“Content is King.” This phrase is one many real estate professionals stand by and utilize when putting together their marketing plans. However, with a laundry list of to-dos, agents and brokers alike are often too busy to pump out a constant stream of fresh content. Instead of pushing yourself too hard to create and execute new, quality content for your sphere of influence, why not dip back into your existing content pool? With the right strategy, you can repurpose, reuse and recycle content all throughout the year, ultimately expanding your reach, increasing lead generation and streamlining your workload.
Explore your library of content
Whether you have your own blog or contribute articles to industry websites or other blogs, you should have your own library of educational and informational content. If you are just starting out on your content journey, consider banking some content you can spread out over a few weeks or months at a time. Having a decent collection of content ready to share with your audience is important, as time is often limited and by offering these resources to your clients and prospects online, you can dedicate even more time to them offline and in-person.
Read through some of your most popular content topics that have a proven track record of resonating with your audience. Reference the analytics and performance of your content on each social media platform. Starting with this content will ensure you are not just listening to your sphere, but catering to them, too. Start with your long-form content and lists, as these will be the simplest to summarize and turn into easily digestible content perfect for social media.
Edit, update and refresh content
Once you choose the content you want to repurpose, it is important to first read through everything and ensure that it is still relevant and timely. If the copy, references or sources need updating, adjust accordingly. To ensure your content will perform at its highest and reach the widest audience, be sure to update any SEO needs. Trending terms and phrases can change often, so keeping your content up-to-date is important.
The more evergreen your content is, the better, especially when it comes to recycling it. Seasonal content can often be used year after year, and general educational topics, such as renovation tips and advice for buyers and sellers, may only need to be lightly edited. Anything that includes data or market information may need a closer look, as laws, rules and regulations, and market pricing constantly fluctuates. Though certain topics and information may need a complete rewrite before you repurpose, it will be worth the time and effort for even more content options.
Reimagine content in creative ways
Now that you have chosen your content and made any necessary adjustments, the creative process can begin! First, it is important to understand what “content” is. Of course, this includes blogs and articles, but it also includes infographics, videos and photos.
With video marketing on the rise, especially over the last few years, it is crucial for agents to have some sort of video marketing in their social media strategy. Whether you choose to host a podcast, shoot a video tour for a home or simply break down a blog or article into a video format, video marketing is key for success, especially on social media.
Infographics, like videos, are visually appealing to your sphere of influence. They offer the opportunity to summarize information and illustrate your topics, making them easily digestible from a computer screen or even a phone. Infographics also give you the chance to reach a wider audience of people who may not click and read your blog or article, meaning your message can be seen in many different ways, by many different prospects.
Not the most creative person? No design skills? No problem! There are many free programs available for even the most novice designers to create compelling visual content, such as Canva, with ease. The company you work for may also employ graphic designers, or outsource their marketing materials. Be sure to contact your marketing team to see what resources may be available.
Tailor content for each platform
As you repurpose your content, it is important to keep in mind that every social media platform features a different format. Before you start designing and creating your content, you will want to make a plan for where which item will be posted. Remember, you are recycling and reusing content you already posted, so you don’t need to post these items across all of your social accounts—the last thing you want to do is inundate your audience with repetitive posts.
Facebook, for example, is rapidly becoming the hub for video content. In fact, when you post video content on this platform, you can quickly reap the benefits of increased engagement. Instagram, though it is also video-friendly, is more appropriate for visually-focused, bite-sized content, such as infographics or photos with short-form copy.
YouTube is also a popular platform for real estate professionals, especially for those who host a podcast or video show of some sort. Instead of creating a graphic or short-form video, consider referencing an existing piece of content for a webinar, panel, podcast or discussion with other industry professionals to make your content even more dynamic.
TikTok has become one of the fastest-growing social media platforms, recently outshining others like Instagram, and even Facebook. Get creative with different forms of video content, keep an eye on trends, and take advantage of the collaborative nature of this platform.
By repurposing, reusing and recycling your existing content, you are creating opportunities for yourself, your business and your online presence. It is an agent’s job to provide their sphere of influence with the education and information they need before, during and after a real estate transaction. So why not have some fun with it while stocking up on content to use throughout the year and into the future? As you plan out your next quarter, use this guide to help you streamline your content, and ultimately, your workload.
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