I watched WFG Title’s “Ten Steps to Becoming a Social Media Influencer” yesterday, and step #1 was the best by far!
Every Realtor and Lender should become an “influencer” of sorts b/c it all but guarantees a loyal referral base.
A Social Media Influencer is a user on social media who has established credibility in a specific field, who has built a large group of followers, and who can persuade others by virtue of their authenticity and reach.
Below are the “Ten Steps” with most of the focus on step #1 – “The Main Step.”
Step #1: FIND YOUR PASSION. I love this step b/c so many agents have no idea what to post! To become an actual influencer, agents need to focus on a true passion outside of real estate and then post like crazy to build a loyal group that will eventually turn into a giant audience of loyal referral sources. This should be totally separate from an agent’s business page, and agents should not mix it with their real estate posts at all. Examples of topics that other agents are using include reality TV shows, sports in specific areas, English Premier League soccer, Fresno (see below), and all kinds of other topics in the fashion, food, nutrition and workout categories.
Step #2: Opportunity. When looking for a passion to write and post about, agents should make sure the topic is not overly specific (where there is no audience) or overserved (where there is too much competition for eyeballs).
Step #3: Attention. Agents need to choose their platform – Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Reddit, Website, etc. Our presenter really likes Instagram Stories.
Step #4: Plan. Time-blocking is key! Creating engaging, authentic, and interesting content takes time. Agents need a set weekly schedule for planning and creating posts.
Step #5: Value. Post items of actual interest. Viewers love LISTS, e.g. Top Five Best Hikes In …. There is a difference between posting “just to post” and posting because the content you’re sharing is important to you and will be important to your followers.
Step #6: Consistency. Regular and consistent posts every week build more trust.
Step #7: Follow Others. One of the best ways to augment an agent’s own following is to see who the big-hitters (influencers) are in their niche. Agents should follow other influencers and try to leverage other influencers’ networks by connecting with them. Agents should also watch the feeds of other influencers to see what content resonates with audiences.
Step #8: Engage. Influencers need to engage with people they follow, AND more importantly, respond to the viewers who engage them. Engaging helps to build authenticity which is one of the most valued characteristics of an influencer.
Step #9: Analyze. Influencers need to use an application like Hootsuite to track and analyze their data (follower demographics, likes, post engagement, etc.)
Step #10: Convert. Converting is all about taking your followers online and turning them into real, human relationships. Here is a great example of an agent who built a huge following in Fresno with his Fresyes website and blog. He never references real estate but everyone knows and loves and refers people to him.
Conclusion – this seems like a lot to do, but it is not that hard, the cost is minimal, there is almost no risk, the creative side can be fun, and there is so much potential.
Jay Voorhees
Founder/Broker | JVM Lending
(855) 855-4491 | DRE# 01524255, NMLS# 310167
