As you look back at your 2020 social media analytics, you’ll likely see a few themes emerge. Between the pandemic and social unrest in the U.S., a lot has happened – and the lessons learned likely involve pivoting quickly and finding the balance between saying too much or nothing at all online.
In 2020, it was clear how points of contention had an impact on brands, politics and society. Content creators of all types were thrown into conversations like mental health, inclusivity and social justice – or they risked becoming irrelevant on their social media channels.
With the input of RE/MAX affiliates, here are key lessons learned in 2020 and how to apply them in 2021.
Lesson 1: The Balance Between Promotional and Non-Promotional Content
The primary goal of a real estate agent’s social media strategy is to drive traffic and increase sales. In 2020, many social media users learned that overly salesy content can actually attract negative attention to their brand. Not only will promotional content annoy your audience, it may drive them away and open the door for negative public reviews, especially if the timing isn’t great for that messaging.
Mixing up your content and keeping promotions casual will help get the attention of your target audience while also hitting your goals of increasing brand awareness and sales. Be mindful of the variety of emotions and opinions your audience has and remember to create content in line with your brand image. Photos of employees, celebrations of anniversaries and highlighting charitable work is a great place to start to help mix up your content.
Bonus tip: Never create or share content around sensitive topics such as religion and politics.
“Show more gratitude and offer value, now more than ever. Also, be mindful of what people are feeling and going through and make sure you communicate this in your social posts.”
Kerry Ramage, RE/MAX Elite, Melbourne, Florida
Lesson 2: Have a Plan, But Be Flexible
Because social media is an ever-changing field, it is almost impossible to predict what might unfold. Whether you are just beginning your social media journey or you’ve been around the block, a flexible, adaptive social media strategy will allow you to react to whatever is thrown your way. The secret is having an open mind and most of all, a plan.
Unexpected tragedies will undoubtedly occur, and your social content needs to be able to adapt and pivot. In most cases, the best response to a tragedy is to take a respectable pause from social media. You don’t want your message to be lost in the noise or worse, misconstrued as being insensitive. This is a crucial time when it pays to be flexible – even with a great plan in place!
“You don’t have to have a plan. You don’t have to obsess. And you don’t have to sell. Show up, be yourself, speak your truth and it all falls into place.”
Kristen Long, RE/MAX Realty Associates, Champaign, Illinois
Lesson 3: Be Human
In a time when so much of the world is lacking human connection and contact, social media stepped in to fill that gap. Often, we think we need to follow strict guidelines for what to post – and we should to a certain extent – but sometimes you need to take a step back and make sure you are developing connections, not just pushing out company messaging.
Social media at its core is social. People love to see the real you – a window into your offline life helps create real rapport. Make members of your community feel welcome, understood and heard. This means celebrating with and listening and responding to the people in your audience. Share content that solves their problems. Ask for user-generated content (and do something with it). And participate in the conversation.
All social media is fundamentally about relationships and people connecting to people — not companies or brands. So be human.
“I learned that showing the authentic side of me – the raw personal side – a bit more led to deeper connections with my clients. I have clients messaging me asking about my family’s health and offering to drop off groceries, do laundry or whatever I need to help me out. I NEVER once thought these people cared about anything other than my rock star numbers and I was WRONG. … It is my BEST year for learning to be more authentic and genuine and I’ll take that as a win.”
Traci Ratzlaff, RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Hillsboro, Kansas
Lesson 4: Video is an Essential Part of the Mix
Let’s face the facts: You’ve got competition. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, most people on social media are using video in their marketing. The longer you wait to start using some kind of video in your social media strategy, the harder it will be to catch up to those who are already engaged in some form of video content.
Not only is the number of people watching videos online steadily increasing, so is the amount of time they’re watching. Videos afford you the opportunity to tell compelling stories in a way that increases engagement and allows you to see results like shares, lead generation, sales and click-throughs.
Video is the best way to drive this kind of engagement and see the results that have a big impact on your bottom-line – and that will continue to be the story in 2021.
“I think the thing I learned the most with my social media strategy is that the same strategy I have employed the last 8 years absolutely 100% worked exactly how it should have in a year where face-to-face [interaction] completely disappeared.”
Dane Rickard, RE/MAX Professionals, Littleton, Colorado
While 2020 was a year that no one could have predicted, many are looking back at this year with some self-reflection and adapting their content strategy to what is now the new normal. 2021 will continue to challenge content creators across every industry, but if you continue to adopt transparency and learn from past content strategies in your social media efforts, you’ll be on the fast-track to success.
Recommended For You
Start With a Win| Get Social Smart with Katie Lance
Get RE/MAX News delivered to your inbox! Sign up for News Alerts in the footer below.
Written by Kayla Roofe
