References
NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require the member's nar.realtor login.
Social Media Use for Real Estate Professionals
Develop a Growth Strategy for Your Social Media Content (REALTOR® Magazine, Nov. 3, 2021)
This article discusses using storytelling to “enable [clients] to see themselves in a new way, in new circumstances, in a new environment—like a new house.” The authors discuss the types of stories you can tell on social media and then lay out a sample plan of what platforms to post on and when the ideal time is to post on those platforms.
15 Real Estate Social Media Marketing Tips From Top Agents (The Close, Sep. 30, 2021)
“Real estate social media marketing is more important than ever. Agents who thrive on social media get more leads, close more deals, and make more money. However, most agents are struggling with social media…that’s why we worked with top producing agents and our coaching team to assemble this list of 21 real estate social media marketing tips.”
Real Estate in a Digital Age (National Association of REALTORS®, Sep. 2021)
This report from NAR’s Research team, “takes a look at how technology is used in the home search, by real estate firms, and by REALTOR® members, and how social media and other trends are shaping real estate moving forward.”
How to Use Hashtags: A Quick and Simple Guide for Every Network (HootSuite, Jun. 16, 2021)
“This post breaks down the basics of effectively using hashtags on social media and why you should use them. You’ll also learn: how to find hashtags that will work best for your brand; why only using popular hashtags isn’t the right approach; and essential tips for using hashtags on every social media platform out there.”
Social Media Fact Sheet (Pew Research Center, Apr. 7, 2021)
“Today around seven in ten Americans use social media to connect with one another, engage in news content, share information, and entertain themselves.” Through the Pew Research Center’s data, “explore the patterns and trend shaping the social media landscapte over the past decade.”
Maximize Your Potential Through Social Media (REALTOR® Magazine, Mar. 22, 2021)
In this “Broker to Broker” series aritlce, the author discusses the importance of building a brand for yourself online. He gives tips on how to successfully build your brand and to market your business, and yourself, to further the success of your brokerage or real estate career. The tips are summed up nicely in his three phrase motto: “Be persistent. Be consistent. Be true to yourself.”
Elevating Your Brand with Social Media (Center for REALTOR® Development, Oct. 19, 2020)
“Social media is a huge part of real estate, especially in today’s climate. Social media is the modern method of communication, and also allows small businesses and individual to have a broad impact.” In this podcast from the Center for REALTOR® Development, Katie Lance, an industry social media expert, “talks about content optimization, some of the heavier aspects of social media, and how we can be intentional with the time we spend on social media.”
Social Media for REALTORS® Series Tips and Videos (National Association of REALTORS®)
This series for purchase from NAR “is designed specifically for REALTORS® who want to take what they’re doing in the offline market and utilize online tools for great marketing exposure. Each of the four booklets contains helpful “Putting Into Practice” tips that turn theory into action, along with east to follow video clips on how to utilize a tip.”
Using Privacy & Security Settings
Read the privacy policies of Facebook, Foursquare, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok
How to Set Your Social Media to Control Who Sees What (Wired, May 18, 2020)
In this article, the authors offer twelve pieces of advice on how to set your privacy settings on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter in order to keep your social media free from scammers, hackers, and unpleasant interactions online.
Americans and Privacy: Concerned, Confused, and Feeling Lack of Control Over Their Personal Information (Pew Research Center, Nov. 15, 2019)
The report from the Pew Research Center discusses “how American’s feels abou the state of privacy in the nation.” The report goes into detalil on what data is being tracked, collected, or shared and how that data is being used by the government and by public and private companies.
How to Manage Your Social Media Privacy Settings (EduBirdie, Nov. 15, 2021)
“We share a wealth of information about ourselves on our social media platforms. We snap perfectly posed selfies, check in at happy hours, tweet at our friends, and announce the arrival of bouncing new babies. The benefits and joys of social media are numerous, but there are privacy risks to consider as well…the Center outlines steps that might help keep your most sensitive information safe on social media sites. Use these steps to help protect yourself and your loved ones online.”
How to Secure Your Business’s Social Media Accounts (Business News Daily, Feb. 24, 2020)
“Social media is important for every business, but if your accounts are hacked, it can cause serious damage to your business and its reputation. It's important to keep your accounts secure and your information safe. If you take the right steps, you can secure your social media accounts from unwelcome hackers. Here are 10 best practices to follow.”
Trademarks Use on Social Media (National Association of REALTORS®)
“These resources can help members and associations address complaints about the misuse of the REALTOR® marks on the Internet, specifically for usernames on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.”
Facebook for Real Estate Professionals
So many "getting started" guides were written so long ago that most of their info is not relevant anymore. For the basics, visit the help section of Facebook itself.
