Jess Lenouvel

Is your content falling flat with your ideal clients?

What if the issue runs deeper than you think?

Your marketing might not just be missing the mark—it could be repelling the very people you’re trying to attract.

After working with thousands of real estate agents, I’ve uncovered five crucial content marketing mistakes that could be holding you back from generating more clients online.

Let’s break them down—and discover how to fix them fast. 👇🏼

1. The “I’m #1” Syndrome

I see it all the time when I’m looking at real estate content on social media…

• “Top Producer”
• “Award-Winning Agent”
• “#1 in Sales”

Here’s the truth: your potential clients don’t care about your trophies. They care about their desires, their fears, and their problems. Instead of broadcasting your accolades, focus on providing real value that addresses their specific needs.

Try creating educational content about the buying or selling process they’re currently considering going through. Share market insights that actually help them make decisions. Offer practical tips about home ownership. When you focus on serving rather than self-promoting, you naturally position yourself as an expert.

And trust me…helpful content will get way more engagement than those humblebrag posts!

2. The “Just Listed/Just Sold” Fatigue

Just because other agents are doing “just listed!” and “just sold!” posts, doesn’t mean you should.

Because honestly? The endless stream of listing announcements is training people to see you as a billboard, not a trusted advisor. 

When every post screams “ANOTHER LISTING!”, you become the noise your ideal client has learned to tune out. 

Want to truly get their attention? Share the story behind the sale. 

Instead of just posting “SOLD!”, tell them about how you helped your client navigate multiple offers to get the best deal.

Rather than another “JUST LISTED!” announcement, share how you helped your sellers elevate their dated kitchen into a buyer’s dream on a budget.

These are the posts that make people stop scrolling. 

Because instead of just seeing another house that sold, they’re seeing themselves in the story – and imagining how you could help them overcome their own real estate challenges.

Remember: Every transaction has a story. Your job is to tell it in a way that connects with your future clients.

3. The “All Business, All The Time” Persona

If your social media feed is nothing but market stats and industry updates, you’re missing a huge opportunity to connect with your audience.  

Real estate is deeply personal. People aren’t just buying houses, they’re making a massive decision to get them closer to their ideal life. 

Your marketing needs to reflect that human element. Yes, share market insights, but wrap them in context that matters to your audience. 

Instead of just posting numbers and trends, explain what they mean for your potential clients. 

And don’t forget to show your followers there’s a real human behind the business. 

Mix in some personality with your authoritative posts. Take a day off posting about real estate and share a picture from your family vacation with a personal story tied to it. Let them see the REAL person who will guide them through one of life’s biggest decisions.

Think about it – would you rather work with someone who only talks about interest rates and inventory levels?

Or someone who makes you feel like they see you as a person, not just another transaction?

Remember: People do business with people. When you balance your business content with personal connection posts, you build the kind of trust that turns followers into clients.

4. The “Everyone’s My Client” Trap

Think casting a wider net will help you attract more clients?

Here’s the thing about trying to speak to everyone: you end up speaking to no one. 

A young family looking to upsize has completely different fears and dreams than an empty-nester looking to downsize. First-time buyers face different challenges than seasoned investors.

You have to pick your lane. Choose your ideal client and become their expert. Understand their specific challenges, speak their language, and create content that addresses their unique situation. 

Watered-down messaging will only sabotage your marketing. 

Go deep, not wide, and remember that the riches truly are in the niches.

5. The “Always Closing” Mentality 

That desperate energy of constantly selling?

People can smell it from a mile away. 

When every post feels like a pitch, your audience starts running for the hills. 

Think about your own social media habits – do you follow people who are constantly trying to sell you something?

Instead, try to adopt a “give-first” mentality in your content. Always give more than you ask. 

Be generous in the value you provide clients, and use sales-focused call-to-actions sparingly. 

When you consistently solve problems for your audience with your content, sales will follow naturally.

Start Small 

Here’s the thing – fixing these mistakes doesn’t mean overhauling your entire marketing strategy overnight. Start with one simple shift:

Pick ONE of these problem areas that resonates most with you. Look at your last few posts. How could you transform just one of them using what you’ve learned?

