The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Posting: When and How to Reach Your Followers

If you’re looking to improve the performance of your content on Instagram, then timing your posts is a critical factor to consider.

Put simply, Instagram's algorithm analyzes the performance of your respective posts to determine which ones to show to more people. It’ll start with showing your post to a small(ish) group of users to see how they react to the content:  hearts, comments, saves, shares, swipes, time-spent, etc. Then, based on that test, it’ll conduct larger tests and so on. Thus, the opening minutes and hour(s) of a given post are of extreme importance because, within that time-period, Instagram’s algorithm will effectively render judgment as to how far it will go to distribute your post through its feeds.

And since your followers are likely more inclined to engage with your content (i.e., hearts, comments, and so on), it’s important to post when they’re active on the platform.

Here’s how to determine when your followers are most active on Instagram and how to use that information to increase the reach and engagement of your posts.

Step 1: Access your Professional Dashboard

To begin, you'll need to access the Professional Dashboard on your Instagram profile. To do this, you need to have a Creator or Business profile. If you have a personal profile, you'll need to switch to a Creator or Business profile. If you're currently using a Personal Profile on Instagram or aren't sure which type of profile you have, here are the steps to switch to a Professional Profile:

1. Go to your profile and tap on the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.

2. Tap on "Settings" at the bottom of the menu.

3. Tap on "Account."

4. Tap on "Switch to Professional Account."

5. Choose your account type (Creator or Business) and select a category that best describes your account. For instance, you may choose "Real Estate Agent," but keep in mind that different categories may come with varying access to features like licensed music and sounds. For example, "Entrepreneur" may have more access than "Real Estate Agent."

Once you've done that, tap on your profile picture and then tap on the three lines in the top right corner. Select “Professional Dashboard” from the menu.

Step 2: Select Your Timeframe

Once you're in the Professional Dashboard, tap on the “Select All” button or just tap anywhere on the bar chart to view your audience insights. Next, select your desired timeframe from the drop-down menu, and then tap on “Total Followers.”

Step 3: View Your Audience Insights

Now scroll to the bottom of the screen to view your followers’ most active times on the platform. You'll see a graph that shows the days of the week and the hours of the day when your followers are most active on the platform. Take note that all times are published in the Pacific Standard time zone.

As you review the graph 📊 of your followers' peak active times, observe the rise and fall of the curve. To maximize engagement, aim to post when the curve is on the rapid upward slope, so you can ride the wave of interaction and engagement for as long as possible.

Furthermore, to improve your chances of ranking at the top of the feed during user session times, consider posting your content at "off times," such as 10:07 AM instead of 10:00 AM. According to a report by SimilarWeb, the average visit duration on Instagram in the United States is around 6.75 minutes. With users spending only a few minutes at a time on the platform, posting at an unconventional time could mean less competition in the feed and potentially increase your reach and engagement. This is because most posts are scheduled on the hour or half-hour marks, making "off times" a strategic option for gaining visibility.

Timing your posts on Instagram is a simple and effective way to increase your reach and engagement on the platform and to improve the performance of your Instagram content and grow your presence on the platform.

How YouTube's Algorithm Works: Understanding Click-Through Rate, Watch Time, and Retention

As a content creator on YouTube, it's essential to understand how the platform's algorithm works. YouTube's algorithm takes into account several factors to determine which videos to recommend to users or rank in its search results. The three big factors that the algorithm evaluates: click-through rate, watch time, and retention.

Click-Through Rate

The first factor that YouTube's algorithm evaluates is click-through rate (CTR), which is the percentage of viewers who click on your video after seeing somewhere on the platform:  recommendations, a feed, the search results, or elsewhere. A higher CTR simply means that more people are interested in your video and are willing to watch it—thus, YouTube is more inclined to rank and recommend it.

To improve your CTR, you should focus on creating compelling titles, “clickable” thumbnails, and video descriptions that accurately represent your video's content. It's essential to grab the viewer's attention quickly and give ‘em a good reason to watch.

Watch-Time

Watch-time is the second factor that YouTube's algorithm considers. It is what it sounds like:  watch-time simply refers to how long viewers watch your video. The longer a viewer watches your video, the better your video is gonna perform.

If a viewer clicks to watch your video and “bounces” within mere seconds, for instance, YouTube’s able to figure that the content must not have lived up to the expectation. However, if the viewer watches for an extended duration, then it’s evidently what they wanted.

To evaluate whether there are any problematic exit-points where viewers tend to click off your video, head over to your YouTube Studio. Simply go to studio.youtube.com, and you can review your video's analytics.

Retention

Retention is the third variable that YouTube's algorithm evaluates. In a nutshell, Retention measures the total amount of time viewers spend on ALL of your videos cumulatively. So the more videos on your channel, the better—so long as they aren’t all-over-the-place topic-wise. It’s important to publish content that’s intended for your designated target audience.

Retention on YouTube is like a seniority clause, whereby established YouTubers tend to outperform new channels due to the collective viewership earned over time. Unlike other video channels like Reels or TikTok, YouTube doesn't let new channels outrank established ones easily.

