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Why would you want to take time and effort to attract organic Facebook leads when you could just pay for prospects?
Organic leads are free, and there are plenty of ways to get started, even if you’re not sure how. Social media sites like Facebook provide several free tools to start building a community, including:
Facebook also provides an “insights” tool, allowing you to measure responsiveness, reach, and clicks.
Then there’s the overall effectiveness of your advertising. To get the best results from your campaigns, some say it’s better to combine paid and free social media leads.
Another advantage with organic leads is these prospects are already interested in your product or service. They may just need some nurturing to convince them to buy.
If you need a further reason, here it is: Your organic ads can allow you to build lasting results from people who already feel they know and trust you.
That’s the main benefits covered. However, how do you start getting a steady stream of organic leads?
This article will explain, but first, let’s go over the difference between organic and paid Facebook leads.
As explained above, you don’t pay for organic Facebook leads. Instead, you build them by creating written and visual content and sharing it wherever you think your audience might be.
Organic leads are crucial to any inbound marketing campaign, and they can ensure you get interest from your ideal prospects.
While organic Facebook leads won’t cost you anything, gaining them may be time-consuming, and your results can depend on your creativity levels, where you place your content, and the way you promote it.
In contrast, paid ads are advertising services you pay for on a specific platform. Paid leads are usually known as PPC ads. Social media sites all provide PPC ads in varying forms. In Facebook’s case, you can create customized lead ads, for example.
Getting Facebook leads organically doesn’t need to be complicated. With some proven methods, you can start getting free traffic from interested prospects.
In the following section, you’ll find five ways and some tips on how you can implement them yourself.
When Facebook announced a greater focus on “meaningful” discussion, it was met with positive results.
The move meant the social network’s users are now more engaged with groups, and Facebook says 400 million people are in groups that it considers meaningful.
Not only that, Facebook believes in groups so much it paid an estimated $10 million for a SuperBowl ad, writes CNBC.
That’s a huge audience and a lot of prospects.
Since these groups already have an active membership of interested followers, why not reach out to them?
Join some industry-related groups. Begin posting helpful content and answering questions where you can. Feel free to talk about your business and what it does to get people to message you on Facebook or your website. Just make sure you’re not overly promotional.
When looking for suitable groups to join, you’ll have to think of your typical audience and the day-to-day problems they may have. If your product or service can solve them, sign up, interact with group members, and get conversations rolling.
You can do this by:
Although there are no golden rules for posting in groups as such, you may like to consider a few things:
Since their introduction, Facebook business pages have undergone considerable changes and continue to improve and evolve. Although business pages are getting increasingly sophisticated, just setting up a page isn’t enough: You’ll want your page to do some work by gaining organic Facebook leads.
You can do this by optimizing your page for increased clickthroughs and revenues. However, you’ll only need to optimize the parts relevant to gaining leads. Facebook suggests you concentrate on three main areas:
Let’s look at each of these areas.
Information about your businesses’ purpose and how you can help should be readily available. Likewise, you’ll need to write a description that sells your product or service while explaining your concept.
Other ways to optimize your description for Facebook leads include:
Write your “About” page in the same way you would on your website. Add some background about yourself, the origins of your business, and anything you feel resonates with your target market.
Then, enhance confidence by adding a physical address and phone number so your prospects can contact you. You can also add different keywords. Use a free keyword tool like Ubersuggest to find suggestions, or try out the paid version to get extra features.
Facebook has templates for a range of business categories allowing you to customize the page depending on your sector. However, templates can make every page look the same, so personalize where you can.
You can begin customizing your page by updating your business page tabs and adding customization for visitors to sign up for your newsletter.
For further branding and personalization, add a cover image and profile photo. People like to know who’s behind a business, and a strong cover image can get you noticed.
When choosing an image:
Finally, finish with a strong CTA. Facebook has a CTA button you can add to include contact details or to make a booking etc.
Draw in organic Facebook leads by covering industry events and trends. You can track these through newspapers, industry press releases, trade publications, and Google Trends.
Piggybacking or “newsjacking” off current events within your industry trends works well for two reasons:
There are a few methods you could use with this type of content.
For instance, you could write regular articles or blog posts around trending topics. However, why not get creative with video commentary and related images? The more imagination you show, the more shareable your content becomes.
Here are some creative ideas you can consider to get Facebook users sharing:
Facebook provides a few video services, so why use Facebook Live? Well, viewership is the most pressing reason—Facebook Live has a much higher view rate.
