Social media has transformed the business landscape for countless businesses, offering firms of all sizes another way to increase brand awareness and generate new leads.
At the same time, the likes of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn have given companies the chance to engage with their client base in a substantial and meaningful way, and gain new insights into what kind of person is interested in their brand.
So, how can your mortgage broker firm best make use of social media and make it work for you? Well, the first thing to be aware of is that simply having an account on the major social platforms won’t automatically achieve results.
You need to find out what platforms your target audience are using, be active and visible in those spaces and put forward a compelling proposition that makes them take notice.
Furthermore, you should remember that not every platform attracts the same audience or is used for the same purpose, so you have to bear this in mind as you seek to get the most out of your social media campaign and marketing budget.
There are three social media platforms that could yield especially good results for a mortgage broker.
Facebook
Facebook remains the world’s largest social media platform, with more than 2.89 billion monthly active users across the globe, according to Statista. That makes it a hugely powerful marketing tool with massive reach.
But of course, you’re not necessarily trying to attract a mass audience. That’s why Facebook ads are a great option, as you can target your adverts to people based on their age, occupation, where they live, and countless other factors, and encourage them to follow your page, click through to your website and ultimately get in touch.
That can deliver a much higher return on investment than mass market advertising, such as a radio slot, as you’re putting your brand right in front of the people you want to take notice of you.
However, it’s well worth keeping a close eye on the returns you’re getting from Facebook advertising, as the people scrolling through their timeline won’t necessarily be seeking mortgage advice at that moment.
That makes it all the more important that you create an eye-catching, relevant and well targeted ad that tempts users away from looking at what they logged on to see in the first place.
Facebook is also a perfect platform for sharing content published elsewhere, from blogs on your website, videos on your YouTube channel, and maybe even third-party content that you think could be of interest to your target audience.
Twitter
Twitter is a fantastic tool to engage and interact with clients, prospects and peers, share relevant and meaningful content, and showcase sales and promotions.
You can start on this platform by following and engaging with other financial institutions and influencers in the mortgage market, as this can help you expand your network and gain potential followers and leads.
Twitter is also a great platform for sharing the latest industry data, news, developments and insights, possibly by retweeting posts from other experts or by sharing your own insights on a given subject.
You can boost the visibility of your post by adding one or two relevant hashtags, as this will help it get seen by others who are engaging with the same subject on different pages.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a tool for building professional connections, so instead of marketing to potential clients, you’re instead looking to forge links with other figures in your industry. This can help you develop a good reputation in the sector and gain referrals from other financial service providers in the future.
Being visible on LinkedIn could also help you attract talented and experienced people in the mortgage industry who are seeking new job opportunities.
Add Value to Your Followers
As we said earlier, simply having a social media profile doesn’t mean the prospects and leads will come flooding in straight away - you have to add value by giving people something they want or need.
That could mean anything from sharing details of a promotion, posting regularly and responding to comments and queries on your pages as quickly as possible.
You can also add value by sharing your thoughts on a relevant and timely issue, so you can establish yourself as a thought leader and a trusted, authoritative source of information.
But be aware that it is important to maintain your brand tone of voice across the board, so you can present a genuine, authentic option to people in your area who may be seeking mortgage advice.
A strong social media campaign should also incorporate more than one platform, so you can take advantage of the different features, functions and user base each one offers.
