AI-Suggested Content and the Rise of “Anti-Social Networks” - Why LinkedIn is a Worthwhile Alternative!

… And then there was LinkedIn??

Top social media platforms are upping the ante with AI-suggested content, prioritizing it over posts from users' connections or friends. By the end of the year, Mark Zuckerberg stated that 30% of the content on Meta feeds, including Facebook and Instagram, will be AI-suggested content. Consequently, as a creator/business, your capacity to reach your followers organically will be diminished by almost one-third.

And if your posts aren’t being seen with the same frequency and regularity as before, then the risk of being, quote-unquote, “forgotten by your followers,” who may include past/current clients, leads, sphere-of-influence contacts, and so on, escalates.

TikTok, for instance, is more of an “anti-social network” as users are primarily exposed to content produced by strangers, rather than a platform for seeing and interacting with posts from people within your personal and professional networks. Now other social sites are moving in the same direction.

LinkedIn’s algorithm, however, (still) places more emphasis on prioritizing/distributing content that fosters engagement within your community (i.e., your connections) and relevance within specific industries or interests. So, if you’re aiming to strengthen your existing connections and establish your brand within your area, LinkedIn is worth a look.

The Science Behind Instagram's Algorithm: How to Beat the Feed and Get Noticed

As Instagram continues to explode in popularity, the sheer volume of content being shared on the platform is making it more and more difficult for creators and businesses to reach their desired audience. That said, there are ways to cut through the noise… 

On average, an Instagram user spends around 6-7 minutes per session on the app. Since Instagram's algorithm is continuously updating, the posts that appear in a user's feed can change frequently — very frequently! In fact, even a minor delay in opening the app can significantly impact the content displayed in your feed.  For instance, if you planned to open your app at 10:00 AM but got distracted and opened it a minute later, the content in your feed would likely differ from what it would've been had you opened it at the intended time.

What’s more, according to a recent study by Sport Social, around 64% of marketers pre-schedule their social media posts, with most opting to post at the hour, quarter-hour, or half-hour marks. This means that there’s often a higher volume of content competing for feed position during these times.

So… To stand out from the crowd, consider posting at less conventional times, like 10:07, for example. Additionally, many post-scheduling apps limit posting times to 5-minute intervals, making the "in-between" times somewhat of an open road for your content to get noticed.

Posting during peak times on Instagram is like trying to drive through a city during rush hour traffic - you're stuck in a gridlock with everyone else.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, while it's important to post during non-peak times to avoid competing with other posts, it's equally crucial to post when the bulk of your followers are active. Instagram's algorithm tests new posts by showing them to a small sample audience, and the initial performance of your posts determines whether they'll be distributed to a larger audience. Since your followers are the most likely to interact with your content, posting during their active hours will give your posts the best chance to perform well and reach a wider audience.

If you're not sure when your followers are most active, check out this blog post on how to find those insights:  https://www.jasonpantana.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-instagram-posting-when-and-how-to-reach-your-followers

My advice:  experiment with different times to see what works best for your content and audience. Happy posting!

The Science of Logic & Emotion in Marketing: Why It Matters and How to Use Both

It's important to remember that your Sales and Marketing must appeal to both the EMOTIONS and the LOGIC of your customers. No exceptions! Research has shown that customers make decisions based on a combination of both.

Having said that, studies have found that emotional campaigns outperform rational campaigns by almost 2 to 1 and that emotional factors also play a significant role in driving customer loyalty and recommendations. However, it's also important to note that customers who make purchases based solely on emotions are far more likely to be disappointed later on. So… It's essential to strike a balance between emotional appeals and logical factors in your messaging.

And the idea isn’t to use logic and emotion as separate tools. Like once you satisfy some made-up, minimum requirement of logic, it’s all emotions from there on out. Nope, to the contrary, the objective is to seamlessly integrate both throughout your efforts in a natural and authentic way.