Maybe it’s turning that “Just Listed” post into a compelling client success story. Or replacing that award announcement with valuable content your ideal clients actually need.

Small changes in how you show up can create massive shifts in who shows up for you.

Want to learn our complete framework for creating content that not only attracts your dream clients but converts them? Inside The Listings Lab, we teach agents exactly how to use marketing psychology to build trust with their ideal clients – before they’ve ever met you.

Book a call with our team to learn how we can help you transform your real estate marketing from repelling to magnetic in the next 90 days.

Are you a real estate agent who’s been curious about incorporating AI into your marketing workflow? 

Artificial Intelligence has been taking the real estate world by storm…and for good reason.

AI can be a powerful tool for busy agents who want to save time while continuously marketing their businesses to keep their pipeline full. But there’s a catch…

When used incorrectly, AI can make your content sound robotic and impersonal. Many agents are turning to ChatGPT with basic prompts, only to end up with generic content that fails to convert.

These prompts aren’t just unhelpful. They’re adding to the real estate content crisis.

Here’s the issue:

Generic inputs = Generic outputs.

When every agent is using the same watered-down prompt their coach gave them, guess what?

Their content blends in with the noise.

And we all know, in this industry, blending in means missing out.

Sure, you could dive into the deep end of prompt engineering and spend hours crafting ultra-specific inputs…

But let’s be honest, you’ve got better things to do.

That’s why we took a completely different approach in The Listings Lab.

Instead of giving agents another list of basic prompts, we built something revolutionary…

Introducing: The AI Studio

The AI Studio is a brand-new set of AI tools exclusively available to members of The Listings Lab, our flagship real estate marketing program. 

Unlike generic AI tools, The AI Studio comes pre-programmed with The Listings Lab’s proven frameworks and marketing strategies.

This means agents don’t need to become AI experts to get results. The AI Studio handles the strategic heavy lifting, getting you 85-90% of the way there while preserving your authentic voice.

It removes roadblocks that cause agents to lose marketing momentum. From market research to content creation, here are 3 ways savvy agents are using this AI tool to increase their marketing output. 

1. Streamlining Market Research 

A key to strong marketing is knowing your ideal clients.

The only problem? 

Traditional market research methods, like interviews and surveys, are time-consuming.

And even worse?

It’s often hard to get busy clients to participate.

And while popular AI tools can provide basic insights, they often miss crucial real estate-specific nuances.

The AI Studio’s Market Research tool solves this challenge. It analyzes vast data on specific real estate niches. Then, it generates detailed insights about their:

• Pain points and challenges in the current market
• Key motivators driving their real estate decisions
• Specific fears holding them back
• Desires and aspirations for their next home

The reason our AI tool is much more accurate is that we’ve already analyzed and researched dozens of real estate niches. After serving thousands of agents, we’ve got the intel and data on every type of client, from upsizers to downsizers to divorcees to pet owners. 

Rather than spend hours crafting perfect prompts, agents can input their niche info and market. They will then receive detailed, actionable market research that drives results.

2. Crafting a Compelling Brand Story

So you know you need a compelling brand story…but every time you go to write one, you can’t stop staring at a blinking cursor? Strategically using AI tools can help you overcome your writer’s block once and for all. But using something like Chat GPT can be tough for this key piece of your messaging. 

Your brand story needs to be personal, vulnerable, and uniquely YOU. 

While basic AI tools can help with writing, they often produce vanilla content that sounds like every other agent.

The AI Studio’s Brand Story tool takes a different approach. Built on years of marketing expertise, it:

– Asks strategically designed questions to draw out your unique experiences

– Structures your story using our proven storytelling frameworks

– Maintains readability at the optimal grade level (research shows 54% of Americans read at a 6th-grade level or below)

Instead of staring at a blank page, agents using The AI Studio can create compelling brand stories. Brand stories that actually resonate with potential clients, unlike generic AI content.

The tool gets you 90% of the way there, leaving you to focus on refining and personalizing the final output.

3. Creating Consistent, Converting Content

Here’s where things get really good…

Most agents make the mistake of asking ChatGPT to “write me 30 real estate posts” and end up with bland, cookie-cutter content. 

