Hashtags can be so confusing, can’t they? I am here to clear up the confusion for real estate agents.
The pound sign (or hash) turns any word or group of words that directly follow it into a searchable link. This allows you to organize content and track discussion topics based on those keywords. So, if you wanted to post about the Gilmore Girls finale, you would include #GilmoreGirls in your tweet to join the conversation. You can click on a hashtag to see all the posts that mention the subject in real time.
WHY SHOULD YOU USE HASHTAGS?
According to the “experts, when used correctly, hashtags increase viewership, help build your social media following, create new customers and help with branding. You want to be found on social media and if you use relevant, hyper local hashtags, you will be.
WHO IS YOUR IDEAL CLIENT (stay with me, this is VERY relevant)?
As a Realtor, you should have a customer avatar. A customer avatar is a fictional character that represents your ideal prospect. Click here for a great worksheet to help you identify your ideal customer.
Here is an example of an avatar:
32 year old woman named Gina
Born and raised in Ft. Bragg, NC where she met Mark at age 19. Three years later they were married
Soon after they were married, Mark was stationed in Germany. They lived in Germany for three years before being reassigned to the Pentagon.
They now live in a three bedroom, three bathroom townhome near George Mason University.
She and Mark have two sons, Ryan, age 7, and Matthew, age 4
Gina went back to school at GMU and just finished her bachelor’s degree in early elementary education (she was attending Methodist University in Fayetteville before she and Mark married)
She is a stay at home mom now but hopes to get a job teaching once her kids are school age
Mark is a captain in the army and works at the Pentagon
Gina enjoys cooking, running and volunteering at church and at her kids schools
They would like to have one more baby but haven’t yet for a couple of reasons.
What is stopping them? Their house is too small, they cannot afford a four bedroom in Fairfax, husband’s commute time would increase if they moved further out, children would have to change schools.
WHAT HASHTAGS TO USE:
Start small so you don’t get overwhelmed: Based on your avatar, choose fifteen hashtags. Five should be geographic, five should be psychographic and five should be demographic.
The hashtags I would choose based on the above avatar are:
Demographic: #Millennial #FamilyFun #FamilyOfFour #MilitaryFamily #Expats
Psychographic: #SAHM #MRTT #momofboys #armywife #Methodist
Geographic: #FairfaxCounty #FairfaxCity #GMU #NOVA #NorthernVA
WHERE AND WHEN TO USE HASHTAGS:
You must create content or find and share content that SPEAKS TO GINA. Choose TWO platforms that your Avatar is on. I would choose Facebook and Instagram for Gina. Here are a few topics WITH some of the hashtags above (and a few extra I came up with):
5Ks in Fairfax (#FairfaxCity, #MRTT, #FamilyFun)
Activities to do with young boys / anything related to raising boys (#FamilyOfFour #Dinner, #momofboys #DinnerTimeAgain)
How Young Families Can Save More Money (#MilitaryFamily, #MoneyTips, #SaveMoreGiveMore)
Raising children with Christian values (#Methodist, #ChrsitianFamilies, FamilyOfFour, #momofboys)
What Single Family Homes Cost in Western Fairfax / Eastern Loudoun (#FairfaxCounty, #NorthernVA, #SingleFamilyVSTownHouse)
Babysitting Services in Fairfax City (#FamilyOfFour #DateNight #NOVA #armywife)
Activities at libraries in Fairfax City (#FairfaxCity, #FamilyFun, #momofboys)
How To Make Better Use of Space in a Small Home (#MilitaryFamily, #NorthernVA #SpaceSaver, #Minimalist)
Where to get military discounts (#armywife, #MilitaryFamily, #savemoregivemore)
How to connect with other expats (#expats, #NorthernVA, #NOVA, #armywife)
Expat groups or get togethers in Fairfax County (#expats #expatsinnova, #meetup, #armywife)
Healthy Family Dinners For Picky Eaters (#momofboys, #dinnertime #recipesformoms #FamilyOfFour)
BE CONSISTENT & PATIENT (you can do it!!):
I recommend posting on Instagram once per day and Facebook twice a day. The more you GIVE to Gina, the more she will notice and appreciate you. Every fifth or sixth post on each platform can be “salesy” (an open house announcement, a closing picture, a real estate update, interest rate update, etc.) But try HARD to communicate YOUR VALUE. Remember, Gina wants to have another baby and move. Address her concerns about moving via blogging and sharing content that answers her questions and eliminates her fears. As long as you are EXTREMELY consistent, you WILL see results in three to six months. And remember, all this is FREE. And when Gina comes to you to help her move, you will have created a RAVING fan because you have earned her trust. Raving fans REFER their friends and family to you. THAT is the BEST way to grow a real estate business.
About the author:
Kara Macdonald is the Vice President of Pruitt Title, LLC. She has succeeded in growing Pruitt’s brand and customer base by 300% in three years by utilizing social media. She is available for complimentary marketing and social media consultations and can be reached at 571-432-9382 or via email at kmacdonald@pruitt-title.com.
