Social media is not the solution to everything but it is BY FAR the most economical way to showcase your products and services. The data doesn’t lie. People spend on average two hours a day browsing social channels and over 77% of Canadians say they visit at least one social media channel a day! Wondering what to post? We’ve created The Ultimate Social Media Content Cheat Sheet. But there is a bit more to it…

• What is the best content to post?
• How often should you post?
• What platform should you use?
• What content creates the most engagement?
• How will you ever find the time to create all this content?
• How will you know if it’s even working?
  

My business partner Heather (Keep it Simple Social Media) and I have taught social media marketing to thousands of real estate agents and small business owners and these are the questions we hear the most from our students.

In this blog post, we are focusing on content strategy. In a hurry? Download your free cheat sheets right away:

1. Content Strategy Pop Quiz
2. Top 100 Social Media Content for REALTORS© and Small Business Owners
3. Monthly Content Calendar Template
4. The Ultimate Social Media Content Strategy YouTube Playlist

⭐️Don’t worry, we get it.⭐️

This simplified version of our full Social Media Strategy Class is here to help you succeed. Less time, maximum results. Feeling nervous? Don’t be. If you need a little extra push, we offer private coaching, amazing workshops, and full-day custom seminars. Find out more here: www.catherineaird.ca/privatecoaching or email me directly at Hello@catherineaird.ca

⭐️The social media content pop quiz. Three magical questions to get you started. ⭐️

Question #1
How many times can you reasonably post in one month?
As a rule of thumb, we recommend posting a minimum of 12 times a month. Three times a week. Consistency is key, quality over quantity! For example, you could divide your core content to be posted on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, leaving the weekend for some “Fluff Posts”.

For more on this topic, please read/watch: How Often Should You Post on Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, and YouTube (blog post coming soon, email me not to miss it hello@catherineaird.ca).

Question #2
What do you want to be known for?
Expert in: investment properties, first-time homeowners, cottage, luxury homes, new to the area, downsizing, fun realtor, team, long-term local?

Question #3
Who is your target audience? How are you talking to?
Your best client, the one that is a pleasure to deal with, brings you good business and you wish all your clients would be like. What (content) would __________ find interesting?

⭐️ Platform Selection ⭐️

TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. With so many social media platforms to choose from it can be overwhelming. Here’s the deal.

Where is your audience hanging out?
What are you the most comfortable with?
Where are you getting the most engagement? 

Stick to one social media platform and master it. Once you get the hang of it, repurpose your best content on other platforms. You don’t need to be on TikTok… unless your target audience is.

Remember that Facebook owns Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. It is important to have an optimized Facebook business page and to post on it at least once a week. The good news is that you can easily schedule content on both Instagram and Facebook at the same time! More on this further down.

And, YouTube, is owned by Google, the biggest search engine in the world…

Right down these answers somewhere that will allow you to remember who you are talking to and what you want to be known for when creating content. Feeling inspired? Share your answers in the comment below or email me at hello@catherineaird.ca!

⭐️ Create one month’s worth of quality content in one hour.
Top FIVE Social Media Content Creation Tips. ⭐️

Planning one month of content in one hour. Open Google Calendar, a piece of paper, your daytimer, or our Monthly Content Calendar Cheat Sheet and start planning the month (weeks) to come.

1. Right the key dates that you know are set to be true. Holidays, events you are attending, blog or newsletter coming out, open houses… Depending on the event, put some reminders beforehand to promote it in advance.
   
2. Categorize the content you will be posting following our 4 content pillars (see below). Having a day matching a type of content helps but is not necessary ( ex. tip Tuesday).
   
3. Go through our Ultimate Content Ideas for REALTORS (businesses) Cheat Sheet and start filling the days!
   
4. Make a list of what you will need:
   Photos
   Videos, vertical 15  to 90 seconds for Reels, horizontal for longer formats on YouTube and Facebook.
   Canva or Wordswag posts
   Logos
   Help with photo, video, editing, website, coaching
   What content can you batch create?
   
5. Think about the format of your posts (image, video), and try something NEW!

• Have fun with a Reel on Facebook and Instagram
• Post a longer format informational video
• Create of optimize your YouTube channel
• Load your videos on YouTube (normal or “Short”)
• Write a Blog
• Create a Story
• Go Live!
• Go Live split-screen (interview or collaboration)
• Do a Reels “Remix”
• Do a Poll
• Do a Quizz
• Write a good Newsletter
• Tagging a business or industry partner
• Share someone else’s content
• Send content to your Website (to a Lead Generation page).
• Create a downloadable PDF
• Remember, if you keep doing the same things, you will keep getting the same results.

⭐️ The Four Essential Social Media Content Pillars ⭐️

Download The Ultimate Social Content Creation Cheat Sheet HERE! TOP 100 Instagram & Facebook Content Ideas for REALTORS®. Applicable for small businesses.

1. Brand Awareness
2. Sales
3. Content of Service
4. Fluff 

1. Brand Awareness
Showcase yourself, and your team. Remember there is only one you and while people might not be ready to use your services right now, they can start relating to you and when the time comes to make a move, your name will be top of mind.

2. Sales. How to sell without selling.
Remember this is a social platform used by friends and family of your clients. DO NOT SELL! BE SOCIAL read your captions out loud. Would you talk to someone asking you about your business that way?

Make sure to end your sales posts with the next logical step:
Add a call to action: call (give your number), visit (give your website address), message, comment, like, and sign up…

3. Content of Service. Position yourself as an expert in your field.
To position yourself as an authority in your field you need to create content of service. Content that people will want to save and refer to. We call it evergreen content. While there might be a gradual increase or decrease in interest over time in the long term, this type of content is not impacted by seasonality. 

View the full blog post on this subject here: Content Hack #1 ~ Go Evergreen.

4. FLUFF POSTS! AKA Algorithms Shakers.
This is all the other types of content. Jokes, beautiful photos, recipes, lifestyle, pets, questions, contests. This is the type of content that people are more likely to interact with. It tells the platforms that your content is popular and should be shown to more people.

We have a rule for Fluff posts: no nudity, politics, religion, and no drinking wine and posting!

Watch “The Power of Fluff Posts” How to gain organic likes on Facebook and Instagram video here.

⭐️ RECAP: FIVE Essential Steps to Content Strategy Success ⭐️

1. Categorize the content you will be posting and mark the dates in your calendar. Having a day matching a type of content helps but is not necessary ( ex. tip Tuesday). Don’t forget key dates: holidays, events.
   
2. Think about what you want to say and what content (or help) you need: photo, video, graphic design.
   
3. Can you try something new this month? Ex. going live, doing an Instagram Reels?
   
4. Do it! Post on the days you said you would OR schedule your content in advance!
   
5. Engage: don’t post and ghost. Respond to comments, and comment on other people’s accounts. Check your Instagram messages.

⭐️ BONUS: Other Blog Posts to Help You Succeed. ⭐️

The Real Estate (and/or business) Marketing Pie.

How to Schedule Posts on Facebook & Instagram the Easy Way (coming soon).

Content hack #1 Go Evergreen

How Often Should I Post? (coming soon).

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To hire me and/or my wonderful business partner Heather Clifford at Keep it Simple Social Media for private coaching and to find out more about our amazing talks, workshops and full-day custom seminars, please visit www.catherineaird.ca