6 Social Media Schedulers for Busy Agents

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Virtuance

A solid social media presence is one of the best ways to generate real estate leads and stay connected to clients. A real estate agent has innumerable responsibilities that help keep their business booming. 

Social media management can seem more like a burden than a benefit when deciding which strategies are worthwhile. Fortunately, several third-party management tools help business professionals save time on social media. Top real estate agents and brokerages use social media management tools to schedule posts and review statistics. 

Is social media important for real estate agents? 

Social media platforms can help you build your real estate brand and generate buyer and seller leads. 

A whopping 47% of real estate professionals say that their most valuable leads derive from social media. You close the door to profitable opportunities without social media.

Additionally, real estate professionals can use social media channels to elevate their brand and promote their listings through posts or sponsored ads. The best social media platforms for real estate professionals include Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

What should you look for in a social media scheduler?

Social media is essential and time-consuming without the right management tool. A social media scheduling tool can alleviate the daunting aspect of social media management. 

There are several social media management companies to consider. Many of these management platforms offer the same features, so choosing the right one for you may be difficult. 

Here's what you should look for when considering a social media management tool: 

  • A user-friendly dashboard 
  • Easy social media scheduling 
  • Option to cross-post on multiple platforms
  • Guidance on best times or days to post
  • Comprehensive statistics reports
  • Mobile-friendly capabilities
  • Within your budget - what is your time worth? 

Top 6 Social Media Management Tools for Real Estate Agents 

We discussed why real estate professionals should use social media platforms. We also covered what to look for when selecting a social media management tool. 

Now, let's review the top six social media management tools for busy real estate agents: 

Buffer

Buffer, one of the OG social media management companies, supports Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Users can schedule posts on three social media channels with a free account. 

Pros of Buffer 

  • Affordable pricing options, including a free plan
  • Simple user interface
  • Supports the most popular social media channels
  • Free 14-day trial for paid plans

Cons of Buffer 

  • The free plan is limited to only ten posts a month
  • No post mockup/preview
  • No built-in ads manager

ContentCal

ContentCal is an Adobe-owned software with an easy-to-navigate calendar interface. With ContentCal, you can create and arrange your post drafts before scheduling. 

ContentCal offers several tiered pricing options to suit your business's needs. 

Pros of ContentCal

  • Facebook tagging
  • Extensive application integration (Zapier, WordPress, and Dropbox, to name a few)
  • Consolidated inbox for social media direct messages

Cons of ContentCal 

  • No direct publishing to Instagram (on the waitlist) 
  • The mobile app lacks capabilities
  • Limited social channels

CoSchedule

CoSchedule is an excellent management tool for brokerages and teams. The paid plan allows multiple users to manage several social media accounts from one place. 

CoSchedule promises clarity and accountability between teammates with progress reports and a clean calendar interface. 

Pros of CoSchedule

  • Simple calendar interface
  • Great for teams and brokerages
  • Publish to Instagram

Cons of CoSchedule

  • Limited to 5 scheduled posts at a time (free plan)
  • Not the best option for individual agents
  • Sometimes posts fail to publish

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is another OG in the social media game. With an all-in-one dashboard, detailed analytics, and extensive app integration, Hootsuite is favored by many. 

Hootsuite tends to focus more on the management aspect of social media versus content creation.

Pros of Hootsuite

  • Direct publishing to Instagram
  • The mobile app allows post scheduling/publishing
  • Built-in link shortening 

Cons of Hootsuite

  • No Facebook tagging 
  • Cluttered user interface
  • Poor customer support 

Loomly

Loomly is more than a social media scheduling tool. The application offers users relevant content ideas, editing and design tools, and a library to store all of your professional real estate images. 

The developers behind Loomly consistently improve the application with bug fixes and fresh features. 

Pros of Loomly

  • Plans are affordable, starting at $26/month
  • Provides post ideas and tips for optimal results
  • Built-in ads manager 

Cons of Loomly

  • No free option 
  • Calendar sometimes disconnects from accounts
  • The application can run slow at times

SproutSocial

SproutSocial is an excellent management tool for those who rely heavily on social media marketing. It's more expensive than other solutions but offers users powerful tools and significant insights that help improve marketing performance. 

Pros of SproutSocial

  • Social Listening tool for tracking mentions
  • Social CRM and review management
  • Easy and attractive user interface

Cons of SproutSocial

  • Price is per user per month.
  • Limited integrations
  • Some difficulties with Instagram posting

Managing your real estate social media accounts can feel like a weight on your shoulders. Instead of neglecting your content calendar, consider using a social media scheduler. Any management tools described above can help you automate your real estate posts, which frees up more time for you to show and sell homes.

Comments (7)

Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

This is very good information.  I have used Hootsuite but not lately.  Great to know about the others.

Apr 02, 2022 04:00 AM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

What a great list of sources to enhance your social media presence for those still active in the market. Thanks!

Apr 02, 2022 05:18 AM
Kat Palmiotti
406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR® - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Interesting tools. I schedule my FB posts via the FB content manager which seems to work for me - (at least at this time). It's free, I can schedule as many as I want, and it usually works perfectly. But it's good to know there are options that are not FB-dependent.

Apr 02, 2022 06:06 AM
Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

These are great options to consider.  I have to say, I had to look up "OG."  I have never heard that term.  Now I know the definitions associated with it.  My husband handles all my SM, and my company has a media presence that sends out Twitter posts for me.  I will have Rick read this post to get him up to speed.  Thank you for the info.

Apr 02, 2022 07:38 AM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Fantastic options you've outlined here! I have used HootSuite in the past but, am now using and loving BackAtYou as they give me the fodder and once a week, I tweak the posts to make them my own voice and they're done. It's all relevant material too!

As for OG, I thought it meant Officer of the Guard and after looking it up, still not sure what it means! Can you share? So many acronyms these days!!

Apr 02, 2022 09:45 AM
Virtuance Real Estate Marketing

the original! OG is often used as shorthand for "one of the first" or "one of the originals" 

Apr 04, 2022 02:05 PM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Some good ideas there for busy agents, will bookmark for later look!

Apr 02, 2022 09:55 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

I've used Hootsuite in the past but wasn't real fond of it. Bookmarked to look more closely at the options.

Apr 02, 2022 04:26 PM