Web-based marketing platforms like Facebook and Twitter are crucial to reaching out to potential home buyers. Here, BUILDER talks with Woody Stoudemire, president of Hickory, N.C.-based X-Factor Web Marketing, about ways builders can maximize their social media outreach.
Why is social media
important for home builders?
Home building is a visual business, so social media platforms like Instagram,
Pinterest and Facebook are all good forums for showcasing homes inside and out.
Use of social media also helps a home building firm come across as “progressive
thinkers,” and it can offer a creative way to communicate a company’s culture
and personality. Builders usually work within a 60-mile radius of their home
base, which is perfect for reaching the local Facebook audience.
How are builders using
it to attract buyers?
Great photography is essential to attracting buyers through social media sites
such as Pinterest, Instagram and Houzz (a social media website dedicated
entirely to builders, industry suppliers and homeowners). Builders are posting
time-lapse construction videos on YouTube and corporate websites. Publishing
testimonials on Facebook and LinkedIn also adds credibility to the company. In
fact, a strong LinkedIn profile with testimonials and awards/accolades can make
the difference when it comes to building leads and getting calls. Providing
helpful tips for home buyers on a company blog, Facebook, and Twitter also help
build consumer trust. Social media posts further enable homebuilders to reach
potential buyers by spreading their message and reaching friends of friends.
