Ready to engage more clients using Facebook’s best-kept secrets? It’s time to take a closer look at your Facebook Professional Profile. While most mortgage pros are just scratching the surface, Facebook has hidden tools that let you elevate your organic marketing game. With a few clever tricks, you can connect with the right audience, keep your content unmissable, and become a familiar name in your local market.

The mortgage pros who tap into these features gain a serious edge, positioning themselves as trusted experts right in their social circles. Ready to make your Facebook presence work harder for you? Let’s dive into these eight lesser-known tricks that can transform your Professional Profile into a powerful organic marketing tool.

Make Facebook Work for You – Demo LHP3

Facebook’s Hidden Power Moves to Gain Visibility and Leads

1. Facebook’s Evolved Algorithm   

Facebook’s current algorithm uses advanced signals like user engagement, content type, location, and timing to decide what appears in your audience’s feed.  

To work with the algorithm, aim for a balanced content strategy—mix 3-4 engaging, non-sales posts with every promotional one. This approach keeps your followers interested, boosts organic reach, and enhances visibility without overwhelming your audience. 

2. Pinned Posts  

Pinned posts are a simple yet effective way to keep your most important updates front and center. By pinning key posts to the top of your page, you can ensure that new visitors see them first, which is ideal for announcements, promotions, or key information about your services.  

Plus, pinned posts often get indexed by search engines like Google, boosting your visibility on Facebook and beyond. For mortgage pros, a pinned post showcasing your latest rates or homebuyer tips can be a game-changer. 

3. @Mentions & Tags   

Using tags effectively, especially with options like the @everyone tag, can significantly expand your reach. Tags notify followers directly, increasing their chances of seeing and engaging with your content. However, it’s crucial to be strategic with this tool to avoid appearing spammy or intrusive. Instead, tag selectively—for instance, in updates about community events or partnerships with local agents.  

Used wisely, tags can help you build a connected, engaged audience without overwhelming them.

4. Scheduled Posts  

A steady posting schedule is key to staying relevant in your audience’s feeds, and Facebook’s scheduling tools make this easier than ever. With the option to plan posts up to 60 days in advance, you can map out a month or two of content, ensuring consistent visibility without last-minute scrambling. Mortgage pros can schedule market updates, home-buying tips, and other engaging content to keep their page active and engaging, even on busy days. 

5. Use the Search Functionality  

Facebook’s search tool is a powerful resource for finding and joining relevant conversations in your local market where you can offer expertise. By actively participating in these conversations, you establish yourself as a trusted resource while making meaningful connections with potential clients. 

Step Up Your Facebook Game with LHP3 – Demo Now!

6. Facebook Videos 

Facebook’s video platform offers a less crowded stage than YouTube, making it easier for mortgage pros to stand out. Video content tends to get priority in feeds, especially when it’s relevant and engaging.  

Consider repurposing your YouTube videos on Facebook or creating short, informative videos on topics. With the right approach, you can quickly build a dedicated audience and drive organic growth. 

7. Facebook Events 

Events on Facebook come with built-in notifications and sharing options, making them perfect for promoting webinars, open houses, or community events. You can invite previous attendees or friends directly, keeping your audience engaged and informed. 

Recurring events, like monthly Q&A sessions on mortgages, allow you to stay top-of-mind with regular reminders. Events not only increase visibility but also position you as an active, reliable presence in your community. 

8. Categorizing Friend Lists 

Organizing your connections into targeted friend lists—such as clients, real estate partners, or other industry professionals—allows for highly customized messaging. By targeting specific groups with tailored content, you avoid the pitfalls of mass messaging, which can feel impersonal.  

This approach keeps your content relevant to each audience segment, creating more meaningful engagements that can lead to referrals and deeper client relationships. 

Fuel Your Social Media Success with LHP3 

Mastering Facebook’s features can set you up for incredible organic reach, but getting there takes the right tools. That’s where LHP3 steps in. With solutions designed to streamline content creation, drive engagement, and capture leads, LHP3 gives you everything you need to amplify your social media presence effortlessly.  

Here’s how LHP3’s innovative tools support your social media success. 

AI-Assisted Blog Writer & Website Builder 

Get started quickly with LHP3’s AI tools that generate relevant blog content for you. Each post comes equipped with lead capture forms, transforming your content into actionable leads. 

Social Media Content Library 

LHP’s library of pre-created posts makes staying active on social media easy. These posts cover essential mortgage topics and help you maintain consistency with minimal effort and drive engagement through integrated lead capture. 

