Real Estate Marketing Ideas, Real Estate Lead Generation, Real Estate Tips

Strategies to Grow Your Online Real Estate Social Media Brand

By Lindsay Goebel Last Updated February 10, 2025 9 min read

Utilizing social media platforms to grow your business is valuable and, often times, free. A social media strategy is not for every brand, but social media for real estate agents, it can be a real winner.

Which social media platform is right for your real estate brand? Let’s take a look and learn how to use social media to establish your real estate brand and create a stronger presence.

Facebook

Facebook is the most widely used social platform in the world with 3.07 billion monthly active users. The most prevalent users on Facebook are between the ages of 25 and 34 years old, which is good news for realtors as 38% of home buyers are millennials.

It’s not just a great platform to target buyers, though. Facebook is an awesome resource for connected with motivated sellers. On top of that, marketing your brand on Facebook can help generate referrals and showcase your work. For this reason, each of the following strategies is essential for reaching your target market.  

Understand your audience

As you begin to grow your audience, take a look at your audience insights. By understanding your audience, you can work to generate the content that interests them most. Your audience (people) insights will show you where your followers live, what languages they speak, and if they identify as male or female.

How to access your audience insights:

  • Go to your Facebook Page. If you have not yet created a Facebook Page for your business, click here to view a tutorial.
  • On the tool header, click Insights.
  • On the left-hand tab, click People.
  • From here, you can view statistics reports of your fans, your followers, people reached and people engaged.

By analyzing which posts your followers like and understanding who they are, you can consistently share relevant, engaging content.

Take a look at your competition

Some of the best insight you can receive is through the pages of your competition or real estate agents and brokerages that you admire. This ‘Pages to Watch’ feature can be found within your Insights Overview page.

‘Pages to Watch’ compiles weekly data including:

  • Total Page Likes
  • Individual rankings from the previous week
  • Posts This Week
  • Engagement This Week

When you click on any of the pages you are monitoring, Facebook shows you their top posts of the week.

Make sure you post at the right time

Another part of understanding your audience and industry, is understanding what time of day your content will receive the most engagement.

Now, engagement times may be different for specific cities and people. You need to pay close attention to what works for your community and your following. You can check to see when your followers are online by clicking on the Posts tab within your page’s Insights.  

Provide different types of content 

We understand that a majority of content produced for real estate Facebook pages will be related to real estate. That does not mean that your posts have to be clones of each other. It is important to provide your followers with a variety of content relevant to your industry.

Aside from new listing posts, add in some real estate industry news and articles that help sellers prepare their home. Here are some other content post ideas:

  • Day-to-day real estate business – this will allow you to beef up your Facebook page while staying relevant to your industry
  • Real estate trends – posts like this help position you as a thought leader
  • Good staging and decorating – your audience will greatly appreciate the advice, which acts as an extension to real estate
  • Seasonal/local advice – again, you want prospects to know that you are knowledgeable about your community!
  • Do the expected in unexpected ways – a great example of this is re-sharing viral videos that apply to your industry/audience.

Instagram

Instagram is the second most used social media platform with 1 billion active users. Primarily a visual platform, Instagram is perfect for brands (like real estate) who rely on imagery to sell their products.

According to AdEspresso, images on this platform get an average of 23% more engagement than their Facebook counterparts. Brands see major benefits having an Instagram account. With 60% of users learning about new products through Instagram and more than 200 million users visiting a business profile daily, Instagram should be a no-brainer when it comes to social media for real estate.  

Create a dependable handle

When you activate an Instagram account, you create a unique handle. This is your main identity, so make sure to create a name that is memorable.

A number of agents use their name and a real estate keyword to help users quickly understand the purpose of the account. We would suggest keeping your agency name out of your handle unless you own the agency.

If you ever move to a different brokerage, you do not want to worry about changing your name and confusing followers. On that note, you always have the option to change your username so long as no one else is already using the one you want to change to.

Write a strong bio

After you choose your handle, you’ll want to perfect your bio. Your bio should be easy to read and represent your real estate brand. Include your specialty, location, and contact information. We suggest using short-form writing and emojis in a stacked format. This helps users quickly read what your brand is all about!

