REALTORS® Give their Perspectives on Working with Influencers

In today’s real estate landscape it’s important to think outside the proverbial box – and working with social media influencers to help market your business is something more and more REALTORS® are starting to consider.

Social media influencers who aren’t REALTORS® or whose sphere is generally not real estate are a potential resource to be tapped and many are likely to show interest. 

Dee Thomson, who focuses her content on travel, food, drink, and lifestyle has garnered more than 16,500 followers on Instagram, says social media influencers are marketing terrain that REALTORS® should consider as a boost to more traditional forms of marketing. 

Thomson adds that, while she hasn’t personally worked with real estate professionals yet, she has been approached by a few over the years and is open to it.

“There are lots of benefits to partnering with influencers,” she says. “Influencers bring a fresh perspective on what makes a property appealing, highlighting features that resonate with their audience. These collaborations also provide valuable insight into trending content formats and strategies, helping REALTORS® stay ahead of digital marketing trends.”

Influencers, sometimes referred to as creators or social media personalities, can exist at almost any follower count these days. In fact, some say that working with smaller influencers may yield better results than working with the largest names out there. 

Katherine Minovski, a broker and REALTOR® with Royal LePage Your Community Realty Inc. in Unionville, Ontario, is all for such collaborations; especially as they offer a newer, creative way to reach younger home buyers, many of whom are active on social media.

“We need someone outside our brokerages, absolutely,” she says. “I know you need to spend, you need to focus, even if you are not having a good year. I have properties all over the place and would be more than happy to work with someone with a broader reach.”

“If you can get a few [social media influencers] in geotargeted areas, like one for Toronto, or York region, that would be golden. You can really narrow down your focus there – focus on first-time buyers, first-time renters or investors. You can be selective. Even if the budget is small, why spend it if they are not going to reach the target audience you want?” 

For REALTORS® thinking of reaching out to social media influencers, Minovski advises they ask how these influencers plan to reach their target audience. How deep can the social media influencers dive into the demographics of their followers? 

“The more granular they can get the better,” she says. 

Other REALTORS®, however, are not so sure of the benefits of these partnerships. Jacqui Rostek Holder, associate broker and REALTOR® at Royal LePage Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia, says she would not engage with a social media influencer to market properties.

“[The biggest reason is] that, unless their specialty was localized to a following in the area, their reach, while potentially large, is likely not meaningful,” she says. “Also, the return on investment I doubt would be tangible. If a client happened to be an influencer that would be different, but I wouldn’t seek it out.

“While in the evolving field of marketing there are many ways to get attention on your real estate business I don’t see the advantage of engaging influencers in most scenarios.”

Asif Khan, a broker/owner and REALTOR® with RE/MAX Prime Properties in the Greater Toronto Area, says there are some unique advantages to social media influencers that REALTORS® who also have a large social media following cannot always match; such as effectively expanding reach, building trust with consumers and creating memorable campaigns that drive results.

“Influencers [who aren’t REALTORS®], such as lifestyle, travel or family-focused influencers, often have a more diverse and engaged following compared to REALTOR® influencers, whose audiences may already be saturated with real estate content,” he says. “This allows us to reach potential buyers or sellers who may not actively follow real estate professionals but are still interested in purchasing, selling or investing in property. Their previous work in other areas has gained them a higher level of trust and a large following based on their recommendations and experiences.”

Social media influencers are seen as more relatable and authentic by their followers because their content focuses on everyday lifestyles rather than sales.

This allows us to reach potential buyers or sellers who may not actively follow real estate professionals but are still interested in purchasing, selling or investing in property.”

 – Asif Khan, RE/MAX Prime Properties

“For example, a lifestyle influencer showcasing one of our properties within the context of their daily life (for example, hosting a dinner party or decorating a home) can make the property feel more aspirational and attainable to their audience,” Khan says. “The audience can see the benefits and value of that property better now that their trusted social media celebrity has provided more context in the ‘language’ they understand.”

Influencers can be experts at highlighting not just a property but also the surrounding community, such as local schools, parks, restaurants and other amenities. That helps potential buyers envision their lives in the neighbourhood. Since they speak the language of their followers, people tend to trust their opinions.

“Followers may view REALTOR® influencers as having a vested interest in selling properties, which can lead to skepticism about their recommendations,” Khan says. “Collaborations with influencers [who aren’t REALTORS®] have driven significant engagement and lead generation for real estate brokerages and brands.  

“For instance, lifestyle influencers hosting exclusive property tours or virtual walkthroughs have successfully attracted new audiences and created buzz around high-value listings, and this is done in the influencer’s unique style, which has made them trusted in the first place.”

The key is selecting the right influencer, someone who has a solid reputation that also fits well with the branding of the REALTOR®.

“It’s imperative to interview and review the influencer’s past work prior to jumping into a working relationship with them," he says.