Real Estate Agents: Here’s How to Stay Savvy in Social Media

We get it—you're busy—and we're right there with you! Maintaining a social media presence is hard enough for companies and teams, let alone a single individual. If you are a real estate agent who finds it hard to keep up with the changing paces of the internet and social media, you're not alone. Even the savviest of the bunch might find it difficult to write original content, make time for social media in between showings, or even find others' unique, creative articles to share with their clients. However, there are some easy things you can do to motivate yourself and generate content at the same time.

Fire up Twitter and Become BFFs with Hashtags
Twitter is an insanely useful tool when scouring the Web for news you can use. Not only can you keep up to speed on what your sphere of influence is doing, reading, tweeting, etc., but you'll also hear about breaking news or internet trends the second they happen. Tweets can be retweeted or shared on another social page of your choice, like Facebook or Pinterest. Befriend the almighty hashtag, too; it will help you get a big picture look at whatever topic you're pursuing. The online world moves quickly and Twitter is one of the best social media sites that can help you stay up to speed. It's like that Ferris Bueller quote - "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Except for business and content generation, you need to look around Twitter.

Write About What You Know
Thanks to that adorable blue little bird, you now know what some of the hottest trends in real estate are that week. Write about some of the more viral happenings on the Web and add your own spin or opinion. Or, if some of your main prospects are looking for a particular style of house, feature, or stuck at a certain stage of the game, write a post tailored to their questions. It'll give your blog some great content and might even land you that client you've been leaning on for months now.

Field experience also makes for great posts. Past real estate horror stories are great to share and on the flip side of that, real estate successes as well. Tell a tale about how you helped a client achieve their goals and include some tips to help future buyers out with their search. Your client base will respond to it.

Don't Be Afraid to Go Off-Topic
Posting every day across all your social platforms can be a challenge, so don't be afraid to go off-topic. What interests do you have that are applicable to your community? Are you a foodie? Write a post about the 10 best local eateries. Does your area have a great nightlife scene? Count down the best bars or entertainment spots to hit. What hobbies do you have that clients might share? All of these make for great content that will truly engage your Friends and Followers.

If all fails, just write about pizza. Everyone loves pizza.

"But I Just Don't Have the Time!"
Time is a pesky little bugger, and well, no one can deny the time constraints on real estate agents today, even with all the technology in the world. But if you don't have the time to scour the web for stories to share or to write some of your own, there are services available that will post content for you. RISMedia’s Automated Content Engagement (ACE), for example, automatically posts content to Facebook, Twitter and more, with all content landing on a webpage branded to the real estate agent or company. For agents that want to be successful on social media and who want to truly engage their spheres, ACE will auto-post relevant content for you 30 days a month.

Social media is a behemoth, but no matter what your personal hurdles are, there are plenty of ways to combat writer's block, and stay motivated and on task. Your future business depends on it.