Learn how to harness the power of social media visual content on Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook to build your real estate brand.
Triangle Real Estate Trends
If real estate in the Triangle was a children’s fable, it would be a beanstalk shooting into the sky to meet the giants.
According to a 2018 report from Capital Compass, the Triangle experienced record growth in commercial real estate last year, leasing more than 1.4 million square feet. Class A space – the crème de la crème of properties – continues to be in highest demand, indicating that buyers will pay more for premier quality and central location. The Dillon – the 18-story mixed-use building that will join the downtown Raleigh skyline – has leased 43 percent of its residential units and nearly 77 percent of its retail space, leaving more room for real estate growth in the near future.
Residential real estate in the Triangle is also on fire. In Zillow’s 2018 list of hottest housing markets, Raleigh earned the No. 2 spot “based on its rising home values and rental prices, steady income growth, abundant job opportunities and low unemployment rate.” The Triangle remains in the running for Amazon’s HQ2, which would bring 50,000 jobs to residents and accelerate the area’s growth. As the Triangle establishes itself as a technological, health care and financial hub, homebuyers and business owners alike are flocking to the Triangle to set up shop.
Key Social Media Marketing Tools for Real Estate
In layman’s terms, the time to invest in real estate is upon us. As a real estate developer, builder, investor or agent, effective marketing strategies are more crucial than ever to ensure your properties are the ones getting filled. To stay on top of the trends, we have our eyes on these three social media tools that will shine the spotlight on your brand.
- Snapchat Geofilters: The real-time visual platform offers so much more than flower crown filters. With 158 million daily users who exchange 2.5 billion Snaps and check the app an average of 18 times a day, Snapchat boasts a freakishly high engagement rate. Snapchat’s on-demand geofilters encourage direct interaction with key publics and broaden your brand’s reach to other people’s networks. The unpolished, real-time content lends authenticity to your brand, which builds trust and familiarity with your key publics, leading to meaningful relationships.
- Instagram Stories: Unlike Snapchat, Instagram more easily builds and maintains a steady audience. Stories can expire after 24
hours or be archived as a “highlight” to live forever on your brand’s page. Use a story to document the course of an activity, like a new property tour or community event. Which stories should turn into highlights? Choose the story clips that get the most views and engagement, says Michael Stelzner, host of the Social Media Examiner podcast. You can even separate highlights into different branded categories, like “Blog,” “Homes” or “Events,” which makes it easier for followers to view what interests them. These snippets provide a peek into the daily life of your brand, putting faces and adding personality to your logo. - Facebook Live: The social media giant’s streaming feature marries long-form video content with real-time presence. These videos
provide deeper engagement with your followers, since you can respond to a viewer’s questions or comments while live. Facebook Live seems made for the real estate industry; what viewer doesn’t want to hop on an impromptu tour of the newest properties and communities without leaving his or her living room?
Although they have their differences, these three social media tools tap into the power of visual. Videos and photos with intentional, innovative content give viewers a personalized experience when finding their perfect home or office space.
Are you ready to get social? Tap us in to help build your brand with our strategic social media know-how.
Written by intern Elizabeth Comtois, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill.