Between a hot housing market and a summer full of activities, we’ve got plenty of things vying for our attention this season. While you’re busy balancing work and play, thinking about what to post on social media may be the last thing on your mind.
But allowing your social media engagement to cool down could be more of a summer bummer than falling asleep on the beach without sunscreen. If you need a little SPF for your social channels this summer, consider yourself covered. Here are several ideas to help you stay active on social media while boosting engagement and brand awareness.
Want to show off your expertise in your local market or generate interest in a new part of town? Tout your knowledge by sharing informative tidbits about different neighborhoods, such as the history, amenities, and current market activity. But instead of posting mundane facts, create a mascot that your audience can follow around town. It can be a person, an object, or even an animal, like your favorite pet.
For example if your mascot is ice cream... Post a picture weekly of an ice cream cone in a recognizable locale, such as a park, a shopping district, or even a popular street. In the caption, provide hints about the neighborhood without giving away the location. Include #followthecone (or insert your mascot’s name) to associate each post with this campaign. Followers then get to guess which neighborhood you’re in and earn bragging rights for choosing correctly. (Bonus if they can guess your ice cream flavor.)
Why it works: A mascot allows you to make your brand more relatable and recognizable. (Think of the GEICO Gecko or Flo from Progressive.) The point is to choose a theme that helps convey your message through the art of storytelling. The repetition of a character will help generate instant brand recognition and give your audience something to connect with and look forward to.
Looking to fill your pipeline with new leads? Offering an incentive in exchange for people’s information is an easy way to do this. The key is to choose a prize that people feel is a valuable trade-off for their personal data. For example, ask people to sign up for your email list for a chance to win a gift card to a home improvement store. At the end of the giveaway period, announce who the lucky winner is. Be sure to feature the winner in a new post so they can enjoy a moment in the spotlight. Now you have a list of new leads to market to. How easy was that?
Pro Tip: Pre-qualify your leads as they sign up by including segmenting questions in the contact form. Based on what you need to know, this could be a multiple-choice dropdown to identify renters vs. homeowners, buyers vs. sellers, etc., or it could be a simple yes or no question such as, “Are you in the market to buy or sell a home?”
Why it works: People love freebies, and contests tap into people’s competitive side by offering a fun challenge. In addition to generating leads, contests and giveaways can also be used to increase followers, boost engagement, or get the word out about a new product or partnership. Just remember to check out each social platform’s guidelines on contests and giveaways before getting started, and be sure to outline your own rules for how to play and win.*
Got a new listing you want to promote? Instead of leading with a hard sell, weave it into value-added content to generate buzz and excitement. Even better, get your followers to post user-generated content (UGC) to really boost engagement and get more views of your property.
Here’s how: Post a photo of the new home’s outdoor living area. Make sure it’s staged and looks like a picture out of a magazine. (You could do this with the interior instead if there’s no outdoor space to play up). In the caption, list the five must-haves for an amazing outdoor patio. Be sure those items are in your picture. For example: lighting, seating, plants, shade, and accessories.
Next, invite your audience to share a picture of their backyard oasis and like your post or tag a friend. You could turn it into another giveaway* (e.g., a gift card for the best-looking patio) or offer bragging rights for the photo with the most likes.
At the bottom of your post, do a plug for your new listing: “Don’t have the patio you’re looking for? This house does. Check out the listing here.”
Why it works: As the name suggests, UGC is any form of content (video, comment, photo) created by your followers that’s related to your brand. UGC makes your brand come across as more authentic, and it can significantly boost engagement with your posts.
Creating well-thought-out campaigns is an integral part of achieving social media success. But not everything you post needs to be complex or even business specific. Sometimes, you just need to keep it simple. Try these ideas for a quick and easy way to engage your audience.
Maintaining an active social media presence requires thought, planning, and creativity. But it’s well worth the effort!
*There are state and federal laws that restrict how financial services companies and participants are permitted to offer sweepstakes and giveaways. For example, Section 8(a) of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) prohibits the giving and accepting of “any fee, kickback or thing of value pursuant to any agreement or understanding, oral or otherwise, that business incident to or a part of a real estate settlement service involving a federally related mortgage loan shall be referred to any person.” Always check with your legal team before running contests or giveaways to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
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