Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, has recently launched a new social media platform that has taken the world by storm. Called ‘Threads’, this platform is very similar to Twitter and has already seen 10 million signups the week it was launched.
If you want to build your brand using social media and connect with prospective clients online, joining Threads should be on your to-do list. To help you get started, we share a few basics you need to know about this exciting new social media platform.
Signing Up and Starting Off
The Threads app is available on Google Play Store (Android) and App Store (iPhone). Once you have downloaded the app, log into your Instagram account to get started.
*Threads is linked to Instagram, meaning you must create an Instagram account to be on Threads.*
Once you sign in, Threads lets you connect with your following/followers on Instagram who have Thread accounts. We recommend following the accounts you used to interact with on Instagram (and yes, follow Bayut on Threads – we have great content for agents!)
Content For Threads
Threads allows you to create posts with a combination of text and images/videos. It has a 500-character limit, so you’ll have to keep your captions short and sweet.
Keep in mind that you can only add up to four images per post.
Of course, before you begin creating content for Threads, you should have a social media strategy in place – something we discuss in our social media for real estate workshop at Bayut Academy. Defining your personal brand and determining your target audience should be done for every platform, and Threads is no exception.
Here are a few more pointers to keep in mind before starting your Threads journey:
- Create a content calendar for a month, where you plan out the content type and their publishing dates. Then, start creating your content accordingly. You can schedule it on tools like HootSuite or SproutSocial, which posts your content on the date you select.
- Use hashtags, but not too many. Since there’s a character limit, we recommend using just one or two hashtags per post.
- Interact with other people’s content on Threads. Interaction on Threads also includes ‘reposts’, a feature similar to Twitter’s retweet feature – where another person’s post is shared with your followers. To repost something on Threads, tap the circular arrow below the post and select ‘Repost.’
Now, what content can you create for Threads? Here are a few content ideas for your Threads page:
Posts about new (and exciting) listings in your inventory
Have you got a beautiful property in your inventory – something that you think might turn heads? Create a post about it on Threads. Add four pictures that capture the best of the property, like the pool, a sea view from the balcony, or a panoramic photo of the building, along with a one or two-line caption about the listing. Alternatively, you could post a video walkthrough of the property.
Be mindful of the character limit when writing the caption for this post.
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For example: “This 3-bed villa for sale in Al Barari is what dreams are made of. Contact me for more details”.
You can always get creative with your captions, like this property walkthrough post by Bayut.
Post about Dubai real estate market trends or insights
When you have real estate transaction data from the DLD at your fingertips, why not make the most of it?
Create infographics about prices in your area of specialisation – things like average property prices, popular buildings, and other relevant information your target audience would be interested in seeing.
Highlight your real estate expertise
You want to convince your target audience that you’re a property expert. You can do this by sharing informative content about the Dubai real estate market or your area of specialisation. Examples of informative content include details of ROIs about each community, neighbourhood guides, or price trends in your area of specialisation.
Let’s say you’re an off-plan specialist. Based on Bayut’s market reports, you could post about the most popular off-plan projects.
Tips for buyers or sellers
Compile around four tips for buyers or sellers, depending on who you work with mainly. You can either create a video explaining these four tips or four images with the tips (you can make these graphics on Canva). Share tips about Dubai’s property buying/selling process, laws your audience needs to know, etc. Other content ideas include tips for first-time home buyers, tips for investing in property, or ways to sell your house.
Home remodelling before-and-afters
Many real estate agents today post memes to make themselves relatable to audiences. Although humour is effective in becoming viral online, it can be challenging to come up with ‘funny’ content ideas – since humour is subjective and isn’t something everyone can do.
Instead of taking the meme route, you can try posting pictures of the interiors of houses in your inventory. While posting visually appealing home interiors, try using hashtags like #InspoHome. You’re guaranteed to get a lot of saves and reposts. #HomeGoals, anyone?
Since Threads is a new platform, it will take time to spot and follow trends. It also does not have a DM feature yet, and there are many more features to be added to the platform (according to Meta). Until then, we recommend consistently creating content and being active on Threads. Take a page off Twitter’s formula for viral posts – short captions, emojis and four pictures.
Learn more about how you can leverage social media for your real estate business with the Content Corner, where we share resources to help you accelerate your skills and career. You can also join us at Bayut Academy, our series of in-house workshops for real estate professionals in the UAE.