Using only logic in your messaging, for instance, can come across as cold and unfeeling, while relying solely on emotions can be seen as manipulative and lacking substance. For example, a market update video that focuses solely on presenting facts and stats is less likely to prompt action compared to one that incorporates a bit of emotion.

Remember, it's never just one or the other - it's gotta be both!

How Meta's Broadcast Channels Will Change Content Distribution for Creators and Businesses

Meta’s rollout of Broadcast Channels across its suite of apps is underway, starting with Instagram and WhatsApp. A broadcast channel is essentially a one-to-many messaging system that enables creators and businesses to send messages to a large number of followers or subscribers at once.

To me, this sounds reminiscent of RSS feeds (Really Simple Syndication), which bloggers use to distribute new content automatically to their subscribers, who can enroll to receive push notifications whenever a new post is published, rather than having to visit the blog directly. With Broadcast Channels, creators and businesses will presumably have more control over content distribution, as they can push updates and messages to their followers directly, rather than relying solely on their followers to scroll through feeds to discover content.

On the other hand… Unlike RSS feeds, Broadcast Channels allow for one-to-many messaging with private one-to-one communication, thereby enabling subscribers to reply and engage with creators or businesses.

Moreover, given the fact that users tend to send more DMs than post content on platforms like Instagram (per a recent tweet from Adam Mosseri), and the expected integration of Broadcast Channels within messaging features of these apps, it's safe to assume that this new feature is poised for success.

Leveraging the Domino Effect: How to Use Other Listings to Attract More Listing Opportunities

When one property goes on the market, others often follow suit – a domino effect of “For Sale” signs that can trigger a sense of urgency among homeowners.

And the effect can extend beyond just nearby neighbors noticing yard-signs; it can be amplified through various channels, such as social media, postcards, emails, and other means, reaching a wider audience and potentially attracting more listings. That’s the game! Simply seeing other properties for sale can serve as a catalyst for hesitant homeowners, nudging them to take the leap and list their own homes.

In today's highly competitive real estate market, listing inventory is extraordinarily scarce. As a result, it's critical to promote your listings in a way that sparks interest and generates buzz, thereby leveraging each listing to attract even more opportunities.

Here are 4 channels you can use to market your listings that’ll attract more listing opportunities:

1. VIDEO:
   Video is a powerful tool for real estate agents to showcase their listings and their skills in showing and selling properties. To position yourself as a listing agent, consider creating a variety of videos, such as selfie-style property tours, short clips highlighting distinctive features, and/or pro-quality listing films. Share your videos across various online platforms, including your website, social media channels, and paid media, to reach both potential buyers and sellers. Videos can be a great way to make your listings stand out in a crowded market and generate interest in your services as a listing agent.

2. POSTAGE:
Direct mail is another effective channel for promoting your listings and attracting more opportunities. Consider using a mix of postcards, flyers, door hangers, and/or pamphlets to target neighbors and other potential sellers through multiple touch points. Depending on your budget, you may want to promote your listing with every change of status - active, pending, closed - to increase visibility and generate buzz. Mix up your postage and time your touch points strategically to garner the consideration of prospective sellers in your target market. Direct mail can be a great way to make a memorable connection with potential clients and demonstrate your expertise in the hyperlocal area.

3. SOCIAL:
Social media is a crucial channel for real estate agents to reach potential buyers and sellers. However, it's important to stand out in a sea of "coming-soon," "just-listed," "under-contract," and "just-sold" posts. To make your social media efforts more effective, liven up your posts with case-study commentary in the caption text, run ads targeting locals, share in relevant Facebook Groups, and even post in Facebook Marketplace to increase your exposure to actively-searching buyers and prospective sellers. The game is to up your exposure to potential clients and showcase yourself as a busy and successful listing agent.

