We’ve talked about Facebook marketing a lot…specifically how Facebook can land you more qualified leads.
The cool thing about social media is that it’s always growing and there are plenty of new ideas we can implement to grow our online presence and generate leads.
So today, I’m here to help you spice up your Facebook marketing with 40 tips to generate more leads on Facebook.
Let’s get into it…
1. Pages over Profiles
Something I’ve noticed is that lots of realtors are still trying to promote themselves and conduct business via their personal Facebook profile instead of a public business page. While it’s great to build and maintain connections through your profile, you’ll definitely want to have a professional page in addition to it.
Here’s just a few reasons why:
2. Increases Google Traffic
Your Facebook agent page will turn up in Google when people search for your name or company title. People will see posts, images and photos, while your profile posts won’t rank at all.
3. Farther Reach
Even those living off the grid can see your Facebook page and this is just one more resource that can help to boost your credibility among leads even if they aren’t on the biggest social networking site in the world.
4. Track Your Results
We all like to see where our time and money are going and you can do just that with Facebook analytics that works directly with your page to show you how viewers are responding to your efforts.
Once you figure out what is and isn’t effective, you can then modify future content to get the most engagement and interaction. Also keep in mind that you can invite as many people as you want to Like your Facebook page, while your personal account will be capped at a 5,000 friend limit.
5. Linking Your Website
You definitely want to have links to your social media accounts on your real estate website and Facebook pages use widgets and Like buttons to make this easy. This isn’t a tool you can take advantage of if you’re only using a personal account.
Now that we’ve established the value of a Facebook page for your business, we can start in on what techniques you can use to generate even more leads from Facebook.
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6. Picture Perfect
There’s no denying the success images can bring you when used correctly. People absolutely love quality visuals. Chances are that if your photos aren’t appealing, what you’re offering won’t be either. Check out Canva.com to start making free custom graphics today.
Multiple reports have shown that pictures and video can increase page engagement up to 180%!
Here’s a tip: lifestyle shots and real-life action images of local events are a great way to pique the interest of your fans.
7. Start The Conversation
While shorter posts ranging from about 100-250 characters in length are shown to improve engagement, you should still focus on getting people talking and encourage them to interact with you. Asking for feedback and ideas is an easy way to start getting your audience to engage on your page and is your opportunity to start directly talking to leads in a social way
8. Give To Get
Give value to get fans and then turn those fans into leads! As you build your Facebook page and grow your audience, you’ll want to get to know them and what they’re interested in. Because Facebook engagement is really a two-way street, you also want to give your fans the opportunity to get to know you. So, the more quality content that you give them, the more engagement you’re going to get. What your audience really needs to see is that you’re making a serious effort to connect with them. Providing helpful information on a regular basis will help you gain their trust and eventually help you get more qualified leads!
9. Blog
In order to stand out, you need unique content to share with your fans and this will come from your real estate blog. Try to publish 1-2 new posts a week and always spread the content around on your social media, especially Facebook.
10. Respond To Comments
If you’ve got people commenting on your posts regularly go ahead and pat yourself on the back because these folks are highly engaging with your content. Think about it. It takes a lot more effort to write a comment on a post than it does to Like or even Share a post. You want to follow through on your end and let the commenter know that you’re listening by responding to their comment and you also want to make sure you do this in a timely manner, otherwise they’re likely to forget about the interaction. Likewise, when someone takes the time post on your wall or send you a private message make sure to get back to them as soon as possible.
11. Promote Your Page
Targeting and boosting individual posts is a great way to get noticed, but you can also increase your reach on Facebook by promoting your page. You can start from as low as $5 and Facebook will estimate how many new Likes you’ll get based on your ad budget. This is a nice way to get more eyes on your page and expand your audience. Once new fans find your page they’ll see all the fresh content you’re putting out and continue to engage with future posts!
12. Show Some Love
Check out what other agents and companies are doing in your area, and around the nation, for content inspiration and also to gain new connections. When you Share or Like someone else’s page, chances are they’re going to return the favor. You can then start cross-sharing information and engage new fans.
13. Shop Local
In addition to working with your peers, you should also try and connect with local businesses. It’s a great way to stay active in your community and help to better establish yourself as the local expert if you’re up on what’s happening in your local scene. You may even come across some unique opportunities for cross-promotions.
14. Reward Loyal Fans
Let your audience know that you’re eager to connect with them by acknowledging their support and letting them know how much they matter to you. I encourage you to get creative here, but a fun place to start is just to host a giveaway.