Retention provides a quasi-permanent benefit to your channel since it measures the total amount of time viewers spend on all your videos combined. So… By consistently producing high-quality content and retaining viewers, your channel becomes more valuable to YouTube, helping reinforce your ranking across the board. Heck yeah! This means that the more you invest in building up your channel's Retention, the more it'll pay off over time, as you'll continue to earn more viewers and grow your channel's reputation on the platform.

Understanding how YouTube's algorithm works is critical for any content creator looking to grow their channel. By focusing on improving your click-through rate, watch-time, and retention, you’ll improve your videos' ranking and reach more viewers. Keep creating high-quality and engaging videos consistently, and you'll be on your way to success on YouTube.

P.S. If you wanna watch Jason’s FULL YouTube training video, head over to Tom Ferry’s site:  https://www.tomferry.com/marketing/ep-54-6-tips-for-youtube-views/

Don't Be a Half-Marketer: Why building a strong brand is crucial for generating and converting leads

I've always believed that the purpose of marketing boils down to two key objectives: building brand awareness and generating leads.

The former is all about getting your brand in front of as many eyeballs as possible, whether that means attracting attention, generating consideration, or any number of similar outcomes. The latter is about turning that attention into concrete actions:  form-fills, inquiries, sign-ups, and so on.

The question is, is there any set order to it?—that is, are you supposed to build a brand that attracts leads OR run campaigns to lead generate and then brand to nurture?

The obvious answer is:  YES! Now, I’m being a slightly tongue-in-cheek… But the point is, It’s not the order of objectives that matters; it’s the fulfillment of both. Too many businesses are only “half marketing," leaving opportunity on the table. Don't let your business fall into that trap.

Building a brand without a plan to generate leads and drive actions is like growing grapes only to let them wither away on the vine. Don't let your hard work go to waste. Conversely, focusing solely on lead generation without investing in building a strong brand can be like plucking grapes off the vine before they've ripened. To those leads, you're just another unknown entity vying for their attention. It’s far more difficult to convert unripened leads, if you catch my meaning.

What I’m getting at is… brand-building and lead-generation are like interlocking gears … one spins the other and so on. Are you effectively doing both or are you only “half marketing?”

(Photos by the extraordinarily talented Idris Erba during the 2023 Tom Ferry Elite+ Retreat.)

From Expertise to Exposure: How Video Amplifies Your Real Estate Brand

Have you ever wondered why buyers and sellers choose to hire you? Ultimately, it boils down to the trust they have in you -- but WHY do they trust you? It’s a simple answer, really—It’s because your COMPETENCE cultivates CONFIDENCE.

End of day, your expertise is the reason people elect to hire you. So, from a marketing standpoint, where and how do you go about demonstrating your expertise?—i.e., your “worthiness” for hire. Ummm… VIDEO—it’s the microphone of your message, so to speak.

In the relationship-based business of real estate, the know, like, and trust trifecta is paramount. So when it comes to establishing and promoting your agent-brand, video stands head and shoulders above all other marketing mediums in its ability to convey the essential elements of know, like, and trust.

What’s more, your content is your contribution—it’s what sets you apart from your competitors!

You know better than anyone how competitive the industry can be. With so many agents vying for the attention and business of buyers and sellers, it can be challenging to stand out from the crowd. That's where video comes in. By showcasing your expertise and personality in video over-and-again, you’ll work to distinguish yourself as the “agent-of-choice.”

The Consistency Coefficient: The Key to Your Marketing Success

When it comes to marketing, consistency is key. So, with that in mind, what’s the ONE activity that you're truly committed to, come hell or high-water? In other words, what’s the marketing you’ll become “known for”?

Answers will vary from person-to-person but it's mission-critical to identify what works for you, and then, to do the hardest part of all:  stick with it. I’ve said it over-and-again:  THE RESULTS ARE IN THE REPETITION!

Marketing Consistency: The Key to Long-Term Success

Ask the question like this:  What’s the marketing activity that’s the most responsible for producing opportunities in your business? What “cranks the flywheel,” so to speak? Is it, for example:

• Publishing content on social media

• Mailing postcards

• Blogging and SEO

• Getting customer reviews

• Cold-calling (or warm-calling)

• Door-knocking (or door-dropping)

• Big-time ads:  TV, radio, billboards, etc.

• Email marketing

• Events and loving-on your SOI

The important point is to get selective and super consistent with whatever marketing activity you pick. Think of it like the penny that doubles in value daily for 30 days straight. On any given day, the activity may not seem overly important—like just a penny—but over time, the value will accumulate and multiply to the point where you’d be downright foolish to stop. Call it the “consistency coefficient.”

So… what's the marketing activity you're committed to, come hell or high-water? Whether it's content creation or another strategy, be consistent and watch as your efforts pay off in the long run. Remember, a little effort every day goes a long way.

