Post This, Not That! Facebook Posting Tips for Real Estate Pros

Facebook is a killer tool for real estate lead gen when used properly.Once you get set up the right way on Facebook, the real work begins. (Still using your personal page? Take a minute to check out our Facebook Business setup tips first. Don’t worry, we’ll wait!) For a lot of real estate pros, Facebook is just a place to broadcast the latest listings and hope for the best. But taking a little time to post the right way can help you grow a strong, loyal following and connect with clients to build long-lasting relationships.

Here are a few essential dos and don’ts all real estate pros should know about posting to Facebook. And if you’re interested in taking Facebook to the next level with promoted posts and advertising don’t worry, we’ll get to that soon! Before you start spending money on Facebook it’s important to take full advantage of the free offerings Business Pages can use. Think of these tips as the foundation you should focus on before graduating to paid efforts.

Don’t only post listings.

This is one of the most common (and consequently most problematic mistakes) real estate professionals make on Facebook. Blasting your followers with listings, and nothing else, is a sure way to lose them. Facebook has also changed their algorithm to put more focus and emphasis on personal and local connections. Sharing sales pitch after sales pitch is a sure way to drop your page’s importance on your followers feeds.

Do use your expertise to think beyond listings.

Yes, you can certainly post your listings from time to time, but keep in mind that not all of your followers are in the buying state of mind. Some are sellers, investors, or referrers. As a real estate professional, you have SO much valuable information at your disposal. From market reports to community updates to tips for boosting your curb appeal, there are so many topics your audience will find valuable and useful (and be happy to see in their newsfeed)!

Don’t only post links and text.

Your posts shouldn’t just be text or text with links to articles or listings. People are visual and social media comes with a short attention span. If you don’t share content that draws people in, they won’t read any further, regardless of how well written the post may be or how useful the link you’re sharing is.

Do use a variety of content, especially photo and video.

Just like sticking to a consistent schedule of quality content, having a variety is essential. Share photos, videos, links, infographics, posts from other reputable pages, etc. Using all different kinds of content will keep your followers interested. 

Don’t neglect your followers.

Speaking of your followers, the term “follow” isn’t really the best description. If you’re using Facebook the right way, people shouldn’t just passively follow your content. You’re neglecting your followers if you do any of these:

• Your page doesn’t encourage people to like, comment, and share

• You don’t engage by responding to comments and messages

• You ignore negative reviews or delete negative comments instead of responding in any way

Remember, Facebook is supposed to be a community, not a soapbox for you to broadcast from.

Do build engagement.

This goes back to the idea of followers vs. community. Ideally, social media should be a community. This means engaging with people who follow your page in all possible areas, including:

• Replying to all comments on your posts (or at least as many as possible)

• Replying to all messages you receive (which, by the way, is easier than ever with Facebook’s auto-reply options)

• Replying to all reviews, good and bad.

• Actively encouraging people to like, share, or interact with your posts.

Real estate is about relationships and a personal connection. Facebook is a great way to build that through simple attention and interaction with your online followers.

Don’t post irregularly or not at all.

Having a Facebook page isn’t enough. You need to post! And you need to post consistently. Going for months without sharing anything then blasting your followers with ten listings in one day is a sure way to lose likes and annoy people who follow you.

Do have a consistent plan.

Decide how often you’re going to post...then stick to it. Make sure that your posting goals are realistic - if you can share one update each day, great! Once a week, every other day, twice a day, whatever your schedule is, just make sure it’s regular, easy to manage, and something you can stick with. It’s important to balance a push for quantity with your ability to share quality, useful content.

...and stick to that plan with an editorial calendar.

The best way to make sure you’re posting a variety of content on a consistent basis is by having a content calendar. Not sure where to start? Check out our post on the subject! Content calendars don’t have to be complicated. But having some kind of system to plan ahead, stick to your schedule, and ensure you share all kinds of content is essential.

Don’t post things that could be personal, political, offensive or inappropriate.

This may seem obvious, but it ties back to why it’s so important to separate the personal and professional. If you share a political article to a personal page that’s seen as your opinion. If you do the same on a business page, it’s seen as the organization’s position. Which means you’re now alienating potential customers. 

Sharing a meme that’s funny to you without knowing the origins, usage rights and implications of it (Pepe the Frog is a favorite example) can be disastrous for a business. You need to think beyond if something is interesting or funny and consider what it will say about your business.

Do use your best judgement before posting.

Common sense is king. While there are plenty of tips we can give you to help your Facebook efforts succeed, at the end of the day it’s always a judgement call. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable saying something to a client, potential customer, coworker, etc. in person...why would you share it online? 

You should also try to put yourself in your followers’ shoes. Are you posting things that would annoy you if they came from pages you follow? Do you like really strong, aggressive sales pitches when you’re scrolling through your newsfeed? Don’t post things that would annoy or turn you off if you were the consumer.

Bottom Line

Facebook is an important channel in today’s digital world. If you want to succeed and continue to grow your business, posting the right way is a must. Follow these dos and don’ts and you’ll be off to a great start!

Think you’re ready to jump into paid promotion on Facebook next? Check out our next post on more advanced organic strategies first. We’ve got lots of info on growing your page further without getting out the company card just yet.