Jamie Biesiada
Personalizing content and engaging with their audience are two of the most important things an agent can do on social media, says Jessica Marchese, marketing specialist at Andavo Travel.
And Marchese would know. She manages Andavo's fee-based Compass program, which essentially runs the Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest accounts for agents in the program.
Day in and day out, Marchese manages social media platforms for 10 advisers (there is a one-time setup fee, then agents pay $15 per month, per platform, with no minimum on the number of platforms). Taking her experience into account, she said the most important thing any agent can do on social media is to post unique content that stands out. Marchese recommended posts related to an agent's specialty or niche.
"Sharing content from other people is great, and if that's all you have, I understand. It takes a lot of time to create the content," she said. "But if you can create anything personal, it really makes you stand out today."
Potential clients are more likely these days to notice if an agent is posting more rote, generic content, according to Marchese, as consumers are getting smarter when it comes to social media. "They don't want spam anymore, and they also want to make sure that you're a legitimate business." Marchese added that clients want to know "who you are and if they want to work with you; especially in this business, it's very personal."
Once the content is out there, engaging with followers and fans is key.
"I think a lot of people forget about that," Marchese said. "They'll just put out things like, you know, 'This is what I did today,' 'Hey, you should go on this vacation.' It's very sales-y, I guess I would say."
Audiences like to be engaged, she said. Agents should reply to comments on their posts and comment on others' posts, as well.
Agents should also be prepared for the possibility of getting a negative comment or review. It's part of being visible online, and the response should be both professional and consistent.
She advised keeping responses to negative comments both short and simple. It's also important to avoid getting offended or too emotional.
"It's just the nature of social media," she said. "Some people are the same way online as they would be in person, and some people take this as a faceless account and they'll say nasty things, but addressing it consistently and simply is just the best practice."