Choosing the right social media platforms for your audience
With an ever-increasing number of social media platforms, each with their unique features and benefits, it can be difficult to decide what type of content to post on which platform. Choosing the right content and social media platform are crucial for any business, as these determine the effectiveness of your marketing strategy and the ability to connect with potential clients. In this post, we’ll explore the factors that should be considered when selecting social media platforms for your audience and provide tips on how to make an informed decision.
Step 1: Define your target audience
Before you start posting on social media, it’s important to define your target audience. Who are you trying to reach? What are their interests, needs, and pain points? Once you have a clear understanding of your target audience, you can create content that speaks directly to them. Are you mainly working with young techies throughout the Bay Area? Or maybe a family looking for a house in one of the best school districts? Perhaps your main audience is people looking for second homes or vacation homes. Your content should be tailored to your specific audience(s) to be as engaging as possible.
Step 2: Choose the right platforms
Not all social media platforms are created equal. Depending on your target audience, certain platforms may be more effective than others. For example, if you’re targeting young, first-time homebuyers, posting visually appealing home tours via Instagram Reels or Tiktoks may work best. Older generations may appreciate familiar sites like Facebook or Nextdoor, and could respond better to text-based posts or comprehensive videos. Do your research and choose the platforms that align with your target audience.
Step 3: Choose the right types of content for each platform
Social media allows real estate agents to build and maintain relationships with clients, prospects, and industry professionals. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn enable you to connect, engage, and interact with their audiences on a regular basis. By sharing valuable content, answering questions, and regularly commenting, agents can establish trust and credibility, fostering long-term relationships with clients.
Good for: Sharing photos and videos in both portrait and landscape orientation. Save your text-heavy posts for other platforms—Instagram is all about the visuals.
Example: A “New Listing” post that contains photos and a video of your newest listing.
Pro Tip: Did you know Open Homes now automatically supplies you with a social-friendly vertical teaser video with your video order? IG is the perfect place to showcase it!
TikTok
Good for: Quick vertical videos and using trending templates or audio to drive engagement. This is currently the best platform for reaching younger generations.
Example: An informal video walkthrough of one of your listings—especially if the house is particularly unique or has interesting features.
Good for: Sharing posts, photos, and videos. Text-based posts are easily read on Facebook (as opposed to visual-driven Instagram). Keep in mind that audiences on Facebook tend to be on the older end of the spectrum.
Example: A longer description about your listing’s features and its neighborhood, as well as photos of the listing.
Good for: Long-form posts and articles on a variety of topics. Real estate agents can use articles to share their insights on the market, provide tips for buyers and sellers, or showcase their expertise in a particular area of real estate.
Example: An article about the state of the market and real estate industry as it relates to your region and expertise.
YouTube
Good for: Individual videos or a series of videos about a specific topic, especially to inform or educate an audience.
Example: An in-depth educational video series about the steps involved in buying a house in your region of expertise.
Choosing the right post type for the right content for the right audience can seem daunting at first, but the good news is that you’re not starting from scratch. If you order with Open Homes, we set you up for success with social automatically. For example, you’ll receive web-sized photos perfect for sharing on any social media site. If you order a Video Tour, you’ll automatically receive a branded video (great for uploading to your property website, Facebook, or YouTube), an unbranded video (intended for the MLS), and a short teaser video. We also now offer Vertical Teaser videos which are great for TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and other platforms that favor the vertical format of a mobile device.
If you found this article helpful, please leave a comment or share this post! Be sure to check out the next part in the Social 101 series below, where we’ll be talking about best practices for your real estate social media strategy.