How to Use Facebook Privacy Settings (Consumer Reports, Nov. 15, 2021)
“Facebook’s privacy settings are a source of controversy; consumer advocates often complain they don’t provide enough protection for people’s data. But if you want to do everything you can to protect yourself from prying eyes, including the company’s, it’s important to understand these controls.”
How to Create Real Estate Facebook Ads that Actually Generate Leads (The Close, Oct. 27, 2021)
“This in-depth guide is to help you create Facebook ads that will generate leads for a reasonable price. It will help you understand when to hire a pro and offer step-by-step instructions for setting up your first campaign on your own. It will talk about costs, and finally, it will show you real-world examples of Facebook ads agents and brokerages are using to fill their customer relationship manager (CRM) with leads.”
22 Facebook Marketing Tips for Small Businesses on a Budget (WordStream, Sep. 25, 2020)
“As Facebook seeks to deliver content its users will enjoy most, relevant, organic reach has been on the decline…This presents a particular challenge for small businesses: You don’t have the same budget to pour into paid posts to compensate…But fear not small businesses! Here are 22 tips for how to find the right audience and offer up content and experiences they’ll value, even with a limited budget.”
The Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Your Real Estate Facebook Profile (Placester)
“New real estate agents get started every day, meaning there are industry beginners who need to create their Facebook business profiles. Additionally, there are experienced agents who haven’t joined in on the social media revolution, or who are not optimizing their page the right way, and are missing out on a prime brand awareness and lead generation opportunity. Whether you’re a new or veteran agent, use this simple step-by-step process to set up your real estate Facebook profile. And when once you’ve launched your page, use the tips below to learn how to setup, optimize & market your page accordingly.”
The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Lead Ads for REALTORS® (REALTORS® Property Resource)
“On the surface Facebook Lead Ads look like every other ad, but when the ad is selected, a form is opened within Facebook that can auto-populate the consumer’s contact information directly into your form. Which means they do less leg work to complete the form, and don’t have to leave Facebook. If we were to compare this ad type with historical lead collection, you’d see it’s really not all that different. Think about what many real estate agents have been doing on their website for years by creating a specific landing page with a special offer. For example, a “What’s my home worth?” bar. And of course, there is a form the consumer can use to submit their request for more information. All that can be done now inside Facebook using Lead Ads.”
Instagram for Real Estate Professionals
Instagram Story Analytics: How to Measure the Metrics that Matter (HootSuite, Nov. 24, 2021)
“Stories disappear after 24 hours. But with a solid understanding of Instagram Story analytics, you can ensure they have lasting impact. With top of the feed placement, links, and interactive stickers, Instagram Stories are a prime channel for brands to drive awareness, traffic, sales, and engagement. Learn how to measure Instagram Stories analytics and which metrics to track so you can optimize Stories to achieve your goals.”
21 Instagram Best Practices You Should be Followin in 2021 (HootSuite, Jun. 29, 2021)
“Instagram continues to be a game changer in the online marketing world. With so much variety in how to showcase your brand, it’s only natural to find it intimidating. By integrating Instagram best practices, your brand will easily rise above the rest. Creating a consistent style, planning content, and knowing when to post is key. But there’s more to it. In this post, we cover the basic things you should be doing for every type of Instagram post in 2021.”
How to Schedule Instagram Posts: A Step-by-Step Guide (Hootsuite, Oct. 28, 2021)
“Learning to schedule Instagram posts in advance is the easiest way to save time on the platform so that you can focus on what matters. Whether you’re the owner of your own business or the manager of a global team, the more complex your Instagram marketing efforts are, the more helpful a scheduling tool becomes. That’s because consistent, high-quality content is easier to plan, craft and share when some of the grunt work has been automated. In this article, we’ll go through the best Instagram scheduling tools for Business, Creator and personal accounts, so that you can spend more time focusing on your greater goals.”
Instagram Ads for Real Estate Marketers: 10 Best Practices (WordStream Blog, Feb. 17, 2021)
“In the world of real estate, there couldn’t be a better place to advertise than a visual and popular space like Instagram. Real estate marketing can be extremely challenging: competition is steep, and trust is often hard to gain. But if it’s done well, the return is often worth the investment. Instagram is a great platform for real estate marketing—people typically go on Instagram to see beautiful things, so why not show off your beautiful properties?”
How to Protect Your Privacy on Instagram (The Verge, Feb. 27, 2020)
“Locking down your privacy on Instagram can be as simple as setting your profile to “private.” But you can get a lot more granular than that, and there is a range of other protections you can put in place. You can keep your account public, but make it a little more protected, or even add stricter protections than simply flipping the private profile switch.” This article outlines several steps you can take to ensure your personal or business Instagram is properly protected.
