The changes have arrived? Are you freaking out?
Facebook has been warning Real Estate agents and advertisers for a while now about the changes to the algorithm so this should not be a surprise. In fact, if you had watched my video back in April of this year you would already be prepared and working on making changes to the way you target.
So now that these changes are officially here how do we handle them and play by the rules while not losing engagement and results? I boil it all down below.
Changes that were made
The changes that were put in place directly affect Credit companies, Employment posts and Housing (Real Estate) advertisers. Before you start badmouthing Facebook and their changes try to see it from their perspective. Plain and simple they got sued and we have Fair Housing laws to prevent discrimination for a reason and now Facebook must make changes, so as the saying goes, don’t hate the player, hate the game.
Now that we understand we can move on and focus on the Housing Sector since that is the one that will affect Realtors the most.
Facebook ad targeting in years months past
It used to be the case that you could post an album with a listing and be able to target, 18-35 year old females within a 10 mile radius of the home, excluding Real Estate Agents, that are interested in Zillow and Likely to Move. (Man do I miss that last one.)
Facebook ad targeting as of today
Anyone, of any age, of any gender, within a 15-mile radius or more who are interested in Zillow.
So, what does this actually mean?
It really is NOT that big of a deal. This means that in order to get the right eyes on your posts moving forward, you need to get creative with your post text and your content. Don’t just post but really take some time to think about it and craft it correctly.
Let’s focus on engagement
1. Always try to do video, whether it is of you speaking in the video, a live video if you are one of the brave, or a video carousel of images, it does not matter. Video on Facebook is king when it comes to engagement.
2. Since we are on the topic of video don’t just do it but do it well! If you are willing to get on camera speaking in your video, which you should, then start your video immediately with the hook, why should this person stop, and stay stopped to watch your video. Get them vested immediately and then show them or tell them what you want to say. Doesn’t have to be short but it must be succinct and compelling.
3. Don’t post and ghost, as I like to say. Put some real deep thought into your post text. This is even more important now because soon there is another change coming where they will only show one line of post text before the READ more button is displayed so you have even less real estate (pun intended) to get their attention.
4. If video is king, then emojis are queen! Do not forget to include these adorable little icons to keep your post text reader friendly.
5. Since Facebooks rules now state that the radius has to be 15 miles or more for your targeting, but your post only really helps a certain city, then call out that city in your text. “Boston Residents, check this out…” You will want to write more than that, but you get the point. This will allow the viewer to engage if it is for them and the algorithm will begin to learn who to target.
Facebook continues to and will continue to change to keep the platform engaging for its users. Read this post and watch the video to learn some additional ways to craft an engaging message.
In Conclusion
Do not be afraid of the changes that Facebook has made. Change although it comes with challenges can also bring new opportunities. That doesn’t mean you won’t sit and swear at your computer screen a few times in frustration with the new ad process but stay positive because Facebook is STILL the BEST and CHEAPEST way to get your message to the masses.
If you have specific questions about the changes or comments please fill out the form below.