Now that more real estate professionals are engaged in content marketing than ever before, everyone has to work a little harder to make themselves stand out from the increasingly crowded field. For those who don't have a lot of experience in creating this kind of eye-grabbing promotional material and sharing it across their various social feeds, this might seem like a daunting task. Fortunately, experts say it's much easier than many may expect.
Perhaps, the best way to start in this regard is to make sure websites are up to date with all the latest information so that anyone who clicks through on a piece of content marketing has all the right details available to them. But as for the marketing itself, a good first step agents can take is to figure out where they're currently getting the most clicks — and why — on various platforms.
And for agents who aren't using all the big social sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, getting accounts going on them is a good way to connect with more would-be clients.
Narrow the focus
If, for instance, Facebook content seems to be shared and clicked on, it's important to evaluate what it is about the Facebook content people like. Are there engaging videos? Attractive pictures? Concise calls to action? Once agents have the relevant information, branching those successful strategies out to other platforms is likely to pay off.
Looking at the industry trends broadly may also yield positive results. It's not that agents should copy what others are doing, but they can take their cues from the big players in the industry and tailor it to their personal and professional preferences. Doing so can help them highlight the positives about the markets in which they live and work as well as their own expertise and experience in the field.
Keep it engaging
When coming up with content for social feeds, email lists, websites and more, agents should keep in mind that people prefer to skim—at least at first—rather than dive right in. To that end, bright, beautiful pictures and video may be the best way to draw eyes initially so that they'll give the written content a deeper read. This is also true when it comes to making headlines: They should be short and engaging.
In addition, it's wise for real estate pros to consider the benefits of publishing content at the right time. There is plenty of information available about the "peak hours" for use of various websites and apps, which agents can use to inform when they should put their content online.
It might also be worth considering whether to pay the small amounts that come with promoting content marketing on these sites. Often, the investment is small, and the return on that investment can be sizable, but every agent's needs are different.
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