But our AI Studio tool doesn’t just help you fill a content calendar. It actually helps you sign clients.

The AI Studio’s Content Calendar Creator takes a completely different approach.

By using our signature Stranger To Client method, the tool maps out four weeks of strategic content.

It gives you the perfect mix of:

• Personal content that builds real connection
• Authority-building posts that showcase your expertise
• Personal Philosophy pieces that make you stand out
• Myth-busting content that tackles objections head-on

What makes this special? The Listings Lab’s proprietary frameworks are built right into its DNA. 

Every piece of content has a purpose, naturally leading potential clients toward working with you. 

Basic AI tools can help with some marketing tasks. But, they often lack the nuanced psychology and proven frameworks that drive results in marketing. 

The AI Studio, included in The Listings Lab program, combines:

• Years of real estate marketing expertise
• Proven psychological frameworks
• Strategic content mixing

All of this is pre-programmed into the backend, so you don’t need to wrack your brain trying to come up with the perfect prompt. Simply input your information, and the tool handles the strategic heavy lifting.

As AI evolves, a gap will emerge. Agents using common tools will fall behind those using specialized solutions like The AI Studio. The winners will be those who use AI strategically. Not as a crutch that makes them sound like everybody else, but as a tool to amplify their expertise.

The right AI tools (not just ChatGPT) can grow your business WHILE keeping a real, human connection with your audience.

The AI Studio is the future of marketing, and it’s available to members of The Listings Lab. It combines tech and strategy to create authentic, high-converting content at scale. 

Want to learn more about The AI Studio And The Listings Lab?

Book a call with our team here. We’ll share more about our tools and strategies to help you build relationships at scale and dominate your market.

Personal brands for real estate agents aren’t just “nice to have” anymore. 

They’re NECESSARY.

Why? Because marketing has fundamentally shifted. 

Today’s clients don’t just buy from a logo or a business card. They buy from people they trust. People they connect with. People who stand for something.

Look at how many companies now rely on influencers to build that trust – because influencers have what most businesses don’t: authentic personal connections with their audience. 

But as a real estate agent, you don’t need to borrow someone else’s influence. You can create your own trust and authority by building a strong personal brand.

Today, I’m going to break down the six essential pillars of a powerful personal brand for real estate:

1. Credibility & Authority Through Storytelling
2. Core Values & Mission
3. Niche & Target Audience
4. Brand Voice & Messaging
5. Thought Leadership
6. Your Secret Sauce

These pillars make it exciting (and achievable!) to create a unique, engaging, and followable personal brand. 

Because remember, people will buy from you because of your expertise. 

But they will follow you because of your personal brand. 

1. Credibility & Authority Through Storytelling

Would you watch a TV show that had no drama in it? 

Just a show about someone living this perfect existence?

Probably not – it’d be boring. 

Yet that’s exactly what many real estate agents do with their brand story. 

We’ve all seen those perfectly polished brand stories that say absolutely nothing. 

But even though we know playing it safe creates forgettable content, we still default to sanitized perfection. 

Why? Because being truly seen terrifies us.

We avoid sharing the raw, messy, real parts of our journey. 

We think, “This is too much” or “I’m not ready to put this out there.”

You have to get ready. You need to be ready to go there and be vulnerable.

Take my spaghetti story for example. I share it on a regular basis. It’s the one where I walked out on my husband during our spaghetti dinner date to take a client call. 

It’s not a proud moment, but it resonates with my audience because it’s real. 

Another example is the interview I did with Entrepreneur Magazine. I talked about how I built a 7-figure business off the back of an abusive relationship. 

The truth is, some of the most valuable things that happen in your life, are the things that don’t go according to plan. 

They’re the ones that shape who we are. 

Your brand story should reflect these moments. Share the pivotal moments that shaped your journey – the good and the bad. 

By doing this, you prove your expertise through your experience, not just your credentials. 

You show your audience you understand them because you’ve been there too. 

They’re able to see themselves in your stories. 

The ups and downs of your brand story make you relatable. 

They draw people in emotionally. 

And that’s what makes your real estate personal brand unforgettable. 

➡️ READ MORE: Create A Powerful Real Estate Brand Story With These 4 Steps

2. Core Values & Mission

The second pillar of your personal brand is your core values & mission. 