 Landing Page Builder 

 LHP3’s landing pages make creating high-converting pages tailored to Facebook easy. Customizable templates eliminate design hassles, and built-in tracking tools provide insights to optimize your campaigns. 

Quick Start: Drive Local Traffic to Your Website 

1. Create Content with AI Tools

Use the AI Blog Writer to produce locally focused content, like “Top Down Payment Assistance Programs in [Your City].” 

2. Optimize Your Facebook Presence

   Maximize visibility by strategically placing your website link across your Facebook profile and pages:

• • About Section: Add your website URL to your “About” section to make it easily accessible for anyone visiting your page. 

• • Pinned Post: Create a post with your URL and pin it to the top of your profile. This ensures that it’s the first thing visitors see, giving them an immediate path to your website. 

• • Stories: Share your link as a story for extra exposure; stories tend to attract high engagement and visibility. 

• • Group Feature: If you manage a Facebook group, pin your website post in the featured section to keep it visible to all members.    

Discover Organic Growth Made Easy—Watch the Demo! 

Curious how LHP’s tools can supercharge your Facebook marketing without spending a dime on ads? Dive into our video demo to see exactly how our platform boosts your reach locally, captures leads, and makes organic growth effortless. Watch the demo now and transform your social strategy! 

Simplify Facebook Lead Gen – Demo LHP3

In our last post, we covered how personal and professional Facebook profiles impact your mortgage business. Now, let’s look at a common gap: using well-crafted content to drive engagement and capture valuable leads. 

Most mortgage pros underestimate how much high-quality, strategic content can achieve on Facebook. Some overlook the platform entirely, while others post sporadically, hoping something will stick. But without a focused approach, posts often fall flat, missing opportunities to connect with potential clients, build trust, and convert engagement into leads. 

Content isn’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore—it’s essential for audience engagement and lead generation, and Facebook is the ideal place to put it to work. 

By using Facebook’s Professional Profile mode, you’re not just posting; you’re building a direct line to potential clients. This isn’t about boosting likes—it’s about creating content that drives interest, builds trust, and opens doors for your business. 

AI-Powered Social Media Content – See Demo Now!

Let’s break down how to turn content into an engagement engine that grows your audience and positions you as a leader in the mortgage space. 

Maximize Content Potential: How Facebook’s Professional Profile Drives Engagement & Visibility 

Here’s how Facebook’s Professional Profile helps you maximize the impact of every post. 

Facebook’s Algorithm Prioritizes Content Shared from Professional Profiles 

When you post with a Professional Profile, Facebook’s algorithm gives your content a visibility boost, which means more eyes on your posts and a better chance of showing up in newsfeeds. 

This wider reach helps you engage with a larger audience of potential borrowers while building authority in your market. By sharing relevant, insightful content, you’re positioning yourself as a go-to expert that borrowers can trust, which not only strengthens engagement but also builds brand loyalty. 

Reach Beyond Followers with Local and Topic-Specific Content 

Facebook’s algorithm is designed to prioritize content that’s both relevant and local, so your reach goes well beyond just your friends and followers.  

Mortgage professionals can leverage this by creating posts that directly address local market trends, common mortgage questions, and specific borrower concerns in their area. When you focus on localized content, Facebook’s algorithm steps in to put your posts in front of people who may not yet follow you but are nearby and interested in mortgage-related topics.  

It’s an easy way to connect with the right people at the right time—expanding your reach and building an audience that’s primed for engagement. 

Turn Engagement into Insight for Smarter Content Strategy 

Content sharing is like a conversation. When you share, Facebook gives you data-driven feedback on which posts hit the mark, who’s engaging, and what topics resonate.  

These insights are pure gold for shaping your future strategy. You’re not just throwing posts into the void—you’re learning exactly what potential clients care about and using that information to fine-tune your content. Each post becomes part of a cycle: share, learn, refine, and re-engage. Over time, this approach keeps your messaging relevant, your audience engaged, and your strategy consistently aligned with what works best. 

Types of Content to Share on Facebook’s Professional Profile 

Now that we’ve covered how crucial content is for increasing visibility on Facebook, let’s dive into the types of content that will get you the best results.  

Not all posts are created equal—some content types are simply better at sparking engagement, establishing authority, and connecting with the right audience. Here are the top content types to focus on: 

Expertise and Educational Content 

To stand out, focus on sharing content that’s specific to your niche and aligns directly with the unique needs of your audience. Instead of general mortgage advice, zero in on the areas where you bring the most value—whether that’s first-time homebuyer guidance, navigating VA loans with low credit, or offering insights into mortgage options for self-employed or gig workers.  

