Remember the era when house hunting involved picking up one of those full-color catalogues that were free at the corner store? Those guides are still fun to flip through, but if you’re selling, you need to be more proactive than that.
You depend on social media to post pictures, keep up to date with friends, and find jobs, so why not use it to sell your home? It’s the perfect platform.
You can connect with buyers, real estate agents, post enticing photos, and answer any queries the potential buyers might have. However, there is a right way to sell your house on social media. Here are seven tips to get you there.
1. Remember that it’s a numbers game
Unlike what’s advised for using social media for pretty much anything besides personal posts, when selling a house, there’s really no such thing as overdoing it. Post on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or any other platform where you’re already engaged.
The more people who see your post, the likelier you are to lure in a buyer. Just don’t overpost on any one particular platform, or you risk being unfollowed.
2. Get professional pictures
Just because social media is regarded as more laid back than a full-page spread in a magazine doesn’t mean you can skimp on pictures. The right photos can get buyers to that open house so they can really fall in love with the details.
A real estate agent who knows how to manage curb appeal and a few professional photos can work wonders.
3. Encourage sharing
Make it easy and appealing for others to share your social media posts about the house you’re selling. If you have a blog or post information anywhere else, make sure social media buttons are included (to lead people to where there is more information and photos).
Ask your friends and colleagues to pass along the information and re-post. You never know who the right seller might be.
4. Use hashtags
If Twitter is one of your go-to platforms, make sure you use hashtags wisely. For example, #realestate or another complementary hashtag can get your post seen by more people.
Always link to another site with more pictures, such as Flickr, where high-quality images can be seen. For each platform, work with the unique features it offers you.
5. Don’t miss out on LinkedIn
While LinkedIn is generally thought of as a more professional site, it can be used for more than just networking for your career. Since it’s a more professional site, that implies the people on LinkedIn are naturally more interested in things like real estate investment.
Maybe the home you’re selling isn’t what someone’s looking for on their own behalf, but they’ve been toying with the idea of getting into investment real estate. Plus, you probably have very different circles of people on LinkedIn as opposed to your other platforms.
6. Choose an agent with an active SM presence
There are a lot of things that go into choosing the right real estate agent, but a professional who also has an active social media page is more likely to help you sell faster. Check out their statuses and see just how many comments they’re getting.
On the other hand, someone who posts tons of houses might not be the best person for you. After all, you want your house to stand out — not get lost in the shuffle.
7. Manage it well
Whether you’re going to social media to sell your house or you’re relying on an agent to do it, make sure everything is properly managed. That means replying to all comments and DMs, and posting just enough to pique interest but not so often you spam everyone’s news feed.
If that’s too challenging for you, then make sure you ask your agent about his or her social media management practices to ensure the agent’s on top of things.
Originally posted on August 22, 2013 @ 6:43 am