If you’re managing a Facebook business page, you probably already got the memo: follow the 80/20 rule. To review, make sure 80% of your posts are business related, and the remaining 20% can be the “fluff.” For many, the fluff is easy enough, but what about the 80%?

As a real estate professional, your mind likely assumes the 80% will probably be about new and updated listings right? Wrong. Over emphasizing home listings and only posting about your properties for sale/rent is Facebook mistake #1 for real estate pros. Mix it up by thinking about common questions buyers, renters, and sellers ask. Consider posting neighborhood information or insights, or regional/global reports as well. If you provide valuable content, people will keep coming back.

To help you optimize that Facebook following of yours, we’ve thrown together some simple Do’s and Don’ts for your Facebook page to help you along the way.

DOs

Post updates or new listings

Got a listing that just dropped in price? What about a property with an open house coming up? It is obviously important information for you to disseminate, so be sure to cover this so that your audience gets the latest updates. If they’re serious about the home search, they’ll be sure to keep an eye out for updates.

Share your listing in an engaging way

If you are going to post something about a listing, do so in an engaging way. “Mr. and Mrs. Smith have just listed their beautiful 3-bedroom penthouse in Chicago’s West Loop. Stop by our Open House this Sunday!” Facebook isn’t the place for heavy sales language; keep it light and friendly. Include a link to the property website and tag the home seller or buyer if possible.

Link your website

Facebook isn’t just a place to show off all the listings you’re getting or sales you’re making, it’s a lead generation tool. If you don’t like to your website or listings, there’s no “action” for people that find your content. Linking to your sites in posts turns Facebook followers into potential clients. They can easily see recent listings and connect with you there if they have questions.

Add photos and video 

Want to really highlight a listing or make your content stand out? Create a photo album for a particular listing and include descriptions for each picture. You can also create a short tour of a property and instantly share it on Facebook using mobiles apps like ReaLync. If done correctly, video can instantly create an emotional connection with buyers and boost interest.

Provide your thoughts or insights

Make things personal for your audience. If you’re posting about a new listing, share your thoughts about a unique feature or discuss what the sellers fell in love with when they originally purchased the home. Have a favorite neighborhood in your city or thoughts about how consumers can make the property search process easier? Share them!

Group your followers into lists

To optimize your posting and marketing efforts, differentiate your followers into “Locals”, “Clients”, “Other”, or any variety of lists to help segment how you market to each of them. That way, you can easily post invitations to local events or open houses to the “Locals” group, while targeting more specific listing posts or content to the “Clients” group.

Be genuine and let your personality shine

This goes beyond the above mentioned thoughts or insights. Post things that you are passionate about and “be you”. Adding a personality to your Facebook page will allow people to truly connect with you and your brand. While doing that though, make sure to ask yourself every time if the post is helpful and will help your brand. If the answer is a no, don’t waste your time or your audiences’!

Consider paying to boost your post

If you’ve never looked into it, you should. Facebook advertising and boosting of posts is not only incredibly easy, but incredibly targeted as well. If you have the budget, it could pay dividends and help you reach more people to occasionally throw $5 or $20 behind a post. Simply posting your content will make it visible to only your immediate followers and only until something more popular comes across their feed. It’s therefore hard to truly capture the attention of your followers or their friends. Boosting a post allows you to target people that haven’t yet followed your page and makes your post more likely to be seen by those that do follow you.

Bonus Tips (courtesy of the Birmingham Association of Realtors)

Short, pitchy statements (about half of a tweet) receive the most likes. Posts with fewer than 80 characters receive 66% more engagement than lengthier counterparts. Posts around 450 characters will get the most shares.

DONTs

Avoid “sales-y” words

Stay away from buzzwords such as “like”, “for sale, “act now”. Coming across as if all you care about is selling something to your followers is the first way that you can lose said followers.

Don’t spam

Not all of your listings should be on Facebook, nor do you need to post the same listing 20 times to ensure it’s seen. Your followers will feel overwhelmed and click the “unlike” button before you know it.

Don’t ignore your audience

Always, always, always engage with questions, ask for feedback, and respond to comments promptly. Social media is more about listening than about talking – pay attention to what people are saying about you and your brand.

Don’t forget to log in daily

Your Facebook page is like a cocktail party– you have to mingle. Mingle a lot, mingle often. If you’re wondering why your Facebook page isn’t getting any engagement or bringing in new clients, you’re probably not posting enough.


Your Facebook page should help your business, not hinder it. Be sure to showcase your listings with creative but informative and intriguing posts while ensuring to add a touch of your personality and personal insights. The results will speak for themselves, we promise. Happy posting!

Until next time…Keep it Real!