YouTube for Real Estate: Unleashing the power of YouTube to reach high-intent customers

YouTube is more than just a social media platform; it's a search engine that can help businesses reach high-intent customers.

Unlike social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram, where users browse feeds somewhat aimlessly, YouTube users are purpose-driven. Generally speaking, folks go to YouTube with a specific search query in mind—which means they are actively seeking solutions to their problems. 

By creating informative and engaging video content that aligns with what potential buyers and sellers are actively searching for on YouTube, you have the opportunity to capture the attention of those who are already in a high-intent state, and thus, primed to take action.

To make the most of YouTube for your business, consider the following tips:

1. Create engaging video content that adds value to your target audience—that addresses their problems, goals, and so on. Make sure that your videos are informative, relevant, and visually appealing.

2. Optimize your video content for search engines. Use relevant keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags to ensure that your content is discoverable by your target audience.

3. Consistency is key. Post videos regularly to keep your audience engaged and interested in your business’s content.

If you’re ready to (massively) level-up your YouTube strategies in 2023, make sure to watch the full video here:  https://www.tomferry.com/marketing/ep-54-6-tips-for-youtube-views/

The full training goes in-depth about YouTube’s algorithm, breaks down a couple case-studies of real estate agents and teams crushing-it on YouTube, and shares 6 optimization secrets to dial-in your videos to rank higher in YouTube search.

YouTube’s got a lot to offer in the way of marketing your business… so don’t miss out on the opportunity.

Revolutionizing the Web: The New Bing Search Engine Powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT

Something HUGE is about to impact your business—in fact, it’s already underway! What is it? AI.

Conversational and creative AI tools (like ChatGPT, for instance) have been topics of considerable interest here recently… and it’s all about to get a lot more interesting.

Over the past several years Microsoft has invested upwards of $3-billion in OpenAI, the company responsible for ChatGPT. And now, they’ve just unveiled the new Bing search engine—get this—powered by the ChatGPT chatbot. This is big news and has the potential to revolutionize, well, the way we use the web.

Bing’s new AI can respond in real-time to search requests, carry out full chat dialogues, and even compose content on-demand (just like ChatGPT)—text for blogs, emails, social media posts, and more.

It’s also worth mentioning that Google has released their AI bot, dubbed, Bard, into beta testing. However, Microsoft's Bing AI may prove a formidable competitor to Google's search engine supremacy, with key execs promising that it will do way more than just list static search results. For example, Bing AI can annotate search results with links, citations, and context on the right side of the search page.

The new Bing’s been designed to improve the search experience by providing (per Microsoft) better search results, more detailed/augmented responses, a human-like chat experience, and the ability to output content. Executives have stated that the updated version will be released to the public after a limited preview period, with future updates to come. There’s currently a waitlist if you wanna get early access to the new Bing search.

Principles Real Estate Agents can apply from how airlines improve customer experiences

Real estate experiences can be a bit tricky to get right. When it comes to the home buying and selling process, clients often feel overwhelmed and stressed.

That said, it doesn't have to be this way. Looking at other industries, for example, you can see that certain types of “experiences” are delightful in and of themselves:  e.g. massages, dining, vacations, et al. In other cases, however, a good experience is more about “not experiencing” something, so to speak.

Consider the airline ✈️ industry, for instance. All airlines are in the same business: flying passengers from place-to-place. They all fly the same planes, at the same altitudes, the same speeds, and to the same destinations.

What differentiates one airline from the next, however, are the little things they do to enhance the customer's experience. Things like extra legroom, free checked bags, in-flight services or amenities, and stuff like that.

Interestingly, none of those perks have anything to do with flying, yet they make a significant difference in the customer's overall experience. (Especially with longer flights!) I’d argue the same kind of thinking can be applied to the real estate industry.

CHALLENGE:  what are some ways you could level-up your customer experience? Especially these days, as homes have been sitting on the market for longer periods of time—sort of like being on a longer flight, if you catch my meaning. Or buyers are struggling to find homes that meet their needs and wants in light of inventory shortages.

I’m not necessarily referring to enhancements like a better listing marketing plan or obtaining an impressive negotiation designation, per se. That’s all good stuff, of course—but what I’m talking about are small gestures, perks, and micro moments of delight that ease the journey. How could you give your clients a bit of extra leg room?

Gauging the Impact of Your Real Estate Marketing Beyond Metrics

“It's easy to focus in on quantitative measures to gauge the effectiveness of your marketing. But in relationship-based businesses like #realestate, there's more to it than that. What are the qualitative signals that demonstrate what you're doing is working?”

Don’t get overly caught up in the numbers when it comes to gauging the effectiveness of your marketing. Sure, it’s important to pay attention to things like website traffic, engagement ratios, and follower-count… However, in relationship-based businesses like real estate, there's more to marketing success than just numbers.

Qualitative signals are, I’d wager, equally as important, if not more so, in demonstrating the effectiveness of your marketing. With that in mind, here are some subtle indicators to suggest you’re doing something right!

