While having an online presence, more specifically on social media, is becoming a necessity for real estate professionals, it’s always important to maintain a level of professionalism. For this reason, we’ve put together a few tips to help you responsibly grow your personal and professional brand online.
Keep things positive
While it may be tempting to wade into the latest debate online, professional accounts should refrain from weighing in on topics outside the purview of business goals. Whether it’s posting, privately messaging other accounts, commenting, or any other form of communication online – stay positive and on message to avoid damaging your reputation.
Monitor activity on your accounts, and manage privacy settings
Sometimes, other accounts may tag you in posts that are not professional or reflective of your brand’s values. You can avoid being associated with these posts by managing your online privacy settings to disallow unknown accounts from tagging you in content and/or removing tags of your account from posts that do not reflect your brand voice.
Choose your words carefully
Well-maintained professional accounts should refrain from using harsh or explicit language. Additionally, taking the time to proofread all communications for spelling or grammatical errors can go a long way to establishing credibility and professionalism. Remember, this could be your first touchpoint with potential clients or partners.
Respond promptly and professionally
While social media can be a great tool to reach new audiences, it’s important to stay connected with your current followers. Don’t neglect your inboxes or comments when your hard work starts to pay off with people reaching out to you. Make sure that you’re responding to comments and messages promptly and in a professional manner.
Learn about the different platforms
Learning what’s appropriate on each platform and best practices for use can help you avoid posting something inappropriate for the audience. Social media is constantly evolving, so it’s important to keep up to date. Some platforms, like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok can allow for a more entertaining content approach, while others, like LinkedIn, cater to a more business centered approach. There are many helpful social media articles to help you get started.
Consistency is key
It may sound cliché, but consistency really is key when it comes to social media. Many REALTORS® may be tempted to post on every platform every day to get started, but in many cases, this isn’t sustainable nor is it the best strategy. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the different available platforms, develop a plan you know you can stick to. Social media is a long-term investment and takes time and energy to build into a valuable business tool.
Keep separate personal accounts
Consider operating separate accounts for your personal and professional life. Curating a personal brand is a great strategy for many REALTORS®, but if you’re intention is to keep an account just for family and friends, ensure to alter your privacy settings to separate the two (mainly on Facebook or Instagram).
If your intention is to curate a personal brand, most platforms offer the ability to change your account settings to a business or creator profile, which gives you added features like analytics. Be sure to complete this step to take advantage of the features available to you.
Remember, even if you post something on a private personal account, there’s always the potential that that post will be screenshotted and shared publicly. A good rule of thumb is to never post something that you wouldn’t want to be the headline of a local newspaper.
Building a brand with social media
Social media is a powerful tool and, when wielded correctly, is a great business asset. Following professional standards when operating online can help differentiate you from competitors and instill another level of trust in prospective clients. By investing in defining your brand online you can attract your ideal client more easily over time.
