Here's Why You Should Use Facebook for Real Estate Marketing

Facebook is a gold-mine for real estate marketing because it simply is too big to ignore. The social network boasts over 2.01 billion users who are active every month, an increase of 17% compared to July 2016. Plus, as Facebook revealed, they have 1.15 billion users active on mobile every day. These statistics are indicative of more than a trend: they show that Facebook is a powerful channel for marketers if employed right.

As recent figures by Statista show, Facebook continues to grow. Keep in mind that the same company owns two other popular social networks: Instagram and WhatsApp. This means that the people who own it have no intention of slowing down. They make smart business decisions. If you are not taking advantage of the abundance of marketing opportunities offered by Facebook, it's about time you should.

In a nutshell, the main reason to use Facebook for real estate marketing is to attract buyers. See how Facebook is influencing purchasing decisions for real estate here.

But to generate leads, you must focus on the things that matter and not on useless "fluff." Sure, having a business page with many likes and followers is a rewarding feeling, but targeting media campaigns towards such outcomes will not translate into the ROI your business deserves.

The thing about marketing today is that the line between it and PR has blurred, especially because promoting quality content, as in stories, which used to be a PR task, is now described as "content marketing." And content marketing is the one thing that drives leads on Facebook, and everywhere else where people "follow" your brand.

Back in 2014, the US National Association of Realtors reported that 77% of REALTORS® use Facebook for real estate business purposes, more than using any other social network. Today, Realtors also use Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, and so on. Still, Facebook remains the preferred channel, as it offers a wide array of marketing options.

It all starts with the profile image, which since August 2017 it is displayed in a circle. Many companies that have square-shaped logos used as profile images have to redesign to comply with the new standards. If your business page still displays a square image, do plan ahead and redesign.

Be smart about your cover image: don't insert text and sales pitches. If you do, the reach of your cover photo will drop, because the Facebook image algorithm has a tendency to give less weight to photos that contain text. This is mainly because images are often used in irrelevant, useless memes. You can use a discreet watermark on your images, but don't dump it in the middle to destroy the artistic value of your shot. Also: pictures of empty rooms don't convert as much as honest pictures of people actually seeing and enjoying a home. Use the camera as much as you can in your Facebook real estate marketing campaigns because Facebook counts greatly on its built-in camera for its suite of apps, which means they will promote posts that are delivered this way over artificial posts uploaded with third party services.

Another important reason to use Facebook for real estate marketing is that they never stop innovating. Watch the trends and the latest news carefully to see what new tools are offered for businesses and users alike. For instance, Facebook is now testing Instant Videos and as an early adopter you can gain a lot from using this tool. As the linked article notes:

It’s not known when or if Instant Videos will get a wide release, but it’s important for marketers to know about the importance Facebook places on video content.

And it makes sense if you remember that Facebook envisions a world without screens by 2026. If Facebook Spaces gains enough adopters to matter, your marketing plans will change to adapt. But until this happens, there are countless strategies to make your Facebook marketing campaign stand out.

You can take advantage of the inexpensive "boost post" feature on your business page to create highly targeted ads based on interest, gender, geo-location, and so on. But with these ads, deliver content that matters and not sales pitches. It's great that you have a proprety for sale at an amazing price, but don't promote it blatantly. The people's dreams come before financial gain. Make them believe that you care about what they need.

Promote your neighborhood with all it has: tourist attractions, cultural events, residential advantages, and so on. In doing so, you create value for the future home owners, but you will also appear as a knowledgeable, trustworthy professional. Check out the three Facebook strategies that will help you get more leads, or download our whitepaper.