1. Your database is engaged: If you’re in contact with past-clients and sphere-of-influence contacts who ask you about the market or your business, this is a telling sign that they’re engaged with your brand and bought-in to your message.

2. You have a high level of name recognition: If people frequently mention that they, quote-unquote, “see you everywhere," this is a definite sign that your brand is becoming well-known in your market.

3. Your marketing materials are getting shared: If folks are sharing your social media content, emails, or even postcards with others, it signifies that your audience is onboard with your brand and confident sharing your content with their network.

4. You receive positive feedback from your audience: If you regularly receive positive feedback from your audience, like comments on your social media posts or positive reviews on your Google Business Profile, it’s a clear indication that your marketing and brand-building efforts are resonating with your target audience.

5. You are being referred by your customers: Word-of-mouth referrals are one of the most valuable forms of marketing for any business. If you are receiving referrals from your customers, this is a sign that they trust you and are confident in recommending you to their friends and family.

6. Customers make references to your content during appointments: If prospective clients mention your latest blog post or video during a meeting, it's a sign that they are actively engaging with your content and find it valuable.

7. Peers are extra curious about what you're up to: If you notice that your peers in the industry seem to be taking a keen interest in your marketing efforts, it's a good sign that they see you as a thought-leader in your field.

8. Long-lost contacts w/ whom you've lost touch suddenly resurface: If old contacts suddenly start engaging with your social media posts, it could indicate that they’ve been following your journey and are invested in your brand.

9. Increased website traffic and engagement: Though this is on the “quantitative” side of measurement, the insight of it is more qualitative in nature—so bear with me. If you're seeing activity like longer page views on your website, prolonged watch-times on your videos, or even an increased number of conversions, it's a sign that your marketing efforts are attracting and retaining the attention of your target audience. 

Point is… By focusing on both quantitative and qualitative metrics, you'll be able to get a more complete picture of the success of your marketing efforts. When you put extra focus on earning trust, improving customer satisfaction, and building brand awareness, you can gain a well-rounded understanding of the impact of your marketing strategies and make informed decisions about how to improve your efforts in the future.

Attract More Listings: Key Strategies for a High-Ranking Google Business Profile for REALTORS®

Want to become the go-to REALTOR® in your area? Then you oughta optimize your Google Business Profile!

FACTS:  Google is (by a mile!) the top-used search engine, receiving approximately 8.5-billion searches daily. What’s crazy, though, is that roughly 46% of all those Google searches are conducted with local intent.

What I’m getting at is that potential clients are actively searching for businesses like yours in their area. What’s more, buyers tend to search Google for homes whereas sellers will more readily search for agents. So, if you want more “come-list-me” calls and listing opportunities, it’s crucial to have a strong online presence—especially on Google.

Here are some steps to help with optimizing your Google Business Profile:

• Focus on client reviews: Invite your past (and current) clients (especially sellers!) to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile. Doing so will improve your profile’s ranking and visibility and will also give potential clients the confidence they need to contact you as their REALTOR®.

• Keyword optimization: Make sure to include keywords throughout your profile (its Description, Services section, and elsewhere) that are relevant to the services you offer, such as "listing agent,” “REALTOR,” and where you do business. This will help your profile show up in relevant search results. It’s also important to dial-in keywords across your website, which is presumably linked to your Google Business Profile.

• Consistent media updates: Posting media like photos, videos, and updates on your Google Business Profile will not only keep your profile fresh and engaging, but it will also help to improve its visibility. If you’re willing to do a bit of extra work, try geo-tagging your photos to further cement your profile’s relevance in your local area.

Remember, when it comes to attracting listings, it's all about positioning your business in the best light possible. By optimizing your Google Business Profile, you'll be on your way to attracting more clients and becoming the go-to REALTOR® in your area.

Get the Most Out of Your Posts: How to Streamline Your Social Media and Content Marketing Efforts

Making Content: a high-effort, high-reward activity!

As a content creator, you know the drill: researching topics, recording videos, crafting captions, and distributing across platforms is a demanding and time-consuming process. But despite the effort, the benefits of a strong online presence are undeniable. The fact is, social media is a one-of-a-kind medium that offers unparalleled access to consumers in a way no other marketing channel can complete.

However, with so many platforms to choose from and so much competition, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. That’s why I’ve assembled a list of six tips to help you streamline your content strategy and get more “play out of your posts.”

1. Crosspost: Utilize the power of multiple platforms by distributing your content natively across top social media networks.

2. SEO-Afterlife: Ensure your content has a longer lifespan by blogging any posts you consider valuable and optimizing them for search engines.

3. Replicate: Keep your content in front of your followers by re-posting relevant content from time-to-time.

4. Repurpose: Use parts of past posts to inspire new content and make the most out of your efforts.

5. Consolidate: Identify your top-performing content and double down on it to maximize your reach.

6. Promote: Give your organic content a boost by promoting it to targeted audiences through paid media.

Don't let the constant need to produce content cloud your purpose and impact. Take the time to evaluate and streamline your strategy so that each post serves a clear and meaningful goal. With the right approach, you'll not only save time and energy, but also see a greater return on your content investment.

