Bill Gassett
By Bill Gassett
What do you think LinkedIn is for? Is it just for people who are trying to find a new job? Should you only visit it if you want to recruit somebody? Or is it one of the best ways to grow your real estate business? If you chose the third option, you are correct. In fact, HubSpot, reports that LinkedIn is three times more effective at generating business leads than Facebook or Twitter. And since leads result in more sales and more money in your pocket, it is clear that LinkedIn cannot be ignored.
Here are 10 ways real estate pros can effectively use LinkedIn to increase their online exposure.
1. Remember, It’s Not Facebook
First, it is crucial to realize that LinkedIn is not like your other social networking sites. This one is all about business, and you better keep things professional. So no sharing that funny meme your Aunt Linda showed you, and no posting pictures of what you are eating for dinner or your funny cat. There are plenty of other sites for that.
2. Make Sure Your Profile and Company Page Are Complete
Since you are a real estate practitioner and independent contractor, you have your own professional brand, thus, you should have both a personal profile and a Company Page. Each one should be filled out completely. Not only should every detail be included—like your website, links to your other social media profiles, any awards or certifications you have, and past companies you have worked for—but it should be displayed in a way that is easy to read and engaging.
3. Include Keywords
Just like you do with your website and blogs, your profile and Company Page should be keyword rich. When people want to find a “real estate agent in Massachusetts,” for example, you want to make sure you show up.
4. Share Plenty of Content
When you are deciding which content to share on LinkedIn, always have the goal of helping others, but make sure the type of information varies. On one day, post an informative article on a new development in real estate, and on the next, share an opinionated blog post about what agents are doing wrong. Make sure you’re not just sharing your own content. Those who are successful in social media understand that it can’t always be about YOU.
5. Publish Directly on LinkedIn
Not only should you be sharing loads of information, you should also be writing your own. One thing that makes LinkedIn unique is that it allows you to publish your content for all of LinkedIn to see. They are referred to as long-form posts, and you definitely need to be taking advantage of them. Not only does it make you look more credible when you have them on your profile, but they are searchable both on and off LinkedIn. People do not have to be in your network to view them, and they are able to connect with you directly from the post. This is an invaluable tool for growing your network and establishing your expertise in the real estate industry.
6. Study Your Analytics
LinkedIn is very generous in the amount of information they provide to you. They tell you exactly which of your posts received interactions and which ones didn’t. You should study these analytics thoroughly so that you can capitalize on what people like and avoid the stuff they don’t.
7. Connect With Everyone
There has never been, and never will be, a rule that you are only allowed to connect with people that you know on LinkedIn. You should do searches for locals in your area, other agents, home appraisers, mortgage brokers, and anyone else you want. The thing is, there is no such thing as too big of a network. You never know where each connection will lead you. Over the years, I have seen some really shortsighted agents who say, if they don’t know them then they won’t connect. This might be prudent thinking on Facebook, but not on LinkedIn!
8. Capitalize on LinkedIn Real Estate Groups
One of the hidden gems on LinkedIn is the group feature. They are the difference between agents who really drive traffic back to their website and those who don’t. However, there is a proper way to use them.
- According to the Social Media Examiner, you should look for groups within your industry—or groups that contain your target niche or market—that have enough members to get you exposure, but not so many that you get lost in the shuffle. Aim for between 1,000 and 5,000 members. You can also join a few of the larger groups for when you are sharing something of a more general nature.
- When you interact within the groups, remember that you are there to add value. You should respond to others’ questions, give your opinions, share advice, and ask questions that make people think. You should not post links to your site unless it is something of value.
- Don’t post your listings! I cannot emphasize this one enough. Real Estate agents are notorious for only thinking about promoting their listings. Social media is about forming relationships, not trying to sell to people. Do you think anyone goes to Linkedin groups to buy a home? I hope you realize the answer is no. This is one of the most annoying things real estate agents do in social media. What’s worse is there are some groups that spell out the fact you can’t post listings and some practitioners do it anyway. This is the perfect way to look like a fool in front of your peers.
- Don’t try to be active on too many groups at once, or you will not be able to provide anything useful to any of them. Instead, choose three or four that you really think could boost your exposure and make sure to check-in with them several times per week. Some excellent real estate groups to take a look at joining are The National Association of REALTORS®, Real Estate Professionals Group, and Real Estate Professional Referral Group.
- Once you are part of a conversation, don’t leave it unfinished. Always go back to see if anyone has responded to what you said.
- After you have established yourself within the group, you can start asking your own questions and solicit feedback. If you ask one that garners a lot of attention, you will even be featured as a top contributor within the group, increasing your visibility tenfold.