Facebook Live lets users live stream video content in real-time, and you can choose the format. Some examples to consider are:
Above all, though, Facebook Live is a way to interact with prospects so they can get to know you better. This way, they can see the faces behind the brand and become more comfortable with your company and what you offer.
You can stream from your laptop or mobile, and you can choose who can attend your Facebook Live events. There’s also comment moderation, and you can schedule events and promote them before a live stream.
If you haven’t used Facebook Live before, don’t worry. You don’t need to be a tech whiz. However, if you’re looking for guidance, you’ll find tutorials readily available.
While there are many ways you could use Facebook Live, Sephora and Bloomberg are two brands you can mimic and adapt their approach to your strategy.
As a news channel, Bloomberg covers current events on Facebook Live. It also highlights upcoming Live events to stir interest and create anticipation.
Sephora’s past live events include beauty tips, window reveals, new products, and trends.
Consider doing the same. Offering product demos and reveals and responding to breaking news is something every brand can do to gain Facebook leads.
Are you looking for a free way to get content and to develop Facebook organic leads? Then consider user-generated content (USG).
UGC gives your brand authenticity and credibility in the eyes of potential prospects. After all, if happy users feel strongly enough about your brand to create content around it, that’s a good sign, right?
UGC is imperative to the purchasing decision, and most age groups are open to it. According to research from media experience platform Cloudinary, visual UGC content is popular among varying demographics:
Cloudinary’s survey showed:
Further, although visual UGC was less popular among other groups, 52 percent of baby boomers and 45 percent of the silent generation found it helpful too.
Sanjay Sarathy, the VP of Marketing at Cloudinary, says:
“The survey shows a clear trend of people increasingly wanting to hear from others through user-generated, visual content.”
Sarathy went on to add that brands need to analyze their content if they’re to deliver the correct mix of UGC, visual, and text content.
UGC can work incredibly well for video content on Facebook, and it’s also vital to inbound marketing by:
Many brands are already taking this approach, like Coca-Cola.
Some years ago, it launched a personalized “Share a Coke With” campaign in Australia. Coca-Cola’s digital promotion allowed consumers to send virtual Cokes on Facebook.
OK, you might not have the same advertising budget or reach as Coca-Cola, but the company shows how creativity and creating a buzz beyond the usual UGC can get you noticed.
Think about how your brand can do the same.
Organic leads are free, and there are plenty of ways to get started, even if you’re not sure how. Here are five tips to earn more organic leads on Facebook.
Just make sure to add value to the group and engage in meaningful discussions.
Make sure your business description and about page are complete and add images.
Track events through Google Trends and use news jacking write about trending topics.
Conferences, Q&As, tours, and staff introductions can help you interact with fans.
Ask questions, share reviews, and host contests to engage followers and draw in leads.
With millions of users and thousands of communities, Facebook is a fantastic place to market your products and services and gain leads.
Although they may take longer to show results, organic Facebook leads can pay dividends by getting an already interested audience to visit your website, sign up for newsletters, and become customers.
By providing other group members with answers to questions, valuable insights, and industry updates, you can establish yourself as an expert while building confidence among prospects.
Using UGC, holding Facebook Live events, and piggybacking on trends are also effective ways of engaging an audience and building relationships in the long term.
Do you use organic Facebook ads? Share your tips for effective campaigns below.
Bill’s guests are Peter Strzok, Ewan McGregor, Peter Hamby and Jessica Yellin. (Originally aired 9/11/20)
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Bill’s guests are Trey Gowdy, Wynton Marsalis, Nina Burleigh and Rick Wilson. (Originally aired 8/28/20)
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Did you know that 73 percent of sellers prefer working with agencies that use real estate video marketing? Whether it’s a walkthrough of the property or a Q&A session, sellers expect their agents to use video marketing to reach the right buyers and sell their properties.
For real estate agents, this demand presents a few challenges. How do you make an engaging real estate video to impress both sellers and buyers alike, and how do you track a video’s performance for your marketing purposes?
Luckily it is not as hard as it might seem. Although real estate videos serve a unique purpose, they’re similar to regular marketing videos in many ways, so don’t be intimidated by them.
Let’s take a closer look at why real estate videos are worth the effort and how you fit them into your overall video marketing strategy.
Real estate videos do two things: they attract buyers to your listing, and they encourage prospective sellers to choose your agency over your competitors.
Are they worth the effort, though, when you could create social media ads or optimize your listings? Maybe with the current market, you think it will be a waste of resources. Let’s look at what the numbers say.