By tailoring your content to your specialty, you’re not only showing your expertise but also creating content that resonates with the exact people you’re looking to connect with.  

This approach strengthens trust, reinforces your authority, and makes it clear to potential clients why you’re the expert they need. 

Geo-Targeted Content for Local Audiences 

Local relevance is a powerful way to connect with your audience, and Facebook’s algorithm loves it. When you share content focused on local housing trends, unique homebuyer programs in your area, or shout-outs to real estate partners, you’re not just providing useful information—you’re creating a community connection.  

Geo-targeted content helps you stand out by making your posts feel personal and relevant, particularly to those interested in local real estate.  

By addressing your audience’s specific needs and interests, you make it easier for potential borrowers to see you as their go-to resource for navigating the local market. 

Trending News and Opinion Posts 

Staying current with mortgage and real estate news adds relevance and authority to your profile. Sharing insights on trending topics—such as interest rate changes or new mortgage

regulations—positions you as a knowledgeable resource on timely issues that impact your audience.  

By adding your own expert opinion, you’re not just sharing information; you’re guiding clients through the noise, helping them understand what these developments mean for their own buying or refinancing decisions.  

This type of content not only drives engagement but also builds trust, as clients come to rely on you for clear, insightful analysis of the latest industry trends. 

Interactive Content 

If you want more people to engage with your content, ask them to! Interactive posts, like polls, Q&A sessions, or prompts for users to share their own homeownership stories, make it easy for followers to jump in and participate.  

Interactive content fosters a two-way relationship, inviting your audience to feel like part of a community rather than just passive observers. Not only does this increase engagement rates, but it also boosts your posts’ visibility, as Facebook prioritizes content that drives conversation.  

It’s an effective way to build both reach and a dedicated following interested in what you have to say. 

Client Success Stories 

Nothing resonates more with potential clients than real stories of people who have successfully navigated the mortgage process with your help. Sharing client success stories, such as testimonials or brief case studies, adds a personal touch and builds credibility.  

This type of content highlights your dedication and expertise in action, showing prospective clients that you’re not just knowledgeable—you’re effective. Plus, success stories make your profile relatable and encourage others to envision a successful journey of their own. 

Built for Online Marketing – Demo LHP3

How LHP3 Simplifies Content Creation for Mortgage Pros 

Creating engaging, valuable content doesn’t have to be a time-consuming process.  

LHP3’s suite of tools is designed to make content creation easy and effective, allowing mortgage professionals to build their online presence and attract new clients without the stress.  

Whether you’re crafting an in-depth educational blog post or sharing a quick update on the latest buyer assistance program, LHP3 makes it fast and easy, helping you focus on connecting with your audience and generating leads. 

Weekly Blog Content + AI Assistance 

Keeping fresh, relevant content on your website has never been easier. With LHP3’s AI-assisted blog writer, you can create original, customized posts that speak directly to your audience’s needs—all in a fraction of the time. Each AI-generated blog comes with built-in lead capture forms, turning each reader into a potential client with minimal effort on your part. 

Looking for a more hands-off approach? LHP3 also takes care of consistency for you, publishing a professional, informative blog post each week. These ready-made posts keep your audience engaged and position you as a trusted resource in the mortgage industry. Whether you’re short on time or looking for extra support, LHP3 provides the flexibility and efficiency you need to build an impactful content strategy without the stress. 

Ready-Made & AI-Assisted Social Media Posts 

Consistency is key on social media, but creating engaging posts every day can be a challenge. With LHP3’s social media program, staying active on your profile is easier than ever. You’ll have access to a full library of pre-made posts covering essential mortgage topics, from homebuyer tips to market insights, so you’re never scrambling for content—even on the busiest days. Each post includes a built-in lead capture form, turning every share into a potential client touchpoint that drives results. 

Need content that’s even more tailored to your brand? LHP3 offers an upgrade to an AI-assisted social media post writer, allowing you to generate unique, brand-specific posts in seconds.  

This tool gives you the power to create engaging, on-brand content that resonates with your audience and keeps them coming back for more. With LHP3, you can maintain a strong, professional presence on social media while focusing on what you do best—connecting with clients and growing your business. 

Quick Start: Steps to Build Your Facebook Audience Today 

Getting started on Facebook doesn’t have to be complicated. With these quick steps, you’ll be set up to grow your audience, share content that resonates, and turn views into leads fast. 

1. Set Up Professional Mode

Setting up Professional Mode is quick and easy. If you’re unfamiliar, check out the setup guide from our previous post to get started. 

