A recent study into the use of social media for property marketing revealed that only one in ten agencies was using a third party to manage their profiles.
According to figures from Move with Us, only 10% of respondents trusted the control of their online identity to an expert – with the rest preferring to manage their own accounts.
Agents Must Understand the Medium to be Successful with Social Media
However, social media marketers say that unknowledgeable agents who opt to keep their online operating in house may be missing out on an important opportunity.
One UK social media consultant told Photoplan: “While it is really exciting that agencies are enthusiastic about getting involved with social media, if it isn’t their area of expertise, and they don’t fully understand the way it works, they could be shooting themselves in the foot.”
She explained that social media users have a finely tuned radar and can tell when a company really understands the medium – which is an important factor for them when they decide whether or not to do business with the company.
Estate Agents Must Engage with Internet Audience
“Many companies fall into the trap of posting for posting’s sake when it comes to social media, but what they really need to understand it how to add value for their audience – by contributing useful information, adding their own unique content and really engaging with the existing users.”
Here at Photoplan we recommend that companies who want to control their own social media presence should:
- Ensure that accounts are checked on a regular basis and queries responded to.
- Create a company blog so that they are not recycling other people’s content in their posts.
- Monitor industry related trends and contribute to the conversation.
Alternatively, estate agents should invest in dedicated social media management for property marketing to ensure that they are always at the sharp end of online interactions.