Sales in Your DMs: The Power of Instagram Stories (REALTOR® Magazine, Sep. 19, 2019)
“With 500 million people using Instagram Stories every day—and considering that 47% of REALTORS® say social media is their top tool for getting high-quality leads—now is a better time than ever for agents and brokerages to harness this feature to connect with clients…The Stories feature has become a key part of the free social app, which allows users to show short snippets of their daily lives. By creating and posting Stories, real estate professionals can establish a level of authenticity and trust while clients are watching, giving people a taste of your personality before they decide to do business with you.”
Pinterest for Real Estate Professionals
What Makes Pinterest a Powerful Platform for Real Estate Marketing (RIS Media, Oct. 20, 2021)
“With over 450 million active users worldwide, Pinterest is an ideal social platform for real estate professionals. In fact, Pinterest welcomed over 100 million new users to the platform in 2020—a 37% rise from 2019. Pinterest is a very visual social media platform where you can pin images, videos, inspiration and information on boards, directly to your audience. It is also the leading platform for directing traffic to your website.”
How to Use Pinterest to Boost Traffic and Sales for Your Business (Adobe Spark Blog, Oct. 6, 2020)
“Driving engagement and traffic from your target audience on social media has become increasingly challenging for businesses. But unlike other platforms, Pinterest is unique because it’s a visual discovery engine. When you use Pinterest for business, you get the rich audience interactions of social media platforms blended with the traffic-driving power of a visual search engine.”
Should Your Real Estate Marketing Include Pinterest? (Ideas for Real Estate, Sep. 9, 2020)
This podcast episode covers “why Pinterest works for real estate marketing and tips to evaluate if Pinterest will work for you as a real estate agent. Because, spoiler, Pinterest isn’t right for everyone and every market. But it just may be a significant opportunity for you!”
60 Pinterest Board Ideas for Real Estate (IDX Central, Oct. 16, 2019)“Looking for new ways to promote your real estate business? We challenge you to get back to the basics with Pinterest. All you need to do is use what Pinterest has already given you – Boards! – and shape and mold them into a priceless marketing tool. Yes, that’s right! Pinterest boards are the key to a successful marketing plan on Pinterest; boards attract followers and followers turn into faithful clients…We have searched all over Pinterst to find some of the best real estate agents to pull ideas from.”
Snapchat for Real Estate Professionals
Snapchat for Business: The Ultimate Marketing Guide (HootSuite, Mar. 11, 2020)
“While Facebook, YouTube and Instagram are still seeing significantly more users than Snapchat each month, using Snapchat for business could still be effective way for your brand to reach a new audience…Not sure what Snapchat is? We’ve got a beginner’s guide that will provide you with the basics and walk you through the platform.”
Snapchat in Real Estate (Missouri REALTORS®, Jan. 31, 2020)
“Most REALTORS® can agree on the importance of Facebook. It’s hugely beneficial to those of us working in the industry. Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn are also overwhelmingly popular but Snapchat has remained a controversial topic in both the social media and real estate space. Conversations about the platform often dance around the same question - should you be using Snapchat? At first glance, Snapchat may not seem like a natural fit for REALTORS®, however, there are more than 300 million users, 90% of which are between 13 and 24 years old. This isn’t a demographic that is typically buying property, but it does show that Snapchat is a good way to connect with younger people who aren’t using Facebook. It’s also much more casual than other social platforms with posts disappearing after 24 hours. So, at first glance you may think it is difficult to use professionally, however, the causal attitude is what makes it a valuable tool for REALTORS. Here’s how you can use Snapchat for your business.”
Using Snapchat in Your Real Estate Business (RISMedia, Feb. 25, 2019)
“For the most part, social media platforms tend to promote permanent content. But there’s one app that stands out for its ability to create an air of mystery by adding a shelf life to what you post: Snapchat. Although initially promoted as a social media platform for millennials, Snapchat is now being used by consumers of all ages, as well as real estate professionals. Here’s how you can use Snapchat to increase your referrals and return real estate business.”
Snapchat—Learning the Basics (Snapchat)
Learn and discover all the ways you can use Snapchat—from creating an account to sending and spotlighting snaps.
TikTok for Real Estate Professionals
The Complete Guide to TikTok Analytics: How to Measure Your Success (HootSuite, Nov. 30, 2021)
“How do you evaluate success on TikTok? There are many metrics to look at: follower count, likes, comments, shares. But TikTok analytics go deeper: they allow you to measure weekly and monthly growth, total video play time, information about who is watching, and more…Track the right metrics, and you’ll be able to hone in on the tactics that really work…read to learn which TikTok metrics you should be tracking, where to find them, and how you can use them to your advantage.”
How to Create a Successful TikTok Marketing Strategy for 2022 (HootSuite, Nov. 18, 2021)
“The power of TikTok cannot be underestimated. Besides being the procrastination tool of choice for many a teen, the app has had a profound impact on sound and culture in the modern world — and savvy businesses everywhere are looking to get in on the action (and money, of course) through TikTok marketing…Many businesses have found success marketing on TikTok…Even if you’re not one of those lucky brands that accidentally stumbles into TikTok fame, you can still build a successful presence on the platform. Keep reading to learn how to set TikTok up for business, how to tackle TikTok influencer marketing and more.”