9. Start Your Own Group
If you are really ambitious, it could be time to found your own group. This puts you in the driver’s seat, and, if done correctly, can really catapult your recognition in the real estate industry. In order to set the precedent, you should set up an auto-email that goes out to all new members welcoming them to the group and setting the ground rules (like no soliciting). You can also let them know that you will be sending out weekly or monthly emails with industry resources and tricks of the trade.
10. Help Others
Finally, you should take a few minutes each day to endorse and recommend other people. They will appreciate the gesture and may even return the favor.
These are some of the best ways a real estate agent can use Linkedin to get meaningful results. Do you have any tips for successfully using LinkedIn? Share them in the comments below.
Bill Gassett is a nationally-recognized real estate leader and one of the top RE/MAX salespeople in New England. See all his real estate articles at www.maxrealestateexposure.com.
Comments 34
Great advice, Bill. Yes, I have found LinkedIn to be the best of the social media platforms for leads. That is because I have a large number of connections of people I know. I also try to reach out to past customers and connect to them (I do this every 3 months or so).
Great Article!!! Thank you for taking the time to educate your fellow Realtor
What great recommendations! Just PERFECT! I have so far done most of them,
but still got some new ideas from your advice…… Love and I do love Linkedin for that one reason that it is professional, not dog photos, no listings, no funny stuff…..
Thanks for the post…
Edith YourRealtor4Life
Chicago / North Shore & Northern Illinois Expert
@Properties Real Estate
Bill, I have been following you across different social media platforms. I am also part of the RE/MAX family here in sunny Miami. I have started to tap into LinkedIn. This article really broke it down for me. You are an inspiration! I hope to connect someday. Maybe at next year’s R4
Thanks Bill for another great article. I found the information “spot on”
Great Article! Definitely worth the share, it got my creative juices flowing.
Your advice has been so helpful, Bill. Thank you. A previous article that you published prompted me to join this group, and once I have item 4 comfortably under my belt I will move on to number 5. Your articles and the good examples of those using LinkedIn have been good incentive.
As always, well written, and spot on.
Thanks everyone for all your great comments. It is good to hear you got something out of the article!
thanks Bill for the great article …informative and helpful …
Great article!!! Thanks so much for the insights, ideas, and advice.
Phenomenal article!
What a great article, Bill. I am a LinkedIn trainer, and I always like to read what others have to say – especially when they agree with me. You have helped validate my training for realtors also. Thank you so much.
Awesome Article!
Thank you so much! I am a new Realtor and this article answered many questions on how to effectively utilize LinkedIn.
Thank you for the valuable information! It is very much appreciated!
thanks for the good advice! Well written article !
Very good read!
Thanks Bill. Great article!!!
Thanks, very timely
Fantastic post, this is the guide all should follow when entering the Linked In arena.
Hi! I’ve been on linked in for a long while, but never a lead. Is there something you put in your name, header or info when you reply to people or post that lets them know you are a real estate agent etc? To me I look like just another business person on the site (initial look), until you go to my profile. Would love advice about how to get more visibility and leads. I agree that sending out real estate stuff isn’t the way to get it. Only occasionally.
Bill: Thank you for the article. Some great information that I intend to practice.
Super information about the Do’s and Don’ts for Realtors on LinkedIn.
Thank you for sharing! As a South Florida realtor, I am always looking for an inroad for an edge. Even if you have an established referral network, it’s essential to be active on LinkedIn.
Excellent article! I love your advice about publishing long-form posts. This is a great strategy. Too bad some real estate agents haven’t read this article. I’ve seen several agents lately posting home listings as “articles.” This is the same mistake as posting in groups, if you ask me. What do you think?
Thank you for the tips Bill I enjoyed the article. I’ve been in real estate for about 10 years now and in a bit of a down time so thought I would take the time to get more familiar with Linkedin and start implementing some of your tips
Bill this is great. I’m one of those younger Realtors who just doesn’t get LinkedIn, because it has such a different culture than all other social networks. This article gave me the info I needed to start using LinkedIn as well. So when you say use the long form post, are you referring to a post, or an article published in LinkedIn Pulse? Thanks- Dustin Brohm in Salt Lake City, UT
Thanks everyone for all your comments. Justin – yes a long form post is the Pulse Platform.
Oh WOW! Thank you. I had always assumed we couldn’t do company pages since our agencies have them. I am just reading a fascinating book by Mary Shannon Moore where she references our own page. When looking for more details, I arrived here. I will be adding that posthaste! Thank you 🙂
Kaye
LinkedIn is the platform that i’m most confused by. I’ve wanted to use it but never felt like I knew how. This article helped a lot!
I just created a linkedIn page with my business, and I got a lead from it! It was totally worth it to customize it and build it correctly because it was amazing! Thanks for your tips! It really helped me.
Thanks for this information.
This is great! Now that I have read this I can see a bunch of ways that I could use Linkedin for my business. Thank you so much for writing this. I learned so much today.
informative post thanx for sharing with us …m really seeking for this kind of post.