved in commercial real estate, LinkedIn is a valuable resource for connecting with businesses looking for office or retail space.
- Building trust and credibility: Consistently sharing valuable content and engaging in relevant discussions positions you as a trusted real estate advisor.
- Lead generation: LinkedIn provides opportunities to generate leads, whether it’s connecting with potential buyers and sellers or collaborating with past clients who can refer new clients to you.
- Recruitment: If you’re part of a real estate agency, LinkedIn can also be used for recruiting new talent to your team.
- Optimize Your Profile for Search: Create a polished profile with a professional headshot, a headline highlighting your expertise (e.g., “Real Estate Broker Specializing in Luxury Properties”), and a summary that includes relevant keywords like “real estate expert” or “property investment.”
- Share Industry Insights: Post regular updates about market trends, property insights, and buyer/seller tips. Sharing valuable content positions you as a knowledgeable authority in the real estate field.
- Leverage LinkedIn Articles: Write in-depth articles on topics like “Top Real Estate Investment Tips” or “Understanding the Indian Housing Market.” Long-form content builds credibility and helps you engage with a broader audience.
- Join and Engage in Groups: Participate in LinkedIn Groups related to real estate, housing, or investment. Share your expertise, answer questions, and engage in discussions to build relationships within your network.
- Connect Strategically: Send personalized connection requests to clients, colleagues, and industry professionals. Regularly engage with their posts to nurture these relationships.
- Use Showcase Pages: Create Showcase Pages for specific projects, services, or property portfolios. These dedicated pages allow you to promote particular aspects of your business more effectively.
- Leverage LinkedIn Ads: Use LinkedIn’s advertising tools to target decision-makers, investors, and potential clients. Sponsored Content and InMail campaigns can help you reach the right audience.
- Host Virtual Events: Use LinkedIn Events to promote webinars, virtual property tours, or Q&A sessions. It’s a great way to connect with potential clients and showcase your offerings.
- Request and Share Testimonials: Ask satisfied clients to leave recommendations on your profile. Positive testimonials enhance your credibility and attract more leads.
- Track Performance with Analytics: Use LinkedIn’s analytics to monitor the performance of your posts, articles, and ads. Identify what resonates with your audience and refine your content strategy.
TikTok
You should definitely look into TikTok if your target audience is Gen Z or Millennials who are also on TikTok. Plus, if you want to infuse your social media presence with some creativity and possibly humor, just like on Instagram.
Despite often being associated with entertaining short videos and trends, TikTok’s rapidly growing user base and creative format can offer unique opportunities for real estate marketing and engagement.
- Record TikTok walking people around the properties and their surroundings
- Show what a real estate professional’s daily life looks like
- Jump on popular trends and use popular sounds to help your content reach more people on their For You pages
- Use TikTok Promote to reach even more TikTok users
Due to the nature of this social media platform, it’s better if your content is more educational/entertaining/funny, etc., than it is actually advertising (and there’s nothing wrong with advertising. You do need to add some extra value for the audience, though.)
TikTok predominantly attracts younger demographics, making it ideal for connecting with younger homebuyers and renters. Additionally, the platform’s highly visual and fast-paced format represents an opportunity for real estate professionals to present properties in unique ways and build genuine connections with potential clients.
How to Use TikTok for Real Estate
Here are some creative ways to use TikTok for your real estate business:
- Creative property showcasing: Use TikTok’s engaging format to provide brief, visually appealing property tours that capture the essence of a home and its unique features.
- Educational content: Share quick and informative videos on topics such as the home-buying process, market trends, or tips for first-time buyers. TikTok users appreciate valuable insights.
- Local insights: Highlight the charm and amenities of neighborhoods in your area. Showcase local businesses, schools, parks, and more to provide a well-rounded view of the community.
- Personal branding: Use TikTok to showcase your personality and authenticity. Building a likable and trustworthy online persona can help you attract clients who resonate with your style.
- Connecting with younger buyers: If your target audience includes younger homebuyers, TikTok is an effective platform to engage with them where they spend a significant amount of their online time.