How to Sell on Social without Sounding Salesy: Dog-Whistle Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

If you're looking to reach your target audience and make an impact on social media, it's important to understand the challenges that come with the crowded and cluttered feeds. Here's what you need to know:

• Most of your followers won't see your next post:  Studies show that on average, only around 10% of your followers will see your next post. Yikes! Just doing the math here… this means that 90% of your audience won't see whatever important message or call-to-action is conveyed in your post.

• Straight-up calls-to-action are a no-no: Dropping a straightforward call-to-action like "Call me at 555-5555 to sell your house today" will result in your followers unfollowing you. 

My advice… Use "dog-whistle" calls-to-action instead! Like how a dog-whistle is only heard by dogs, this type of call-to-action is subtle and only heard by those for whom it’s intended. Everyone else won't even notice it. (No, I’m not trying to compare your target audience to dogs—it’s just a metaphor.) It's a way to share an offer with your target audience without turning everyone else off.

Here's what you need to do to implement "dog-whistle" calls-to-action:

1. Identify the pain points of your prospective clients: Catalog the challenges and frustrations that your target audience is facing. E.g. an on-market seller who’s frustrated their home isn’t selling quickly or a first-time buyer who isn’t sure whether an agent can help them or not.

2. Address these pain points in your content: Continuously call ‘em out in your videos, captions, blogs, and so on to reach your target audience. Remember… most of your followers won’t see any given post… so you need to find a way to embed your CTAs into practically EVERY post.

3. Make it subtle: Like I said before, don’t make it overly obvious—like, “Call me today to sell your home… blah, blah, blah.” Doing that over and again is gonna drive your audience away.

Perhaps try something like this in your next video:

“I was at a listing appointment last week with a seller whose home had been on market and sat with no offers. Here are the immediate three observations I made that explain why a home doesn’t sell quickly.”

A video like that is actually about the 3 reasons aforementioned, which appeals to a far broader audience. However, if your home’s for sale but not selling, you’ll hear that dog-whistle loud and clear.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri Announces a Greater Emphasis on Photos in 2023: What it Means for Users

In a recent statement, the CEO of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced that the platform will be placing a greater emphasis on PHOTOS in 2023. Candidly, his comment comes as a bit of a shock considering Instagram’s “all-in” approach to video-centric content in recent years.

The move towards impartiality between photos and videos on the platform is a welcome change for lots of users, as it allows for a more diverse range of content to be shared on the platform. Photos hold a special significance in terms of media, and many believe that Instagram has lost sight of this in their push for video content.

Mosseri acknowledged that the platform had been "over-focused on video in 2022" and that they had "pushed ranking too far" by showing too many videos and not enough photos. He added that they have since balanced the algorithm, so that users’ interactions with photos and videos are about equally weighted. 

This change in focus aligns with a major tenet of Instagram's algorithm:  historical interactions. In essence, if users tend to engage with a certain type of media—like photos or videos, for instance—the algorithm will prioritize those users’ feeds accordingly.

Whether you approve or disapprove of the direction, it’ll ultimately come down to whether user engagement and time spent on the app improves or not. So… we’ll see… Instagram’s no stranger to a change in direction 🤣

The Power of Retargeting: How to Make the Most of Your Social Media Content

In today's digital-first marketing environment, it's more important than ever to make sure your content is seen by as many of the “right people” as possible. One way to go about this is by retargeting your content to your leads and sphere-of-influence contacts—i.e., your database.

Major social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn enable advertisers like you to upload your database as a CSV file, which is essentially a spreadsheet of all your contacts' information, including their first name, last name, phone number, and email address.

Once you upload your CSV file, the ad platform will scan your database and compare it to its own database to find matches. This allows you to target your ads to the people who matter most to your business:  your database! 

The content that you publish to social media sites like Facebook and Instagram is ideal for retargeting your database because it's already effective at organically nurturing your followers and building your brand. By using that same content in the form of ads, for instance, you can take advantage of the hard work you've already put in and reach a wider audience at scale.

What’s more, retargeting your content on social media platforms makes sense because approximately only 10% of your followers see any given post. And if your followers don’t actually see what you’re posting, then that content isn’t doing anything in terms of building your brand and creating consideration for your services. Hence, utilize your posts as ads.

End of day—so long as your content delivers value and showcases your skills and expertise—then it helps to position you as your database’s know-you, like-you, trust-you “agent-of-choice.”

