Social Media Strategies that Actually Work

By: Erin McFeeters

We often talk about social media algorithms as if they’re living, breathing organisms. While not alive, these algorithms are constantly shifting and deciding in real time which posts, videos, and stories to put in front of users. If you’re unfamiliar with how they work, think of them as filters that match content to people based on past behavior and preferences. Their ultimate goal? To keep you scrolling as long as possible, serving up content you’ll likely engage with—so the platform can, in turn, serve you more ads and generate more revenue.

Understanding how algorithms operate can help you optimize your content, grow your audience, and connect with other users with similar interests.

According to Sprout Social, a content scheduling and analytics tool, “Understanding how social media algorithms work is like unraveling the intricate threads that govern the digital tapestry of user experiences,” said Dorcas Adisa in a Sprout Social blog post. “These algorithms, like invisible guides, determine the content on our feeds.”

At New Jersey Realtors®, we’ve seen tremendous growth on Instagram over the past five years— starting from 0 followers to our current 14.6K followers. It wasn’t until we began researching the algorithm and testing out different strategies that we began to grow and see the potential reach of our content. But it’s not an exact science.

“For marketers, keeping up with the Instagram algorithm is a lot like chasing Moby Dick: It feels ever-moving, and ever-elusive,” said said Adisa in a Sprout Social blog post.

Here are five strategies we’ve adopted at New Jersey Realtors® to enhance our content, reach a broader audience on Instagram, and maximize overall engagement.

Find Your Niche

Think big, but not too big, and think small, but not too small. Confusing, right? It would be impossible to come up with the perfect niche overnight. You want to reach more users, but at the same time, grow a community that cares about what you’re posting? Our solution: Test different content types and track post performance to see what resonates with your audience. A New Jersey-based real estate trade association was too small, the real estate industry was too big, so we landed somewhere in the middle to become the Instagram account we are today. We post everything from how long homes are on the market in the Garden State to the best pancakes in New Jersey.

Provide Value

In today’s social media age, posting a few photos isn’t enough. With every post, you must provide value to your audience. While you’re creating content, ask yourself: “What is the goal of this post? Am I educating my audience? Am I entertaining my audience?” If it’s neither, it’s unlikely the post will resonate with your audience. If you’re announcing a new listing, think beyond listing photos and instead share local businesses nearby, housing market data for the town where the home is located, or details about the property itself. Turn your photo post into content packed with invaluable information applicable to a wide audience.

POST CONSISTENTLY

To grow on social media, you must post regularly. The once-a-month “Home Sold” post will not cut it in today’s social age. Create a post-per-week goal for yourself that is attainable for your business and stick to it. Not only will you discover what type of content performs best, but your followers will begin to expect to hear from you.

ENGAGE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE

Social media is a two-way street—don’t post and ghost. Spend time scrolling the platform and engaging with your followers and people you follow to grow your channel. Take it a step further and visit the Instagram Explore Page to search keywords related to your niche. You’ll find other accounts within your field with similar interests.

STAY UP TO DATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS

The algorithms at Meta and beyond are ever developing. Subscribe to marketing and social media email newsletters to keep up with what’s new in social. Try Social Media Today, the Daily Carnage, Hey Orca, Later, and Sprout Social. These marketing newsletters frequently cover new social app features, required image sizes, trending audio recommendations, and more. By keeping up with what’s new in social media, you’ll learn how to leverage all social media special features, implement a strategy that works for you, and ultimately grow a channel with a strong community.