Social media has gone beyond just being a tool to connect with friends and family, becoming a crucial part of businesses worldwide. Today we’re also seeing numerous individuals taking these platforms by storm, showcasing their expertise and influencing people with their knowledge.
A conversation about influencers in the real estate industry is incomplete without mentioning Farooq Syed, CEO of SpringField Real Estate. He is a household name in the UAE, having amassed more than 100k followers on Instagram alone.
With his signature friendly demeanour, charming smile and upbeat attitude, it is no surprise that this young man has inspired hundreds of fans worldwide to take a step into the real estate world.
In this edition of Inside Scoop, we sat down with Farooq himself as he shared the story behind his rise to fame and his exclusive tips for standing out and making an impact in the world of social media. Check out the video below, or keep reading to find out the highlights of this engrossing discussion.
Where It All Started
Farooq’s advent into social media commenced after a brainstorming session with his marketing team on accelerating their real estate business. When one of his team members suggested creating ‘vlogs’ (or ‘blogging, but in video format’, as his team called it), it spiked his curiosity enough to start making mini vlogs on YouTube.
Although he had previously used Instagram to post stories from his personal life, this discussion sparked an interest in changing his content’s direction to showcase his professional expertise.
Following extensive research of fellow real estate content creators, he also began creating real estate content on Instagram. After one of these videos went viral, he saw his followers and interest substantially increase. Since then, he has never looked back and continues creating incredible online content.
Revealing The Secret To Staying Ahead On Social Media
Farooq is active on all major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. This omnipresence across multiple channels is vital to garner the interest of property seekers, according to Farooq.
He stressed the importance of separating content based on the platform and audience. Each forum is different and requires a different approach when creating content.
While LinkedIn remains a professional platform, Instagram and Facebook are geared toward users seeking entertainment. Farooq said he usually focuses on creating ‘fresh content’ on Instagram, since you only have one or two seconds to catch your audience’s attention. On the other hand, users on YouTube may have already skipped two advertisements to reach your video, giving you a minute or two to grab their attention. Which is why he firmly believes that creating unique content for each platform is the best approach to being a content creator.
Another way he stays ahead in his content creation game is by diversifying the type of content for each platform based on his understanding of their algorithms. For example, since LinkedIn prefers more extended captions, he shares details on upcoming projects there. Meanwhile, platforms like Instagram and Facebook lean heavily toward video content (especially following the launch of Instagram Reels).
He also discussed the importance of engaging your audience with your personal life, outside the real estate realm. Rather than posting about the real estate industry all the time, he suggested posting tit-bits from your life, such as snapshots from a walk at the park or your vacation.
As we discussed in our workshop on Acing the Social Media Game, getting your potential clients to ‘like’ you opens the doors to building trust – which would encourage them to work with you in the future.
All Eyes On You: Diving Deeper Into Content Creation
Being a prominent YouTuber and consistently creating TikToks and Instagram Reels, Farooq is quite familiar with video content. For beginners, he recommends learning video editing by themselves before working with a professional videographer.
He cited that TikTok and Instagram offer user-friendly tools to edit videos on their platform; in fact, the algorithm rewards videos created on their apps by pushing them higher on the audience’s feeds.
He suggested staying on top of the latest trends online and participating in them to increase views and garner attention on social media. Interesting, fun content takes priority over great editing skills, to him.
But is there a content format with a higher chance of taking the spotlight? To this, Farooq shared that it is not the format, but the story behind the content that matters and that storytelling is the way to go.
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His distinct storytelling style makes his videos irresistible to audiences – be it a property tour or information about the latest developments in the UAE, he clearly knows how to spin a catchy story!
Finally, when asked about his favourite platform, he said that he favours Instagram because of its high engagement potential and the convenience for users to contact him on the messaging platform.
Let’s Talk Business
Farooq stated that the leads he has generated from social media tend to trust him a lot more. For starters, it is great for initial conversations where you understand the clients’ needs, since they are more connected with his life.
Since these leads are familiar with him and his work, it is also easier to build credibility and a relationship with them.
This resonates with his thoughts on personal branding. He shared that since the competition for attention on social media is so high, creating a personal brand and showcasing your expertise is essential to setting yourself apart. Marketing your professional side can help attract more clients in time.
In his own words, “you can’t hide yourself and be an influencer”.
Leveraging Bayut For Your Personal Brand
Being the UAE’s largest property portal, Farooq confirmed that having an Agent Profile on Bayut is one of the best ways for a broker to build online credibility. He emphasised the importance of having a completed Agent Profile, since clients tend to Google the agent before working with them. In addition, he advised fellow agents to promote their Agent Profile links on their social media accounts.
He talked about getting good testimonials from happy clients on the Agent Reviews, which elevates your credibility in the eyes of potential clients. It increases an agent’s authenticity online and with it, trust.
Another helpful tip he shared was to add the Bayut property listing’s link in the caption when creating Property Tour videos. This is especially handy for Instagram stories, when you want to keep information about the property to a minimum (as the focus is on the images and storytelling).
Learning the tricks of the trade may take time, but practice makes perfect, and we hope more agents across the UAE leverage social media to their advantage. Being a goldmine of leads and a great platform to build your personal brand, social media is definitely worth the time and effort.
Interested in levelling your social media game to the next level too? Look no further; we have our exclusive Social Media workshop at Bayut Academy for beginners. We also have Design Basics on Canva for budding design enthusiasts who want to try their hand at creating their own content.
About Farooq Syed
Farooq Syed is the CEO of SpringField Real Estate. A seasoned real estate professional, he runs a team of over 30 expert real estate agents. He graduated from the American University of Sharjah with a degree in Finance and Management , following which he launched his real estate career in 2006.
After a brief stint in real estate, he went to the USA to pursue an MBA at the University of Minnesota. He joined SpringField Real Estate in 2009 and has since flourished at his role.
Farooq specialises in the luxury property market in the UAE, focusing on off-plan properties. He has built a strong network of investors and first-time buyers, owing to his eye for challenges and opportunities in the country.
About Springfield Real Estate
SpringField Real Estate is a family-founded real estate agency in Dubai. Their team of experienced professionals is committed to providing top-notch customer service and transparency to their clients.
They provide quality real estate services, including property management, snagging and handover inspection and more. With their in-depth understanding of the UAE property market, SpringField Real Estate is a name you can trust.