With these step-by-step instructions, you can start retargeting your database on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

How to retarget your database with Facebook/Instagram (Meta) ads:

1. Go to Facebook Ads Manager and select the "Audiences" tab.

2. Click the "Create Audience" button and select "Custom Audience."

3. Select "Customer List" as the type of audience you want to create.

4. Click the "Choose File" button to upload your CSV file containing your customer information.

5. Once the file is uploaded, match the columns in the file with the corresponding fields in Facebook.

6. Give your custom audience a name and click "Create Audience."

7. Use this audience as a target for your ad campaign.

How to retarget your database with LinkedIn ads:

1. Go to LinkedIn Campaign Manager and select the "Audiences" tab.

2. Click the "Create Audience" button and select "Custom Audience."

3. Select "List" as the type of audience you want to create.

4. Click the "Upload List" button to upload your CSV file containing your customer information.

5. Once the file is uploaded, match the columns in the file with the corresponding fields in LinkedIn.

6. Give your custom audience a name and click "Create Audience."

7. Use this audience as a target for your ad campaign.

How to retarget your database with TikTok ads:

1. Go to TikTok Ads Manager and select the "Audience" tab.

2. Click the "Create Audience" button and select "Custom Audience."

3. Select "Upload Data" as the type of audience you want to create.

4. Click the "Choose File" button to upload your CSV file containing your customer information.

5. Once the file is uploaded, match the columns in the file with the corresponding fields in TikTok.

6. Give your custom audience a name and click "Create Audience."

7. Use this audience as a target for your ad campaign.

Overall, retargeting your content to your leads and contacts is a powerful way to ensure that your content is seen by as many people as possible and to position yourself as a trusted authority in your local market. Utilizing the ad platforms on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok can help you reach your target audience more effectively and to build trust with your followers over time.

Protect Your Reputation and Improve Email Marketing Deliverability with Domain Authentication: a step-by-step guide

What would stop someone from sending mass emails to a list of recipients with your email address or domain?—as in, yourname@yourdomain.com. Technically, nothing—unless you take a preemptive action known as, Domain Authentication.

With Domain Authentication, you can rest assured that emails sent from your domain are from an authorized source (as in, you), thereby protecting your reputation.

More than that, though, Domain Authentication can also help to improve the deliverability of your email campaigns—that is, successfully reaching the inboxes of your email-list recipients versus getting marked as SPAM. Reason is, emails sent via an authenticated address give mailbox providers like Gmail and Outlook extra confidence in the legitimacy of your campaign.

Here are the overarching steps to achieve Domain Authentication, regardless of the email service provider you’re using (e.g. MailChimp, BomBomb, or omnisend):

1. Identify your email service provider (ESP) - This is the platform you use to send and manage your emails, such as MailChimp, SendGrid, or the like.

2. Look for the option to authenticate your domain - This may be found in your ESP's settings or under "account" or "security" options.

3. Add DNS records - You will need to add DNS TXT or CNAME records to your domain's DNS settings. This can be done by accessing your domain's hosting service (e.g. GoDaddy, Bluehost, Dreamhost) and adding the records as instructed by your ESP:

• Locate the option to manage DNS settings or zone files.

• Scroll down to the section for adding new records.

• Select the type of record you need to add (TXT or CNAME).

4. Verify the changes - Once you've added the necessary records, verify them with your ESP to ensure they are set up correctly.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your domain is properly authenticated and protected from unauthorized use. What’s more, you’ll be well on your way to significantly improved deliverability of your emails by increasing the confidence of mailbox providers in the validity of your campaigns. You don’t wanna miss out on the benefits of email marketing, one of the highest-rated marketing channels in existence, because of a lack of technical knowledge. Make sure to take the necessary steps to properly authenticate your domain and improve your email performance.

P.S. Wanna significantly improve your email strategy in 2023? Be sure to check out my new course,INBOX HERO:Tapping into the marketing G.O.A.T.

Don't Get Distracted by Vanity Metrics: How to Build a Strong Agent-Brand in Real Estate

When it comes to social media, it's easy to get caught up in numbers:

• How many followers do you have?

• How many views on your latest video? 

But don't let a lack of followers or video-views discourage your social-media video efforts. Building a reputable agent-brand and making an impact with your clients matters way, way more!

After all, the chances are strong that your database contacts—i.e., your past clients and sphere-of-influence—are likely the folks following you anyway. So even if your follower count isn't as high as you'd like, you're still reaching the people who matter most to your business.

Now, I’m not saying that metrics like reach and engagement don’t matter. They do… they signal whether your content is or isn’t performing optimally. But they’re by no means the “be all, end all.”

Here are a few reasons why:

• Building your brand: By consistently posting high-quality content that aligns with your brand, you'll attract clients who are a good fit for you. They'll be more likely to work with you and refer you to others.

• Making an impact with your clients: By providing valuable information and insights, you'll be able to build trust with your clients. They'll see you as an expert in your field and be more likely to work with you.

• It's a know-you, like-you, trust-you type of business: In real estate, relationships are key. By building your brand and making an impact with your clients, you'll be able to deepen those valuable relationships.

Social media is a phenomenal medium to spread your brand’s message. Especially by way of video because it allows you to showcase your personality and expertise in a way that image or text formats simply can't. So long as your content marketing efforts align with your brand, you're on the right track.

