Building a personal brand isn’t easy, but it’s now make-or-break for how agents connect with their community, and a strong digital presence can completely change your trajectory. Here are one agent’s top tips for getting it right.
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While once upon a time, agents could get away with just a staff photo as their digital presence, Barry Plant franchise performance manager Rayni Jerram said that just wouldn’t cut it anymore.
With social media creating greater access to clients, Jerram said agents needed a clear plan to grow their digital presence.
She said that without a proper understanding of how and why they were using the platform, it was easy for agents to get stuck, confronted with a wide range of approaches.
“It actually requires a lot of preparation or planning before you can even start. There are so many options that you can really get stuck in the trenches,” Jerram said.
Regardless of their experience level, Jerram said one of the biggest differences between an “okay agent” and a “great one” was their ability to develop a social media presence that attracts clients and gives them an edge.
“If you can find your own balance with feeling comfortable with what you’re doing because you believe in it and are passionate about it, that will come across,” Jerram said.
Planning the social media push
Jerram said that branding has been a key part of how agents anchor themselves in their local community, with a strong digital presence often reaching clients before their first interaction.
By establishing a professional, authentic, and trusted presence, Jerram said they could build connections with potential new clients.
“It’s up to you to make sure that you’ve learned enough and you’ve got local knowledge so that once you actually do meet them, you can put those skills on show.”
When developing a social media presence, Jerram said agents needed to find a way to present themselves that made them most comfortable, and only then should they look to expand their digital presence.
“Make sure it’s going to actually have value rather than just scatter gunning everything.”
“It’s really important to plan out what you want to do, how you want to put yourself across, and then have some real consistency and build off one platform.”
When deciding which social media network to focus on, she said it was important for agents to find one that both suits their style and is likely to reach their target market.
“If you are of the younger generation and you prefer TikTok, but there aren’t many people looking for homes on TikTok, you probably need to reevaluate why you are choosing that platform.”
Where to start: Presence is built from the first post
Jerram said that an agent's first post should be about them and their own personal journey, giving viewers an immediate opportunity to connect.
“People are always really keen to know a little bit more about you and why you decided to be a real estate agent,” she said.
“If you are interesting to watch and people connect with the things you are doing or saying, or if you are putting out things of value, then they’re definitely going to watch more and connect more.”
Jerram said the most engaging agents strike a balance among educational, entertaining, and local-market-focused content.
“The agents I like to follow the most are the ones that create that variety by mixing it up.”
“If high-end real estate is the vibe you are chasing, you obviously want to make sure that you’re putting out high-quality posts and videos that look extremely professional,” she said.
Similarly, Jerram said that if the target market was more regional or local, the light-hearted, comedic approach might prove more successful.
She said that agents should avoid posting anything that could be considered unprofessional or highly opinionated.
With agents relying on their existing connections in the early stages, Jerram said it was important to publish content that their network can share and use to refer potential clients.
As with any kind of learning, she said the most important thing was regularity, recommending professionals to post at least three times a week until it becomes a habit rather than a task.
“Consistency is the overarching key for sure, because the more consistently you post, the more likely you are to be in front of people and the more likely they are to remember your face.”
Jerram said the two most significant hurdles in developing an online presence were inconsistency and getting stuck in the planning stage.
“Get started on your first day in real estate, make that post and tell your current network that you have started in the industry and why.”
“I think if you aren’t willing to do that, you’re not off to a great start in the industry,” Jerram concluded.
Interested in becoming a real estate or buyer’s agent? Join REB’s New Agent Academy.
One of the industry’s key education and networking events, it connects early-career agents with some of Australia’s top performers, offering real-world insights to help fast-track your success.
Whether you’re breaking into the industry, building momentum in your first few years, or looking to sharpen your edge in a competitive market, the academy is designed to give you the tools to get ahead.
To secure your free tickets to the REB New Agent Academy, click here.
The REB New Agent Academy will be held in Brisbane on 28 May, Melbourne on 5 June, and Sydney on 12 June.
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