written by Claire Miller
Who Uses Social Media?
Did you know that there are 4.62 billion social media users globally, which equates to 58.4% of the world population? Not only is over half the world’s population on social media but social media users increase by 77 million quarter-on-quarter. This vast market reach is an opportunity that every company, no matter the product, service, or size, should be appropriately utilizing.
For years, the commercial real estate industry has relied on traditional methods of marketing, such as print advertisements and mailers. However, with the rise of social media, the industry is starting to realize the potential of this form of marketing. Social media has been coined to tailor towards only our younger generations, but as platforms have evolved, this is no longer the case. In fact, 54.8% of active social media users are above the age of 30. No matter who your customer is, you can bet they have an account, if not multiple.
What is Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing is the process of using social media platforms to promote a product or service. This can be done through paid advertisements, or through organic methods such as creating content that is shareable and engaging. There are many benefits to social media marketing, one being staying top-of-mind with your clients by sharing relevant content and updates about your business.
Social media platforms are updating every day, so keeping a close eye on these changes will ensure that positive results are properly maintained. Social media strategies should be constantly using experimentation and alterations. The best place to start the social media journey is to understand the differences between each platform in order to reach an audience effectively and efficiently.
Not All Platforms Are Made Equal
Each platform offers different features and caters to a different audience. It is important to understand the demographics of each platform and how they can benefit your business before creating a profile. For example, LinkedIn is a business-oriented social media platform that is great for building credibility and establishing thought leadership within your industry. On the other hand, Instagram is a visual platform that allows you to share photos and videos of your properties and highlight your company culture.
LinkedIn is a great platform for networking and connecting with potential clients. You can use LinkedIn to post updates about your company, new listings, or blog articles. You can also join relevant groups and participate in discussions.
LinkedIn just rolled out a new document ads feature, “which allows advertisers to promote documents directly in the LinkedIn feed, where members can easily read and download content without having to leave the platform.” Documents can be anything from white papers, case studies, or market reports that will build awareness, collect leads, and measure interest in your content.
Instagram is a visual platform, so it's perfect for showcasing high-quality photos and videos of your listings. In addition to photos and videos, Instagram has Reels which provide a more immersive video viewing experience, guides that can highlight certain types of properties or markets, and story highlights to feature all your most notable content.
Facebook is a great platform for staying top-of-mind with your potential clients. You can use Facebook to post updates about your company, new listings, blog articles, or anything else that you think would be of interest to your target audience. You can also use Facebook ads to target specific demographics in the 2.11 billion potential audience that marketers can reach.
Facebook and Instagram both use Meta Business Suite, so you can plan and schedule posts, respond to messages and comments, and monitor organic and paid performance across both platforms.
Twitter is a news platform that is known for its brevity which is an ideal platform for sharing newsworthy items such as press releases, new listings, company updates, etc. You can also use Twitter to share articles and blog posts that would be of interest to your target audience. Using the explore tab, you can engage with your local community and trending discussions in the industry to reach potential clients and establish credibility.
Twitter’s creative studio allows for the creation of moments (a collection of tweets), newsletters, and analytics. Twitter is currently in the process of being sold to Elon Musk, so stay tuned to see how the platform will evolve under new hands.
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing platform that is owned by Google and is the second most visited website after Google search. YouTube can be a great platform for showcasing properties as well as for providing educational content such as how-to videos, previews of upcoming events, etc.
Since YouTube is an extension of Google, make sure to optimize your videos for SEO so that they can easily be found by potential clients and customers who are searching for relevant keywords.
Pinterest is another visual platform that allows you to use strong imagery to invite viewers to click into your website or a specific article. You can also use Pinterest to create boards that hold a specific genre of content, i.e. “Market Reports.” Pinterest has a 225.7 million potential ad reach that can be used to target your audience and provide them with useful data.
TikTok
TikTok is a newer social media platform that has quickly grown to be the most popular social media app with over a billion users worldwide. You can use TikToks quick-formatted videos as an opportunity to create educational content and feature drone videos of your properties. TikTok videos are typically lighthearted and fun, which also makes them perfect for sharing behind-the-scenes footage of your team at work or fun company culture moments.
It’s Time To Start Utilizing Social Media Marketing
As the commercial real estate industry continues to evolve, it is important for businesses to stay up to date with the latest marketing trends. Social media marketing is one trend that is here to stay, and it offers many benefits for businesses in the industry. At our fingertips holds instant access to 58.4% of the world population. If you are not already using social media for marketing purposes, now is the time to start.
*Stats are pulled from Hootsuite’s 2022 Global Overview Report (https://hootsuite.widen.net/s/gqprmtzq6g/digital-2022-global-overview-report)
This report features data from a wide variety of different sources, including market research agencies, internet and social media companies, governments, public bodies, news media, and private individuals, as well as extrapolations and analysis of that data.
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