Together, these answer the question, what do you stand for?

Most people in real estate don’t stand for much. They’ll say something like, “I want to help 100 families find their dream home this year.”

Okay, great. But how? And why?

This is where your brand story comes in. Your core values tie back to your stories and how they’ve shaped your mission. 

Ask yourself:

• What do I want to accomplish?
• What change do I want to see in the world?
• How am I becoming that change?

Answering these questions gives your brand purpose and direction – something people can rally behind. 

When creating a vision for our business, we often focus on what we want for our lives.

And this is important!

After all, it’s YOU who has to show up for your business every day. 

But when it comes to crafting a powerful mission and set of values, you have to go beyond yourself. 

Visualize the impact you want to have on your target audience, on the real estate industry, and on the world.

Your mission should inspire others and connect deeply with your values. 

Then tie it into the stories you tell, making it a consistent thread in your brand. 

3. Niche & Target Audience

No brand can appeal to everyone. When you try, you risk diluting your message and connecting with no one.

That’s why defining your niche and target audience is non-negotiable for building a powerful personal brand in real estate.

Start by defining WHO you’re trying to help and WHAT problem you’re trying to solve for them. 

By clearly defining your niche and target audience, your messaging becomes much more focused and impactful. 

To do this, narrow your focus: 

• Consider the demographic and psychographic traits of your ideal clients. 
• Identify any industry-specific factors or expertise you bring to the table. 

Then, create messaging that speaks directly to their pain points, aspirations, and values. 

Because when people look for a real estate agent, they aren’t looking for just anyone.

The single parent wants an agent who understands the need for an affordable home in a good school district. 

The empty nesters want someone who relates to the bittersweet excitement of downsizing their family home. 

By niching down and creating a target audience, you can build a personal brand that connects deeply. 

You’ll know exactly how to create content that speaks directly to them so that you’re top of mind when they’re ready to buy/sell. 

➡️ READ: The Power of Niching Down: 10 Profitable Real Estate Niche Ideas

4. Brand Voice & Messaging

Have you ever played “Spot the Realtor”? 

The rules are simple. Just look for the same polished appearance, the same cars, the same corporate energy – and BAM! You’ve found a realtor.

This was something me and my husband used to play as a joke. 

But it’s also the exact opposite of having a strong personal brand. 

To stand out, you have to break free from that mold.

Your brand voice and messaging are what make you unique. They reflect your tone, personality, and how you communicate – not just as a professional, but as a person.

Your personality is the heart of your brand voice. 

But if you’re worried about showing the real you, remember: 

Being authentic doesn’t mean abandoning professionalism. 

It means balancing it with your personality – that includes being silly sometimes! 

Don’t aim for perfectly polished professional 100% of the time. Aim for realness. 

Show up online as your authentic self – full of quirks, laughter, and humanness. 

When you’re authentically you, people notice.

So, consider what makes you unique. Pour that into how you describe yourself when you’re speaking and writing. 

Then, refine your voice. 

Is it conversational, playful, or authoritative? Does it reflect how you talk in person? Does your messaging go beyond the real estate uniform and show the real you? 

By leaning into these aspects, you’ll create a personal brand that feels genuine, distinct, and recognizable across every platform. 

5. Thought Leadership

Thought leadership is probably the most underutilized part of building a personal brand. 

Basically, it boils down to asking yourself: what aren’t people talking about?

Clients will scroll through hundreds of agents before making a decision. 

In the process, they’re probably seeing the same recycled content over and over again. 

Thought leadership comes from addressing the things other agents are NOT talking about. 

It comes from being brave enough to step out of the box and say the things no other agent is saying. 

This is where your authority begins to take shape. 

True thought leadership happens when you bring fresh perspectives to the table.

For example, the concept of omnipresence wasn’t really a topic in the real estate world until I began using it in 2018.

Now, there are dozens of real estate coaches talking about it. 

Of course, standing out doesn’t mean being polarizing just for the sake of being polarizing.

It’s about speaking your truth when that truth aligns with your core values and mission.

To be a thought leader you have to take a stance on something that matters to you. 