Here are some examples of great Instagram bios:

  • @realestatebyjoanna has a great bio and username! She includes her full name, her location, what she does and a link to her webpage.
  • @lisagathercolerealtor is another realtor with are great bio set up. Again, Lisa includes her name, what she does and a link to her website. Users know exactly what she does!
  • @jademillsestates, a Verified Instagram User, takes a different approach by focusing on her well-deserved accolades. This is another way to stand out from your competitors.

Keep visuals in mind

Remember, Instagram is a visual marketing platform. When you create a post, focus on visuals first. Everything else is secondary.

If you use professional photography to market your listings, this platform is ideal for marketing how you go above and beyond for your clients. Similarly, brand influencers and designers will often use the same filter for every image in order to create a visual board that is aesthetically sound. 

Here are a couple of our favorites:

  • @dactylion_design uses a variety of compositions while maintaining a faded filter look throughout her feed.
  • @realtor_jessicahoneycutt mixes in staging photos, personal photos, and social proof into her feed. This is a great strategy to building a brand while giving followers a behind-the-scenes look.
  • @zoelaz is an Instagram Influencer with a strong filter game. We love how her warm falltime aesthetic and professional images carry throughout her feed. Even though visuals are the most important element for Instagram, your captions need to be well-written and informative. They should contain relevant hashtags (keep it to four). You want to switch up your hashtags every few posts, otherwise, the Instagram algorithm may categorize you as a spam bot.

Use all of Instagram’s features

Instagram’s algorithm is ever-evolving. The algorithm rewards you for using all of their features. This means that you should not post single photos only. You need to post videos as well as slideshows using the carousel feature.

You also need to utilize Instagram Stories, which can increase overall engagement. According to Later.com, the more a user interacts with your Instagram Stories, the more likely your posts will show up in their feed. 

Instagram Stories is a great feature for giving your followers a sneak peek into your day-to-day life. You can also create polls, ask and answer questions, add gifs, and so much more.

Be quick to respond

The first hour you post a photo or video to Instagram is crucial. Your visibility on this platform is dependent on the engagement you receive within that hour. This means that you need to ‘like’ and respond to comments from visitors.

Your comment needs to be four words or longer for the IG algorithm to index it. On top of engaging on your own post, you also should spend this golden hour commenting and liking other posts that are similar to your own. This helps Instagram see that you are active and not a bot. Again, make sure that your comments are four words or more.

LinkedIn

As the world’s largest professional network with over 1.5 billion users, LinkedIn is the perfect social media platform for growing your brand. Better yet, LinkedIn is a hub for millennials (40 million users), which makes up one-third of home buyers.

By using LinkedIn, you can quickly connect with valuable referrals and leads while positioning yourself as a thought-leader in the real estate industry.

Build out your LinkedIn profile

First things first: setting up a stellar real estate profile.

  1. After you sign up for LinkedIn, make your way to your profile page.
  2. You will find this on the header toolbar under “Me”.
  3. Next, click on the pencil tool to edit your intro: Here, you will add your professional headshot, your brand-consistent cover image, and information about your business.

Many realtors use their LinkedIn profile as an opportunity to showcase their achievements and accolades as an agent.

Here is an example of a real estate profile that hits the mark:

  • Jamie Melim uses a professional headshot for her profile image as well as a professional listing image for her cover photo.
  • In her summary, she details her experience in the real estate industry, her love for her community, and her specialties as a real estate agent.
  • Additionally, Jamie has over 500+ connections. Not only does this mean that Jamie is active on LinkedIn, but it also shows other users that she is well-connected and interested in networking.

Connect with agents in other cities

Building connections with real estate agents nationwide is a great technique for creating a strong referral network. Because agents in other cities are not in direct competition with you, they are more likely to send prospects in your area straight to you.

Another reason to connect with agents nationwide is to see what techniques help them succeed in their specific market. Maybe their marketing strategies have not hit your city yet. This insight will allow you to get ahead of the competition when it comes to prospecting new clients.

Join real estate groups

LinkedIn has an active network of niche groups available for users to join. This is a surefire way to connect with other agents, gain knowledge about your industry and generate fresh content ideas.

