In any business, knowing the latest trends and ways, especially in the promotion of products or services, has its advantages. And it is undeniable that social media has taken a big role in the world of advertising, including that one meant for the real estate business.
Teresa Mears, who writes for U.S. News, says agents are going beyond Facebook and Twitter to reach younger homebuyers. She relates that Victor Quiroz, an agent with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services California Properties, is among the younger breed of real estate agents who are trying different social media channels. These social media include Instagram, Snapchat and Periscope, which are used for the promotion of their business.
"Social media is the new print ad ... but you get more bang for your buck," according to Quiroz. He has been using Snapchat for six to eight months already and has gained about 150 followers. This agent sees its popularity among young people.
Paul Hagey, a writer for Inman, opines that Instagram, Snapchat and Tinder may be the new frontier of real estate advertising. He shares that Instagram has a new ad platform which allows companies to design and run campaigns themselves, and Redfin, a national real estate brokerage, is one of the firms which has taken advantage of it. Redfin started a campaign two weeks ago on Instagram showing pictures of homes for sale on the popular social site.
Angela Newman, head of corporate communications and social media for the company says, "The main goal is to encourage folks to download our mobile app. We're really happy with it so far. Before launching this campaign, Redfin was already using Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube where not only photos of homes for sale are being posted, but also news, do-it-yourself tips, how-to videos and other content covering the different aspects of the homebuying and selling process." Newman added that, "Anything that goes along with a house, we want you to think of Redfin. We're experimenting all the time." She notes, however, that "Facebook is definitely the most popular out of all of it. It's obviously not going anywhere."
Real estate professionals, however, caution that in using social media, one should not adopt a "sell, sell, sell" approach. Quiroz advises, "I think social media is like an online cocktail party, and if you're constantly selling and selling and selling, you're going to miss the relationship building."