Challenge the status quo in real estate – not to be controversial, but to reshape how people think about the industry. 

When you do that, you’re not just creating content – you’re creating change. And that’s what makes you impossible to ignore.

6. Your Secret Sauce

Finally, the last pillar of creating a personal brand in real estate is your secret sauce – your unique differentiator. 

This is the piece that’s missing from most agents’ marketing strategies.

Your secret sauce is the combination of your personality, lifestyle, and professional experience.

Together, they become the reason why people follow you. 

It’s the reason why they want to be in your world. 

Simply put, your secret sauce is YOU. 

It’s your humanness, your realness, your struggles, and your successes – everything that makes you you. 

And because nobody is exactly like you, it becomes your superpower. 

But here’s the catch: most agents hold back. 

Fear of judgment or looking silly keeps them from fully expressing themselves. 

Instead, they stick to a polished, surface-level version of who they think they should be. 

The truth is, once you start letting go of that control and embracing all the pieces of yourself, that’s what makes you truly stand out. 

When you show up authentically, you build a brand that feels real and relatable. 

People connect with you on a deeper level and that connection drives engagement.

More than that, it drives authority – and that’s what makes your personal brand unforgettable.

For example, in my own business, I’ve built a brand not just on real estate coaching, but on showing how I live the lifestyle I talk about online.

I embrace the “more money, less hustle” attitude, and it’s reflected in everything I do. 

And people resonate with that message because they see me living it every day on social media.

Your secret sauce works the same way. 

When your marketing reflects who you are – your values, your life, your story – you’ll naturally attract the right audience.

And that audience won’t just engage with your content, they’ll connect with your brand on a deeper level.

They’ll see you as a leader and trust you when it comes time to make big decisions.

So, lean into your secret sauce. 

Let your authenticity be the reason people follow you, trust you, and ultimately, choose to work with you.

A personal brand can feel very ethereal – very floaty and intangible. 

But by breaking it down into its separate components, it becomes easier to understand. 

Your personal brand is a sum of its parts. 

Each of the six pillars – storytelling, core values, niche, voice, thought leadership, and your secret sauce – fit together to create a brand that is unmistakably YOU. 

Together, they give your audience a reason to follow, trust, and engage with you. 

But how do you start?

Break it down. 

Focus on one pillar at a time. Define your core values, fine-tune your messaging, and lean into your unique story. 

Every small step you take brings you closer to creating a brand that’s authentic, natural, and powerful. 

When all the pieces work together, the result is a business backed by a recognizable brand that attracts the right people and thrives. 

At The Listings Lab, we provide agents with the marketing foundations needed to create a personal brand that’s as authentic as it is impactful. 

Book a FREE call with our team today to build a real estate business backed by a personal brand that stands out and drives real results.

Let me guess…

You’ve tried posting endless “just listed, just sold” posts and market updates, only to get radio silence from your ideal clients.

You’ve spent hours fiddling in Canva, posted about your awards and sales volume, and even created those generic “Should you buy or rent?” infographics. You’ve shared neighborhood spotlights, market stats, and tried to position yourself as the local expert.

But despite your consistent posting and following what other successful agents do, you’re still not attracting the quality leads you want. Your posts barely get any engagement, and you’re starting to wonder if social media is worth your time at all.

Here’s what nobody tells you: The agents who are consistently signing their ideal clients aren’t doing it through generic market stats or branded graphics.

They’re doing it by mastering the art of storytelling. 

When you share the right stories, you attract clients who already know, like and trust you – before they even reach out.

Want to know exactly what those stories are?

Let me show you the three types of stories that actually convert followers into clients.

Why Stories Matter More Than Stats

Behind every real estate transaction is a person making one of the biggest decisions of their life.

They’re not just buying or selling a house, they’re creating a new chapter in their story.
That’s why sharing market stats and property features alone isn’t enough to make someone choose you as their agent.

When someone is trusting you with their most valuable asset, they want more than just data – they want to know they can trust the person guiding them through the process. 

It’s why storytelling is so powerful in real estate. In fact, stories are 22 times more memorable than facts alone. 

