10 Ways to Maximize Your LinkedIn for Realtors
You probably already know the do's and don’ts of real estate marketing on Facebook and Twitter, but LinkedIn for Real Estate might be unfamiliar. LinkedIn is basically a social network for professionals and is great for developing real estate leads. There is more to LinkedIn than just signing in and hoping for the best, it requires a bit of effort. Here, we will provide you with 10 ways to help you become successful on LinkedIn that will assist you in growing your contacts database.
1. Start a Professional Group
In addition to sharing your content through the LinkedIn newsfeed, you should create your own group on LinkedIn where you can invite others to. When you start a professional group, you can fill your group with the best prospective or referral partners you find on Real Estate LinkedIn. This opens up a plethora of possibilities, such as finding business owners who might be looking to sell their property or others who are looking to find a new home.
2. Make a Summary Adjustment
Your summary on your LinkedIn for Real Estate profile is where others can get a feel for your real estate knowledge and where they can get a good idea about who you are. Even though many real estate summaries look a lot like resumes, don’t feel that yours needs to be strictly business. You should add some personal information about yourself in addition to professional information.
Be sure to list your credentials and a couple of your best recommendations. It is a good idea to keep it short so your readers can see any important information you have before having to click “read more”.
3. Use Media for Advertising
Timing is one of the most important things for a real estate agent. You constantly need to show your face to people, whether it be on a billboard in your neighborhood or on the bench at a bus terminal. Having your face plastered to signs for recognition is not the most effective way to advertise.
A better way to advertise yourself is to create and share content that will make others like you and trust you. Create content that shows how knowledgeable you are and will provide worth to your audience. Some great ideas of using media as a form of advertisement are creating blog posts, sharing informative videos or pictures, and sharing links to news stories and surveys about the area where you sell homes.
4. Create a Customized URL
On the right hand side of your banner on LinkedIn and above the “Promoted” box, there is a link that will assist you in customizing your URL on LinkedIn. This will make it easier for others to find you and will help improve your dependability.
It is important to stand out from others around you. When you have your own URL, others will know this is specifically your LinkedIn profile out of all the others out there. This is especially helpful if you have a common name.
5. Post Events
LinkedIn for Real Estate Agents is great for posting events on your page, such as open houses. A lot of what you post on LinkedIn, besides articles, usually does really well with your audience. If you posted an open house event on Facebook or Instagram and you didn’t get many likes, chances are your LinkedIn will allow you to have a better chance of connecting.
If you use a third-party app, like OpenHomePro, you can create an open house page that is specific to new properties and share it on your LinkedIn page. LinkedIn for Real Estate is a much better place for you to draw attention to your audience and keep them engaged.
6. Originate a Showcase Page
There are a couple different kinds of pages you can construct on your LinkedIn for business page, Showcase Pages and Company Pages. The Showcase Page is directed towards your devoted landing pages, while the Company Page is directed towards your real estate website.
You can set up multiple Showcase Pages to draw attention to your blog posts, referral programs, or any other important information you want your audience to see.
7. Have a Strategy
It is wise to create your own personalized invitations for your audience on LinkedIn. This will help provide something beneficial and valuable to your audience. Telling your audience that you would like to connect is not enough to provide value, but telling them why you should connect will provide value.
Personalizing an invitation takes only a few minutes. If you add a note to the invitation, this can help persuade your audience to accept the invite rather than ignore it. Your note should be simple, but also take the time to reference any shared interests or connections you might have. A LinkedIn invitation is more than just gaining another follower or add, but is a gateway into another person’s network.
8. Use Hashtags
One of the most important things to understand when competing in a large group is that in order to be a successful real estate agent online, you almost always need to follow a mathematical model. A well known mathematical model is called the Pareto Principle. This is a theory that in many vast networks, the majority of the achievements are done by a small group of people. For example, 15 percent of social media users are responsible for 95 percent of everything that is posted.
In your business, you will most likely find that 20 percent of your efforts to outreach are responsible for 80 percent of your income. Most people on LinkedIn do not actually post anything or connect to others, which means it is important for you to use hashtags so your content is sure to be seen by others using LinkedIn.
9. Use Advanced Search
Advanced Search is a tool that is mostly used for those looking for a job or by companies who are hiring on LinkedIn. However, it has more than one use and can help you discover current leads and background information that can assist you in recognizing new possibilities. Don’t be afraid to send a message to a person of interest. It is important, to be honest, and genuine with them so you can earn their trust. You should let them know you are always looking for ways to connect with others in the market and get to know more about their business and background.
Avoid being overly eager to make a sale so you don’t come off as too pushy. The tag tool on LinkedIn is great for connections. Scroll over a contact you have and click the connections tab on the top of their profile. You can write “cold” if you feel they have little interest in real estate or “warm” if you think they seem close to hiring a realtor or real estate agent.
10. Make Your Profile Compelling
Like your other social media profiles, you will need to have a compelling profile. If you are familiar with how to navigate through Facebook’s profile process, using LinkedIn for Real Estate will be easy. You will need to start with a banner image, preferably the same image you use on your Facebook cover photo. If you did your Facebook profile accurately, it should include information about your branding. It will help to use the same banner across all your social media platforms to reinforce branding.
If you do not have a banner made that brands you as a real estate agent, choose a photo of a local landmark that your audience will recognize and connect you to. Feel free to add text to your banner photo, especially something that includes a sales statistic or an eye-catching recommendation. Be sure to be descriptive when putting the word “Realtor” in your banner. Get creative on how to separate your title and location so it doesn’t appear too generic. For example:
John Doe
Real Estate Agent | ABC Pennsylvania | I help ABC residents buy and sell homes
Final Thoughts
LinkedIn for realtors is a great tool to use. If you are considering becoming a real estate agent and want to provide value to your community, click here to learn more about how to work with Christian Saunders Real Estate and begin an exciting career journey with our agency.