TheMReport — News and strategies for the evolving mortgage marketplace.
Issue link: http://digital.themreport.com/i/1294972
28 | M R EP O RT FEATURE I n the last several months, it's become more crucial than ever to find meaning- ful, effective ways to connect with your Realtor partners and customers without face-to-face interactions. For nearly every industry, technology has become the primary method for facilitat- ing business—and that's not likely to change any time soon. Specifically, building a strong social media presence will be essential for all companies and businesses. As you grow in your career as a loan originator, creating engaging and informa- tive content for your social media channels is no longer an option … it's a necessity. If you're fortunate enough to work for a lender that provides a full spectrum of digital marketing and social media services, creating effective online content can be as simple as opting into your mar- keting team's social automation. Yet, even if you benefit from the services of your marketing team, it's necessary to stay active on social media by personalizing the content to fit your local area, your personality, your customers and business partners, and your unique business goals. If social media is new to you— or if you use it in your personal life and are unsure of how to best utilize it for your loan origination business—you may want to focus first on Facebook. As the most used social plat- form, Facebook has more than 2.45 billion active monthly users, according to their 2019 Q 3 report. The majority of those users (74%) scroll through Facebook on a daily basis. Another interesting fact to consider is that 74% of Americans with a household income of more than $75,000 (known as "high-income earners") have used or currently use Facebook, as reported in a 2019 Pew Research study. Considering that the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found in 2019 that the median household income of first- time homebuyers is $74,900 and the median household income of repeat buyers is $101,600, this is the perfect audience for a loan originator. So, if you're ready to increase your presence on Facebook—and build your loan origination busi- ness—consider these six tips for getting started. Be Selective About What You Post 1 While staying active on Facebook is an essential part of creating a strong audience, the goal is no longer to post content nonstop. Instead, focus on the quality of your posts, and try to get as much interaction as possible from a single post. To discover which of your posts are garnering the most interaction, simply navigate to your Facebook page and click on "Insights" in the top menu. There, you can explore your page's metrics, how people are engaging with your content, and which of your posts have been the most popular. Over time, you can determine the type of content your audience enjoys most, allow- Creating a reputable, engaging social media presence is fundamental for every mortgage originator's success. By Lisa Fenske to Build Your Facebook Following