Most agents treat social media like a megaphone. They post listings, share market stats, and hope the algorithm does the rest. The agents generating actual business from social media are doing something different. They start with strategy, build systems around content, and pick their platforms with intention.
Here, Aaron Grushow, Luxury Presence’s Senior Social Media Marketing Manager and a creator who’s built his own audience from zero, shares exactly how.
Find It Fast
TLDR
- Define your client archetype before you create a single post.
- Build content around 4–5 pillars (educational, point-of-view, lifestyle, hyperlocal, and client wins).
- Start with Instagram, then expand to the platform that matches your audience and your strengths.
- Authenticity outperforms polish.
- Consistency, even once a week, outperforms volume.
- Treat every comment like a lead. Build free lead capture devices.
- Use AI for ideation, but keep the final voice yours.
- And if you’re looking for the single biggest untapped opportunity, it’s YouTube.
Why Real Estate Social Media Marketing Matters
According to DataReportal’s Digital 2026 report, there are 5.66 billion social media identities globally, and the average user spends 2 hours and 21 minutes on social networks every day across nearly seven platforms per month. People now discover new brands through social media more often than through word of mouth or review articles.
Real estate is one of the most social-media-friendly industries out there. According to NAR’s 2025 Technology Survey, 75% of Realtors use social media, and it remains the top lead-generating technology at 39%, ahead of CRM systems, MLS sites, and digital ad campaigns.
The opportunity is real: broader visibility, targeted advertising, real-time engagement, visual storytelling, and a direct line to referrals.
But posting and having a strategy are two different things. What separates agents who generate real business from social media from those who post into the void comes down to a few foundational decisions, starting with who you’re actually trying to reach.
Start With Your Client Archetype, Not Content Ideas
Most agents make the mistake of jumping straight into content creation without a clear picture of who they’re talking to. Aaron Grushow says this is backwards.
“You first want to think about who your audience is. Who’s your typical client archetype? And then the content pillars or buckets that you can build to accommodate your messaging to those specific people.”
Before you create a single post, define exactly who you’re trying to attract. If your ideal client is a first-time homebuyer in Los Angeles, every piece of content should speak to them specifically. If you’re targeting luxury sellers in Miami, your tone, topics, and platform choices should all reflect that.
“All of your communication needs to be directed to either your current sphere and client base, or the people you want to attract. If you’re not, you’re leaving a ton on the table.”
This archetype drives everything that follows: what content you create, which platforms you prioritize, and how you show up online.
Set Up Your Foundation Before You Start Posting
Once you know your archetype, optimize your profiles to match. This step is easy to skip, but it shapes the first impression for every person who finds you.
Start with one or two platforms. Grushow’s archetype framework makes this decision for you. If your ideal clients are first-time buyers, Instagram and TikTok make sense. If you’re targeting investors or second-home buyers, LinkedIn and Facebook may be stronger fits.
“If you’re not great at video, TikTok might not be for you. And if you’re a fantastic writer, LinkedIn may be for you.” Pick the platforms where your archetype already spends time, and where your natural strengths give you an edge.
Set clear, measurable goals. Before you post anything, decide what success looks like: lead generation, brand awareness, or referral relationships. Your goals shape your content mix and how you measure whether social media is working.
Optimize your profiles. Use a professional photo that matches how you show up in person. Write a bio that speaks directly to your archetype, not a generic list of credentials. Your name field and bio are prime real estate for search visibility. Optimize them with relevant keywords to improve how easily Google and AI tools can find and surface you. Link to your website, a landing page, or a lead capture device (more on this below). Keep your visual style consistent across platforms so your brand is immediately recognizable.
Plan your content rhythm. Grushow recommends consistency over volume: “I’d so much rather you post once a week for half a year than try and post five times a week and burn out in a month.” Pick a posting frequency you can actually maintain, and build your content calendar around the pillar system below.