So if you want your audience to start remembering you and associating YOU as the go-to for real estate, here are the three stories to start sharing online. 👇🏼

Three Types of Stories That Convert

Here are the three distinct stories we’ll be covering:

• Your Brand Story
• Client Success Stories
• Personal Stories

Let’s break down how to craft each one.

Your Brand Story

Your brand story is more than just explaining why you got into real estate. It’s about creating an emotional connection with your audience by sharing the pivotal moments that shaped your business. 

Think about the exact moment you knew you needed to become an agent. Were you watching your parents struggle through a difficult life transition? Or maybe you were.

Did you have an amazing experience buying your first home?

The key is to build tension in your story. Share the challenges you faced, the realizations you had, and most importantly, how these experiences influence the way you serve your clients today. 

Your story can offer moments of vulnerability, but you should only share challenges you’ve already overcome. 

Never share a crisis you’re still struggling with. After all, your story should inspire confidence, not concern! 

If you want to learn more, I wrote an entire post about how to craft a brand story for your real estate business. 

Client Stories

While testimonials are great, client stories that showcase the complete picture of transformation are even better.

Instead of just sharing a happy review, take your audience on the journey with your client.

Start with the problem. What was keeping your client up at night before they found you?

Maybe they were living in a space that was too small, starting to resent their cramped quarters. Or maybe they were empty nesters realizing their family home had become too much to maintain.

Next, share how you helped them overcome their specific challenges. Did you help them find a home that brought their family closer together? Did you help them downsize to a lifestyle that gave them more freedom?

These stories help potential clients see themselves in your past successes.

The most powerful client stories include both the tangible results (days on market, number of offers) and the emotional transformation.

How has their life improved since making the move? What would have happened if they’d stayed put?

This before-and-after contrast helps future clients visualize the possibilities.

READ MORE: Elevate Your Real Estate Agent Testimonials With This Winning Case Study Formula

Personal Stories

This story category is where many agents stumble.

They keep their content strictly focused on business, creating a stiff, corporate feel that pushes people away.

But here’s what you need to remember:

People only move every 3-7 years.

If you’re only sharing real estate content, you’re only relevant to your audience during those brief windows.

Personal stories keep you connected to your audience between moves. Share stories about what drives you, what you’ve learned, and what matters most to you. 

Maybe it’s a story about how your grandmother’s kitchen taught you the meaning of ‘home’, or how training for a marathon changed your perspective on persistence. These stories help your audience connect with you on a human level.

I often hear agents resist this, saying “My lawyer doesn’t share personal stories!” But buying or selling a home is an intensely emotional experience. 

Your clients are literally packing up their entire lives and starting fresh. They want to go through this vulnerable time with someone whose story they know and trust – not just someone who shares stats and sales numbers. 

👉🏼 Want to learn how one of our members overcame her fear of sharing personal content and built a powerful online presence? Read more about Karyn’s story here. 

Putting It All Together

The key to effective storytelling is consistency and authenticity. 

You don’t need to share every detail of your life, but you should regularly mix these three types of stories into your content. 

Remember, studies show that stories are 22 times more memorable than facts alone. So while market stats have their place, it’s your stories that will truly make you memorable to potential clients.

Start by writing out your brand story. Think about the key moments that got you to where you are today. Then, begin documenting your client transformations as they happen. Finally, sprinkle in those personal moments that make you relatable and real.

Most importantly, don’t wait for perfection. 

Your stories don’t need to be polished – they just need to be authentic. The more you share, the more your ideal clients will know, like, and trust you, making you their natural first choice when they’re ready to buy or sell.

Ready to learn more about building a marketing strategy that consistently attracts your ideal clients? 

The Listings Lab is our signature program where we help agents create powerful content that converts. We’ll teach you step-by-step how to use storytelling (and other proven marketing strategies) to dominate your marketplace in 90 days.

Click here to learn more about The Listings Lab and apply today.

Feeling like you need to be everywhere online? 

TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, podcasts… 

The pressure for real estate agents to be on every social media platform is real. 

But the truth is you DON’T need to be everywhere. 

Think of it this way ⬇️

The best CEOs are the best investors. 

They know exactly where to put their time, energy, and money for maximum results. 

Trying to spread those resources thin by being on every platform only diminishes your reach, divides your focus, and drains your energy.

