The best social media marketing, Jimmy Burgess writes, is coming from agents who have figured out how to create content that resonates with the people they actually want to serve.

One of the biggest questions I hear from agents is simple: “What should I be posting on social media?” Most agents are looking in the wrong places; they’re watching influencers with hundreds of thousands of followers and trying to replicate content that was never designed to generate real estate business. The answer is actually easier than you think.

 The best social media content in real estate isn’t always coming from people with massive audiences. It’s coming from agents who have figured out how to create content that resonates with the people they actually want to serve.

Recently, I took a deep dive into agents across the country who are generating real referrals and real listings through social media. They serve different markets, different demographics and different price points, but they all have one thing in common: They’re creating content with purpose. Here are 10 agents and the lessons we can learn from each of them.


Colby Anderson: Become the neighborhood expert

Colby Anderson serves the 30A market in Florida and has experienced tremendous growth by creating content around specific communities. Rather than trying to talk about every neighborhood, he focuses on one neighborhood at a time. The result is evergreen content that continues showing up whenever people search for those communities.

Here’s an example of a recent community overview is this one showcasing Naturewalk at Seagrove:

The lesson: Don’t create content about your market. Create content about specific neighborhoods inside your market.

Get connected on Instagram and on TikTok.


Taley Hunt: Build community around your audience

Taley Hunt has done an incredible job connecting with mothers in real estate and creating a sense of community around shared experiences. Her content isn’t just about houses. It’s about people. She shares lessons learned, business insights and personal experiences that resonate with her ideal audience.

One of her most recent best-performing posts was sharing about being three-and-a-half weeks postpartum and how she is prioritizing what is important to her family on this pregnancy versus what she did postpartum a few years back. This post resonated with other moms in real estate:


The lesson: Sometimes the most valuable content isn’t about real estate. It’s about the people you serve or the people you can encourage.

Get connected on Instagram and on TikTok.


Dusty Ballard: Own your small town

Dusty Ballard proves you don’t need a major metro market to build a significant presence. By documenting his journey, showcasing listings and partnering with local businesses, he’s become a trusted voice in his community. 

One of the most impactful and creative videos he has done was a video shot with a song about his community titled “That’s Them Jackson County Ways.” He wrote the song about his area and had AI put it to music. He then shot the video, along with the help of a few of his friends, showcasing the rural lifestyle of his community. 

Don’t be overwhelmed by writing a song; AI can help you put one together if you aren’t sure you could write one yourself. Here’s that video:

The lesson: If you’re in a small town, lean into it. Community content creates community trust.

Get connected on Facebook and on Instagram.


Rachel Kilmer: Document relationships

Rachel Kilmer has built an impressive business in just a few years, and what stands out most is her focus on relationships. While many people assume younger agents are winning because of technology, Rachel’s success is rooted in connection. Social media simply amplifies those relationships by documenting her journey as an agent.

She shows up authentically on social media and showcases how she makes it fun for her sphere of influence and past clients to be a part of her tribe. An example of this is her social post documenting her adult Easter egg hunt party. Here’s that video:

The lesson: Social media should be fun, and it should enhance relationships, not replace them.

Get connected on Instagram and TikTok.


Eugene Gonzalez: Become the local news source

Eugene Gonzalez has positioned himself as a trusted source for local information. New development? He’s talking about it. Infrastructure improvements? He’s covering them. Business announcements? He’s sharing them.

Gonzalez uses green screen video formats to report on new developments and infrastructure. This is an example of these videos that perform well for him:

The lesson: When people want information about your community, they should think of you first.

Get connected on Instagram and TikTok.


Holly D’Arcy: Authenticity is a power move

Holly D’Arcy creates content showcasing the area she serves, along with sharing personal insights as a mom, real estate agent and military spouse. She shows up in an authentic way that attracts her ideal clients to follow her along her journey as an agent.

Many of her posts perform well, but one where she related to a topic that resonated with her ideal audience went viral with over 347,000 views compared to her following of just over 2,000 followers on Instagram. Here’s that post:

 


The lesson: Be yourself. Showcase your community and your life. Authenticity is undefeated.

Get connected on Instagram and Facebook.


Omer Reshid: Document the journey

Omer Reshid has built attention by documenting his day-to-day experiences and sharing lessons he’s learned along the way. His content feels authentic because it is authentic. He inspires other young agents and young entrepreneurs, leading to explosive growth in his career.

He provides his insights on the market and being a young, successful agent. Some of his best-performing content are his day-in-the-life posts. This is an example of this type of post:

 

@omerreshid_ realtor day in the life📲 #dayinthelife#realestate#realestateagent#realtor#realtoroftiktok#sales#fyp#viral#lifestyle#realtorofinstagram#youngentrepreneur ♬ original sound – Aideen


The lesson: You don’t always need a script. Sometimes people simply want your perspective and a behind-the-scenes view of your life as an agent.

Get connected on TikTok and Instagram.


Megan Sullivan: Showcase your marketing

Megan Sullivan demonstrates the power of consistently marketing listings through video. Every listing becomes an opportunity to showcase not only the property but also her expertise. She does additional content that answers common buyer and seller questions and personal details. 

This is an example of a listing video that generates leads and is marketing seen by future listing customers.

The lesson: Every listing is marketing for the next listing.

Get connected on Instagram and Facebook.


Catherine Osborne: Tell your story

Catherine Osborne does a great job sharing her story, her background and her journey. Focusing on the luxury market in Dallas, her posts include elegant home tours, market updates and community overview videos. People connect with people before they connect with properties. A great example of this is her introduction video pinned to the top of her profile. This is a link to that video:

The lesson: Your story is often your most underutilized marketing asset.

Get connected on Instagram.


Alyssa Curnutt: Become the local resource

If I had to pick one agent who has mastered local content, it would be Alyssa Curnutt. She consistently highlights new businesses, local developments and community news. Real estate content becomes part of a larger strategy rather than the entire strategy. This is an example of a video she did announcing a new zipline company coming to downtown Spokane:

The lesson: People follow local resources long before they need a realtor and she is a great example to follow.

Get connected on Instagram.


The bottom line

The biggest takeaway from studying these agents is simple: You don’t need a massive following. You need a clear purpose and an ability to model after agents having success in other markets. The agents winning on social media today aren’t necessarily creating the most polished content. They’re creating the most relevant content.

They’re answering questions. They’re showcasing communities. They’re telling stories. They’re documenting relationships. And most importantly, they’re creating content that serves the people they want to attract. That’s a strategy every agent can copy.

Jimmy Burgess is the Chief Coaching Officer for HomeServices of America and President of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Get connected on Instagram and LinkedIn.

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