March 14th, 2019

Sometimes on my lunch break, or while I’m laying in bed at night, I find myself aimlessly scrolling on social media.  There are times when I have no idea what I even scrolled past. Keep in mind, that some of these posts that people are nonchalantly passing could be your own.  It’s important, especially in the mortgage industry, for social media posts to catch the eye of the user. Mortgage can be a pretty dull topic for some individuals, so it is your job as a lender to provide them with valuable content that matters. The last thing you want is for your content to get stuck in the mix; it’s important in today’s digital world to make your content stand out in a crowd.   

Creating Shareable Content

It’s easy to simply say that you need to create shareable content.  That’s common knowledge.  However, how do lenders do this? Just think of what draws your attention as you’re scrolling on Facebook.  Is it the mix of colors, videos, music, or animated images? Determine what it is that catches your eye. Infographics with animations are rare which is why they are great to grab the attention of a home buyer. Borrowers will wonder what is moving across their screen, and will most likely stop to look at it for an extended period of time. This will help to get a viewer to stop to read about the otherwise boring statistics that you’re trying to explain. Another item that you may consider would be an emotional appeal.  If a post or video that you are sharing does not make you feel a certain way, then your audience will not feel it either. Basically, you want your followers to feel invested on an emotional level; if they feel that your post matters than they will be compelled to share it with others. Shareable content is what will ultimately get your mortgage company’s name out there. In turn, it will help you to build relationships with potential homebuyers.

Engaging Your Audience

Getting your audience involved in your content will certainly make it stand out against other individuals in the mortgage industry. There are different ways to do this, but ultimately you want potential homebuyers to be actively liking, sharing, and commenting on your content. Your followers appreciate the valuable content you’re providing. You’ll also have the opportunity to engage back and forth with them, thus building a relationship.  You don’t just want to be their loan officer; You want to be their trusted advisor throughout the entire homebuying process. One of your followers will be more inclined to choose you when it comes time to buy a home, rather than a random LO that they met when they visited their chosen mortgage company. The viewers will learn to trust you as their loan officer. Additionally, they will appreciate that the mortgage company is making efforts to recognize them. You can create Facebook Live events each week, or you can also create simple posts, such as asking your followers about their plans for the weekend.  This is key to building a relationship with your ideal buyer.

Adding Value to Your Services

Have you ever asked yourself, “What will set me apart from every other lender”?  The answer is simple. Potential homebuyers need to understand why certain things happen in the borrowing process, how it works, and they need someone they trust to handle it.  As a loan officer it is your job to hold their hand through the homebuying process. This will add more value to your position. You should see yourself the way you want homebuyers to see you.  Again, live video marketing would be a good opportunity to do this. Live Q&A videos have proved to have a lot of success, as this gives potential homebuyers an opportunity to ask you their questions without filling out a contact form online.  You will come across as a dedicated loan advisor, and it is more likely that a homebuyer will choose your service in the future. Another good idea would be to provide tips and tricks, even for individuals who already own a home. You may consider tips on bettering one’s credit score, cost effective ways to remodel a kitchen, etc.  You never know when a homeowner will be ready to buy again, or when past clients will be looking for advice.

Content Affecting SEO

It seems self explanatory, but the creation of your content plays a crucial role in what your audience will see.  If a viewer would scroll passed your content without reading it, it is going to get bypassed by Facebook, Google, and other outlets. Google specifically can’t waste it’s time crawling your website if it isn’t worth the read. Your content should be new and unique. You should be posting it regularly without disappearing for weeks at a time.  With a record of regular postings that draw people’s attention, your content will become much more visible. Social media sites also sometimes have different ways of excluding your content. With that being said, it is smart to familiarize yourself with these rules and regulations. Consider researching the Facebook algorithm to better understand the do’s and don’ts when creating your content online. You want your website ranking high on Google, but you also want your posts to be seen on social media.

This April, Naikeya “Nikkie” Haley, Mortgage Loan Originator at Acre Mortgage & Financial and CEO at Make It Better Marketing, will be speaking on these important tactics for mortgage professionals. To learn more about creating content for social media, register to attend Mastering Social Media in the Mortgage Business Half Day Seminar at the 36th Annual Regional Conference of the MBAs located at Harrah’s in Atlantic City, NJ.

Naikeya “Nikkie” Haley can be found here on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madamemortgage/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/madamemortgage
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/make-it-better-marketing/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madamemortgages/