Posting on social media a few times per week may not be as effective as it once was without the right marketing, regardless of the industry you work in. In a cyber world that is inundated with a continuous stream of digital content, it is more important than ever to not only post more, but to stand out. That’s where brand consistency comes into play. In order to become a trusted source for real estate information on the internet, consumers must first develop an understanding of what you have to offer, and that translates into recognition of your content and your value proposition.
Follow these guidelines as you work toward creating a strong brand with a loyal following:
Build a trustworthy brand. To maintain consistency, you need to have a brand in the first place. Your brand should be based around a set of core values that consumers will be proud to stand behind. Take some time to decide what you are working toward in your business and what you hope to accomplish, and use these goals as a basis for your core values. Consumers should be able to understand your value proposition through your core values, as well. It is especially important that they are listed on your website and social media profiles. Any content you post should align with these set of values.
Use the same style throughout your digital content. If you look at what big brand names have to offer in their marketing, you will find they rarely stray from a set of repetitive colors and styles in labeling and promotions, unless undergoing a significant redesign. There is a reason for this—automatic recognition. For example, you are most likely able to draw the Coca-Cola logo with your eyes closed, or spot a Target advertisement the minute one appears on television. This is the same response you want when it comes to your social media content.
Build a following around the same striking and bold colors you plan to use in everything you post, and choose a font for your videos that stands out, but looks professional. These are the elements that should remain the same, regardless of which social media platform you are posting on. You can follow the same guidelines for hashtags. If you have a specific hashtag for a video series you promote, or for related photos, continue to use them in future posts if relevant. The idea is to attach those hashtags to your brand, and eventually incentivize your audience to begin using them in your favor to extend your reach.
Share valuable content and post consistently. Part of building a brand and being recognized is providing a service that your audience can rely on. If you promised to deliver a weekly series on staging a home, then you have to uphold that promise by continuing to post relevant, quality content on a consistent basis. (Not to say that you can never post unrelated content, but the idea is to become known for something.) You want your audience to say, “I know an agent that posts a great series on YouTube every Monday.” You can also post during specific times of the day to increase number of views and further reassure your audience that they can depend on your posts.
It’s okay to vary your content depending on social platform. While it’s important to remain consistent on a single social media platform, such as Facebook, that does not equate to posting the same content on other channels, such as Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. These applications each offer their own unique advantages. Your Twitter audience is going to expect abbreviations and shortened phrases, because that is what the platform is meant for. Your Instagram followers are looking for more photos or videos than links to articles. Keep in mind that each social media channel works differently. What should not change is your consistency. If you have a video series that goes out every Monday on YouTube, keep posting on Mondays. On Instagram, you might feature a #ThrowbackThursday photo every week instead.
Following these guidelines can help you stand out among the thousands of REALTORS® marketing on social media. Brand consistency is a great way to eliminate the chance of your audience confusing you with another agent. It’s also an effective marketing tool for garnering more subscribers to your channels, and therefore increasing chances of obtaining referral business.
Find more social media strategies, tips and trends in RISMedia’s Social Skills series.
Liz Dominguez is RISMedia’s associate content editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at ldominguez@rismedia.com. For the latest real estate news and trends, bookmark RISMedia.com.
