SUMMARY: Ideas for topic areas you can post in social media to help your business. Also, a few execution tips to help you take advantage of how people use social media.
What can you do in social media to increase the chances that someone finds you? Let me show you some content ideas that should help you build your brand online. These are designed not only to help you market your business, but also help your search engine efforts in a practical way. Best of all: this is going to seem simple and focused when we’re done.
WHAT TO POST ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS
Sure, you can post photos of your kids’ Little League team, and the latest cute cat video to come along. We can all watch you take the ice bucket challenge. 
Those are great! Great, but unhelpful. The way the
web works, these won’t help people find you and want to do business with you.
The nuts and bolts of your business are what can help you find new people to work with. Consider posting about:
Your Properties. Here’s a secret. People like looking at pictures of houses, inside and out. Some people LOVE it; that’s why there’s an HGTV. Post plenty of photos; link to the full listing on one of the big national sites; and write a short blurb so that you’re making people curious instead of trying to sell them on the spot.
Your Reviews. You and I both know how important online reviews are. Share yours! It can take a little bit of detective work to figure out how to link right to one review instead of all of them, but it’ll help you direct attention to the exact reviews you want to show people. Trulia and Zillow reviews are more credible than ones at your own site.
Your Neighborhoods. You don’t have to say a lot at any one time in your social media posts. However, do a little searching. Or, even sign up for Google Alerts for your neighborhoods. You can show a pretty steady stream of good things going on in your area, photos, descriptions of the area, and updates on city services (like schools, fire, police, and the like). Be a good neighbor.
Your Expertise. If you have the time to write a few blog posts a month, do so on topics that are directly related to what makes you both special and mass appeal. It’s fine if you address a limited number of topics over and over again.
HOW TO POST ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS
I tell people that brand-building social media is about the right content, shown to the right target audience, with the right execution. Here are a few execution tips to help you.
Frequency sells. Nobody sees everything you post! Consider editing and re-posting these on a different day and time, maybe even more than once:
- The properties that come closest to the ones you want to specialize in.
- The reviews that send the message you want to broadcast about yourself.
- The content you use that gets a good reaction.
Say less and show more. Extra text will get you ignored. Extra photos or a great video will get you extra clicks. Leave them wanting more; that’s how you get more clicks.
Make your posts helpful, entertaining, or both. When you post a house on Facebook, you can try and sell people the house. Or, you could show them something interesting or eye-catching. Or, you could help them understand how this house solves their problem. Either of those last 2 is better than just outright selling at them!
RESULTS: MORE THAN JUST ENGAGEMENT
In a nutshell, here's what to keep in mind.
Stay focused on what makes you special ...
and what will benefit your potential buyers and sellers.
Next week: How all this fits into your search for higher search engine rankings!
By the way, if you’re finding my blog posts helpful or eye-opening, I post daily social media tips on my MediaProsper Facebook page and Twitter feed (among other topics, too). You’re welcome to follow me either of those places for a deeper look at how social media and other forms of online marketing can deliver real-world results.
