A few weeks ago, Facebook’s stock took a historic plunge, losing $119 billion in one day. It’s the largest one-day stock drop in history. Younger generations are leaving Facebook for newer social media sites, while others are fed up with scandals surrounding data usage.
Although Facebook is still a powerhouse, other social media sites are on the rise. In this two-part series, we are going to look at some of the most popular social media beyond Facebook and how to make the most of them to grow your client base as a land agent.
Instagram
Instagram is a photographer's paradise. The land industry thrives on this platform, as pictures of beautiful properties rack up thousands of likes. Chris Miller, ALC, gave us some insider tips for having a successful Instagram account.
Make The Photo The Star
“A picture is worth a thousand words” perfectly captures how to be successful on Instagram. Wordy posts that would normally do well on Facebook flop on Instagram. When thinking about what to post, think about what draws the eye: rich colors, sweeping shots of land, and pictures of horses on ranch land.
If you need any inspiration, check out Miller’s Instagram page. It’s an excellent mix of stunning land shots, short videos of properties, and promotional material for his real estate group, American Forest Management.
“I post tract photos of lands I have for sale, I do some iPhone video clips that I create in movie maker which I share to talk about tracts or land-related issues. I also just share really good photos of land pictures or land management activities that I think interest landowners,” says Miller. “I take some great photos from the side of the road or when I am walking a tract and see something interesting.”
Consider Using Apps
There are apps to make photos better, schedule posts for you, and track all your likes and comments. Apps can take your Instagram game to the next level. Chris Miller likes the app Ezy Watermark.
“I use an app called Ezy Watermark to add my company’s logo to my videos and some photos for brand awareness as well. However, I have heard Instagram favors photos with no text so I do not use this on every photo.”
The Repost app is also a fan favorite with land experts. You can use this app to repost from other Instagram accounts. This is great because it can save you time from having to create your own post while still staying top of mind and providing valuable content to your followers.
Love What You Do
If you always get your thumb in the way, you might want to try another platform. However, if you love photography, like Miller, Instagram might be the perfect social media site for you. “I enjoy photography, especially iPhone photography. So it is enjoyable to me to take the photos and share them and then see how people react to the photos. I think it helps tremendously with top-of-mind awareness among your following and makes people think of you in land conversations they have or if they have a need.”
Having fun with Instagram also adds authenticity and makes your brand seem more relatable. This helps to generate trust from your audience.
Twitter
Twitter is rapid-fire takes on current news, different topics, and anything else you can imagine. RLI Future Leaders Committee Member Tim Hadley put it perfectly in his guest post for RLI: “Twitter is like a crowded club where you pop in and out of conversations and stay with the ones you find interesting.” But amid all the chaos, there are a lot of opportunities to brand yourself and meet new people.
Tweet Frequently And On Brand
The speed and vast amount of content of Twitter can sometimes feel catholic, but there’s a method behind the madness. Tweeting frequently keeps you top of mind for clients. Tweeting about topics related to land shows off how much you know about the industry and how in the know you are.
Take Mossy Oak’s twitter account for example. They tweet frequently (about two or three times a day). While they post lots of different topics (land news, hunting tips, nature shots, promotions for new merchandise), it is all tied around their brand.
Stay On Top Of The News
Who has time to read through a whole newspaper? Twitter keeps you up-to-date on not just national news, but also news specific to your interests. Check out hashtags to find content on topics you are interested in and you can even join the conversation and share your own expertise using them.
Track What’s Working
One of the great things about Twitter is how easy it is to see how successful certain posts are. Just click on your profile, click the “Analytics” button, and you’ve got a detailed report of the engagement of every single thing you’ve ever tweeted.
Hear What’s Being Said About You
Social media makes it easier than ever to keep track of what people are saying about you, good or bad. Follow your company accounts and hashtags to see what clients are tweeting about you. Google Alerts are also a great way to know when you or your company are being mentioned.
While Facebook is still a great place to network on, there are many other social media platforms that you can promote your brand on, meet other professionals on, and get your name out to potential clients through.
In the second part of this series, we’ll explore LinkedIn, YouTube, and one more surprise social media site!
About the Author: Laura Barker is the Membership and Communications Specialist for the REALTORS® Land Institute. She graduated from Clark University in May 2017 and has been with RLI since October 2017.