Build Content Around Pillar Categories
Once you know who you’re talking to, you need a system for what you’re going to say. Grushow recommends rotating through these content buckets:
1. Educational content
Teach your archetype something they don’t know. Myth-bust common misconceptions, like the idea that you need 20% down to buy a home. This type of content builds trust and positions you as a resource, not just a salesperson.
2. Authority and point-of-view content
This is where you share your actual opinion, not just report numbers. “Instead of saying here are the market stats for the month, go more in depth. What does that actually mean for your client?”
Don’t shy away from strong perspectives. “The more contrarian take, honestly, the better, not just to build credibility with your audience, but also for LLM and SEO visibility. Those takes help you stand out. Because if you’re saying what everyone else is saying, that’s not going to help you stand out.”
Hot takes don’t have to be about real estate. They can be about anything happening in the world, as long as you find a way to relate it back. “It can be about anything. Maybe you can find a way to lead it back into real estate.”
3. Personal lifestyle content
Behind-the-scenes content that humanizes you beyond being an agent. Staging day prep, your favorite coffee shop, and your hobbies. People do business with people they feel they know.
4. Hyperlocal content
Restaurants, events, hidden gems in your market. “That positions you as the local expert, not just the real estate agent who sells there.” This is especially powerful because it’s content your competition can’t replicate. Nobody else has your exact perspective on your exact market.
5. Client wins and social proof
Testimonials, case studies, before-and-after stories. Grushow says this should be your smallest bucket. It matters, but if it’s all you post, it starts to feel like a highlight reel rather than a genuine presence.
Choosing the Right Platform
Instagram: The best single platform for most agents
If you can only pick one platform, Grushow’s recommendation is clear.
“Instagram is the perfect combination of just about every social media platform. If you are into video, there are amazing opportunities with Instagram Reels. If you are into creating photography and high-quality images and graphics, Instagram is perfect. If you’re a writer, you can also use Instagram.”
Instagram accommodates every content format and skill level, which is why it works as a default for agents who aren’t sure where to start. With over two billion active users monthly (60% between ages 18 and 34), it’s also where brand awareness compounds over time.
Make your grid intentional. Keep your static grid curated and evergreen. Use Reels, Stories, and Live for more personal, spontaneous content. Use Live during open houses. Shoot informal Reels as you walk through properties. Your audience wants the professional property imagery, but they also want to get to know you as a person.
Stories are massively underused. “Stories are a pretty under-leveraged part of Instagram. It’s great that you can capture everyday moments without needing to structure things and plan for them. There are so many cool things you can do, like polls and other Q&As.” Stories also drive DMs and comments that should be treated like leads.
Maintain visual consistency. Inconsistent branding, poor-quality photos, or a lack of cohesion between posts will confuse followers. Instagram is a visual platform first. Make sure your presence looks intentional.
For more inspiration, check out our roundup of favorite real estate Instagram accounts.
YouTube: The biggest untapped opportunity
“YouTube is probably the most underutilized, biggest opportunity platform right now. When it comes to SEO and online discoverability, YouTube is massively impactful.”
With almost 2.5 billion users monthly, YouTube is the world’s largest video platform. Because Google owns it, titles and descriptions feed directly into search discoverability and LLM results. Only 9% of small businesses use YouTube actively, which means the competition is thin.
But Grushow is direct about the commitment required: “It does require the most amount of effort and planning, editing, and maintaining. It’s hard to half-ass YouTube. You have to be all-in.”
The payoff, though, is unmatched: “If you get it right, that is the platform that can absolutely establish you as the mayor of your market.”
We’ve seen agents with optimized YouTube channels climb search rankings, drive consistent website traffic, and outpace competitors who ignore the platform entirely. YouTube ads are also worth considering (more on paid strategy below).
Optimize for search. Use relevant keywords, titles, descriptions, and tags. This is how new leads find you. Include a call to action at the end of each video, reminding viewers to subscribe.