Instead, it’s about knowing which platforms actually move the needle for your business. 

My suggestion? Focus on just one or two platforms – and really dominate them.

In this post, I’m going to run through data on the major social media platforms. 

This way, you can make the best, most informed decision about where YOU need to be spending your time on social media.

TikTok

Let’s start with TikTok, because it’s the newest platform on the scene that everybody is curious about.

I swear I have an agent in my DMs nearly every day asking me:

“Do I need to be on TikTok?”

My answer?

No, you don’t need to be on TikTok to grow your real estate business.

TikTok is great for selling products – especially through influencers who have loyal followings. 

But real estate is a service-based business. 

TikTok simply doesn’t have the same impact on converting leads into clients for service-based businesses. 

Here’s why TikTok isn’t the best fit:

• Income Demographics: Only 27% of TikTok users in North America make over $100k a year. In most markets, people need to be making at least $100k to buy or sell real estate.

• Younger Audience: TikTok has a younger demographic. Only about 30-33% of adults who would be your target audience actively use it.

• Low Attention Span: TikTok viewers have short attention spans. Your content has to be drastically different, exciting, and engaging to even hold their interest. The reality is most real estate agents don’t create that kind of content on a regular basis. 

• High Virality, Low Conversions: TikTok makes it easy to go viral if you know what you’re doing. But those views don’t necessarily turn into clients. Conversions on TikTok are lower than any other platform.

So, to sum up, sure, a few agents do well on TikTok. 

But don’t make your decision based on that small handful. 

Most agents end up draining their resources to create high-production videos that have a low ROI. 

Bottom line: It’s not that you can’t use TikTok for your real estate marketing. 

But there are more effective social media platforms to spend your time, energy, bandwidth, and money on.

YouTube

YouTube is another big platform that agents get distracted by. 

Generally speaking, with YouTube, there’s a lot of opportunity for many businesses to do really well. 

But unfortunately, real estate is kind of the exception in this case.

Real estate is not your typical service-based industry. Transactions are larger, more infrequent, and depend on deep trust and relationships built over time. 

So, with that being said, let’s break down what YouTube has to offer:

• Audience with Buying Power: 80% of YouTube’s users make over $100K a year, meaning many viewers have the income needed for real estate investments.

• Massive Reach: With 83% of adults in Canada and the US actively using YouTube, your potential audience is huge.

• Easier Growth: If your content is compelling, growing a following on YouTube is often easier than on other platforms.

However, when it comes to conversions, YouTube falls short:

• No Direct Selling: You can’t sell directly on YouTube. So, it’s challenging to convert views into bookings. People rarely watch a video and then immediately book a listing appointment.

• No Direct Message Function: YouTube doesn’t have a DM function which is instrumental to conversions. 

• Best for Niche Markets: Agents specializing in relocation thrive on YouTube as people often search for this specific type of content. But for most agents working with local buyers and sellers, YouTube does not yield the best ROI.

In short, YouTube offers huge reach and growth potential. 

However, real estate agents will likely find better results on platforms that allow for stronger, more direct connections.

LinkedIn 

LinkedIn has huge potential when used properly.

With over half of its users making $100k or more, LinkedIn is packed with high-income professionals – 30% of whom are young professionals. 

For agents who target young professionals and young working families, this is the platform for you.  

And, unlike other platforms, LinkedIn’s conversions are high – if you have the right audience.

But if your audience is diluted with other agents, your content won’t perform, no matter how valuable it is. 

To succeed on LinkedIn, focus on building niche-specific, local connections.

So, if you’re thinking about using LinkedIn for your real estate marketing, keep these facts in mind:

• High-income user base: 53% of users make over $100k a year.

• Young professional reach: 30% of U.S. users are young professionals.

• High conversion potential: Strong results when your audience aligns with your target.

• Niche connections matter: Ability to connect with local leads, not just other agents, to boost performance.

With its affluent user base and professional networking tools, LinkedIn offers a unique opportunity to connect with qualified buyers and sellers in your market.

Instagram

Instagram offers HUGE growth and conversion potential…

If your content is strong. 

If you’re not gaining new followers daily despite posting regularly, it’s a content problem. 

