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Snapchat 101 from a Millennial Realtor

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Real Estate Technology

Mysteries of Snapchat Uncovered by- A Millennial RealtorThis article was originally published on the Home Value Leads blog.

Are you still confused about how Snapchat works, let alone how it can work for your real estate business? You're not alone.

Many agents hear about the cool things you can do with it to attract leads and hold the interest of potential sellers and buyers but are not too sure how to use it or how it even works.

We asked different agents with different experiences to explain how they use Snapchat and about the success they have seen. The response was awesome, and we couldn't have asked for a more varied group. Hopefully, you feel more comfortable incorporating this unique social media platform into your real estate marketing strategy and can tailor it to your business.

In our first post in our series on Snapchat, we highlight one Realtor®, who is not only experienced in this social media platform popular amongst Millennials, she is a MillennialRealtor®. Plus, she markets directly to them (check out her website - amazing!). You can't get more thorough than that, so we thought we would start off strong. Here is our interview with Monica Rivera of Keller Williams in Downey, California and her lowdown on Snapchat.

What Do You Post and How Do You Use It?

"Because the content disappears in 24 hours, it's an amazing way to offer a level of exclusivity not available on many other platforms. That's something I take advantage of in my real estate business. Sneak peaks of new listings before they hit the market has generated the highest response rate for me in terms of new leads."

Has It Been Successful for You?

"Snapchat is a great to stay top-of-mind with my sphere of influence and adds a humanistic element because I include snaps from my daily life in addition to real estate-related content. "It's also a great way to generate engagement from users as long as you respond to every direct message, screenshot or replay."

Did It Take Long for You to Adapt to and How Does It Compare to Other Social Media? 

"Pre-getting into real estate, I was already using Snapchat daily so incorporating it into my marketing was a no-brainer. "I'm looking to take advantage of the custom geo-filters next by having them at my open houses and even at hot restaurants in my farm area to get exposure to the followers of those who use them. It's not just about selling... it's about being top-of-mind and relevant."

Key Takeaways from Monica Rivera:

  • Snapchat offers exclusivity to those who follow you.
  • Snapchat offers sneak peeks into listings before they go public.
  • Snapchat helps you stay top of mind with leads and future clients.
  • Snapchat allows you to stay engaged with leads.
  • Include snaps from your daily life to connect more personally with leads.
  • Geo-filters add a dimension to your open houses and hot spots in the area.

PS - We can't help but talk a little bit more about Monica's website, so be sure to check it out. We hope to do a future interview with her further digging into her marketing efforts with Millennials. Check out our other two posts in the series as we interview a specialty condo and ultra-luxury real estate agent as well as an agent who has some experience in marketing.

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Comments(3)

Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Thanks for the blog.  Interesting topic and a nice fresh take on the 24 hour shelf life.  She says she's gotten a lot of exposure and engagement in the success section, but doesn't mention any leads or closed deals.  Is that because her goals are to boost the social platform or because it hasn't turned into "money in the bank" yet?  Also, how long has she been using it?  Just a couple things I wonder about when reviewing new technology.

Jun 24, 2016 02:06 AM
Home Value Leads

In the "What do you post and how do you use it?" section, she stated "Sneak peaks of new listings before they hit the market has generated the highest response rate for me in terms of new leads." She did not provide specifics on number of leads or transactions though.

And yes, definitely a good idea to review specifics when evaluating new technology. We'll try to get some more details out of her. =)

Jun 27, 2016 02:39 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Thank you very much for sharing this information. I definitely need instructions.

Jun 24, 2016 02:09 AM
Home Value Leads

Snapchat isn't for everyone Roy Kelley - I'll admit, I don't really get it either, but I'm trying to learn. =)

Jun 27, 2016 02:39 AM
Kartik Subramaniam
Adhi Schools, LLC - Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Market Analysis--Educational Content, Adhi Schools

I am curious as to how she builds followers. Snapchat is much closer to conversation-based social media than any other major platform and thus, barring celebrity status, most people only have friends/followers who are their real friends and acquaintances. If Ms. Rivera has a strategy to find more followers (perhaps tied to other more public-facing social media platforms) I can see this turning into long-term success. Otherwise I have similar concerns to Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA. Not sure where leads and closed deals come from (if that's the main goal, again, not sure there either). 

Jun 24, 2016 02:31 AM
Home Value Leads

That's a great question Cody Carmen - if I'm recalling correctly, she asks people to follow her from other sources. Of course if they share, then their followers see it. The geofiltering will help find others who are in an area, which will help grow new traffic from other places.

FYI, NEVER EVER EVER think of Social Media as lead generation unless you are paying for advertising. Social media is SOCIAL and should only be thought of that way - a way to stay in front of your sphere/leads and stay relevant. Lead generation is a secondary byproduct if you do it right. 

Jun 27, 2016 02:43 AM
Kartik Subramaniam

Home Value Leads just a clarification, followers/friends on snapchat cannot share content. If you meant share FB or Twitter posts mentioning that she can be followed on snapchat, that would be correct. But snapchat itself does not have any share features. 

Jun 27, 2016 02:57 AM