2. Share Ready-Made Content

Quickly boost your Facebook presence by sharing ready-made content and adding your expertise in the captions. Tailor it to your local market with relevant details or hashtags—an easy way to stay active and connect with your audience as the go-to local expert. 

3. Use LHP3 for Custom Content

Use the AI-assisted blog writer or social media creator to make content creation fast and effective. With just a few clicks, you’ll have tailored, valuable posts that engage your audience—freeing you up to focus on what matters most: building client relationships and growing your business. 

Ready to Transform Your Facebook Reach? Watch LHP3 in Action! 

Building an engaged Facebook audience is easier than you think—especially with LHP3’s powerful content tools in your corner. With ready-made posts, AI-powered customization, and streamlined lead capture, you’re set to boost visibility and connect with potential clients fast. 

Want to see how it all works? Watch our short video and discover how LHP3 can take your Facebook engagement to the next level! 

Social Media Simplified – See LHP3 in Action

You’re probably already using Facebook in some way to connect with clients—maybe sharing industry insights or offering mortgage tips. But here’s the catch: if you’re relying on a personal profile, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Personal profiles might be fine for keeping up with family and friends, but they seriously limit your business and marketing potential. You’re missing out on leads, reducing your visibility, and could even be undermining your credibility. 

Switching to a professional profile isn’t just a smart move—it’s non-negotiable if you’re serious about growing your mortgage business. A professional profile gives you access to powerful business tools, boosts your online presence, and ensures that you’re not just meeting compliance standards, but looking like a true pro while doing it. 

That’s where LHP comes in. Our social media program is designed to help mortgage pros maximize their impact on Facebook, so you’re not just using the platform—you’re owning it. Ready to step up your social media marketing game?  

Social Media Simplified – See LHP3 in Action

Here’s why switching to a professional profile is the first move you need to make: 

Why Mortgage Pros Need to Switch to a Facebook Professional Profile Now 

1. Increased Visibility & Reach

One of the most important benefits of switching to a professional profile is the increased visibility it provides. Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes professional profiles over personal ones, meaning your content is more likely to appear in searches and newsfeeds. By leveraging a professional profile, you significantly expand your reach beyond your personal circle, allowing you to tap into a wider audience. 

This is crucial when it comes to loan officer marketing. A strong social media marketing strategy isn’t just about posting regularly — it’s about making sure the right people see your posts. A professional profile is designed to help you reach potential borrowers, real estate agents, and referral partners who are outside of your immediate network. The more people you reach, the more opportunities you have to convert leads into clients. 

2. Better Tools for Lead Generation

Facebook’s professional profiles come equipped with a range of social media tools that are essential for mortgage professionals. Personal profiles lack access to these advanced business features, including analytics and insights that allow you to track the performance of your content and understand your audience’s behaviors and preferences. 

Another key advantage of a professional profile is that Facebook’s algorithm favors posts from professional accounts, giving them higher visibility than personal profiles.  

This means that your posts are more likely to appear in “Suggested For You” and searches, significantly increasing your chances of engagement. These tools enable you to fine-tune your social media marketing strategy, resulting in higher visibility, engagement, and overall effectiveness in marketing for mortgage companies, especially with the predicted surge in the refinance market. 

3. Compliance and Credibility

Compliance is a critical aspect of loan officer marketing, and using a personal profile for business activities can put you at risk of violating industry regulations. Professional profiles, on the other hand, are built to support business needs and provide the compliance tools necessary to keep you aligned with mortgage industry standards. You can easily include your NMLS number, disclaimers, and business details in a professional profile, ensuring that your marketing efforts remain compliant. 

Beyond compliance, a professional profile enhances your credibility. Clients expect to work with professionals, and by maintaining a professional profile, you signal that you take your business seriously. Credibility is key in any marketing for mortgage companies, and a professional profile gives you a polished, trustworthy online presence. 

The Differences Between Facebook Personal vs. Professional Profiles 

Still unsure whether to switch? Let’s break down the key differences between personal and professional profiles and how they impact your social media marketing strategy: 

Personal Profile: 

– Primarily designed for connecting with friends and family. 

– Limited in terms of networking reach and discoverability. 

– Lacks business tools, analytics, and lead-generation capabilities. 

– Does not offer compliance features often required in lending. 

Professional Profile: 

– Optimized for business, offering tools that enhance visibility, reach, and credibility. 

– Provides access to advanced social media tools such as lead forms, ad accounts, and analytics. 

– Helps mortgage professionals adhere to industry compliance standards. 

– Allows you to build a more polished, credible online presence. 