For all intents and purposes, your brand is:

• Your voice 🗣️

• Your mind 🧠

• Your heart ❤️

• Your face 😇

Nobody does you better than you -- and no marketing medium in existence showcases YOU quite like video!

Maximizing Email Marketing Performance: How Incorporating Videos Can Boost CTR by 65%

Incorporating videos into your email marketing campaigns can significantly boost your click-through performance. In fact, studies have shown that the increase can be as much as 65%.

As video continues to dominate our feeds as the people’s “preferred media format,” it's important to ensure that you're taking advantage of this trend in your email marketing.

What’s more—given that nonverbal communication plays such a significant role in ALL human interaction—it is not surprising that videos can be so effective at increasing click-through rate (CTR) performance. Nonverbal cues, such as facial expressions (like in the thumbnail of the video) and body language, for instance, can convey a great deal of meaning and emotion, thus giving the viewer more reason to click.

By including a video in an email, you are able to take advantage of the power of nonverbal communication to grab the attention of your audience and convey your message more effectively.

Why Use Videos in Email Marketing:

• Videos can increase click-through rate (CTR) by up to 65%.

• Nonverbal cues in video-thumbnails (like facial expressions) can convey meaning and emotion to engage the viewer.

JUST DON’T EMBED THE VIDEO

That said, though—it's important to note that directly embedding a video file (like an mp4) in your email may trigger mailbox providers like Gmail or Outlook to flag your message as SPAM, thus impeding its deliverability. Your mass emails shouldn’t include attachments, flash, or other types of “rich media”—video included. To avoid this, include a clickable thumbnail image instead that links to a web page where the viewer can watch your video.

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Looking to massively improve your email strategy this year? Make sure to check out my new course, INBOX HERO: Tapping into the marketing G.O.A.T.

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Click-through rate, the way I see it, is arguably the most crucial metric in email marketing because it tells of the effectiveness of your campaigns in terms of getting recipients to take a desired action. Open rates, while still important, may not be as reliable—especially with the release of programs like Apple's Mail Privacy Protection, which can pre-load emails and report false opens. A click, on the other hand, indicates that the recipient wants more—thus, they clicked!

How to Include Videos in Emails:

• Do not directly embed video files, as it may trigger spam filters.

• Use a clickable thumbnail image that links to a web page where the video can be watched.

So, my advice:  take a moment to go over all of your email campaigns: newsletters, drips, automations, and more. Ask yourself, “How can I incorporate more video content into my emails?” And then do what you say to yourself and include more videos!

From Blog Posts to Video Scripts: 6 ways ChatGPT can help business owners create better content, optimize text, and more

ChatGPT is a state-of-the-art language software—a supercharged chatbot, for lack of a more descriptive term—developed by OpenAI.

It's trained on a massive amount of text data and can generate human-like text in response to a given prompt or "seed text." It runs off a complex neural network, which is a type of computer program that can learn by itself by finding patterns in data.

All this makes it an incredibly powerful tool for content creation and language-based tasks.

As a business owner (or just a human conducting your everyday affairs), you're likely always looking for ways to streamline your workflow and make your marketing efforts more efficient. This is where ChatGPT comes in extra handy.

Here are six innovative ways to use ChatGTP to assist with your operational tasks and marketing efforts:

1. Content Ideation:  Take advantage of ChatGPT's ability to generate written content for various formats like blog posts, video scripts, presentations or speeches, social media captions, titles, text messages, image descriptions, chat sequences, and email scripts.
   
   Provide it with an input (or “seed,” if you will) such as a video transcript, an existing social media caption, a list of items or talking points, or a specific topic or subject matter and watch it generate the content with ease.
   
   Unleash the potential of the written word with ChatGPT.


2. Text Optimization:  Fine-tune ChatGPT’s text output to suit your exact needs by additional instructions. For example, tell it to use more persuasive or compelling language, set a word- or character-count limit, switch between first-person or third-person perspectives, rewrite the text to sound more instructive or opinionated and less explanatory, to integrate keywords like or related to “______,” to match the style of the text (e.g. tone, diction, voice, etc.) to a provided sample of writing, like something you’ve written in the past, or even to modify the text to follow a specific rhyme scheme, if you wanted. Take control of the writing process by guiding ChatGPT collaboratively.


3. Script Scrambling:  Create customized video scripts using ChatGPT and then generate unique versions by providing instructions for variations, so each team member or agent can record a personalized video.
   
   For instance, tell ChatGPT to change or remove humor, replace a certain percentage of the words, or modify the writing style. The potential is truly exponential.


4. Topic Summarization:  Use ChatGPT to generate concise summaries of wordy documents or to explain complex concepts or matters.
   
   Get cliff-notes of books or copy/paste a news article—or even a contract, at your own legal discretion—and then ask ChatGPT questions that need answering.

5. Tone Tweaks:  Use ChatGPT to help you write tricky text messages or email replies to avoid certain tones or phrasing that may come across as nervy or placating or excuse-making, for instance.

