Never in the history of advertising has there been a platform as powerful as Facebook. With the ability to target ultra-specific demographics, Facebook advertising is an ideal tool for all real estate professionals looking to grow their business.
In this episode of the Wright Brothers Podcast, Corey and Casey share their best practice strategies for mastering the art of Facebook advertising.
Personal versus business page
Real estate is an inherently personal business, and it can be difficult to find the line when sharing information on social media. Thankfully, Facebook allows two types of pages, personal profiles and business fan pages, which can help to filter appropriate content.
As a simple rule of thumb, if you are paying to advertise content, keep it to the business page. Use the personal page to build relationships and connections to feed into the funnel (more on the funnel shortly).
Use caution when posting property listings on a personal profile.
Instead, practice selectivity with your posts because bombarding a personal network with business-related content might negatively impact personal connections.
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Defining the objective
One of the first steps in developing a Facebook campaign is to establish an advertising objective. For example: increasing likes on a fan page, generating video views or leading visitors to your website.
If you aren’t familiar with a “marketing funnel,” it’s time to get informed. The strategy of a marketing funnel is a process that begins with developing a connection that transitions into a business relationship over time.
To initiate the funnel, start by offering valuable content in exchange for that essential connection, such as a Facebook “like” or a supplied email address. Through this first point of contact, work to strengthen the relationship.
Given enough time and professional establishment, the relationship will naturally facilitate business opportunities.
Content is key
Facebook users are perpetual browsers instead of focused readers — they prefer to scan. As a result, it is essential to capitalize on eye-catching graphics, as a bright and bold image is most likely to capture your audience’s attention.
We highly recommend following large corporate advertisers for insight into the latest’s trends. Furthermore, due to the highly specific nature of Facebook advertising, content relevance can have a compounding effect on advertising efforts.
When selecting content for a campaign, use images that reflect the local property styles. Keep in mind the income bracket of your target market, and always incorporate local information relevant to your audience.
Getting to specifics
The true secret weapon of Facebook advertising is the ability to narrowly target specific demographics. Are you using Facebook advertising to promote an open house? Use the location tool to target users within a specific radius of the listed property.
Target user hobbies and interests to reach new circles and broader audiences. Perhaps create content detailing how the local sports team impacts neighboring property prices.
Corey Wright is the co-founder of WingWire, a custom website and blogging service for real estate agents, and co-host of Modern American Realtor, a podcast for the modern agent. You can connect with him on LinkedIn or Instagram (@filbertsteiner).