On Instagram, your growth depends on high-quality reels targeted to your niche.

But most importantly, you NEED strong, attention-grabbing hooks to grow. 

Those first 8 seconds of your video are make-or-break. 

If they’re too weak, viewers will scroll past.

Contrary to what many believe, it’s not the Instagram algorithm itself that prioritizes reels or videos – its users do. 

People using Instagram prefer videos over long-form written content, which is why reels perform so well.

If you’re considering Instagram for your real estate marketing, here are some key stats:

• High-income users: 54% of users make over $100k annually, which is even higher than LinkedIn.

• Large audience base: 47% of adults in the U.S. use Instagram, making a substantial base audience.

• Solid engagement: Average video depth is 12-20 seconds – which is good by today’s social media standards.

The most vital thing to remember about marketing on Instagram? 

You DON’T want to be seen as someone who’s constantly selling. 

Followers are looking for value, not constant sales pitches. 

If your content is too promotional, like “just listed/just sold” posts, followers might tune out. 

Instead, you want to be seen as a giver – a source of valuable information. 

Then, sell in private in your DMs.

So, remember, if your content is useful and engaging on Instagram, your audience will grow.

Facebook

Facebook isn’t the most exciting platform.

BUT it’s the all-around winner when it comes to the best social media platform for real estate agents.

Facebook leads the charts as the highest-performing platform. 

Here are some key factors for you to think about:

• High-income users: 68% of users make over $100k annually.

• Large Base audience: 68% of U.S. adults in prime buying and selling age groups are on Facebook.

• Best engagement: Facebook videos have an average view depth of 53 seconds – the highest among social media platforms.

• Strong conversions: Medium-to-high conversion rates make it the highest ROI platform across niches. 

Just remember:

These stats reflect marketing on personal profiles, not business pages. 

Business pages work well for ads. 

Personal profiles and Facebook groups are your best bets for organic growth and audience building. 

While business pages help with ad performance, they aren’t as effective for organic reach.

READ MORE: Facebook Page vs Profile: Which One Is Better For Real Estate Agents?

Podcasts

Although not technically a social media platform, a lot of agents consider starting a podcast. 

But think about this: most listeners only listen to 3-5 different podcasts regularly. 

Is your real estate podcast going to make it to that list?

Probably not. 

Podcasts tend to do better for investing or broader business topics. 

Real estate podcasts? Not so much. 

So, do you need to start a podcast?

Not really. It’s not going to give you the highest ROI.

They’re time-, money-, and tech-intensive when you could put those resources toward strategies that deliver more.

A better strategy?

Guest on OTHER people’s podcasts and in their communities. Learn more about that strategy below. 👇🏼

READ MORE: 5 Unique Real Estate Marketing Ideas to Grow Your Audience

Email

Email is the one non-negotiable platform that agents NEED to be on. 

Social media audiences can disappear overnight. 

But your email list is the only list you own and no one can take it from you. 

Because of that, 30% of your business revenue should come from email. 

However, it’s very hard to grow an email list without social media ads. 

The two feed into each other. 

Everything you’re doing online through social media should lead to your email. 

Plus, 96% of people who make over $100k a year actively use email, making it the highest-converting platform. 

In terms of open rates, think about it from a depth standpoint: 

On social media, the algorithm shows your content to 10% of your audience. 

If your content does well, it might reach up to 20%. 

However, with email, decent open rates average around 40%.

This means if you send regular emails with good, quality content, the consumption of that content is the highest among all platforms. 

This blog post teaches you more about how to master email marketing for real estate. 

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So, what are the best social media platforms for real estate agents?

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• And, of course, email

These platforms give you the highest potential reach for engagement and conversion. 

But it’s not enough to just show up on these platforms.

You need to know how to strategically use them to build your brand and attract your ideal clients. 

At The Listings Lab, we teach agents the marketing foundations they need to succeed on social media. 

We’ll even help you implement profile funnels for the top three social media platforms so leads know you’re the right agent for them within 5 seconds. 

Are you ready to stop the scroll on social media and attract more ideal clients?

Click here to book a FREE call with our team and learn more about turning social media into your biggest growth tool.