4. EMAIL:
Email marketing is a powerful tool for real estate agents to stay top-of-mind with potential clients and promote their listings. However, it's important to provide value to your existing contact list rather than just "blasting" them with listing updates. To make your email marketing efforts more effective, send value-packed emails to your database and sprinkle in your listings to showcase yourself as an active, working listing agent. This could include market updates, local news, home-buying and selling tips, and more. The goal is to build trust and credibility with your contacts and stay top-of-mind when they're ready to buy or sell.

The Power of Video in Real Estate Marketing: 3 Types of Videos to Build Your Brand

Video is the undisputed champion of content for social media marketing. The reason is simple: business is all about relationships. Video can help you build trust, convey your personality, and showcase “who you are” to your audience.

I like to call it "Murphy's Law for Social Media Marketing" – if something can be in video format, it will be. Social media users crave more video content, but not everyone takes advantage of this opportunity to create what's been demanded. Social platforms, for instance, frequently ask users what they'd like to see more of, and time-and-again, they say:  “VIDEO!”

So there’s a strategic advantage to be gained… By prioritizing video content, you can simultaneously set yourself apart from the competition as well as foster stronger relationships with your audience.

Here are three types of videos that can help you build your brand and connect with your audience:

1. TALKING🗣HEADS:  Share your expertise and insights with videos that report market news, give timely tips, or offer professional advice. These videos will help establish you as a thought leader and build trust with potential clients.

2. LOCAL📍SPOTLIGHTS:  Show-off your town with business-owner interviews, visits to notable landmarks, and/or footage of local events. By highlighting what makes your community special, you can connect with locals and position yourself as a trusted advisor to those considering the area.

3. PROPERTY🏡TOURS:  When it comes to property tours, it's not just about showcasing the homes themselves. It's also important for consumers to see you in action, doing what you do best - showing/selling real estate!

There’s simply no better marketing medium than video!—it’s an incredibly powerful marketing tool that allows you to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Use it to showcase your expertise, personality, and to establish yourself as the agent-of-choice!

The Comeback of Home Valuation Ads: a Step-by-Step Guide to Generating High-Quality Seller Leads

If you're a real estate professional who’s been in the industry for a few years, you probably remember the trend of using your own home valuation landing page to generate seller leads. Basically, your own version of a “Zestimate.” While the method was effective in the beginning, it became a tad worn out over time.

But everything comes full circle — what goes around comes around, so to speak. Once again. Home valuation ad campaigns are crushing as a means to generate listing leads.

With the current (and fluctuating) state of the housing market, many homeowners are questioning the value of their homes, so they're turning to Google and searching for answers. Herein lies a unique opportunity to capture seller leads by creating home valuation landing pages and running ads to drive traffic to those pages.

FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO GENERATE HOME VALUATION SELLER LEADS:

1. Set-up or Selerct a Home Valuation Lead Generation Service: You can either set up your own landing page using whatever your website provider offers (e.g. Ylopo, BoomTown, Chime, Real Geeks, Real Estate Web Masters, et al.) or choose a specialized service to host and publish a customized home valuation landing page, such as Home Value Leads, Prime Seller Leads, or other similar services.

2. Customize Your Landing Page: Once you’ve chosen a service provider, customize your landing page to ensure it reflects your branding and messaging. For instance, make sure the landing page is mobile-responsive and visually appealing, with a clear and concise headline that aligns with the offer—i.e. prospective sellers looking for a home valuation.
   
   What’s more, make sure the page is “beefy” in that you’ve added-in relevant and informative content:  e.g. text, videos, images, keywords, and more. Finally, make sure to include a compelling call-to-action (CTA) that encourages visitors to fully submit their information.

3. Drive Traffic to Your Landing Page: Use a mix of online and offline marketing channels to reach potential leads. For example, you can run targeted ads on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, create Google Ads campaigns with relevant keywords and ad copy, or even use QR-coded direct mail campaigns to targeted neighborhoods. Once again, ensure that your ad campaigns have a clear and compelling message that resonates with your target audience and drives them to your landing page.

