We all know it: content marketing brings more leads for real estate investors. That’s why everyone is doing their best to get in front of motivated sellers. And since a lot of REI’s do this without a proper strategy in place (we are all tempted to play it by ear), these efforts can quickly result in burnout when it comes to inspiration. Even if you have an elaborate content strategy, you may still find yourself stuck in a creative rut.
Don’t sweat it, because there’s always a way out. For starters, we will review 11 ideas which are relevant for those REI’s who want to specifically improve the content they share on their social media channels.
Before we delve into specific content ideas, let’s take a moment to highlight the general guidelines for REI’s when it comes to social posts.
We did write a guide on this very topic, but here’s few of the most important tips:
Just keep in mind that the average consumer of social media is bombarded with real estate investing content, so make your posts short. If you present data, go for infographics (content accompanied by visuals is easier to digest) and provide links to original sources (when relevant). Go for memes as well as funny, relatable, and shareable content.
Our list of content ideas is here to help you out. If you are new, you can gather some fresh ideas about social media content for real estate investors. And if you are a veteran in the industry but find yourself strapped for inspiration, these topics will keep your content flowing.
People like to see transformations. The more something was neglected in the before photo, the better the effect. In simple DIY projects, this means you show the object in its original state (a rusty knife), followed by the clean, transformed version (a shiny blade). The Cinderella story of your building rehab projects can replicate the same narrative: a house in disrepair followed by a gallery of the property after renovations were completed.
But, wait a minute, doesn’t this reveal your trade secrets to… well, anyone with an internet connection? The short answer is no. This sort of stuff is all over the internet anyway – folks watch a lot of DIY content, not to mention popular shows on flipping houses. You are simply using it to build your authority on the subject. Chances are, your target audience wants to see this stuff on your social media feed, especially if you manage to showcase the transformation in a bite-sized chunk (a short series of photos).
This one is in line with the “being of service” philosophy of content creation. Now, you can’t delve deep into house appraisal in a social media post, but you can refer your audience to a valuable resource on the subject. Professionals create their own property appraisal classes and promote them through social platform posts. However, using a relevant outside source works as well.
The appraisal of property covers a lot of real estate issues, and it plays a big role in investments. You can teach your followers to differentiate serious home damage (roof, foundation, leaks) from wear-and-tear issues that can be solved with a minor fix (like a broken step or mold). Also, you can teach them to look past the curb appeal of a neat entrance and maintained landscaping.
Let’s be honest: those that are serious about tracking metrics related to the real estate market don’t get their info from a social media post (at least they hopefully don’t). It takes a lot of knowledge and experience to identify an indicator that stands out. A detailed explanation of the relevance of a given metric probably won’t attract your followers’ attention.
Here’s where infographics come into play. They are a great way to summarize real estate market data into one simple image. You can also make this type of real estate investing content a regular treat for your followers. For example – once a month you can share a breakdown of a given metric.
Also, you are allowed to boast about the number of closed deals or the growth of your business, particularly if your goal is to dominate a certain market and the figures are in your favor.
We’d believe the moon is made of cheese if there are enough people claiming it is so. Social proof can either make or break your REI, so do your best to single out success stories.
The best example is probably a short video (under a minute) in which a motivated seller explains how you helped them get rid of the property fast. Alternatively, you can pile up positive written reviews and post them in bulk (like a small gallery of screenshots). This will not only drive traffic, but it will also build trust with potential clients.
Take a break from discussing real estate and switch to lighthearted topics that show your human side. Jokes are great ice breakers when you greet new clients in person, and they have a role to play on the digital stage, too.
For some of us, it’s not easy to share something funny on a public forum, particularly when potential business is at stake. That’s OK, because not every piece of non-real-estate-related content has to make your followers laugh. You can focus on family values (kids grow), facing mundane difficulties (stuck in traffic), enjoying simple moments (coffee at work), or pets (everyone likes dog or cat pics). Also, posts that mark national holidays or extend seasonal greetings will bring you closer to your audience, but make sure you don’t delve deep into politics or religion.
