The Social Media Shift: Why Real Estate Agents Need Two Clear Strategies (and How to Build Them)
- Alysa Baxter
- Apr 16
- 4 min read
Long gone are the days of a beautiful flat lay skyrocketing your follower count and making you internet-famous overnight.
The social media landscape is always changing — and right now, we’re seeing a big shift. Large creators are moving toward a more systemised, almost television-style content schedule. Think weekly series, recurring segments, and strategic entertainment. It’s designed to keep people coming back — and it works.
But this shift is also leaving a lot more room for ads — and that’s where many service-based business owners are getting lost in the noise.
You’re not selling a luxury item or chasing trend virality. You’re trying to build trust and offer help.
And for small creators — especially in industries like real estate — that means showing up with intention.
Yes, people are getting clients from TikTok. Why? Because people buy from people. Just like you encourage someone to book an appraisal so you can build rapport, showing up on TikTok or Instagram can do the same thing at scale.
But here’s the thing: it’s not the end of the world if you don’t.
There is still plenty of space for a solid, strategic advertising plan — one that ensures your listings get seen, and that every buyer you meet is assessed for seller potential too.
TikTok fame doesn’t guarantee a home sale. Your buyer might find the property on a portal, in a newspaper, or from a window card. You keep all those channels running because they work — and today’s consumers expect them.
So, whatever strategy you decide to implement, implement it intentionally.
You need:
One system for lead generation
One system for property advertising
Stick to both.
So, What Does a Lead Generation Strategy Actually Look Like?
Here’s a simplified version I recommend — and try to follow myself:
Step 1: Map Out Who Your Customers Are
Let’s stick with real estate.
Your customers = buyers and sellersYour audience = locals and people relocating
Now list out all the problems these people face. You already know them from phone calls, open homes, emails, and feedback.
Pro tip: Keep a running list in your phone’s Notes app — especially during market shifts.It’ll become your content goldmine.
Then ask:
👉 What’s going to help them?
👉 What do they need to know before working with you?
👉 What are they Googling late at night?
Take Stock: Where Are They Actually Hanging Out?
Are they at the pub, an art gallery, doom scrolling TikTok, out surfing, fixing their car, playing piano?
When can you catch them?
Are your favourite clients always saying they "hate" social media — but then laugh about how they stayed up too late watching videos?Do they “only check Facebook for friends and family”?What podcast are they obsessed with?
Knowing where and how they spend their time is almost as important as the content itself. Because here’s the truth: a well-designed letterbox drop might be way more effective than dancing on TikTok.
Don’t just assume that your customers behave like you do.If you've invested time or money into a flyer or brochure, repurpose it — resize and advertise it digitally to the same area. That’s called cross-posting, and it’s an efficient use of your time and your content.
Big companies are everywhere because their customers are everywhere. You can be more nuanced — but also more open. You might find new customers in places you haven’t shown up before… simply waiting for a reminder that you exist.
And please — don’t say, “But I’ve been doing this for 15+ years.”
That person you helped a decade ago? They’re not sure if your name was Jason or Justin — and they think you worked for the agency with the blue logo (it was red).
Visibility isn’t vanity. It’s survival.
Step 2: Pick a Format You’ll Actually Stick With
Choose your medium:
Video
Carousels
Single-image posts
Pick what suits your energy and workflow. Then block out one day per month to create 4 pieces of content that speak to the problems above.
That’s it. Four posts. One day.
Step 3: Post + Engage
Schedule your posts to drip out across the month.Then — don’t ghost your audience.
Leave helpful comments on other local business accounts
Share something simple to your Stories daily (what you're working on, a photo, a thought)
Use Canva to design graphics and edit videos — no fancy tools needed
Real Talk: Yeah, It’s a Lot.
I don’t even do all of this myself yet. Right now, I’m mostly writing blogs on Medium.
But I do know this system works — and that two focused mornings a month (one for filming, one for editing + batching) can keep you top of mind and build a real local audience.
And Then There’s Property Advertising...
Of course, on top of all this, you still need to promote your listings.
That’s where having a system is essential.
It’s why I built one — so real estate agents can: ✅ Launch their listing on their website✅ Automatically generate a ready-to-publish caption✅ Get a branded graphic✅ Advertise with vendor-paid marketing to an audience of buyers
Want Help?
If you’d like: 📌 Support setting up your Canva so your content is easier to create📌 Or to wow your vendors with a streamlined system that gets properties seen...
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