4. Follow-Up with the Seller Leads: Once a lead has submitted their information on your landing page, it's essential to follow up with them in a timely manner. Ideally, you should call, text, video-message, and/or email as quickly as possible to capitalize on the recency of their form completion, and thus, work to build a relationship by answering whatever questions they may have. Use a CRM system (e.g. Follow Up Boss, et al.) to organize and track your leads, and set reminders to follow up with them at regular intervals.

5. Book Listing Appointments: The ultimate goal of generating home valuation leads is to book pre-listing or listing appointments. Be both persistent and patient with your leads, and try to build a relationship based on trust and value. Perhaps consider offering some additional resources, such as free home seller guides, market reports, or personalized consultations to further nurture your leads and increase your chances of conversion.

And by the way… The best part about these campaigns right now is that the leads generated through these ads have an unusually high rate of conversion. What I’m saying is that agents and teams have been very effective at getting appointments and actually taking listings because of them. So not only are you generating leads at a low cost per lead, but you're also getting high-quality leads that are more likely to convert.

Home valuation ads may be an "oldie," but they are certainly a "goodie" in today's market. If you want to grow your business and stay ahead of the curve, it's important to adapt to changing market conditions and utilize new (and/or “renewed”) methods of lead generation.

From Novice to Expert: Embracing the “I Don't Know” Moments in Real Estate

What do you sell?

If you’re familiar with my content, you’ve heard me ask that question over-and-again. Most agents say they sell houses or themselves, but those answers won’t do. Customers hire you, ultimately, on the basis of your expertise—that is, their perception of your ability to get the job done satisfactorily.

You know today’s marketplace demands high levels of creativity, persistence, and passion to help buyers/sellers succeed. They know it too!—and so they’ll look/listen to the “knowledge broker.”

With that said, you may hesitate to share your insights or opinions (on video, or elsewhere) due to the fear of being wrong. But consider that true experts are often those who faced and embraced the most “I don't know” moments. Through perseverance, seeking answers, and learning from mistakes, they became leading authorities.

Novices just do nothing:  nondescript, neutral, nonproductive. It’s like Zig Ziglar said: "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."

Why Your Meta Ads Campaigns Aren't Showing Up on Instagram (And How to Fix It)

Meta ads, previously known as Facebook ads, have been and still are a marketing no-brainer. However, Zuckerberg's recent disclosure that AI-suggested content will make up 30% of Facebook and Instagram feeds by year-end has, IMO, escalated their importance. Because… Essentially, access to your followers' feeds will be reduced by a third, making it more necessary to pay to promote your content.

On platforms like YouTube, by comparison, users customarily search for content. But on Facebook and Instagram, content discovery happens predominately in users' feeds. It’s “scroll” vs. “search,” so to speak. So… Consequently, if 30% of what users see is AI-suggested, your ability to reach followers—who are likely past clients and SOI contacts, for instance—will be greatly diminished. This, in turn, could make your content far less effective at keeping you top-of-mind with these important individuals.

So, what can you do? The simple answer is “pay-to-play.” For example, you could start boosting your content on Facebook and Instagram, but there’s no guarantee your followers—arguably your most critical audience to reach—will see those ads.

Alternatively, you could run Meta ad campaigns whereby you retarget your followers directly. However, the trouble is that even if you retarget your Instagram followers, for instance, the ads you pay for are still unlikely to be distributed on Instagram—which is, I’m guessing, the platform you’re most excited about in terms of building your brand.

And here’s why… It's because Meta ads are programmed to get advertisers the lowest cost per result—which is usually NOT on Instagram. And that’ll be the case no matter what campaign objective you may specify:  e.g. engagement, traffic/clicks, reach, or something else.

Generally speaking, it’ll be significantly “cheaper” for Meta to place your ads on platforms like Facebook and Audience Network, which is a collection of random websites/apps where Meta is allowed to distribute ads, similar to the Google Display Network.

