Finding the best social media platform to promote your commercial real estate business can be a challenge. There are a lot of options out there, and busy real estate professionals don’t have time to vet them all. So here at RealtorMate we’ve done the work and reviewed some of the top social platforms for commercial real estate. Follow us and read on for the rundown…
Are Social Media Platforms Really Important?
“Social media is one area of business where you don’t need to outspend your competitors in order to beat them”.
Hal Stokes
Social media is a critical part of any digital marketing strategy. These platforms are deeply ingrained into peoples’ daily routines, and present a unique opportunity for brands; a space to interact with customers and create connections. Across all industries, social media provides access, insights, conversion and engagement far beyond the reach of traditional advertising.
For commercial real estate, a successful social media strategy can improve brand awareness, build authority, facilitate connections with potential clients, increase conversion, and keep your business top of mind. This is why it is so important to find the best social media platform for commercial real estate businesses.
Top 5 Social Platforms for Commercial Real Estate
There are an infinite number of social media platforms out there, which can make choosing the right one confusing. We’ve narrowed it down to the top 5 social media platforms for commercial real estate, and reviewed them below based on their theme, audience, and suitability. As we are going to see, they each have their benefits and can be used in combination or exclusively.
1. Instagram:
With over 1 billion active monthly users and growing, Instagram is one of the top social networks worldwide. The platform’s sexy, visually-focused feed and next-level user interaction makes it a top choice for promoting products and services alike. This makes Instagram our top pick for the best social media platform for commercial real estate.
Instagram’s audience is a marketer’s dream. The network’s potential advertising reach is 928 million users. Two thirds of Instagram’s audience is aged 34 years or younger, with a fairly even gender split. Instagram’s audience is not only enormous, they’re also highly engaged. Users spend an average of 28 minutes per day on the platform. Over 200 million Instagrammers visit at least one business profile daily, and 1/3 of the most viewed Stories are from businesses. Instagram’s audience is unparalleled from a digital marketing perspective, making it a top social platform for commercial real estate.
Instagram’s features make it a perfect platform for commercial real estate. For one, the platform’s visual focus is ideal for showcasing real estate and developing a brand identity. Between its visual feed, IG Stories, IGTV, and Reels, real estate businesses can put their best face forward.
According to NarRealtor, Facebook (97%), LinkedIn (59%) and Instagram (39%) are most realtors’ top picks. The rate of Instagram usage by realtors is so high that it’s considered to be the first choice of realtors in near future– which is why your real estate business needs to build an Instagram presence asap. Commercial real estate businesses that get on Instagram now will be able to develop a strong presence, build authority, and carve out a niche before the platform is flooded with industry professionals.
So how does a real estate business get started on Instagram? Realtormate can help. Designed with real estate professionals in mind, RealtorMate can help you win on Instagram and develop a strong Instagram presence that converts. With everything from simple social management tools to fully managed solutions, RealtorMate is the key to success on Instagram.
2. Facebook:
Once an industry leader, Facebook’s glory days might be behind them. The platform has been losing position little by little, and the main reason is its users. Though Facebook still boasts the highest number of active monthly users, average age of these users is increasing. With this the focus seems to have shifted away from commerce and toward social networking.
All this said, you shouldn’t mistake it: even now, Facebook plays a vital role in online business. In fact, 97% of realtors chose it as the best social media platform for commercial real estate.
Facebook is mainly used to relate to the end customer in B2C business. It works very well to promote products or services, although you always have to do it in a subtle way, since the Facebook user does not want to be overwhelmed by advertising. It is also very useful to derive and increase traffic on the web. The verdict? Facebook can be worthwhile, but if you’re going to choose one social network to focus your efforts on, it might not be the best choice.
3. Twitter:
One of the original social networks, Twitter is still a great place throw out opinions and converse. Twitter serves a similar purpose to Facebook, bringing traffic to the web and promoting business. Twitter’s main benefit from business perspective however, is tracking and improving brand image. It is a good place to know what is being said about your company at all times. Users often take to the platform to voice experiences and complaints, which means that commercial real estate businesses are wise to pay attention to active and passive conversation. In sum, Twitter can be useful for sharing content, staying informed, and interacting, but it is difficult to consider it the best social media platform for commercial real estate.
4. YouTube:
YouTube is one of the best social networks for businesses of all types. As people read less and consume more visually-based content, generating quality content on this platform is vital for brand positioning and promotion. In terms of commercial real estate, YouTube lacks the audience and focus necessary to make it a top contender. Real estate businesses would be wise to keep tabs on the platform, but focus primary efforts elsewhere.
5. LinkedIn:
LinkedIn is all about industry networking. It is one of the best social platforms to stay on top of industry news, generate B2B professional contacts, attract talent, and improve brand positioning. Commercial real estate businesses may find more value on this platform than other types of real estate professionals, but in general, it is not an ideal place to attract customers.
There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing social media platforms for a business. Commercial real estate businesses in particular have to think about positioning themselves and staying a step ahead of the industry. Although Instagram hasn’t yet become standard for real estate businesses, the platform is growing rapidly and offers a number of benefits and opportunities for commercial real estate. To succeed on Instagram however, these brands will need support from Instagram experts. Realtormate can help. Whether you’re just starting out on Instagram or are ready to take your real estate business to the next level, RealtorMate offers a range of solutions tailored to the industry.