Steps to Transition to Facebook’s Professional Profile 

Making the switch to a professional profile is simple. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started: 

1. Go to Your Profile Settings: Log into your Facebook account and click the settings menu at the top right of your profile. You can also access your settings by clicking the 3-dot menu on the right.
2. Switch to Professional Mode: From the drop-down menu, select “Switch to Professional Mode.” 
3. Customize Your Profile: Update your profile with business details like your NMLS number, a professional bio, and a high-quality profile photo.
4. Explore Business Tools: Once you’ve activated professional mode, take advantage of Facebook’s lead-generation tools, insights, and setting up an ad account to drive your marketing efforts forward.

How LHP3 Supports Your Social Media Efforts 

Once you’ve made the switch, maintaining an active professional profile is key to keeping your audience engaged. However, finding the time to post regularly and create custom content can be challenging, especially when your focus is on helping clients secure loans. 

That’s where LHP comes in. Our platform offers a library of pre-branded social media content that’s ready to go, complete with your NMLS number, profile image, and business branding.

No more scrambling for what to post next—our content keeps you fresh and relevant with minimal effort. 

In addition, our AI-powered tools help you quickly create custom content tailored to your unique brand. These social media tools make it easy to maintain an active presence on platforms like Facebook without spending hours on content creation. Whether you need a quick update or a fully personalized post, LHP has you covered. 

With LHP, you’ll always have the content you need to fuel your social media marketing strategy and grow your mortgage business. 

Maximize Facebook Marketing Potential with LHP3 – Your Next Move 

Now is the time to elevate your mortgage marketing efforts. By switching to a professional profile, you can boost your visibility, strengthen your credibility, and ensure your marketing stays compliant.  

But the switch alone isn’t enough—you need high-quality, consistent social media content to truly leverage your professional profile’s potential. 

Our LHP3 provides an all-in-one solution with the tools and high-quality content needed to enhance your social media marketing strategy. Get a demo of LHP3 today and see how our platform can help you generate greater engagement, amplify your online presence, and build a stronger connection with your audience on Facebook. 

Built for Online Marketing – Demo LHP3

A crucial component of marketing yourself as a loan officer is social media. Social media has made it easier than ever for businesses to reach their target audience, with both its accessibility and the sheer number of internet users on social media. 

Social media has assisted businesses of all sizes in establishing customer connections for years. While it is a helpful tool in increasing traffic and lead generation, more than anything else, social media helps businesses gain more exposure. 

With all that said, it’s a lot easier to state the benefits of using social media than it is to start.

There’s also the issue of keeping up the momentum –knowing what to post, finding the right image, editing it, and writing a catchy headline…

It’s a lot of work, we know!

Read on to learn the steps that can make social media content less intimidating and assist you in creating a lead-generating strategy.

Have you checked out the newly expanded Social Media Marketing Program? Our awesome automated evergreen content now also comes with done-for-you branded content to share on your personal social channels plus the ability to create your own branded social content for partners to share. 

Learn more in this video.

How To Create A Mortgage Social Media Strategy

1. Define your Audience

If you’re a loan officer marketing your services to everyone you can, you’re wasting time, energy, and money. Let’s say, for example, you’re based in Texas. Instead of marketing to “everyone in Texas,” it may be helpful to narrow it down to “first-time homebuyers with poor credit looking to buy in Houston.” Being aware of and planning for your audience, in particular, can help you reach the right people with the right message and more successfully accomplish your marketing objectives.

So, to start, decide who your target market is. Broadly, you may say a homebuyer, but what does a homebuyer specifically look like?  You should base the specifics of who these people are on your market research and the audience information you already have.

Find your target audience by:

1. Gathering data. You must be aware of your target market’s characteristics to reach them. To effectively market to your audience, you should learn what a typical homebuyer’s age, location, and engagement trends are on various sites. Although gathering this data may seem difficult, a CRM makes this information easily accessible and simple to use.
2. Taking advantage of social media analytics. Many social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, have built-in analytics that can provide you with information about your followers, such as when, where, and other interests they may have. Additionally, using these tools with business accounts is free.
3. Keeping up to date with the competition. You’ll gain insights into how to communicate with your audience by knowing what those around you are doing. To fill any gaps in your current strategy, you can look at where your rivals are lacking and improve upon that.

Once you’ve identified your target market, stay up to date on their needs and interests, and put a social listening strategy into practice.

2. Establish Clear Goals

Setting objectives that direct your work is crucial to succeeding at social media marketing. The SMART goal strategy provides a helpful framework for setting up fundamental goals and achieving your overall objectives.