LinkedIn: For networking, thought leadership, and investors
With over one billion active users (nearly 30% of American adults, skewing 30 to 49), LinkedIn is often overlooked for flashier platforms. But it has serious potential for lead generation.
“LinkedIn is a prime example. If you’re trying to target investors or people higher up in the business corporate chain, LinkedIn is a great place.”
He notes that strong writers often perform especially well on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn’s publishing platform lets you share market updates and industry perspective to build authority. LinkedIn Groups provide forums for networking, exchanging ideas, and building referral relationships. Always include a call to action asking readers to weigh in. And don’t be afraid to share something provocative if you can handle the heat.
Facebook: Community groups and repeat buyers
With over 3 billion monthly active users, Facebook still offers unparalleled reach, and Grushow sees a specific audience fit.
“I still think Facebook is a bit generationally-tailored. There’s a lot of opportunity to work with buyers and sellers who are maybe onto their second, third, or fourth home.”
Facebook’s ad platform is one of the most powerful in social media, with targeting options by demographics, interests, behaviors, and specific locations. (More on paid strategy below.)
Facebook Groups are especially valuable. Join or create local groups focused on your community, local history, and events. Be an active participant rather than a broadcaster. The biggest mistake agents make on Facebook is prioritizing self-promotion over genuine engagement.
TikTok: Younger demographics and creative content
TikTok’s popularity among Gen Z and millennials makes it ideal for targeting first-time homebuyers. 26% of the internet-using world is on TikTok, and its engagement rates lead all platforms.
But Grushow is clear about fit: “You definitely don’t want to be on TikTok if it doesn’t fit your audience. TikTok appeals to a younger generation, maybe first-time homebuyers.”
TikTok’s format encourages authentic, creative content: entertaining property walkthroughs, before-and-after transformations, behind-the-scenes glimpses. The algorithm knows the right content for the right people at the right time. Participate in trending challenges, use relevant hashtags, and consider collaborating with other creators.
Don’t repurpose content from other platforms without adapting it. TikTok has its own culture. Videos need to be short, catchy, and entertaining, especially in the first three seconds.
Content That Actually Works
Overproduced content often underperforms raw content
This is Grushow’s biggest lesson from his own viral TikTok career:
He’s explicit about this: “Your audience prefers the opposite [of polished]. The more authentic, true to yourself you can be, the more trust and likability you can build. The one thing you don’t want is that the person showing up to the meeting is different from the person you see online.”
“There were so many times when I put very minimal effort into the editing process: I decided that something is kind of raw, authentic and I’m just going to post it. I don’t think it’s going to do very well, but I need to get content out, so let’s see what happens, and it absolutely blows up.
And it actually does more for my business in terms of building credibility and social proof and likability.”
Editing for the scroll, not for perfection
Raw doesn’t mean sloppy. Grushow draws a line between overproduction and smart editing. “You want a compelling hook, but you want to visually have the correct editing to stop the scroll. Maybe you have a text hook with a unique take. Maybe you have some other visuals on the screen, and you pair it with some trending audio.”
The takeaway: spend your editing time on the hook and the first three seconds, not on making every frame pixel-perfect. A strong text overlay, a trending sound, and a clear visual opening will outperform a beautifully color-graded video with a weak start.
Storytelling makes listings stand out
“The simple cover image and two-sentence caption with a price tag just doesn’t cut it anymore. That does not break through the noise, and provides very little value to anyone. You need to go beyond that through storytelling. What makes the house special? What makes it unique? What makes it the perfect opportunity for your ideal client archetype?”
For just-sold posts, go even further with a client case study: “This client came to me from Los Angeles and wanted to relocate to Miami. They were looking for this, this, and this. This is how we helped them. If you are in a similar boat, I’m here to help.”
This approach turns every listing into content that demonstrates your value, not just your inventory.