Pinterest is often associated with DIY projects and recipe ideas, but it’s also a valuable yet underrated platform for real estate professionals. Its visual and aspirational nature aligns well with the real estate industry’s need to showcase properties and inspire homeowners.
Pinterest attracts users across various age groups, but it is particularly popular among individuals aged 18 to 49. This demographic is often in the prime stage of homeownership and actively searching for property-related inspiration.
How to Use Pinterest for Real Estate
Pinterest can be a versatile platform for real estate professionals, particularly in the following areas:
- Visual property showcasing: Use Pinterest to create visually enticing boards for your property listings. Highlight each property’s unique characteristics, from curb appeal to interior design.
- Lifestyle and neighborhood promotion: Showcase the lifestyle that comes with living in a particular neighborhood. Highlight nearby amenities, schools, parks, and local attractions through pins and boards.
- Home improvement inspiration: Share pins related to home improvement tips, renovation ideas, and staging techniques. Position yourself as a valuable resource for both buyers and sellers.
- Client collaboration: Collaborate with clients by creating shared boards where you can collect and discuss property ideas and preferences, streamlining the search process.
- Brand building: Use Pinterest to build your brand identity by curating content that reflects your unique style and expertise in the real estate market.
Google Business
Though you might not be thinking about it as a real estate social network per se, it’s definitely the place to be if you’re a realtor or a real estate agency. But it’s so much more than just your location on Google Maps.
- Add helpful educational content and your offers and listings on your Google Business profile
- Collect and respond to reviews from clients
- You can now also share content from other social media networks to make it more of a multichannel experience and showcase different kinds of content
How to pick the right social media platforms for promoting real estate
There are several factors you should consider when deciding on the real estate social media network you want to spend your time on. Here are a few of the most important ones:
- Find out where your prospective clients hang out. This will depend on things like their age and preferences, as well as your niche and specialty. You don’t have to be everywhere. But you should be where they are looking for real-estate-related content.
- Consider the advertising opportunities. Most social media platforms offer advertising options, so determine which makes more sense for your business.
- Decide on the type of content you can – and want – to create. Do you have the resources to record elaborate, aesthetic videos for YouTube, more behind-the-scenes, raw content for TikTok or Instagram Stories, or maybe carousel posts for Instagram?
- Follow your competitors and analyze what they’re doing and where – and how their content performs.
- Use social media analytics to see what actually works back your decisions with data and insights.
How to Pick the Right Social Media Platforms for Real Estate
Not all social media networks are created equal, and choosing wisely can make your online presence more effective and targeted.
Here is how to choose the best social media platforms for real estate:
- Know your niche: Are you focused on residential properties, commercial real estate, luxury homes, vacation rentals, or some other specific segment? Which types of properties generate interest in your area? Answering these types of questions will help you identify which platforms align best with your target audience.
- Use a real estate-friendly platform: Consider platforms that offer features specifically designed for real estate marketing. For example, Instagram is ideal for visually showcasing property listings and generating leads. Meanwhile, Pinterest’s focus on lifestyle and inspirational content makes it perfect for sharing home improvement ideas, interior design, and neighborhood highlights.
- Understand user demographics: Research the demographics of your target market and compare them to the user base of various platforms. For optimal results, try a social media management solution to access accurate insights and make strategy adjustments in real-time.
Here is what analytics can provide real estate professionals with:
- Audience insights: Get detailed insights into user demographics like age, gender, location, and interests to match your audience’s preferences through your content
- Engagement metrics: Easily track metrics such as likes, comments, and shares for each post to pinpoint what type of content resonates the most with your audience
- Optimal posting times: Learn when your audience is most active on social media to put out content when users are most likely to see and engage with it
- Content performance: Review the performance of different types of content (e.g., property listings, market updates, educational posts) to identify which categories are most popular among your demographics and adapt accordingly
- A/B testing: Experiment with different post formats, content types, and visuals, and use analytics to compare the performance of these variations and refine your content strategy.
