Sharing your property listings on Facebook

You have set up your Facebook Business page and now your next step is to start sharing posts on the page - but how do you share posts and listings? And what works best?


According to the latest available statistics, Facebook has 1.86 billion monthly active users as of December 31, 2016 (1.74 billion of which are mobile monthly active users as of December 31, 2016) which just goes to show that not only is Facebook a powerful marketing tool, it is also browsed mostly from mobile devices.

The mobile dominance plays a large role in how your content is viewed - for marketing purposes this means that visuals matter and written posts should be short and engaging.

Take a look at any millennial's phone, messages contain a vast array of emojis that replace words and reduce messages to increasingly smaller tidbits. What does this have to do with marketing your content and listings on Facebook?

The way millennials speak is very similar to the way they consume media - even older generations are bucking to this trend. For you, this means that your posts should be visually appealing and engaging.

Before we get into how to post listings you should be aware that automated property posts from your listing system is not advised, we recommend manual posting as this adds more personality to your posts. Remember you are not just selling property, you are also selling your brand and services.

 How do I share a listing so it is visually appealing?

 A post with no photo and just a link with a description isn't going to cut it if you are trying to make an impact. For your listing posts to really work you will have to use photos.

There are a few ways to share listings but we will take a look at the two most obvious choices namely writing a post or posting an image.

Before we get into the differences you should always include the basics:
  • Mention the area the property is located in,
  • Name the agent responsible for the listing,
  • Include a link to the listing
If you are opting to write a post you have to be aware that Facebook will use the link and use any images it finds on the website to use with the post. However, this is unreliable as it won’t necessarily use the best images of the property.

We find that this type of posting works best with content posts, you can add the link with a short description of what the post is about and then manually add images of your choice.

Here is an example of such a post from our MyProperty Facebook Page:



The second option, and the one we use on MyProperty for our daily #MyPropertyPick posts is posting an image with a short description.

Here is an example:



We have opted for creating a collage (Google Photos is fairly easy to use) of the property but you can save a few images and post it in a single post. This means that the images can be viewed one by one but if you use more than three images people will have to click on the photos to see more.

Play around and see what works best for you!

It is worth noting that higher quality photos will attract more views and shares, therefore try to ensure the listings that you will use on your Facebook page has good quality photographs. Here is a guide to get the best photographs for your real estate listings.

Quick pointers

 Professional photos and logos are vital for online marketing - Get a photographer to take a few headshots of you and your team to use on your websites, property portals, and other marketing materials. The same goes for a professional logo - but you don’t have to search too far to find a designer as Entegral offers logo design services. Use the logo on your photos but don’t allow it to distract from the product, and in this case, it is the property.

 Link your profiles to your website - If you have a Flex responsive website you can easily get links to your social media profiles to display on the site. This way people can find and follow you quickly.

 The Golden Rule: Business social media pages are just that - business pages - therefore refrain from sharing personal opinions on matters such as politics. There is a difference between supporting a local rugby team, for example, and campaigning for a political party.

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