Fortunately, there’s a workaround for this issue. By changing the placement settings in your ad campaign, you can force your ad to run on Instagram. Here are the essential steps on how to do it:

1. Log in to your Meta Ads Manager and select the option to create a new ad campaign.

2. Choose your campaign objective, such as engagement, traffic, or messages.

3. Set up your Ad Set level by defining your conversion location, audience targeting, budget, and schedule.

4. When you get to the Placements section, select the "Edit Placements" option.

5. Choose "Manual Placements" and then select ONLY "Instagram" to include it as a placement for your ad campaign.

6. Review your ad campaign settings and then click "Publish" to launch your campaign.

It's important to note that running your ads on Instagram may cost you more than other placements, but if it's the platform you’re looking to build, it’s worth it. Follow the steps above to ensure that your ads are reaching your Instagram followers (and beyond) and getting the required exposure to build your brand.

Unleashing the Power of Text Messages for Real Estate Marketing

You know that effective marketing is all about sparking conversations that ultimately lead to appointments. And so… it’s only logical (🖖) to utilize communication channels that naturally incite dialogue. Like text messages! Text messages garner unparalleled read and response rates!

Whether following up with leads, reaching out to personal contacts, or sending market info to prospects, texting has become a ubiquitous and effective channel to connect with customers.

Notwithstanding… When texts go unanswered, the lack of response can be louder than words. If that’s you, try adding a question mark at the end of a text message. A recent EZ Texting reported that texts with a “?” at the end garner an increased response rate of 171%.

P.S. It's important to be mindful of any/all regulations that impact SMS marketing. Just throwing that out there :D

What Is Meta Verified in the US and How Will It Affect Facebook and Instagram Users?

Meta Verified, the new verification process for Facebook and Instagram, has officially launched in the US. This follows Twitter's subscription service, where users can effectively purchase a blue check verification for a monthly fee.

Although anyone can now obtain the blue check on Twitter, for instance, the company is reportedly generating about 2.4 million in revenue per month from the service. Meta's verification process will work in a similar fashion, with users paying separately for the blue check on each respective platform.

However, there are concerns that Meta might prioritize the posts of their subscribers over everyday users, as Twitter has announced its intentions for doing so. So far… Meta has said that they will not do this, at least not initially—but only time will tell. The verification program is not available for all Meta products, only for Facebook and Instagram. Additionally, it gives verified users a more direct line of communication with the platform in the event they are dealing with impersonators or other account-related issues. (That’s the perk that’s the most appealing, IMO.)

Overall, the new Meta verification process aims to increase security on the platform and prevent fake accounts and other forms of online fraud. While it remains to be seen how the service will be received by users, it is clear that Meta is following in the footsteps of other social media platforms by introducing a paid verification service.

Rank Higher on Google: Tips for Selecting and Optimizing Categories on Your Business Profile

When it comes to optimizing your Google Business Profile, choosing the right Category is crucial. In fact, it’s effectively “pass-or-fail” from Google’s POV – regardless of how many other profile optimizations you may integrate. If you choose the wrong Category, the chances are remarkably high that Google will overlook (or demote) your profile in relevant customer searches.

To select the right Category for your business, first conduct a variety of Google searches that prospective clients may use, such as "Best Realtor in Richmond.” When you examine the search results, pay close attention to the businesses listed in the Map Pack, which appears at the top of Google's search results page and displays a map and a list of businesses relevant to the search query. To determine the primary Category of each business in the Map Pack, simply look for the Category listed directly below the business name. Some examples of categories you may see include "Real Estate Agency," "Real Estate Agent," and "Real Estate Consultant."

For example, if all the top-ranking profiles in the Map Pack list "Real Estate Agency" as their Category, choosing any other Category as your “Primary Category” is unlikely to result in Google ranking your profile in the Map Pack. So, as you search for the phrases you wanna rank on, just include the two or three categories that appear most frequently in your profile.

