Today we’re continuing our social media spotlight with a deeper look at LinkedIn and the best practices to ensure real estate agents get the most out of it.
It’s interesting to contrast LinkedIn and Facebook because, although they’re two of the three most-used social media platforms (along with Twitter), they have vastly different functions. Make no mistake – both are important. In fact, 66 percent of companies have a LinkedIn profile, according to the Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate (BHGRE) survey “Why Social Media Isn’t Working For You and How to Fix It.” Facebook ranks first at 98 percent, with Twitter coming in third (58 percent).
The most important thing to remember is LinkedIn, at its core, is an online resume. It also likely will be among the first handful of results to come up on a Google search, and might be the first place a potential client looks to review your credentials. Most clients won’t choose an agent who appears to lack knowledge, education and expertise.
So, yes, LinkedIn is extremely important and a must-have in today’s digital/Google-searching world. It’s also a place you shouldn’t feel apprehensive about promoting yourself and boasting about the skills you bring to the table.
Here are several areas to focus on when building or refreshing your LinkedIn page:
The Basics
As previously mentioned, LinkedIn is your online resume and the go-to professional networking site to showcase your expertise. Fill out every box by sharing all levels of education you’ve completed, displaying all accreditations and writing in-depth descriptions of your current and past positions.
Make sure to write an attention-grabbing summary at the top of your page. This is a great place to promote how many listings you average or other statistics that will jump out to potential clients, as well as any awards. Image-wise, stick to a professional headshot for your profile picture and a sharp picture for your background photo.
Also encourage previous clients to endorse you and give recommendations so your LinkedIn profile is a one-stop shop for anyone who comes across it.
Connections
Sixty-one percent of real estate agents on social media view it as a way to connect to the community, according to the aforementioned survey. LinkedIn revolves around businesses, employees and their connections, so it’s the perfect network for real estate agents who work in an industry predicated on connections, referrals and being involved in the community.
As mentioned, LinkedIn is a professional networking site focused on business connections; Facebook is a social media/networking site where users have friends. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t connect with family, long-lost friends and join or create local community groups.
LinkedIn is the best social media platform for professional networking, which means connecting with everyone. Take advantage.
Content
This is where many real estate agents go wrong, according to the BHGRE survey. What doesn’t work is posting listings in hopes of generating sales leads. What does work, however, is highlighting your professional experience, education and network strength.
Your LinkedIn profile is a great place to post original content that shows your expertise, blog posts by others you find educational and news – but think big news, i.e. trends, mortgage rates, how potential bills impact potential homebuyers. It’s not the avenue in which to share celebrity listings, off-the-wall observations or a meme.
Social media is partly about sharing your personality, which is fair game to do on Twitter and Facebook. But LinkedIn should be singularly focused on displaying your qualifications as an agent.
Quick Hitters
These are other observations we found while researching this post:
- LinkedIn is great for networking, but not so much for advertising. In fact, it’s the least cost effective, costing $27.90 per 1,000 impressions, according to the BHGRE survey. Facebook, for example, costs $1.54 with Twitter coming in at $12.16.
- File this under basics, but it’s important to customize your URL to linkedin.com/yourname. This will help it appear more prominently in online searches.
- Consider including “real estate agent” or “realtor” in your name. This creates better search engine optimization for both the LinkedIn and Google algorithm.
- Personalize invitations to connections, rather than using the generic “John, please add me to your LinkedIn network.”
More Resources
Check out what else we’ve written about using social media in your business:
- 5 Ways Social Media Can Grow Your Real Estate Business
- How Real Estate Agents Can Connect, Engage & Create Leads on Twitter
- How Real Estate Agents Can Benefit From Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube & Pinterest
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