Real estate agents must always innovate and move with the times. We don’t need to tell you how important social media is to your bottom line. But are you using all your tools to the best advantage? If you’re not using Facebook live to broadcast to your clients and prospects, you could be missing out on significant exposure.

So, what’s the best way to make the most out of Facebook Live, reach a large audience, enjoy a good return on investment for your time?

Here are 6 ways to make sure your real-estate based Facebook Live event is a complete success!

1. Set it Up in Advance

If you are serious about broadcasting regularly on Facebook, you should invest in at least a basic camera with video and sound functionality. Not only is this a little more professional-looking than a webcam screen, but it also enables the feature on Facebook to pre-schedule your event. This means you can set up the event before broadcasting and have a “waiting room” show up on Facebook before the Live event begins.

This is valuable for a few reasons; first, it gives viewers something to look at while they wait for the event to begin, and secondly, it will show up in feeds prior to the event starting, which will probably prompt more viewers to tune in.

2. Promote It!

Facebook Live should be punchy, to the point, dynamic, energetic, and exciting. You don’t need to plan a drawn-out marketing strategy to promote this event, but you should still post on your other social media channels and personally invite clients to watch your Facebook Live. Additionally, if you are truly serious about broadcasting, try to post on a regular basis at the same time and day so your viewers can follow a schedule. Sporadic posting can look disconnected and will not serve your purpose well.

3. Don’t Stick to a Script (But Keep One Handy)

Unlike a more formal webinar or training video, Facebook Live should be light, fun, and entertaining. That’s not to say you don’t include pertinent info or cover more serious topics, but there should be an air of spontaneity to your Facebook Live. Make notes about what you want to cover but be prepared for viewers to ask questions live; so, you might have to jump topics or answer things on the fly. Being prepared for a little improvisation will only ensure that your event runs smoothly, and you come across confident and knowledgeable.

4. Choose Your Set Wisely

Facebook Live is known for on-the-fly broadcasting. It’s a great way to showcase open houses and also give a “behind the scenes” look into the life of a busy real estate agent. However, be mindful of the things you choose to showcase on Facebook Live. You want whatever space you are using to look clean, tidy, and curated. Don’t broadcast from a busy desk or from in front of a window with backlighting. Try to stay away from cluttered bookshelves or TV screens. Choose a location that represents your brand.

5. Cover a Topic that People Care About

People won’t want to tune in if your topic is not interesting or not relevant. A winning personality won’t save a topic that is boring. Before scheduling your Facebook Live, do some research about what your followers want to hear. For example, if you notice that posts on your page about buying in a specific neighborhood are doing better than other posts, maybe you should try doing a live Q+A event on that specific neighborhood or things buyers need to do before making a purchase.

Your topic should be relevant and also offer value to the viewer. Engage, ask lots of questions, and encourage viewers also to ask questions, so the event is active and dynamic.

6. Make Use of the Content After the Fact

Facebook will save the video and show it in feeds after the broadcast is finished. This means that even more people will see it as not everyone would have tuned in at exactly the right time. At this time, you could also save the broadcast to your computer and use it for future content or to analyze and use in other formats. For example, if we are doing a neighborhood Q+A, you might have received a lot of questions about the school district in the area, which tells you that clients are interested in that kind of information. From there, you can write a blog post or do a follow-up Facebook Live event that drives down further on that specific topic.

Want to drive traffic, build your brand, and engage your target audience? Download our eBook: ‘The Ultimate Guide to Real Estate Marketing’. It’s a collection of some of our best marketing articles, tips, and tricks that we’ve collected over the years.

Author: Jen Baguss

Post-Production Team Lead, Senior Copywriter

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