After that—once you have specified your Category (or Categories)—you’ll need to optimize for them. Here’s how:

• Integrate keywords on your website's home page, bio page, services pages (e.g. buying, selling, etc.), and neighborhood/community pages to reinforce your chosen categories.

• Add "Services" to your Google Business Profile and ensure that the description text effectively describes your categories without going overboard.

• Avoid overloading your Google Business Profile with too many Services, as Google may consider it "keyword-stuffing."

---

Are you looking to attract more business through your Google Business Profile? If so, I have an exciting solution for you! Check out my course, "GOOGLE BUSINESS BOSS" 😎, and learn how to fully-optimize your profile for more "come-list-me" calls.

---

Your potential local customers are actively searching for businesses like yours. Your mission is to ensure that they can find you!

Mastering Real Estate Marketing: The Ultimate Acid Test

Let’s say you’re on the phone with a sphere-of-influence contact or you casually cross-paths one day—who brings up real estate? Is it you or them? If you ask me, that’s the ultimate acid-test 🧫 of your marketing and brand-building efforts. If done correctly, your marketing and branding should keep your contacts “warm” so that they think of you first for all-matters real estate.

What’s more, it can be challenging to steer your 1:1 conversations towards real estate. “Oh, before I let you go Bob, are you or is anyone you know planning a real estate move any time soon?” Bob’s internal voice is like, “Oh, now I see the real reason why you called.” 😑

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying there’s never a time to be direct or ask for the business. However, effective sales is about earning the right to make a recommendation, as Phil M. Jones puts it. So, how do you earn that right? Well, what if that became the strategic goal of all your marketing efforts: to earn (and exercise) the right!

Picture this: every post, every email, every video—packed with value and delivered with expertise. You're no longer just another agent, you're the trusted advisor. And the best part? When the time comes, they'll bring it up themselves, without needing a push or prod from you. It’s what Jay Abraham describes as the potent power of preeminence!

Video Production Hacks: 3 Quick and Easy Ways to Create More Content with Less Effort

Social media platforms like Instagram and others constantly demand new content, especially in the form of video. But creating a large volume of video content can be overwhelming and lead to burnout. If you want to keep up and avoid getting left behind, you need to level up your video process and find ways to create more content with less effort. That being said, here are three quick-and-easy ideas to help you do just that.

1. BATCHING: Filming one video at a time is inefficient. My advice:  record in bulk! -- it’ll help you stay in the flow of content creation, ultimately leading to higher-quality videos. Some creators prep scripts and read the teleprompter whereas others simply tap record and riff to various topics. It all gets cleaned up in post-production. So whatever’s your MO, get in the zone and let the process guide you.

2. CHOPPING: Don’t let your long-form videos go to waste. Repurpose podcast and/or webinar content, for instance, into bite-sized, vertical clips and post ‘em as Reels, TikToks, and Youtube Shorts. Use the “chops” to drive top-of-funnel viewership to your full episodes. Lots of creators hire freelance editors to (low-cost) slice-and-dice all-the-day long. You’ve probably got A LOT more content than you think!

3. SAMPLING: Coming up with new ideas for content can be draining. But it’s like Picasso said:  “Good artists borrow…” That being said -- consider making use of green-screen background effects in your vertical videos (i.e., Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts) to “REACT” to relevant news articles or even remix/duet other creators’ videos. Take existing content and add your own unique spin! (Obviously, go about this collaboratively—as intended by the platforms—not unethically.)

To get the biggest return from your social media and content marketing efforts, it’s important to streamline your video creation process—that is, to make more videos in less time without sacrificing quality. Batching allows you to get into a flow state and produce higher-quality videos by recording multiple videos at once. Chopping enables you to repurpose your long-form content into bite-sized clips, which can drive traffic to your full episodes. Reacting lets you take existing content and add your own unique spin to it, creating something new and engaging.