• SMART is short for:
• Specific: It’s critical to be clear about the specific, smaller results you hope to achieve to meet your goals and measure your progress. By being specific, you can narrow in on what you and your team need to do to achieve your larger goal. For instance, you might want to increase your Instagram followers by 15% this quarter as a specific social media goal.
• Measurable: You have to have a way to quantify whether or not you have succeeded in achieving your goal. Having clear ways to measure your goals can do that– you can use metrics to gauge your development and adjust your goals as necessary. For instance, if you discover that likes and follows don’t result in increased website traffic, you can change the metric to one that will.
• Achievable: All of your objectives should be attainable for your company. Unrealistic goals can discourage workers and cause conflict in your business plan. Realistic goals can increase your productivity and keep your motivation up. Make sure to adjust your goals as you set them if it seems like you aren’t achieving them.
• Relevant: Ensure that your social media marketing objectives align with your overarching business goals. For instance, if increasing brand awareness is your goal, you might set a target of getting 25 social media followers to click through a post to a landing page that details your services.
• Timely: Your goals should have a clear and firm deadline to hold yourself accountable. Set a specific cadence to check in and ensure you’re staying on track rather than setting a goal for some vague time in the near future.

Using SMART goals gives you a place to start, as well as a way to check in on your progress and make adjustments as necessary. Even though social media marketing has many moving parts, these goals can help to keep you on track and not get disoriented.

3. Administer your resources wisely

Social media tasks are often mindlessly handled as an afterthought for loan officers. It may seem that you’re saving money and time by just handing social media to whoever has the free time, whether that be yourself or a colleague, but managing social media successfully calls for specific abilities such as:

• A strategic mind
• Organizing abilities
• Branding knowledge

Hiring a specialist to manage your social media can be beneficial if you have the funds. If you don’t have the funds to hire a social media manager, you can still spend money on social media advertisements, increasing reach and promoting brand awareness. 

4. Use each platform differently

You may want to post on as many platforms as you can be strong, but doing so could hurt your social media marketing plan. For instance, if your target audience is people over 40, you may want to focus less on TikTok. You will likely find that most of your audience is on Facebook or Twitter.

When you are creating your strategy, take into consideration:

• Where your competition posts
• Where your target audience is most likely to be
• Your metrics

Additionally, you should consider how to use each platform most effectively based on the purposes for which it was designed and the types of content that perform best there. For example, Facebook is good for quality live video streaming and interacting with followers one-on-one; Instagram and Tiktok rely more on visual content, like pictures, infographics, and short, entertaining videos.

Youtube is also for videos but is more oriented toward longer, informative videos. LinkedIn and Twitter are more written content-based, but Twitter is better for real-time conversations and quick news alerts, while LinkedIn is better for long-form written work, like articles and blogs. 

You might discover that the majority of your target demographic doesn’t tend to use fast-paced platforms like Instagram, so you’ll want to gear your focus more toward Facebook or LinkedIn. Maybe you want to be able to frequently give quick updates to your clientele, in which case Twitter may be helpful.

To get the most out of your marketing efforts, research the best strategy for each platform you use. While there are many ways to expand your small business, social media can be useful for attracting and keeping new clients.

Done-For-You Social Media for Loan Officers

5. Be consistent with your content.

Consistently posting compelling, engaging content is the key to success on social media. This will not only help to give you an appearance of trustworthiness, but it will also demonstrate that you care about engaging with your audience and that you have relevant information to share.

The principle of posting frequently is still valid despite changes in social media platforms’ algorithms over time. It increases the likelihood that your content will appear in newsfeeds. By concentrating on producing consistent, pertinent content, you can convince the algorithms that your posts deserve to appear in different newsfeeds, which will eventually draw users to your page.

6. Engage with your followers

Because social media users enjoy interacting with brands, you can gain advantages like:

• Increased brand awareness and a broader market reach
• Increased brand loyalty
• Seen as a local expert

According to Forbes, a staggering 83% of consumers place a high value on the customer experience, which makes the potential for a high return on investment (ROI) enormous. This includes interactions with brands on social media that help customers feel seen, heard, and understood. Using social media, you can keep an eye on conversations as they happen and quickly address any queries or concerns from your audience.

This can mean several things: it can include posing questions about your offerings, making Facebook groups, and employing the use of fun features like GIFs, emojis, and videos.

It can also be helpful to employ tools like Instagram Live to open up a dialogue with people looking to purchase or refinance a home. You can answer their questions and let your experience speak for itself as you engage with both prospective and current clients in real-time. 

Allow yourself at least an hour a day of constant social media activity to keep engagement high. 

With this hour, however, you should do your best to respond to any urgent concerns as quickly as possible throughout the day.  