Going viral should not be the goal
“The goal should not be to go viral on social media. In fact, if you are going viral, I’m not saying you’re doing it wrong, but you’re probably not creating content that’s going to lead to more business.”
Grushow admits that when he started, virality was his only goal. He would have done it differently now, building his personal brand simultaneously rather than chasing eyeballs first.
Viral content attracts viewers. Strategic content attracts clients.
Turning Engagement Into Leads
Treat comments and DMs like website inquiries
“If you get a comment, you should immediately respond, because that triggers the algorithm to see more engagement on the post, which then leads to more visibility.”
Don’t just thank them. Guide the conversation: “Would love for you to follow me for more content just like this.” Or direct them to learn more. “You should treat a comment kind of like an inquiry on your website.”
Every comment is an opening. Every DM is a potential lead. Respond fast, respond with intention, and move the conversation forward.
Lead capture devices: The most cost-efficient organic strategy
“Create lead capture devices such as homebuyer guides and seller guides, different types of downloadables that require your audience to enter in their information in order to download, and then you create content around that.
That is probably one of the most cost-efficient ways to capture leads organically. Use Canva to create a homebuyer guide, link it into your Linktree, create value-driven content around some of the talking points in that guide, and your call to action is: if you want to learn more, download the guide, link in my bio.”
Grushow also recommends ManyChat for automated DM delivery of these downloads. When someone comments a keyword, ManyChat can instantly send them the guide via direct message. This turns passive scrollers into captured leads without spending a dollar on ads.
Paid Advertising That Actually Converts
Organic content builds your brand over time, but paid social can accelerate results when done with intention. The key is matching your ad strategy to the platform and your archetype.
Define your objective first. Every platform will ask you to choose a campaign goal: lead generation, brand awareness, website traffic, or engagement. Lead generation campaigns (like Facebook Lead Ads, which capture contact info without sending people off-platform) are the most direct path to new business. Brand awareness campaigns work best when you’re building name recognition in a new market.
Facebook and Instagram ads remain the strongest starting point. Facebook’s ad platform allows agents to tailor campaigns based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and specific locations. Retargeting ads are especially effective.
Grushow puts it simply: “Retargeting people who have visited your website is very effective on Facebook right now.” They put your profile back in front of people who’ve already shown interest but haven’t taken the next step.
YouTube ads are underrated. In-stream ads capture a captive audience before they watch their chosen video, in-feed ads recommend your content alongside related videos, and pre-roll ads put you at the very top. Given how few agents use YouTube at all, the ad inventory is less competitive and often cheaper.
Hyper-target by geography. For real estate, location targeting is everything. Most platforms let you target by zip code, city, or radius around a specific address. Combine that with demographic and interest filters, and you can put your ads in front of exactly the audience your archetype describes.
Pair paid with organic lead capture. Grushow’s lead capture device strategy (homebuyer guides, seller guides, downloadable resources) works even better when you put paid spend behind it. Run ads promoting the guide, capture the lead information, then nurture with content. This combines the immediacy of paid with the trust-building power of organic.
Using AI the Right Way
AI tools can accelerate your content workflow, but Grushow has a strong opinion on where the line is.
“Make sure your content doesn’t read or show like AI-generated content, because that’s how you’re going to get lost amongst all your competition. Everyone else is using Claude and ChatGPT to come up with their content and their captions. You want to make sure that you, as a human, have input into what’s officially being posted.”
His recommended workflow: let AI handle the first 80% (ideation, pain point research, content calendars), but you must finish the last 20%.
“Create tone of voice skills, projects, GPTs that restrict AI from using certain words or phrases that aren’t like you.”
The agents winning at AI use it strategically while keeping their voice unmistakably their own.
You Don’t Have to Be on Video
One of the biggest barriers agents face is camera shyness. Grushow’s take is worth hearing:
“You don’t have to be on camera. There are so many other content types and opportunities.”