Apple Business Connect vs. Google and Facebook: The Battle for Local Business Profiles

Apple recently introduced its new Maps product, dubbed, Apple Business Connect—which is poised to shake up the local-business profile game (currently dominated by Google and Facebook) and give small business owners a new way to connect with potential customers.

Local business owners can update/manage their profile info via the Apple Business Connect web portal:  businessconnect.apple.com. This includes important details such as hours-of-operation, location(s) and physical address(es), uploading photos and logos, special offers, and more.

Apple has no immediate plans to remove its integration with Yelp—so customers will still be able to see Yelp photos and reviews in the business place cards. That said, business owners will be able to enhance their listings with their own details, resulting in more up-to-date and richer listings. And, as a result of that, I’m guessing higher ranking in the results.

How to Use Video Marketing to Influence Prospective Real Estate Clients

You know I’m a major proponent of video marketing. However, it's crucial not to let it distract you from your core business objectives:  i.e., listing and selling homes. That’s the work!

Nevertheless, as social media and other digital platforms continue to evolve rapidly, you may feel overwhelmed and pressured to keep up—and, as a result of that—possibly lose sight of the big picture and get stuck in the details.

At the end of the day, video is a tool in your marketing toolbox, not the whole shed — and, when used properly, it’s a real game-changer. Video is a powerful way to begin influencing prospective clients (before they’re even clients!), so that when you make a call or conduct an appointment, the hard work of "earning the business" is already done.

Real estate is a know, like, and trust type of business. And, IMO, video marketing is the ultimate medium to help elicit those types of feelings. It's like a Trojan horse that sneaks into the social feeds of your prospective customers and begins to build your brand and influence them so that when you’re face-to-face or over-the-phone, they’re already a “YES.” Simply put:  your video marketing is about getting you more yeses!

A Cautionary Tale: How You Can Avoid Losing Your Most Important Social Media Accounts (YouTube, Google Business, etc.)

Heads-up real estate agent friends! It's important to use your most reliable/permanent email address when setting up logins for any of your online profiles:  e.g. Google Business, YouTube, et al… Ideally an email that’s attached to your own domain:  e.g. username @ yourdomain . com.

If you use an email address that you might lose access to, you could get locked out of your profiles and pages or those accounts could be altogether deleted. Like if you switched brokerages, for instance, and had been using your company-provided email address.

All the hard work you've put into building your profiles - your posts, your followers, your reviews - could disappear in an instant.

To avoid this scenario, make sure to use a permanent email address as your primary login. This is an email address that you own and control, and that you're unlikely to lose access to in the future.

But what if it's already too late? Don't worry - there are steps you can take to regain access to your profiles:

• Contact the support team for the platform in question.

• Provide proof that you own the profiles in question.

• Work with the support team to establish a new login using a permanent email address.

• Update your login information for any other profiles to avoid this problem in the future.

Your online presence is crucial to your success in real estate, so it's important to protect it by using a reliable email address for your logins. And if you've already encountered this issue, don't panic - just take action to regain control of your profiles.

The Rise of AI-Generated Content on Social Media: What It Means for Content Creators

BIG NEWS → Major social networks are turning to AI-generated content to keep users engaged. LinkedIn, for example, is beginning to use AI-powered “conversation starters” to provoke discussion among its users, while Snap has launched its own chatbot, and Meta is working on AI personas. LinkedIn calls its new feature, “AI-powered conversation starters.”

This move could herald the start of a wider revolution for the web, with companies increasingly using generative AI to create endless spools of content. As social media sites have all the user data they need to train these systems, the potential for AI-generated content is vast.

This could be the start of semiautomated social networks. Up until now, social platforms have relied on user-generated content to fill the feeds.

As a content creator, how do you feel about this new development? Are you ready for a new era of AI-generated content on social media possibly undercutting your efforts to reach YOUR prospective customers on major platforms?