   
   Simply explain the situation, the relationships between the parties, your objectives, and your concerns (i.e., “I don’t want it to sound like I’m trying to ______,” for instance) and ChatGPT will help you articulate your thoughts and guide your words. It will even explain its rationale.


6. Technical Assistance:  Use ChatGPT to script or fix spreadsheet formulas, share advice on schedule optimization, debug or code CSS, HTML, or any another software language, write, update, or rework your biography, generate and format keywords and copy for ad campaigns, translate any text to any language (real or imagined), write property or job descriptions, formulate interview questions, reply to online reviews, brainstorm ideas, organize a plan, compose video thumbnail text, optimize your SEO - titles, keywords, tags, meta-descriptions and so much more. We’re just getting started, friends!

Bottom line, ChatGPT is a powerful software that can help you streamline your workflow and make your marketing efforts more efficient. As a business owner, it’s critical to identify ways to make your operations run more smoothly—tasks like the ones listed above. By understanding the capabilities of ChatGPT, you’ll be in a spot to get more out of it.

4 Tips for Crafting an Effective Welcome Email for Your Real Estate Business

Welcome emails are a powerful marketing tool that can significantly boost the success of your email campaigns. In fact, they tend to have a 4-times higher open rate and a 10-times higher click-through rate compared to regular-styled bulk emails. This is because welcome emails are sent to individuals who have already shown an interest in your brand and are expecting to receive emails from you.

Email service providers like MailChimp and ActiveCampaign, for instance, make it easy for businesses to create automated welcome campaigns for anyone who joins their email list. These platforms provide a range of tools and features that allow you to easily design and schedule welcome emails to be sent automatically to new subscribers.

To create an effective welcome email, follow these four recommendations:

1. Thank and Remind New Subscribers: Be sure to thank new subscribers for opting in to receive emails from you. This not only shows your appreciation, but it also serves as a reminder of why they are receiving your emails in the first place, affirming their decision to subscribe.

2. Let Your Subscribers Know What to Expect: Provide your subscribers with an idea of what they can expect from your emails in the future. This might include the frequency of your campaigns, the types of content that you will be sending, or any special promotions or offers that you have planned. By providing this information up front, you can help/prime your subscribers better understand how to use your emails to their advantage.

3. Share Some of Your Top Resources: Consider sharing some of your top resources or past edition emails with your new subscribers. This gives them a sense of what they have been missing out on and can help to affirm their decision to opt in to your email list.

4. Encourage Address Book Addition: Encourage your new subscribers to add your email address to their address book. This can help to prevent future emails from landing in their spam folder, ensuring that they receive all of your correspondence.

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Are you ready to learn how to build an effective email strategy and craft compelling messaging to become an email-marketing hero? If so, check out my new course, INBOX HERO: Tapping into the marketing GOAT.

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Sidebar: As a real estate agent, it is common to purchase leads through sources such as Zillow, PPC advertising, and open houses. While these leads may have consented to receive emails from you, they are not the same as organic subscribers who have actively chosen to receive emails from your business.

However, leads can still be interested in your services and open to hearing from you. By sending a well-crafted welcome email, you can introduce yourself and your business, provide value, and potentially turn a lead into a client. While it may be necessary to tailor your approach slightly for leads compared to organic subscribers, a welcome email can still be an effective marketing tool in this scenario. Just be sure to follow best practices for email marketing, including obtaining explicit permission before sending emails to individuals who have not opted in to receive them.

Overall, welcome emails are a crucial part of any email marketing strategy. By following these recommendations, you can create an effective welcome email that helps to build a strong relationship with your subscribers and drive greater engagement with your brand.

How to "Fill the Funnel" and Stand Out as a Real Estate Agent in 2023

As a real estate agent or REALTOR®, it's crucial to stay on the lookout for new lead generation opportunities in order to fill your pipeline. With more agents in the market and fewer sales projected for the year ahead, competition is only going to increase. This means that it's more important than ever to stand out and establish yourself as a top choice agent in your local community.

Loads of agents, I fear, are gonna play it passively—doing what they’ve been doing like nothing’s changed. They’re in for a surprise.

One way to stand out is by utilizing tried-and-true tactics like hosting open houses or updating your profile on agent referral sites (e.g. Homelight, UpNest, and so on). These simple methods can help you connect with potential buyers or sellers in your local market.

Another key to success is to stay connected with your database, that is, your past clients and sphere-of-influence contacts. By consistently staying in touch and offering valuable information and assistance, you can become the go-to real estate agent for these individuals. Building mindshare is crucial for capturing market-share in the competitive world of real estate.

In addition to these traditional methods, it's also important to consider the role of personal branding in your lead generation efforts. This can include getting reviews, utilizing video marketing, and stepping up your email marketing efforts. By building a strong and recognizable brand, you can differentiate yourself from other agents and, as a result, attract more business.

Overall, the key to success as a real estate agent is to be proactive and constantly seek out new lead generation opportunities. By filling your pipeline with a steady stream of leads and building a strong personal brand, you’ll be positioned to dominate in 2023.