7. Keep things professional

Remember that whenever you post something on social media, you are representing your company. Too frequently, posts can be misinterpreted, upsetting followers and causing conflict. Consider developing a social media policy to direct your staff members’ posts and interactions to avoid any unnecessary issues. 

A typical social media policy will include the following:

• Clear, non-confusing guidelines on what to post and how to react to unfavorable comments
• Platform regulations and guidelines
• The consideration of brands
• Security measures

Investing in a social media policy can ensure that your company is prepared for any situation. Remember that social media is fundamentally about putting your customer service philosophies into practice.

8. Hone in your brand identity

Your company’s brand identity makes customers relate to you and distinguishes you from the rest. Therefore, consistency should be maintained across all marketing channels, including print, digital, and social media.

For loan officers, maintaining brand consistency can be difficult, especially in the beginning. But it’s significant in all aspects of your company, and social media is no exception. As you post, be sure to maintain your brand voice (how you speak to customers), keep your posts consistent across each platform, and concentrate on your value proposition. 

A consistent brand identity can help increase loyalty and make it simpler to decide what to post.

9. Quality over quantity

Instead of randomly producing as many posts as you can per day on as many platforms as possible, you should concentrate on producing regular, high-quality posts. It’s actually very likely that posting too many low-quality items will penalize your account and flag you as spam.

It’s also difficult to keep up with a schedule that requires you to post several times a day. So ultimately, posting too often will end up hurting rather than helping your strategy.

Consider implementing a social media calendar to reduce these risks. You can use these calendars to organize your schedule and plan posts in advance. Marketers can keep track of the various moving parts of social media by categorizing posts into categories like when to post, post captions, post visuals, and which platforms to post on.

To keep your posts’ quality high, constantly ask yourself before posting something: Does this information benefit my readers? Is this something new, motivating, inspiring, or enjoyable? Does the text cite its sources?

You can use these to produce high-quality content that interests and draws readers.

10. Watch your outcomes

Social media marketing is influenced by various variables, so it’s crucial to evaluate and track progress. Analytics are helpful because they can improve campaigns, set new objectives, and identify tracking metrics.

Before you begin tracking, you should decide which metrics are most critical to your marketing objectives. 

The most typical metrics include:

• ReachsEngagementsImpressions
• Mentions
• Posting clicks
• Video views

Although social media marketing can seem intimidating, there is much to gain. When done properly, social media marketing can be a reliable, cost-effective solution to keeping your pipeline filled and your referral network active.

If you still need help with your social media presence (or would like a quickstart way to supplement your posts), consider adding our social media marketing to your website plan. Click below to learn more and schedule a conversation with an account executive.

See Our Newly Expanded Mortgage Social Media

Every couple of years, Facebook has tried its best to crack down on clickbait in the Feed. Now Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is warning marketers to avoid a new tactic they call “watchbait.”

What is watchbait? According to Facebook, watchbait is video content that “intentionally withholds information, sensationalizes content, or misleads viewers into watching or engaging with the video.” Watchbait can happen in the title, caption, thumbnail or within the video itself.

Here are six examples Facebook cited as using watchbait:

• His Reaction Was Priceless!!
• THIS IS THE WORST WAY TO WAKE UP!!
• And then his GF did this!!!
• Absolutely mind-blowing details in the latest recipe from Kai!
• Your bestie just sent a crazy message to your girlfriend!
• SHOCKING weather phenomenon could explode your plans!!!

Facebook views watchbait and clickbait as basically the same thing. See the language Facebook used about clickbait when it cracked down on it in 2014, 2016 and 2018. 

What will happen if a Page uses watchbait? If Facebook’s system detects watchbait in your video, the company says it will limit how often it is recommended and its ability to rank. If you regularly post watchbait, Facebook may reduce your page’s overall distribution.

You can read their Meta’s blog post and help doc on watchbait. But keep reading for quick “do this, not that” checklist to watchbait.

What not to do. In short, what should you avoid when publishing videos on Facebook? Don’t:

• Omit key information
• Use exaggeration
• Use extreme language
• Use excessive capitalization or emojis in the title
• Create misleading expectations
• Deceive users
• Use Photoshopped or cropped images that aren’t taken from the video as your thumbnail
• Portray staged, scripted or fake content as being real

What to do. So what should you do when publishing videos on Facebook? Do:

• Use accurate, informative headlines
• Add your voice
• Be original
• Be authentic
• Use actual clips from the video as your thumbnail

Why we care. Watchbait results in disappointed or frustrated viewers, as Facebook noted. We all know that clickbait works – that’s why Facebook has to make changes like this every couple of years. Always make sure you’re giving something of value to your viewer – something that is relevant, helpful, useful, or inspiring. Deception may be great in the short-term or even expected in some specific industries, but the question you have to answer is: is it worth potentially damaging or destroying your reputation (and your discoverability and visibility) in the long run? 