What’s more, 84 percent of video marketers feel they’ve generated more leads thanks to video marketing, and 94 percent of us use videos to learn more about the products we’re buying.
The takeaway? To draw traffic to your listings and impress your sellers, try out real estate video marketing.
Before we dig into strategies, let’s cover the basics.
There’s no need to spend a fortune on top-of-the-range lighting, props, or cameras. However, you’ll still need some recording equipment before you shoot your first real estate video. How much you spend depends on your marketing budget, but let’s break down the basics.
First, you’ll need a camera capable of shooting in 4K or HD to make sure the videos are high quality and not blurry or pixelated. A smartphone works, too.
If you opt for a camera, make sure it’s capable of capturing both high-quality video and images. Practice shooting with the camera before filming day to ensure you get the most from the equipment.
Using a smartphone? Clip on a wide-angle camera lens. This allows you to shoot larger scenes while minimizing glare and improving image quality. Here’s what the lens looks like:
Lenses like this one shown above are cost-effective and widely available, so shop around.
Want to go all-out? You can always buy a drone for 360 aerial footage. However, you’ll probably need a permit to fly a drone in most areas, so keep that in mind.
Next, you’ll need lighting filters. Use a neutral density filter for shooting outside, and get a pocket-sized LED light you can attach to the camera (or smartphone) for filming in poorly-lit areas.
Got the lighting sorted? Now you’ll need a microphone. You can either buy a mic attachment for your smartphone, or a portable mic for attaching to any camera device.
You’ll also need editing software. Check out tools like Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro X for professional editing support. You’ll likely pay for a subscription, but they’re easy enough to master, and you’ll produce the sharpest, most professional videos this way. Alternatively, you could outsource editing to a freelancer.
Finally, you’ll probably need a stabilizer like a selfie stick or a gimbal. These tools keep your camera steady and minimize shaking while you walk around a property.
A real estate video is all about setting a great first impression. You want to bring the property to life, connect with potential buyers, and ultimately set yourself apart from other realtors with your professional marketing skills.
To help ensure your content achieves these goals, here are ten tips to produce the highest-quality real estate video ads.
Be clear about what you can afford to spend on video marketing. Unsure how to allocate your budget? Let me give you a few pointers.
First, consider your target audience. It’s worth watching real estate videos in your listing’s price range to see how your efforts compare to your competitors’ video ads.
Next, think about how much you’ll spend on actually promoting your videos. From social media ads to targeted email marketing, the costs can eventually add up. To keep things more cost-effective, repurpose your real estate videos into digital ads so you can double your content output without spending more.
Also, take the time to research paid ad strategies, or hire a digital marketing consultant to take care of the budget, targeting, and testing.
A great real estate video doesn’t just happen. It takes planning. Remember, you’re trying to tell a story, so you need to spend time thinking about what story you want to tell.
For example, determine what equipment you’ll need, whether you’ll hire actors to play any roles, and what time of day or night you plan on filming. Do you want to sell your own real estate skills or help a buyer fall in love with an unusual property?
Depending on the seller, you might also need their approval before you start filming or sending the video out to prospects, so factor in time for adjusting your angle and making changes as required.
The length of your real estate video depends on where you’re marketing it. For example, according to HubSpot, popular Twitter videos average around 43 seconds, while popular YouTube videos run a little longer at two minutes.
A real estate video can be as long as six minutes, but it’s not always wise to fill this time. Why? People have short attention spans. Don’t risk losing a potential buyer’s attention just because you’ve added 30 or 40 seconds of filler to your video.
For example, here’s a video for a property listed by Douglas Elliman. It’s just over 90 seconds long, but it’s visually engaging and covers every angle a potential buyer needs to see without extra fluff:
Great real estate videos typically follow a three-act story structure, according to research by Vimeo.
Remember, you’re telling a story, so following a traditional story structure works!
If you want to ensure a prospect watches your video the whole way through, keep it engaging. Be enthusiastic. Show people why you’re excited about the property, and inspire potential buyers to envision themselves living in the property.
Focus on the possibilities. What could make this property truly special for the right buyer? How might the property be flexible over time? For example, a first-floor bedroom can be an office now and a bedroom for an aging parent or partner later. A basement can be a game room, an in-law suite, or an at-home gym. Drive home how the property can meet their needs over time.
No matter the price range, every property boasts a special, unique, or at least intriguing feature.
Maybe there’s cool history attached to the building, or there’s a custom marble countertop in the kitchen. Or, maybe it’s just the first house to come to market in the area for a long time.
