How to use Pinterest for Your Real Estate Business
Try these tips to transform your Pinterest presence!
Pinterest is all about appealing to the visual and offers a wonderful opportunity to share enticing pictures of your latest listings. As the fourth largest social media site it is an essential part of any realtor’s social media campaign.
Research has shown that over 80% of Pinterest pins are re-pins.
This means the site is largely based on images going ‘viral’ and demonstrates the willingness of users to rapidly share content. This makes Pinterest an incredible tool for showing off your latest homes, not just to your followers but to the entire Pinterest network! Here are our top tips for making the most out of your Pinterest account:
1. Showcase the area
Getting to know the neighborhood is one of the first things a buyer thinks about when considering purchasing a property. You can help them on their way by creating a board dedicated to exploring the area. Paint a complete visual picture by including useful images such as local cafes, restaurants, community centres, parks, shops, amenities, services and schools. Your followers will thank you!
2. Make it personal
Embrace the social aspect of social media and set up a board that gives your business a personality. Posting pictures and profiles of your staff and snaps of what’s going on in the office can give your business a voice, make it much more relatable and build a sense of trust with your followers. Giving your staff access to the page is also a good way to engage with followers. Asking them to post real time photo updates as they position a bunch of home open flowers or hand over keys to excited buyers will be a guaranteed hit. This general Pinterest board from Anthropologie is a great example of adding value to the follower experience.
3. Décor and design boards
Most people buying a home will be concerned with home design and excited to make their own mark on the interior.
Research by Marketing Land has indicated that 70% of Pinterest users engage with the platform for shopping inspiration. You can appeal to this by creating a Pinterest board that exhibits images of beautiful homewares, creative design ideas and useful DIY tips. Providing links to websites that aren’t in any way promotional to your business let your customers know that you care about their interests and are there to help.
4. Show off your listings
Setting up a board specifically for your listings is a must! Be sure to place it in your top four boards so the listings are as visible and accessible as possible. Giving customers instant visuals of all the best aspects of a property is a great way to generate interest and excitement.
5. Use hashtags
Hashtags aren’t just for Twitter and Facebook! You can also use them on Pinterest as an effective way of extending your post views to reach far beyond your personal following. Using area specific hashtags are a great way to connect with your local community. For example #BrooklynCompactApartment will reach not only your followers but also anyone interacting or using the #BrooklynCompactApartment hashtag. Listing specific tags are also useful (e.g. #2bedrooms) as are dates (e.g. #HomeOpenApril2) and image specific tags (e.g. #bathroomdesign).
6. Host giveaways
Like Facebook and Twitter, Pinterest can also be used to hold contests and giveaways. Photo contests are a fun way to get people to interact with your boards and generate more followers. For example, ask people to submit a picture of their favourite kitchen design and offer a prize such as a home renovation store gift certificate for the winning submission. This is a guaranteed way to get people excited about their homes and your business. Voting contests are also a popular and effective way of getting followers to engage with your account. Try asking your following what their favourite current listing is and reward them with random prize draws. Follow these helpful tips from Social Media Today to help make your Pinterest competition a triumph!
7. Promote via Facebook
Remember to promote your Pinterest account as much as possible! Adding Pinterest tabs to your Facebook page and website is an easy way for your customers to find you. You can also add the Pinterest logo and your details to marketing material such as business cards, flyers, posters and media kits. This lets everyone know that your business has a Pinterest presence and prompts them to log in and find you.
Wrapping It All Up
As a very visual service, Pinterest is a fantastic tool for any real estate agent. It can be used in a number of ways, from presenting a photo tour of a property to showcasing things of interest in the local area. In addition to uploading photos and using it as a picture board, savvy realtors can get more out of Pinterest by taking it a step further and linking in with other social networks such as Facebook, adding hashtags and promoting giveaways.
Try following these tips and your real estate business will rapidly be on its way to Pinterest success. For more information check out this useful ‘How To’ guide issued by Pinterest itself.
Or, to see how all of these tips work in action, speak to a CityBlast Expert today and tap into the combined experience of our seasoned team of social media experts. We specialize in transforming out of shape social media accounts into lean, mean sales tools that work harder for your real estate business. To get started on your FREE 14-day trial, click HERE.
