We live in a world flooded with social media, most of which is visual in nature. Platforms like Instagram are rapidly gaining in popularity so quickly that if you don’t have an account for rental property business, you are missing out. Services such as Twitter® might work for keeping in touch with your current tenants, but you might find it very hard to compose a rental ad in 140 characters. What you will find, is that most renters prefer to see photographs and videos when we are in the market for a new home.
Since Instagram is a photo/video based form of social media, you must have a good camera to ensure you get the best results. No, this doesn’t mean you need to invest hundreds of dollars in a new DSLR camera, it just means your phone needs to have one. But, bear in mind you should be thinking about your target audience when determining if your smartphone camera is good enough. For example, if your intended demographic is those interested in high-end properties, you may want to go ahead and buy that camera.
If you want to attract the most visitors to your properties, you need to think outside the box when taking photos and videos. Certainly, you want plenty of photos of the exterior and interior of the property, but don’t stop there. Go out in the neighborhood and take photos of neighborhood attractions like local restaurants, clubs, golf courses, and anything that you feel will help make the property more appealing.
Another thing to consider if you allow pets in your rental properties is to take pictures of the nearest dog parks and include them in the listing. While a few prospective tenants may be more interested in flashy entertainment, you are more likely to find that most are far more interested in the little things like the nearest grocery stores, gas stations, and so forth. It is said a picture is worth a thousand words and never has this been truer than into today’s rental market.
If this has at least caught your interest, let’s take a look at a few numbers that support the theory that social media marketing is the wave of the future. According to the 2016 Social Media Marketing Industry Report released by Social Media Examiner, marketing professionals rate the use of photographs and videos as second in importance to their marketing strategies only to blogging. The report goes on to say that marketing experts believe the use of visual and video content will account for more than 70 percent of total marketplace importance.
However, it takes more than creating a single post if you want to achieve the most success. According to statistics released by HootSuite’s Enterprise, the top-rated brands post an average of 5 times each week. One last thing, be sure you are using #hashtags and that they are relevant to your area and to the real estate industry. Consider #hashtags along the lines of #singlefamily, #realestate, or #realestatepasadena.
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