To identify unique features, ask the buyer what changes they’ve made since they bought the house, and if it’s an older property, identify if they kept any key features like original wooden flooring.
Special features can be anything from dual sinks to fully-landscaped gardens, so look for those little quirks that make the property unique compared to similar properties.
For example, this property in Montecito has a wine rack:
Plus, it boasts a hot tub:
Capturing these features in the video highlights the unique aspects of this home.
It’s great to show off a property, but what’s going on around it? Include a few clips of the surrounding area, even if you just zoom out to capture the apartment block and a couple of nearby amenities. Make sure to include any famous landmarks, fun events, schools, and even sidewalks.
Is the neighborhood a little rundown or potentially off-putting? An aerial view might work best, so you don’t focus too much on the finer details.
When you’re looking for a property, it’s not just about the unit. It’s about the life the buyer will lead when they live there. For example, if you’re near the beach or a park, talk up the family-friendly vibes. Are you close to the buzz of shops, restaurants, and cafes? Highlight the walkable, cosmopolitan lifestyle.
Use the property to sell the lifestyle, too. For example, going back to the Montecito property, the landscaping gives off seriously chilled, secluded vibes:
People make neighborhoods. After all, who better to tell you what a neighborhood is really like than the residents? Try to get a testimonial or two to add some authenticity and personality to your real estate videos.
Unless it’s a new neighborhood, try to find residents who’ve lived there a few years. Otherwise, potential buyers might wonder why people don’t stay there very long!
From CTA buttons to clickable links, interactive elements help bring your videos to life. Use your editing software to add a CTA inviting people to book a showing, or include a link to a page where buyers can learn more about the listing and the services you offer.
Remember, real estate videos are a marketing tool. Use them effectively and treat them as you would, say, a YouTube video or digital ad.
You’ve filmed your real estate video and launched some ads. How do you know if it’s working for you? The answer’s in your metrics. Here are five key metrics to track if you’re trying to measure your success rate.
To get this data, either integrate your videos with your usual marketing platform to track metrics, or use a dedicated video analytics platform like Vidyard.
Video ads bring a whole new dimension to real estate marketing. With the right editing tools, a sharp eye for detail, and some enthusiasm, you can bring your property to life or show possible clients why you are the best choice.
There’s one final point to remember. You can shoot a clear, engaging, and professional real estate video with little more than a smartphone.
Don’t feel like you need to splurge to create successful video ads unless it’s within your budget to do so!
Need any more help with marketing? Check out my consulting services.
Have you made a real estate video ad for a listing yet? How did it go?
Do YOU need a first time business credit card?
We researched lots of company credit cards for you. So, here are our choices.
Per the SBA, business credit card limits are a whopping 10 – 100 times that of personal credit cards!
This shows you can get a lot more money with company credit cards.
And you will not need collateral, cash flow, or financials to get small business credit.
Benefits can vary. So, make sure to pick the benefit you would prefer from this selection of alternatives.
And always check rates on the appropriate website.
Look into the Brex Card for Startups. It has no yearly fee.
You will not need to provide your Social Security number to apply. And you will not need to supply a personal guarantee. They will take your EIN.
Nevertheless, they do not accept every industry.
Likewise, there are some industries they will not work with, as well as others where they want more paperwork. For a list, go here: https://brex.com/legal/prohibited_activities/.
To determine creditworthiness, Brex checks a company’s cash balance, spending patterns, and investors.
You can get 7x points on rideshare. Get 4x on travel. Likewise, get triple points on restaurants. And get double points on recurring software payments. Get 1x points on everything else.
You can have bad credit (even a 300 FICO) to qualify.
Find it here: https://brex.com/lp/startups-higher-limits/
Have a look at the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business. It has no annual fee. There is no introductory APR offer. The regular APR is a variable 26.99%. You can earn unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase for your company, without any minimum to redeem.
While this card is within reach if you have average credit scores, beware of the APR. However if you can pay on schedule, and completely, then it’s a bargain.
Find it here: https://www.capitalone.com/small-business/credit-cards/spark-classic/
Have a look at the Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card. There is no yearly fee for the first year. Then pay $250 per year. There is no introductory APR deal. If you pay your bill early, you get a 1.5% discount, with no cap on what you can earn back.
Earn 5% cash back at office supply stores and on cellular and landline phone service, internet, and cable TV; 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants; and 1% cash back on everything else.. 5% and 2% cash-back bonus rewards apply only to the first $25,000 spent on the corresponding bonus categories each account anniversary year. You will need exceptional credit scores to get this card.