By offering free stuff, you are basically activating the basic fear of missing out (FOMO) in your target audience. While this is another lead magnet in your inventory, you don’t have to take data from your followers each time you hand out something. Sometimes, the increased engagement on your social media pages is worthwhile on its own.
For example, you can arrange a contest in the comment sections, like “the comment with the most likes wins xyz”. If you go for this option, make sure your giveaway follows the guidelines of the social network (here are Facebook’s rules, for example). Also, have you noticed that Carrot sells dolls? You may also gift a similar likable mascot to your followers. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on giveaways – offering to rent a property for a sleepover is a typical example of this. It will cost you next to nothing, and the guests will share how they enjoyed the amenities at the property through their own social media channels for free.
You can inspire your audience with reviews of interior design concepts or by covering the architectural elements of unique buildings. Historical facts about the development of a certain neighborhood through the years (or its specific architectural style) can also engage your audience, especially if you find an angle that touches the feelings of your followers.
Speaking of, don’t miss an opportunity to bank on the strengths of the residential area of your target audience. For example, you can congratulate the kids of the local high school on their latest success (your audience is probably their parents and grandparents), but you can also mark other sporting events, festivals, social clubs, parks, fairs, a picnic spot or a special perk of living in the area – everything that makes the local community proud.
Again, you’re playing on the fear of missing out by creating an expectation of great content in your regular followers. But first, you must ensure that you are able to keep the promise you give, so don’t build expectations for something you can’t deliver.
In specific terms, this can be a short review of the house of the week. We are talking about real estate here, so a tour of a property is bound to attract some attention. It can include a couple of good shots of the property and a list of reasons why it’s a real catch. If you do a good job and spark people’s interest with the title as well, this might become the most popular type of post on your social media feed. People will grow accustomed to visiting your feed each week to check the latest treat you have in store for them.
The pro tip for such a series is to start only after you’ve created 3-5 posts in advance so that you have some wiggle room as time and ideas grow thin.
We are at an age when secrets are hard to keep, and most of your followers are probably interested in catching a glimpse of the inner workings behind your success. The storyline for this type of content can be mundane, yet entice engagement from your target audience.
The typical example is a Day-In-The-Life-Of a real estate investor. It can be a short video (some editing skills required there) or a series of pictures capturing day-to-day operations.
Some REI’s (like Dara Abasute) share their process transparently on platforms like YouTube. At first glance, this might seem like giving out trade secrets, but it does serve more than one purpose. A high degree of transparency demystifies the otherwise shady aura of real estate investors. Motivated sellers are actually more apprehensive of REI’s than they are of real estate agents because it seems like REI’s are out to get them (rip them off). This type of behind-the-scenes content will help bring down barriers that hinder your success.
This is one of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to nurturing a favorable public image. Especially if you strike a chord with the local residents, this is bound to improve audience engagement.
The initiatives or charities you support can vary. You can join a call of action to clean up litter from a picnic spot, or you can simply support and offer activists increased exposure through your social feed. Be wise in choosing the cause because supporting a religious or political cause can polarize your followers and have an adverse effect on your business.
Listen to your audience. Since success in digital marketing is achieved through trial and error and continuous testing of what works and what doesn’t, you can ask your followers to share their views in a standardized poll (or a quiz).
You can poll your followers on their biggest problem (when dealing with real estate) or on their ultimate goal. A carefully crafted poll, one with multiple choice questions, can help you gain insight into the priorities of your clients, and it can also give you a forecast of the upcoming trends.
All the while – you are increasing audience engagement.
There’s a good chance that you can use some of these ideas in your content marketing strategy right away. They are the strategies that your competitors are most likely already using and there’s no reason why you can’t benefit from them, too.
Good social media posts will put you on the map when motivated sellers search for REI’s online. So have a nuanced approach and do a lot of testing. After a while, you’re bound to see what works and what doesn’t.
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