Real estate agents have been told the same thing for years: go to social media. This is how you build your atmosphere, stay top of mind, connect with customers and draw attention to your listings. It’s the most effective free(ish) marketing available, and for many agents it feels non-negotiable.
Social media has become an important part of how agents build their brands. But somewhere along the way, the pressure to remain visible has only blurred the line between strategic marketing and posting. Here are four ways agents who chase trends can lose customers and potential customers.
The consistency trap
So you start posting. You put yourself out there, film real estate tours, share day-in-the-life clips, talk about market updates from the car, try to show people that you’re a real person, not just a headshot with a license plate.
You quickly learn that the algorithm rewards consistency. And that’s where it gets tricky: the pressure to post something starts to outweigh the strategy behind what you post.
When content ideas start to become scarce, the easiest way to keep the momentum going is to piggyback on trending reels. Sometimes these trends are even real estate related and can really expand reach. It’s tempting and, frankly, logical to ride the wave of opinion and engagement when it comes.
But visibility does not always mean authority. And involvement does not always equal trust.
When trends no longer serve your brand
Once we start looking for views and likes, it is surprisingly easy to lower the bar without noticing. For professionals, especially in an industry like real estate, following trends can pull your content away from your actual role. Posts prioritize entertainment over credibility, and eventually your online presence starts to feel disconnected from who you are as a professional.
Real estate is particularly susceptible to this as social media is one of our most important marketing platforms. Everyone posts. Everyone is competing for attention. And when it feels like you need to stand out, grabbing a trend can be the easiest way to do so.
But here’s the question worth asking: Are these views worth the cost?
The gap in professionalism
I’m not saying you shouldn’t jump on a great trend. Some are funny, harmless and really effective. I say the habit Chasing trends can quietly push you toward content that feels unprofessional or off-brand, and you may not realize it until it starts to backfire on you.
It might get a laugh from your followers. But how will a potential customer interpret this? How would previous customers experience this? What about brokers, lenders and other industry partners who pay attention even when they don’t double-tap?
When we focus on quantity over quality, we forget something important: your social media is essentially your digital resume. And despite what the internet likes to say about brokers, this is still a trust-based business. Professionalism is important, even if you’re trying to be recognizable.
Why engagement metrics can be misleading
It’s easy to focus on views, likes, shares and saves and get motivated by that. (We’re all human. A high-performing film reel is like caffeine.) But when you’re trying to balance professionalism with social media success, you need to zoom out and ask the tougher questions:
- Does my content lead to more questions?
- Does this lead to referrals?
- Does it build brand recognition in a way I’m proud of?
- Does this attract the right audience… or just an audience?
Because content that goes viral for the wrong reasons can still quietly cost you business. People can look, laugh, and hit, but they can still decide that you are not the agent they would trust with an important financial decision.
Your content should reflect the customer base you want to reach, not just the trends you see.
A better framework for social media content
While I may sound like a social media advocate, I promise I’m not. I’m not anti-trend, I’m just pro-strategy. Before you film the reel that feels a little unhinged (in the name of “content”), do a quick check:
- Brand Check: Does this correspond with how I want to be seen professionally?
- Customer control: Would my ideal client trust me more after seeing this?
- Lifespan Check: Will I still support this in a year’s time?
- Target control: Is this entertaining? And Am I strengthening my expertise, or is it just filling space?
The long game is more important than the algorithm
You don’t have to ride every wave to be successful on social media. Chasing short-term engagement at the expense of long-term trust is rarely worth it. The most effective agents online are not the loudest; they are the ones who consistently show up as themselves.
January is Social Media Month at Inman. Start the year by diving deep into the platforms that matter most, the latest algorithm shifts, the smartest strategies to stand out, and more. Additionally, we’re introducing the coveted Inman Power Player Awards and, this year, a class of New York Power Brokers and MLS Innovators.
Kate Hulbert is marketing director at Bozeman Real Estate Group in Bozeman, Montana. Follow her further Instagram or Facebook.
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