6 Disadvantages of Social Media Automation For Real Estate And How To Fix It

I’ve got a pet peeve I need to get off my chest. Too many real estate investors and agents are killing their credibility by automating their social media posting. It could be you.  This is where utilizing automated posting tools such as Buffer, Hootsuite, and Tweetdeck for social media can come in handy… maybe you’re even using them.

But are you using them the right way? Do you think that “any post on Facebook is a good post on Facebook?”

Well, if you’re doing it wrong… you could be killing your credibility rather than making a better connection with people better.

Before we dive into the dangers of social automation, you might be wondering why you even need to implement an active internet presence. Well… As of 2015, a full 92% of all home buyers — across every geographic region and age range — use the internet during their search. You must be actively marketing your website to reach your full potential.

Why You Need Social Media Marketing

• Increase website traffic and search rankings. For example, if every person who follows Carrot on Twitter Retweets this post, it increases the likelihood it will rank higher in Google’s search results page for variations of “social media for real estate.”
• Raise brand awareness. Make it easier for your customers to find you.
• Create a positive brand identity, therefore building credibility. By connecting with your customers on social media, you are more likely to increase customer retention and brand loyalty.
• Build conversations. Also known as Conversation Marketing.
• Increase opportunities to capture leads.

6 Reasons Automating Your Social Media Posts Could Be Killing Your Credibility

With every positive comes a negative, or at least a small risk of something going wrong.

1. Robotic Automation

It’s the classic story of Man Vs. Machine. Is bigger, faster, strong… better? Social media automation is easy. But, it’s also easy to come off sounding like a machine. While the posts may come from you, they can easily lack a personal touch that increases engagement and building relationships. If you tweet in real-time, you can show emotion, write genuine thoughts and show your brands charisma. You can lose that when you become robotic.

Image Source: Spokal

2. Giving Yourself Away

It can be obvious who is really at the posting controls. You could be giving yourself away by using social media automation. Third-party applications, while worth it for several reasons, tell your followers you used them to post your content. Facebook and Twitter posts show where the post was from. Such as “posted via Hootsuite”. The same can go for Buffer. This could irritate your audience because posts read as articles that are being “advertised” and not as invaluable pieces of your content.

3. Scheduling Features Aren’t Your Best Buddy

A mistake that is still common is posting too much. You don’t need to post content with the sole purpose of pumping it out as much as possible. Again, this is annoying and creates a negative image of your business and makes your business less genuine. We’ve seen investors who post every hour on the hour – and it’s very obvious there’s not a true person sitting behind that keyboard. Different social platforms require different schedule strategies. It might be required to test the number of times and days in order to find what the best times to post for you are.

Here’s an example of a posting schedule:

• Twitter: Post 2-4 times weekdays from 9am-7pm
• Pinterest: Post 1-2 times daily. Choose days from 2pm – 4pm and 8pm – 11pm
• Google+: Post 1-2 times weekdays 9am-3pm
• Facebook: Post 1-4 times weekdays 9am – 12pm. And, 2pm – 5pm
• Blog: Once or twice per week. Post Tuesday and/or Thursday at 11 am

4. Spam

No, not the food. The 25 tweets sent out last hour. Automation adds to the temptation to either tweet too often or bombards them with the same message. It does not take much to be considered a culprit of spamming. If caught, social media platforms can temporarily suspend your account.

5. Using The Wrong Hashtags

Also, be aware of using automated hashtags. There are times hashtags are not what you thought they were. If you’re unsure of a hashtag, do a simple search using sources such as hashtagify.me.

6. Carelessness

You’re not done just because you published a bunch of content to Twitter and Facebook. Don’t forget to check and reply to questions and comments. You want that interaction. You must be prepared and interested in making real connections with your audience. That’s the fun part!

How To Properly Use Social Media Automation

Of course, when done correctly and used judiciously, automated posting tools for social media can still be great time savers. Use these best practice automation tips to be present and successful on Twitter and Facebook.

First… You must

• Plan. Building a social media marketing plan is essential. Research your niche keywords and brainstorm content that will pull in your target audience. You could be writing towards motivated sellers, rent-to-own buyers, investment property seekers… whoever you’re targeting, make sure you have the right keywords.
• Write amazing content. Make sure your content is offering valuable information to your target audience. Content isn’t always written. In addition to written content, create videos for YouTube showcase properties or create a Slideshare illustrating your buying process.
• Establish a consistent brand image. Each social platform has its own identity and voice. Facebook is different than Instagram and Twitter. It can be easy to have your branding message become messy and inconsistent. If you feel like it’s getting out of control, take a step back, revisit your businesses core message, and get back on track being consistent.

Then… You can

• Use social media automation to fill your social media content calendar. Never be short of releasing high-quality content. You can release new content or repurpose some of your old, quality, content.
• Use automation tools to find out the best time to post. Review your analytics. Test different days and times to find what times work best for your market.
• Add personal touches to automated posts. Again, build your brand identity and credibility. Don’t be a mystery to your customers. Automate some casual posts so your audience feels like they know you and can feel connected to you and your brand.
• Use automation to schedule your posts before you take an extended break. If you’re going to be away, schedule your social messages in advance. This will help you maintain a consistent social presence.

Autoposting might be the only way you can achieve the ultimate goal of social media. Which, is connecting and communicating with your clients in a way build relationships and retention.

Also be sure to read through Twitter and Facebook’s rules and best practices:

Twitter Automating Tweets Rules and Best Practices
Facebook Posting Tips and Best Practices