Pay Attention to Tone & Frequency In Your Social Media Marketing
Social media has been around long enough now that there’s no reason it shouldn’t be part of your real estate business’ marketing strategy. But, there are unwritten rules about what works for different social platforms, specifically around tone and frequency.
Use The Right Tone
As a business professional, it should be understood that you’re always using professional language in both verbal and written communications. Remember, you’re representing your brand. However, different social media platforms allow for a varying use of tone. On some platforms, like Facebook, it’s acceptable to be a little more relaxed and conversational with your post content. But on LinkedIn, you should maintain a professional tone at all times.
Be Mindful About Your Frequency
The amount of posts per day or per week also varies with each platform. If you’re too infrequent with your posts, like going weeks without posting, your current clients will forget about you and potential leads won’t see you. However, too much posting can be a bad thing and you’ll become unfollowed quickly. The longer you use different social media platforms and the more familiar you become with them, the easier it will be to pick up on the frequency of posting that works best for you and your business.
*Pro Tip
Remember, to be successful with your social media business accounts means keeping them separate from your personal accounts. Content that is appropriate for your personal page isn’t meant for your business page, and vice-versa.
Social Media Platforms Breakdown
LinkedIn-- a social networking site for professionals. LinkedIn operates a little differently than other social platforms when it comes to building your connections. Instead of just following someone, LinkedIn encourages you to build these connections a little more strategically. Think of your connections more as business associates and less as “friends”.
Good for:
Tone: Professional
Treat LinkedIn like one big conference or a mass interview. People are on this platform to discuss industry information, share their knowledge and view your profile as if it were a resume.
Frequency: 1-3 x/week
Not everyone posts on LinkedIn but when you do, be sure it is something that will bring value to others in your industry.
Facebook-- a social media platform that connects over one billion people throughout the world. You likely know exactly how it works: you have Facebook “friends” that you follow and view their pictures and posts in a timeline feed. When you see a post you feel strongly about, you can react with a written response, an emoji, a photo or just a basic “like” with a thumbs-up.
Good For:
Gathering fans of your real estate business
Showcasing homes you have on the market
Gathering reviews from current and past clients
Live video posts
Special event pages with details
Tone: Casual and Conversational
Your Facebook Business page allows you to maintain a professional but more relaxed tone with your clients. You can have fun with your posts such as posting live videos and photos. However, if your language or images become too informal, you’ll quickly lose clout and integrity with your fans.
Frequency: 1-2 x/day
Mixing up the type of posts you have on Facebook each day will help to keep your fans engaged with what you have to say. But, post too many times and your account may begin to look like spam.
Instagram-- a social networking site that is used and viewed on your mobile phone. A subsidiary of Facebook, posts on Instagram are either photos or videos. Insta-stories or “stories” are a way to go live or post recorded videos and have them highlighted at the top of your followers’ feeds.
Good for:
Gathering fans of your real estate business
Showcasing homes you’re representing
Snapping and posting photos right from your phone
Using your branded and relevant hashtags to gain new followers
Tone: Casual and conversational
Similar to the way you write your posts on Facebook, content you post on Instagram can be lighthearted and professional at the same time. Instagram posts usually focus on describing what your posted photo or video is all about. The photos in your feed should quickly engage your followers while the content invests them in your brand.
Frequency: 1-2 x/day
Though it’s best practice to post to your feed once or twice a day, you can add unlimited stories as viewing these are at a follower’s discretion.
Twitter-- a social networking site where users interact primarily through real-time messages. These messages are called tweets and are capped at 240 characters.
Good For:
Quick shout-outs, mentions or highlighting awards or achievements
Connecting with other brands and followers through hashtags
Staying up-to-date on trending topics
Promoting or commenting on news around your business or industry
Interacting with other real estate professionals in the Twitter community
Tone: Professional but also fun, helpful and conversational
Interacting with Twitter is a little more fast-paced than the other major social platforms. Take care to maintain composure and avoid commenting off-the-cuff. You can still be authentic and transparent without forgoing your professionalism.
Frequency: Unlimited!
There’s no reason not to create and use social media accounts for your real estate business. They are an essential part of connecting your brand to your community and they are free marketing! If you’re still feeling unsure of how to make social media a part of your strategy, check out the webinar, “3 Strategies to Optimize Your Social Presence Now”.