But if you do want to try video: “Everyone you see who is good in front of the camera did not start out as good in front of the camera. You need quantity to create quality. You will not start out as the perfect speaker. People will appreciate your effort; they will not think of you negatively if your video is not perfect.”
Consistency Beats Volume Every Time
Choose a posting cadence you can maintain long term. Consistency matters far more than trying to post constantly and burning out after a few weeks.
Consistency also means how you show up. Your voice, your tone, and your topics should feel reliable and recognizable over time. Your audience should know what to expect from you, and trust that you’ll keep showing up.
The Mistakes That Cost Agents the Most
Grushow’s advice throughout this guide points to a pattern: the agents who struggle on social media are usually making one of these errors.
Posting without an archetype. This is mistake number one, and Grushow is direct about the cost. Everything you post should be directed at your current sphere or the clients you want to bring in. If it’s not, you’re likely missing out on potential business. If you can’t describe your ideal client in one sentence, your content won’t land with anyone.
Only posting listings and sales. When every post is a new listing or a just-sold, your feed becomes a catalog. Grushow’s five-pillar system exists to prevent this. Educational content, personal lifestyle, hyperlocal stories, and point-of-view posts should make up the majority of what you share. Client wins and listings are the smallest bucket.
Over-editing and underposting. Perfectionism kills momentum. Grushow learned this firsthand. The posts he almost didn’t publish because they felt too raw are the ones that performed best. If you’re spending two hours editing a Reel, you’re probably overinvesting.
Chasing virality instead of building a brand. Every post should serve your archetype, not the algorithm.
Letting AI write your content start to finish. The danger with AI is sameness. If your content feels machine-generated, it becomes much harder to stand out from the competition.
Ignoring engagement. Posting without responding to comments and DMs is leaving leads on the table.
Trying to be on every platform. Grushow’s framework is about matching platforms to your archetype and your strengths. Two platforms done well will outperform five done inconsistently.
Recommended Tools
Editing. CapCut (simple, lots of AI features) and Descript (edit video via transcript, many AI integrations).
Long-form to short-form. Opus Clip. Upload a long video and it auto-generates short-form clips ranked by predicted performance.
Ideation and copywriting. Claude. Use it for brainstorming, content calendars, and first drafts, then make it your own.
Social media management. Hootsuite or Meta Business Suite for managing communications across all your profiles in one place.
Accounts to Study
These creators put the principles in this guide into practice at a high level.
Personal Brand Launch (Ava). Personal branding expertise that translates directly to how agents should think about their online presence.
Ryan Serhant. The dominant real estate personal brand. Study how he balances authority content with personality.
Shannon Gillette. Every listing becomes a video covering the house and the neighborhood, uploaded to YouTube with supplemental social content. A masterclass in the storytelling-first approach.
Brandon Blankenship and Calvin Chen. Created separate hyperlocal Instagram accounts as the spokesperson for their market, then tied it back to their professional accounts. A smart model for the hyperlocal content pillar.
Tricia Lee. Authentic, unstructured lifestyle content via Stories. No content calendar. Built a massive community through documenting her day. Proof that raw and consistent beats polished and sporadic.
Key Takeaways
Social media success in real estate starts with knowing exactly who you’re trying to reach. Define your archetype, set up your profiles to match, and build a content system around 4–5 pillars. Choose platforms that fit your audience and your strengths rather than trying to be everywhere. Authenticity outperforms polish. Storytelling outperforms listing specs. And consistency, even once a week, outperforms volume every single time.
Treat every comment like an inquiry. Build lead capture devices that work for you while you sleep. Pair organic content with targeted paid campaigns to accelerate results. Use AI to speed up your workflow, but never let it replace your voice. And if you’re looking for the single biggest untapped opportunity, it’s YouTube. The platform that can make you the mayor of your market.
If managing all of this feels like a lot, connect with our team at Luxury Presence. We’re here to move things forward so you can focus on closing deals.
