Did you know that 70 percent of all clicks on Pinterest happen in the first 48 hours of something being posted and that most users are more active in evening hours? How about the fact that 48 percent of users share their pins via tablet?
These are just some of the social media golden nuggets that Katie Lance, CEO and owner of Katie Lance Consulting, delivered in Homes.com’s webinar, “Instagram and Pinterest in Real Estate, How to Leverage Photo-Driven Social Platforms for Your Business.”
Lance stresses the importance of using these photo-driven sites to build your business, grow your referrals and substantially grow your network.
“One of my big predictions for 2014 is that photos will be even more important. There’s been a surge of photos and videos on all social media sites, but Instagram and Pinterest are both growing by leaps and bounds,” she says. “A big piece of your strategy has to be about visual content. Pictures have become one of our default modes of sorting and understanding the vast amounts of information we’re exposed to every day.”
This week, Homes.com will explore Lance’s thoughts on Pinterest, and next week, we will turn our attention to her expert advice on using Instagram.
A 2012 study by ROI Research found that when users engage with friends on social media sites, it’s the pictures they took that are enjoyed the most. In fact, 44 percent of respondents are more likely to engage with brands if they post pictures than any other media.
People are spending more time on Pinterest than any other platform, which is why Lance says all real estate pros should post consistently and have a strong content strategy.
“One of the number-one search terms on Pinterest is the word ‘home,’” says Lance. “People are searching for their dream home and dreaming about beautiful bathrooms and kitchens and front doors and backyards, and this is a great way to do that.”
Lance emphasizes the need for creating a private Pinterest board to help your clients dream. You can also get a better idea of what they’re looking for in a home from their pins and get some great intel on what potential clients are passionate about.
“This is the ultimate scrapbook. It gives you an opportunity to create content in an organized way,” Lance says. “Be authentic. Don’t be afraid to show what you are passionate about. If just starting, create some simple boards.”
She cites examples of creating a page of all things blue or food recipes, and if you’re wondering how this will help your real estate business, Lance says it’s important to share beyond your business and show things you are passionate about to better connect with clients and potential clients. You should also explore the boards of those you are connected with to find topics you can talk to them about.
“As an agent, you can get incredible intel by seeing what people are active with. This is a really great snapshot of what they are passionate about,” she says. “Maybe they are planning a wedding for their daughter and are creating a board for that. Think about not just what you will post but how to gain knowledge on your clients and engage with them.”