15. Competitions
Friendly competitions are also a neat way to activate your audience and attract new leads. You can keep things simple by having them Like and Share a post to win a $10 Starbucks gift card (Bonus points if you can work with a local business to supply the prize!).
16. Add A CTA Button To Your Cover Photo
At the end of 2014 Facebook launched a feature that lets you add one of seven call-to-action buttons to your page. You can choose from: “Sign Up,” “Shop Now,” “Contact Us,” “Book Now,” “Use App,” “Watch Video,” and “Play Game.”
This is a super easy way to drive more traffic from your page back to your website.
17. Treat it like a miniature website
Of course your Facebook page is by no means a substitute for an actual website, but you do want to make sure that like your real estate site, all the important deets leads will need to find out more about you and contact you are very visible and readily available.
The best way to do this is to flesh out every single portion of your About Me section. I mean it. Don’t hold back! If a potential lead finds you via Facebook you want to be absolutely sure that your page provides them with everything they need to contact you and get a clear understanding of what it is you have to offer.
18. Show Your Personality
You can bring a more personable feel to literally every aspect of your Facebook page, all while still keeping a professional look and feel. From your cover photo and profile image to your About Me section and posts, you want your audience to constantly have the opportunity to get to know you and your brand.
Don’t be afraid to let your unique voice come through in your content. This is how you will start to distinguish yourself and become memorable. It’s really okay to step out from behind your logo and give your fans a look at the face behind the brand. Feel free to post fun and entertaining photos every once in a while (adorable baby animals are always good if that’s your thing). You can also shift gears and post a candid photo of you in your everyday life, maybe having lunch at your favorite local restaurant, or taking a sunset stroll through a park.
It’s really okay to let your fans see a different side of you–just snap a photo and post it on your wall with a creative caption!
19. Learn From The Best
We can all learn a lot from our competitors. It’s a good practice to keep up with your competitors and see what they’re sharing. You can also probably gage what is and isn’t working for them, see who their fans are and also what industry trends they’re following that you may or may not be.
20. Get To Know Your Audience
You can think about your fans like a new friend that you are getting know. Asking questions and gaging the interaction on various posts are both good ways to get a feel for who you’re talking to. You can also use Facebook’s Audience Insights. This is a new tool that allows marketers to learn about their target audiences and includes such details as geography, demographics, consumer behavior and Facebook usage. This can also help you determine what the best times and days are to maximize audience engagement.
21. Engage The 3P’s Of Posting
When deciding what type of content to post, keep these categories in mind:
Purpose
Personal
Promotions
22. Purpose
At least 50% of your posts should focus on the first one, Purpose. That is offering quality, useful content that engages your audience by giving them something of value.
23. Personal
Next, try allotting 30% of your Facebook marketing content to Personal topics. This is your time to shine and let your fans see a bit of your personality. That way, when they actually contact you for a real estate transaction they will feel like they already have a sense of who you are and this is great for establishing trust even before you talk to them directly!
24. Promotions
Lastly, no more than 20% of your content should be direct towards Promotions. No one likes to be bombarded with ads at every turn and your fans are more likely to disregard or even unlike your page if all they’re seeing is promotional material. Still, the fact remains that we’ve all got to promote ourselves and our business so just remember to think about connecting with your fans even with promotional content.
25. What’s trending?
Another way to stay at the top of your audiences feed is to join trending topics in your industry. This can help you reach more people as well since you’re adding your voice to part of a viral conversation.
Do you remember the blue and gold dress phenomenon that practically broke the internet?
Big brands like Adobe quickly added their input on the controversy and some created polls so their fans could weigh-in. As content marketers, there’s so much we can learn from #TheDress.
It was a simple image with an even simpler call to action. All viewers had to do was say that color they saw. So, when we’re asking our audience to take action, remember to keep it simple and to keep your call to action clear and easy to follow. Oh, and when the next #Dressgate comes along, be sure to jump in.
26. Video
Facebook video is now bigger than even producing video content on Youtube. Every time you post a video Facebook autoplays it in newsfeeds, so people will automatically see what you’re doing! Here are 4 types of video you can post on Facebook to get more leads today:
27. Instructional
Instructional videos are useful and should provide value to your viewers. Quick “how-tos” for homebuyers and sellers work well, DIY ideas, or even taking the time to break down the various processes involved in buying and selling properties are all helpful ways to engage your fans. Focus on your niche and start brainstorming from there.
28. Informative/Educational
Educational videos are always relevant. Letting people know about your area, making a quick video about current events are good examples of providing quality video content for your Facebook fans. You can also always ask them what kind of video content they’d like to see or take requests for topics!
