June 22, 2016
You’re thinking that scheduling a few social media posts or putting together your next newsletter should be easy until you stare at the screen for 30 minutes, the cursor blinking at you, taunting you, and you have zero ideas.
You’ve shared your last blog post six times, and the one before that twelve times. You want something funny, something that gets shares, or just something that gets a couple of likes because your Facebook page is a deserted town. You may have just seen a tumbleweed go by.
You might be overthinking this a little. Not all the content you share on social media has to be your own.
Wait, what? Yes, you read that correctly.
Too much of your own content looks a little spammy. Too little content, regardless of type, and people forget you exist – and the algorithms that rule Facebook make sure you don’t show up in anyone’s newsfeed.
Sharing content not your own is a good way to gain some visibility and give yourself a break.
Take a look at these six websites to follow so that you’ll always have shareable content online.
Inman News
Okay, yes, Inman is real estate industry news and information designed to make you a better real estate professional. That is definitely true. But they also share stories about pending sales, mortgage rates, and increasing (or decreasing) prices. Follow Inman News on Facebook, and you can easily re-share their consumer-friendly content on your own business Facebook page.
As an agent, their best content requires a subscription to Inman Select. It’s something to consider to help you understand the industry and even help you write your own blog posts.
Realtor Magazine
All Realtors have access to the Realtor Magazine through the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Are you making the best use of it? Sure, it’s good to read through the articles and find out what’s going on around the country. It’s also an excellent source of content to share on social media and even in your newsletter. Like Inman, it may also fuel your own blog posts or even videos.
RISMedia
Similar to others, RISMedia will teach you about the real estate industry and how to work efficiently and well as an agent, but plenty of the articles on the website are great for the public, too. Subscribe to the newsletter, get the digital magazine, follow them on social media – they’ve made it easy to access their content. When you find something that is interesting and good information for your own sphere of influence, share it!
Houzz Stories
Houzz is a popular home design and remodelling website and app connecting homeowners to professionals and design ideas across the world. Use the content found in the “Stories” section of their website to share home decor trends, redesign ideas, and other information to stay top of mind for your sellers who may one day sell their house but right now, want to make their home more liveable.
House Logic
For more content that’s great for homeowners, new or established, House Logic, another offering from NAR, is an excellent option. The site covers nearly everything for homeowners from roofing to decoration and from staging to curb appeal. The site has been around for several years and is filled with excellent content. If you don’t want to go searching for content to share, they offer a weekly newsletter so the information comes straight to you.
The Lighter Side of Real Estate
Yes, there’s a place for humor on a professional Facebook page. Yes, it’s okay to show the lighter side of your business and career. The Lighter Side of Real Estate shares content on Facebook all day and is very popular with many real estate professionals. You laugh because it’s true, and there’s nothing wrong with showing your sphere of influence the funny things that happen as a real estate professional. Follow them on Facebook or go to their website, and let humor help build (and keep) your audience.
You have a few options with any of these websites. Subscribe to their newsletters or RSS feeds, follow them on social media, or check out their site once or twice a week. However you choose to connect to them, make sure you share their best content that fits your audience, and give yourself a little break from wondering what you should share on social media and in your newsletter.
By Michaela Mitchell
Former Communications Director for a local Realtor Association and a big cheerleader for all things real estate related, Michaela is now a full-time freelance writer specializing in real estate and other business industries. When she's not writing the serious business-y stuff, she's likely to be found writing about the hilarity of being a Mom to two rowdy boys.