Real Estate Marketing on YouTube: How Skippable In-Stream Ads Can Help You Stand Out and Generate Leads

In the real estate space, you know that building relationships is flat-out essential to your business. What’s more, you wanna be top-of-mind for potential clients and have them view you as the definitive trusted local expert. That's where YouTube’s Skippable In-Stream ads—i.e., the commercials that play before, during, or after YouTube videos—come in as an insanely powerful tool to scale-up your brand. Lemme explain…

Create Top-of-Mind Awareness:

Skippable In-Stream ads allow you to showcase your brand (i.e., Y-O-U!) to your target audience. In terms of targeting an audience, Google Ads has powerful audience segmentation functionality whereby you can target, for instance, homeowners in your town, in-market buyers, folks planning a move, etc. It’s mind-boggling!

By using these ads, you can get “stage time” in front of potential buyers and sellers on repeat! When they're ready to make a move, they'll be more likely to think of you because they've seen your ads repeatedly and feel like they know you. That’s the power of video!

Drive Frequency of Views:

Frequency of views is another significant benefit of Skippable In-Stream ads. As potential clients keep seeing your ads repeatedly, they'll begin to feel more familiar with your brand, and your name will start to stick. In human psychology, that’s known as the Mere-Exposure Effect, a phenomenon whereby customers begin to favor the familiar, so to speak.

Real estate is a know/like/trust, relationship business. The more they see you, the more they'll like you and trust you as an expert in the field. It's an effective way to keep your name in front of potential clients and position yourself as a knowledgeable professional.

Showcase Your Knowledge/Competence:

End of day, customers are ultimately hiring you for your knowledge and skills. Skippable In-Stream ads provide an opportunity to showcase your expertise and build trust with potential clients. So, for instance, create insightful market update videos and then run them as In-Stream ads targeting local homeowners. It’s a way to generate listing appointments over time. Video content like that helps to position you as a knowledgeable professional and thus, creates consideration for your agent-brand.

Monthly market updates, neighborhood tours, and/or advice on buying and selling a home are just a few ideas to get started. When clients see that you know what you're talking about, they'll be more likely to trust you with their real estate needs. Showcase your expertise, stay top-of-mind, and grow your business.

Target Your Instagram Audience Like a Pro with Meta's Latest Ad Innovation

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has launched a new feature that’ll prove quite handy for advertisers like you. Now you can target your ads and promotions to specific users who follow your Instagram account(s). While you’ve been able to target Facebook followers directly, targeting Instagram followers wasn’t possible. Previously, Meta Ads could only target users who had interacted or engaged with your Instagram account. That was too broad of an audience, consisting of anyone who might’ve stumbled across your profile whether they were one of your followers or not.

The obvious and immediate benefit here is the ability to target exclusive content and special offers directly to followers. Additionally, you’re now able to create Lookalike Audiences and/or Special Ad Audiences based on your Instagram followers, thereby enabling you to reach new prospective customers on the basis of your existing followers. This is sort of a game-changer for marketers in the business of building brands!

As a business owner, this new feature is significant as it allows you to create personalized ad campaigns that’ll better resonate with your followers, thus cultivating a deeper connection with your audience.

Here's a simple guide to creating a custom audience for your Meta Ads campaign that targets your Instagram followers:

1. Log in to your Meta Business Manager (business.facebook.com).

2. Go to the "Audiences" section.

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

4. Select “Instagram Account” as your source.

5. From the Events drop-down menu, select “Accounts Center accounts who started following this professional account.”

6. Name your custom audience and click "Create Audience."

7. Your custom audience is now ready to be used in your Meta Ad campaign.

By following these steps, you can create a custom audience based on your Instagram followers and use it to target your ads and promotions to this specific group of users. This can help you create more personalized and effective ad campaigns that resonate with your followers and potentially lead to increased sales. What’s more, you can use this custom audience to create Lookalike and/or Special Ad Audiences based on your existing followers.