29. Welcome/Thanks
Every few months you can put up a quick personal video to welcome your new fans, especially if you’ve recently seen a spike in likes, and also take a moment to personally thank those who have already Liked your page.
You can give a brief overview of what you do, talk about any relevant updates and even let fans know what you’re planning in the future–such as a fun giveaway or contest for them to look forward to.
30. Exclusive
Facebook video gives you a great opportunity to further distinguish yourself as your local market expert. You can visit your favorite local spots, highlight an annual community event, attend gatherings, give neighborhood tours…really anything that is exclusive to your niche and expertise. This will help instill trust in your audience and increase your chances of turning viewers into leads.
31. Target the leads you already have
While it’s great to focus on new business, don’t forget to tap the leads you may already have. Using Facebook’s Custom Audience targeting option, you can target people whose email address or phone number you have collected.
32. Get More Fans With Email
A super simple way to grow your social media presence is to include links in your email signature. While you’re hopefully already linking to your real estate website, you can easily add a line for your Facebook business page and instantly turn your signature into a marketing mechanism.
33.Upcoming Events
Let people know what you’re up to! Whether you’re attending a community event or hosting a meetup, you can spread the word and let your local audience know what’s going on. You can create Facebook events through your page, or simply share relevant events that you will be attending. This is a great way to knock out a post that hits the 3P’s all at once.
34 Community Events
What’s happening in your town your city? Not only is this great blog content, but it’s also another way to establish yourself as the local expert by sharing interesting events in your area. You can keep local fans in-the-know and also let visitors know what unique features they should check out when they come to your city.
35 Client Testimonials
Hopefully your agent website already includes a landing page for clients to share their positive experiences with you. Your Facebook page is also a great place to share client quotes and testimonials. And it’s even better if they’re coming from your current audience! People love to feel special on the internet, so seeing their testimonial featured on your page is a great way to say Thank You and let your clients know that you appreciate them. And, of course, it lets future leads know what others are saying about you.
36 Client Interviews
Taking testimonial posts a step further, why not sit down and chat with your satisfied clients about their experience? You could write up a Q&A blog with them to share your story or, better yet, sit down and make a quick video!
37 Infographics
Infographics are a great way to share information in a fun and educational way, plus they’re highly shareable. An infographic is just an image that depicts really interesting facts and figures and even if your information is less-than-interesting, the visual aspect allows you to liven things up with colors and a fun layout to make it more enjoyable and readable for fans.
38. Be consistent
As we’re starting to wrap things up here, one of the most important things you need to be doing to get more leads from Facebook is to be consistent with your posting. Whether you’re scheduling posts directly from your page, using a management tool like Hootsuite, or planning out a monthly editorial calendar in Google Drive, you need to maintain a mostly regular post schedule.
While you probably don’t need to post more than twice a day, it’s important to go into all of this with a goal and decide what kind of content you will share each day. This will get easier to decide once you get to know your audience, so starting on a trial and error basis is fine. Maybe you start with weekly themes like “Motivation Monday” or “Factoid Friday” and share relevant information related to these themes.
Going into the week with an idea of how you want to split up your Purpose, Personal and Promotional posts will make maintaining a consistent Facebook brand presence all the more manageable and will help to keep your posts in the news feed of your fans, as Facebook too rewards consistency.
39. Times to post
By no, I’m sure you’ve Googled “What are the best times to post on Facebook” and related questions. There’s plenty of information available that can point you in the right direction when deciding what times *may* get you the most engagement, but the fact is that no audience is the same and your ideal post time is really going to be determined organically.
You can use Facebook Insights to see what days and times are working the best, but feel free to mix up your post time and see what works for you and your audience. Do you seem to get more engagement in the morning between the hours of 6am and 8am? Or is it lunchtime that your fans are more active? Maybe they’re actually more likely to be browsing social media later in the day, like after 4pm. The more regularly you post, the quicker you’ll be able to gage your prime times and optimize your post schedule.
40. Join The Community
Finally, be a part of the community. Sharing knowledge also means you’ll be receiving knowledge and this exchange will help real estate agents develop and sustain deeper connections and relationships. And overall become more well-rounded agents.
Simply put, when it comes achieving your goals in real estate communities foster success. For one, you’re going to get a lot more support and broaden the amount of information you have access to. Sure, you can also do this through books and podcasts, as well as other media sources, but you’ll also really want to add peer community support to your resources for success. You’ll also start receiving immediate feedback from your peers, which is awesome!
How are you engaging your audience and landing more leads on Facebook? Let us know in the comments below!