4 Business Reasons for Joining TikTok (REALTOR® Magazine, Sep./Oct. 2020)
“Marketers have been flocking to the short-video-sharing app TikTok to connect with millennials and Gen Zers. Although at press time, the White House was seeking to ban U.S. transactions with its Chinese parent company, the popular platform seems unlikely to go away. [In this article] tech coach Burton Kelso explains its merits.”
TikTok for Real Estate Agents: Land Leads Through the Newest Social Media Platform (Keller Williams, Jul. 23, 2020)
“At 800 million users strong as of July 2020, TikTok is the newest platform that has captured the world’s attention. And, for real estate agents, it offers a suite of tools that allows you to easily create informative content and reach a wide audience. All it takes is one piece of relatable content, and you’ll be well on your way to getting in front of new clients. The Outfront team spoke with four agents that have experimented with TikTok and have already experienced success on the platform. While strategically, many aspects of the platform remain to be discovered, here are the building blocks of finding success on TikTok for real estate agents.”
TikTok for Business (TikTok, 2020)
Use this resource gude from TikTok to manage ads, start your first campaign, and read about issues for both small and large businesses on the TikTok for Business Blog.
Twitter for Real Estate Professionals
7 Must Do Twitter Marketing Tactics for Real Estate Professionals (Real Treands, Jun. 22, 2020)
“According to the National Association of the Realtors, today almost 47% of the real estate businesses agree that the social media channels resulted in highest quality leads as compared to other channels. Furthermore, almost 77% of Realtors leverage social media to connect with millenials that contributes to the vast success of the real estate market. Since its inception, Twitter has been serving the global audience in an effective way. It’s no surprise that the more followers on Twitter, the more value they will bring to your real estate business. So, what does it take to increase the followers? Nothing! You only need a few tips and tricks, and you are all set to go. Here are 7 ways to market yourself on Twitter.”
The Do’s and Don’ts of Using Twitter to Generate Real Estate Leads (Follow Up Boss, Jul. 24, 2018)
“Twitter ranks as one of the leading social networks worldwide with 328 million monthly active users. On average, approximately 6,000 tweets are tweeted out on Twitter every second. But there’s definitely a right and wrong way to use Twitter for lead gen. If you’re ready to give Twitter a try, lean in. We’ll tell you about everything you need to know to make it worth your while.”
How to Overcome Your Twitter Aversion (REALTOR® Magazine, Apr. 2018)
““I just didn’t understand it,” says Laurie Weston Davis, broker-owner, a common admission among those with a Twitter aversion. That’s because the conversations that work on other popular social media sites don’t necessarily work on Twitter. After attending a more in-depth Twitter training, Davis began diligently using the platform for marketing her business and engaging with other real estate professionals and clients. But her 13,700 followers didn’t come overnight. Learn Davis’s insights on Twitter’s nuances and how she built up her profile as a referral network overtime.”
eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following eBooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
30 Days to Social Media Success (eBook)
42 Rules of Social Media for Small Business (eBook)
42 Rules for 24-Hour Success on LinkedIn (eBook)
Auditing Social Media: A Governance and Risk Guide (eBook)
Build Your Brand with Pinterest (eBook)
Complete Idiot's Guide to Facebook® (eBook)
Facebook Ads for Beginners (eBook)
Facebook Marketing for Dummies (eBook)
I'm on Facebook—Now What??? (eBook)
I'm on LinkedIn—Now What??? (eBook)
Instagram for Beginners (Audiobook, eBook)
Instagram For Business For Dummies (eBook)
LinkedIn for Dummies® (eBook)
Manager's Guide to Social Media (eBook)
Maximize Your Social (eBook)
Social Media Marketing (eBook)
Social Media Marketing: A Strategic Guide (eBook)
Twitter for Dummies (eBook)
Master Facebook (eBook)
Pinterest Marketing for Dummies (eBook)
The Twitter Book (Audiobook, eBook)
Twitter for Dummies (Audiobook, eBook)
Twitter: Free Social Networking for Business (Audiobook, eBook)
Twitter Marketing Tips (Audiobook, eBook)
Twitter Means Business (eBook)
Twitter Top Success and Best Practices: Twitter Experts Share The World's Greatest Tips (Audiobook, eBook)
Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising (eBook)
Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business (eBook)
New titles are being added all the time. Do your own search in the eBook Collection. Try 'social media' as a term in the 'search eBook Collection' box.
Have an idea for a real estate topic? Send us your suggestions.
The inclusion of links on this page does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked in this page complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.