Find it here: https://creditcards.chase.com/business-credit-cards/ink/unlimited
Score the best business credit cards for your business. Check out our professional research.
Check out the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. It has no yearly fee. There is a 0% introductory APR for the initial year. Afterwards, the APR is a variable 13.24 – 19.24%.
Get double Membership Rewards® points on day to day business purchases like office supplies or client suppers for the initial $50,000 spent per year. Get 1 point per dollar afterwards.
You will need good to excellent credit to qualify.
Find it here: https://creditcard.americanexpress.com/d/bluebusinessplus-credit-card/
Also have a look at the American Express® Blue Business Cash Card. Note: the American Express® Blue Business Cash Card is identical to the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. Yet its rewards are in cash as opposed to points.
Get 2% cash back on all qualified purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year. After that get 1%.
It has no yearly fee. There is a 0% introductory APR for the initial 12 months. After that, the APR is a variable 13.24 – 19.24%.
You will need great to excellent credit to qualify.
Find it here: https://creditcard.americanexpress.com/d/business-bluecash-credit-card/
Check out the Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business. It has an introductory $0 yearly fee for the first year. Afterwards, this card costs $95 per year. There is no introductory APR offer. The regular APR is a variable 20.99%.
You can get a $500 one-time cash bonus after spending $4,500 in the initial three months from account opening. Get unlimited 1.5% cash back with Cash Select.
You will need great to outstanding credit to qualify.
Find it here: https://www.capitalone.com/small-business/credit-cards/spark-cash/
Check out the Discover it® Business Card. It has no yearly fee. There is an introductory APR of 0% on purchases for one year. After that the regular APR is a variable 14.49 – 22.49%.
Get unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no category restrictions or bonuses. They double the 1.5% Cashback Match
at the end of the first year. There is no minimal spend requirement.
You can download transactions quickly to Quicken, QuickBooks, and Excel. Note: you will need good to outstanding credit to qualify for this card.
https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/business/
Score the best business credit cards for your business. Check out our professional research.
Check out the Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card. It has no yearly fee. There is a 0% introductory APR for the initial year. After that, the APR is a variable 13.24 – 19.24%. You can get a $750 one-time cash bonus after spending $7,500 in the initial 3 months from account opening.
You can get 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on web, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year.
Get 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gasoline stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases. There is no limitation to the amount you can earn.
You will need exceptional credit to qualify for this card.
Find it here: https://creditcards.chase.com/business-credit-cards/ink/cash?iCELL=61GF
Have a look at the Bank of America® Business Advantage Cash Rewards MasterCard® credit card. Get an 0% introductory APR for the first 9 billing cycles of the account. Afterwards, the APR is 12.24% – 22.24% variable. There is no annual fee. You can get a $300 statement credit offer.
Get 3% cash back in the category of your choice. So these are gas stations (default), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom & wireless, computer services or business consulting services. Earn 2% cash back on dining. So this is for the initial $50,000 in combined choice category/dining purchases each calendar year. After that earn 1% after, with no limits.
You will need superb credit to qualify.
Find it here: https://www.bankofamerica.com/smallbusiness/credit-cards/products/cash-rewards-business-credit-card/
Check out the Plum Card® from American Express. It has an introductory yearly fee of $0 for the first year. Afterwards, pay $250 each year.
Get a 1.5% early pay discount cash back bonus when you pay within 10 days. You can take up to 60 days to pay without interest when you pay the minimum due by the payment due date.
You will need excellent to exceptional credit scores to qualify.
Find it here: https://creditcard.americanexpress.com/d/the-plum-card-business-charge-card/
Take a look at the Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business. It has no annual fee. You can get 1.5% cash back on every purchase. There is no limit on the cash back you can earn. Also earn a one-time $200 cash bonus as soon as you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Rewards never expire.
Pay a 0% introductory APR for 9 months. Then pay 13.99% – 23.99% variable APR after that.
You will need good to exceptional credit to qualify.
Find it here: https://www.capitalone.com/small-business/credit-cards/spark-cash-select/
Score the best business credit cards for your business. Check out our professional research.
Your straight-out ideal company credit cards depend upon your credit history and scores.
Just you can choose which features you want and need. So, to do your research. What is outstanding for you could be disastrous for another person.
And, as always, make sure to develop credit in the recommended order for the best, speediest benefits.
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Fuel prices are already high, for reasons unrelated to gasoline supply. A prolonged shutdown of Colonial’s line could make for an expensive summer for drivers.
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