To find groups, type your keywords into the search bar and select groups in the ‘More’ drop-down menu. There are over 17,000 real estate groups on LinkedIn. If you want to narrow your search to specific markets, make sure to add your state or city to your keywords.

YouTube

After its launch in 2005, YouTube became the second-largest search engine and the second-most visited site after Google. Although YouTube may not be the first social media platform real estate agents turn to for their marketing strategy, there are some major upsides.

Video marketing has become a key strategy for successful real estate agencies and YouTube remains the perfect hub for promoting video content.

Customize your channel to reflect your brand

You want your YouTube channel to look as good as your website. Take a look at Seth O’Bryne’s YouTube Channel. He makes sure to include a professional headshot, professional photography in his cover photo, and a well-written bio.

Placester has a great article on how to optimize your channel. You can create a YouTube channel by signing up with your Google Account (Gmail). If you don’t have a Google Account, create one here.

Create engaging video content

You don’t have to be a videographer to produce engaging videos. There are plenty of video creation programs available, both free and paid, that make it easy to produce eye-catching content. Some professional real estate photography companies even provide listing image tours in a video format, which means you can quickly share your new listing on YouTube.

When you create your video marketing plan, Placester suggests the following content pieces:

  • How-to videos: How-to videos are a fast and easy way to generate content, offer educational tools to buyers and sellers, and position yourself as a leader in the real estate industry. For easy video creation, check out Animoto.
  • Market updates: Keller Williams Realty does a great job at leveraging their worldwide success. By sharing what’s going on in their company on a global scale, they stay relevant and top-of-mind.
  • Interviews & testimonials: Seth O’Byrne highlights his clients’ success stories through consistent, short testimonials. Social proof will help you build a great referral network.
  • Listing videos: Not only do listing videos help gain exposure for your current listing, but they show sellers that you go above and beyond to market their home. Notice above how clean and well-branded Seth’s thumbnails are for his listing videos. You can select/upload your video’s thumbnail and change it at any time.
  • Neighborhood overviews: Videos of your community work wonders for positioning yourself as an in-the-know agent for your area. Never miss the opportunity to offer your buyers and sellers in your community with neighborhood highlights and important statistics.

Keep SEO in mind when creating titles and copy 

When you create a title and copy for your newly uploaded videos, don’t forget about keywords for SEO (search engine optimization). How will your video be seen? Always consider what your viewers will type in to find videos similar to yours.

If you’re posting a new listing, include keywords like “new listing”, your agency and the location. Likewise, if you’re posting a testimonial, include keyword phrases like “real estate success testimonial”, your agency name and location.

Viewers are not only searching within YouTube’s site. They’re most likely searching Google, too. This is why you need to have an eye-catching title and a long-form caption describing what is in your video. You will also want to add important links within your copy.

How can Virtuance help with your social media efforts

With a well-designed social media strategy, you’ll be a real estate social media guru in no time. Remember to select the best platform for your needs, remain consistent with your brand identity and voice across all of your social media channels—and make sure to always stay engaged!

To help in your social media efforts, check out Virtuance’s free social media templates to help draw attention to your business and help you generate more social leads.

FAQ

Social media is an essential tool for real estate agents because it allows them to reach a vast audience for free or at a low cost. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube offer unique ways to connect with potential buyers and sellers, and showcase properties.

The best platform for a real estate agent depends on their target audience and content style. Facebook is great for connecting with both buyers and sellers, Instagram excels at showcasing visually appealing properties, LinkedIn is ideal for networking and professional connections, and YouTube is perfect for video marketing and property tours.

Facebook Insights provides valuable data about your audience, such as demographics, location, and engagement habits. By understanding these insights, you can tailor your content to resonate with your followers and post at times when engagement is highest.

Real estate agents should post a variety of content on Instagram, including property listings, industry news, staging tips, and local advice. Visuals are key on Instagram, so ensure your photos and videos are high-quality. Additionally, use Instagram Stories and reels to engage your audience and build a deeper connection.

LinkedIn is a professional networking platform where real estate agents can connect with potential clients and referral sources. By building a strong LinkedIn profile, engaging in real estate groups, and connecting with agents nationwide, you can enhance your visibility, gain industry insights, and position yourself with authority.