Beyond the obvious advantage of being able to showcase listings, there are innumerable reasons why social media platforms are important for real estate businesses, ranging from being able to track metrics through analytics tools; as a cost-effective and targeted marketing tool, reaching unknown audiences, creating brand awareness and enhancing competitive advantages; and to build a community of followers who in turn can help you generate more leads and referrals.
However, underlying all of these is that, in essence, social media and property are both information-intensive businesses, which provide opportunities to develop 'qualified' relationships so that real estate professionals can focus on ideal clients and minimise any time wasted on cold calling in the hope of netting a potential seller. Cold calling has long been considered a hit-and-miss practice that wastes time and can, in some cases, cause a negative sentiment around the agent or business.
With more than 26 000 registered property practitioners in South Africa, competition is fierce, especially, in a market of shifting dynamics caused by progressive interest rate hikes over the past three years. To succeed or merely sustain themselves through a tough market, practitioners should be focusing deeper on effective online brand strategies, which means putting themselves and their agencies in the frontline of the audience. That frontline is social media.
At the beginning of this year, South African social media users reached some 25.8-million, equating to 42.9% of the population. The country's most popular social media platform is WhatsApp, says Statista, which quotes 93% of internet users using the App, followed by Facebook at some 87%, and Instagram at 60.5%.
Here are some effective ways to use these three platforms and optimise the customer engagement experience.
WhatsApp Business and API
Depending on the agency's size, WhatsApp has two app options: WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp API (Application Programme Interface). It’s important to understand the difference between the two.
WhatsApp Business was designed for smaller businesses or independents. With this App, you have the ability to run click-to WhatsApp adverts that enable the generation of leads. You can share WhatsApp links across other social media platforms, add a WhatsApp widget on your website page and provide a QR code for property enquiries. Automated greeting messages can be generated to broadcast property listings across a targeted audience.
API is WhatsApp Business on steroids. It's ideal for larger businesses, especially those who use teams of people to answer messages and want to automate workflows. This is also an excellent option for insights relative to team performance and customer reactions and responses. It is also extremely useful for combining all communication channels into one inbox using other aligned business solution providers (BSPs) like Trengo. So, users have a clear overview of all messages, and teams can communicate amongst themselves within threads. Users also have the ability to send newsletters and personalise bulk messages but only to those who have opted to receive such, meaning that you won’t be irritating customers who are not open to your communications.
Although WhatsApp Business API is more complex than the pure Business version, you may, as mentioned, need the intervention of a BSP, depending on your needs. Free trials are available by some BSPs that give you a chance to test and use all the functionalities. Be warned that some BSPs charge a monthly or annual fee for this service.
There are two opportunities for South African property practitioners to use FB effectively. First is a number of 'closed' groups whereby agents can share and discuss all their property activities through questions or sharing leads across different markets. The other is purely to market the individual business.
Creating a Facebook Business Page allows agents to develop cost-effective content targeted at specific audiences. It costs nothing to create a Facebook for Business page, which can act as a hub for your entire brand. In effect, the page is your digital word-of-mouth, which can be one of the strongest ways to communicate with buyers and sellers. Facebook allows you to build communities and upload videos or properties with links to various websites.
However, to use a Facebook Business page even more effectively, use it to provide users with educational content, such as the process of buying and conveyancing, or even the latest trends in home decor.
There are other aligned Facebook apps that help you determine how effective your Facebook Business page is, providing insights such as how many people you are engaging with, your followers, and what percentage of those have translated into business opportunities.
This is an especially effective app for estate agents, with 80% of Instagram users following at least one business account. Considering that most internet users shop for properties 'after hours' on social media, you need to market your real estate news constantly. Instagram presents one of the quickest ways to engage with Millennials and GenZ, who may be entering the property market for the first time.
Instagram is where people ‘hang out’, so it needs to be dramatically visual with content that is short and sweet. Like WhatsApp and Facebook, Instagram also offers a business account. However, most real estate agents prefer a personal account because it has the potential to align personal branding and interests with your business activities. For example, if you love local travel, you will likely attract followers with similar interests, and there is no way of knowing when those followers may be in the market to buy or sell a property.
Instagram is also a wonderful way to share success stories, such as posting pics of a happy buyer or seller with a 'sold' sign and posting testimonials. Video can also be incorporated. Content can also be boosted with hashtags, including location tags, which are said to increase engagement by up to 12% and 79%, respectively.
Respond immediately
Whatever the preference in social media marketing, the important and most crucial activity is checking the accounts regularly, not just once a day. Property buyers and sellers usually make decisions quickly, and if they reach out without a response within hours, they are likely to move on to a more reactive agent. Some practitioners and agencies have dedicated social media professionals who can monitor and post and, if trusted, respond to messages. Just don't leave people 'hanging’ on social media; these are prolifically-used platforms that can make or destroy a business, brand or reputation.
Writer: Kerry Dimmer