In previous years, it was nothing unusual to have to thumb through the newspaper or take a drive looking for commercial properties for sale. But today, with the power and presence of social media in our lives, everything is at our fingertips.
From staying connected with friends and family to sharing personal experiences, social media has become an integral part of our daily routine. However, its reach extends far beyond personal use.
In the world of commercial real estate, social media plays a significant role in marketing and selling properties, and, with the right knowledge and tools, it is much easier to get properties out to a wider audience.
If you’ve been talking to an agent about selling your property, there’s a good chance they have mentioned the use of social media in their marketing plan. And it isn’t hard to see why it is a great tool for getting properties in front of eyes.
Social Media Provides a Wider Reach
One of the biggest advantages to using social media when selling commercial property is the ability to reach a vast and diverse audience. Traditional marketing methods, such as print advertisements or local listings, have limited exposure, and while they can be good for targeting the local market and businesses, they don’t generally have the reach to find potential buyers from further afield.
In contrast, social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer access to millions of potential buyers and investors from around the world. This increased visibility can significantly enhance the chances of finding the right buyer for your property.
Visual Appeal Draws in Buyers
One of the downsides to more traditional advertising is that graphic space is limited, and the more images you include, the more expensive your advertisement.
Visual content is king on social media, and this works to the advantage of those selling commercial properties. High-quality photos and videos of the property can be shared across various platforms, allowing potential buyers to get a virtual tour of the space. The ability to include almost as many graphics as you like helps buyers form a better understanding of the property’s layout, condition, and potential, increasing their interest in the property.
Targeted Advertising to Hit the Right Market
Social media platforms provide some great advertising tools that allow property owners and real estate professionals to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviours. This means that your commercial property can be advertised to individuals who are more likely to be interested in such investments, increasing the chances of a successful sale. The ability to set parameters such as location, age, income level, and interests ensures that your marketing efforts are efficient and cost-effective.
Another benefit of advertising on social media is that you can set up numerous audiences within the one advertisement, meaning your agent can target their database, the local geographic region, and people interested in commercial property quickly and easily, without spending more of your advertising budget.
More Engagement and Interaction
Engagement is a crucial aspect of social media marketing. Platforms like Facebook, and Instagram offer opportunities for direct engagement with potential buyers and investors. Property owners and real estate professionals can respond to enquiries, share additional information, and even schedule property viewings through these platforms. This level of interaction fosters a sense of trust and transparency, which is essential in the real estate industry.
The ability to engage through these platforms also means that busy investors and business owners can quickly contact your agent at any time of the day or night, without needing to remember an email address or search for the property online again.
Real-Time Updates
Think back to how we used to have to advertise and how long it would take to get an advertisement printed in the newspaper, and then out to readers. Now? It’s done almost instantly.
Because social media allows for real-time updates, it is easy to keep potential buyers updated about any developments related to the property. Whether it’s a change in price, or a scheduled open, social media allows information to be disseminated quickly. This ensures that interested parties are always in the loop, which can expedite the sales process.
Building Credibility
Establishing credibility in the real estate industry is crucial, and social media can play a significant role in this regard. Sharing industry insights, success stories, and testimonials on social media platforms can help position real estate agents as experts in their field.
What does this have to do with using social media to sell your commercial property? Everything.
This credibility can attract more potential buyers and investors, as people tend to trust and engage with individuals and organisations they perceive as knowledgeable and reputable.
How Social Platforms are Used to Sell Your Property
There are many platforms available to sales agents to use to assist in selling your property, and when it comes to commercial property, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram are the top options, with TikTok starting to filter through.
LinkedIn is a valuable platform when it comes to selling commercial property due to the extensive network of professionals and its ability for targeted reach. LinkedIn can be utilised for detailed and visually appealing property listings in profiles and company pages, while leveraging the search and connect features means that agents (and owners) can connect with potential buyers who may have an interest in the area.
LinkedIn advertisements, when well targeted, can also achieve great reach.
Facebook is a strategic approach when selling commercial property. Meta has some great advertising capabilities, and allows agents to target ads at potential buyers based on demographics, interests, behaviours and even their database. Facebook ads and posts can feature visually appealing images and videos, as well as detailed descriptions and selling points.
One of the big benefits is that Facebook is user-friendly, which means it is easy for agents to engage with potential leads through comments, messages and chatbots, allowing for real-time communications.
Because Instagram is visually driven, it allows agents to showcase imagery and short video clips, engaging viewers through aesthetics and unique features. Agents have the ability to use the stories or IGTV features for virtual tours, property highlights or any other interesting features that may pique the interest of a potential buyer.
With the right hashtags, the reach of property listing can be expanded to a more targeted audience, while direct messaging and commenting enables real-time communication.
While Instagram will take some time to prep images and videos, it is certainly a great way to boost engagement and interest in a property.
TikTok
While TikTok has been around for a little while now, it still isn’t used as much as it could be. Agents utilising this platform have recognised that this platform allows them to reach a younger and more tech-savvy audience who may just be looking at commercial property themselves, or doing some research for their parents.
The short form video format is perfect for providing quick virtual tours and showcasing unique features of a property.
By utilising relevant hashtags and tapping into trending soundtracks, videos on this platform can quickly gain visibility, allowing your agent to reach a wider audience they may not be able to reach on other platforms.
Interestingly, TikTok Live sessions can be utilised to host virtual open houses and answer questions in real-time, providing a more personalised experience for prospective clients. While TikTok may not be the conventional choice for commercial real estate marketing, its potential to generate buzz and interest makes it a valuable addition to a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.
The Social Media Revolution in Commercial Property Sales
Social media has revolutionised the way commercial properties are marketed and sold. Its reach, visual appeal, targeted advertising capabilities, engagement opportunities, real-time updates, and credibility-building potential make it an invaluable tool in the arsenal of property owners and real estate professionals.
To effectively sell your commercial property in today’s competitive market, using an agent across social media marketing is not just an option; it’s a necessity. By leveraging these platforms strategically, your agent can maximise your property’s exposure and increase your chances of finding the perfect buyer or investor.