The post Facebook warns publishers to avoid ‘watchbait’ tactics appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Search Engine Land’s daily brief features daily insights, news, tips, and essential bits of wisdom for today’s search marketer. If you would like to read this before the rest of the internet does, sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox daily.

Good morning, Marketers, can you imagine a search engine without a results page?

That’s what Neeva, the ad-free, private search engine, introduced yesterday — a feature called FastTap Search that enables users to bypass the results page via a list of direct links that are generated when the user puts a query into the URL bar or the Neeva app (learn more about the feature below).

It is very interesting to see what kind of features are possible when a search engine isn’t reliant on ad revenue. Neeva is supported by its subscribers, meaning that the company has no skin in the game when it comes to whether users spend time on their properties or head directly to another site.

Of course, Neeva is not on the same plane as Google, but neither is its strategy.  Google has a similar feature (the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button that takes users straight to the top result for their query), but appears to be moving towards more robust results pages. In fact, its MUM-related announcements from Search On in September gave us a preview of results pages that lead to even more search results, with featured snippets that may resolve queries without users having to click through to another site.

Will Neeva’s new feature change the way we optimize for search? Unlikely, but I’m hoping this spurs even more innovation among search engines. That kind of competition is important because it often provides marketers with more opportunities, like the free product listings Google introduced last year (and Bing also launched shortly after), which help it compete against e-commerce platforms like Amazon.

George Nguyen,
Editor

Neeva’s ‘FastTap Search’ feature presents direct links instead of a results page

Neeva is launching a feature that enables searchers to type queries directly into the URL field of their browser or the Neeva app to be shown a drop-down menu with direct links. Dubbed “FastTap Search,” the feature allows users to bypass traditional search results pages and head directly to a site via the list of links generated based on the query. As Neeva’s founder and former SVP of ads at Google, Sridhar Ramaswamy, said in the announcement, this type of feature is made possible by the search engine’s unique business model, in which users pay $4.95 per month for an ad-free, customizable search experience.

Why we care. This feature may take on more significance if Neeva is able to increase its share of the search market or if Neeva is popular with your particular audience. While this is a reimagining of the search results page, it is still a list of results and there is still a top position, which means algorithms have to determine relevance and award that position to a page, just as they do on other search engines. However, since FastTap Search only presents a few results, the brands or publishers that are able to earn that top spot stand to gain significant visibility, which can be important if you operate in a highly competitive sector.

Read more here.

Facebook changes how it measures users for advertising purposes; Instagram introduces notifications for outages and a new Account Status tool

Facebook changes how it measures accounts for advertisers. “If someone does not have their Facebook and Instagram accounts linked in Accounts Center, we will consider those accounts as separate people for ads planning and measurement,” Facebook announced Monday, adding, “Facebook and Instagram accounts that are connected in Accounts Center will continue to be counted collectively as a single person.”

Previously, if someone used the same email address for both their Facebook and Instagram accounts or accessed both platforms using the same device, the company counted them as one person when they interacted with ads. As this new methodology rolls out over the next few weeks, advertisers should expect increases in pre-campaign estimates such as estimated audience size, “but for most campaigns we do not believe this will have a substantial impact on reported campaign reach,” Facebook said.

Instagram launches notifications for outages and a new Account Status tool. Instagram is testing Activity Feed notifications to inform users when the platform experiences outages (like the one from last week), technical issues and when those issues are resolved. “We won’t send a notification every single time there is an outage, but when we see that people are confused and looking for answers, we’ll determine if something like this could help make things clearer,” the company said. The test will run in the U.S. for the next few months.

Alongside that announcement, the company also unveiled a new tool called “Account Status.” The tool is designed to inform users about whether their account is at risk of being disabled. Within the tool, users can see if their content has been removed and why. They can also appeal a removal by requesting a review from their Account Status menu.

For the visual learners among us

“Short Videos” carousel spotted on desktop. First appearing as a test in mobile search results in November 2020, Brodie Clark has spotted a “Short Videos” carousel in Google’s desktop search results (shown above). The screenshot even includes a video from TikTok. Search feature junkies might also want to bookmark Brodie’s timeline of Google SERP features, which is sure to become even more handy as the company experiments with more features.

I heard you like flowcharts. Aleyda Solis has published her 10 favorite flowcharts to support SEO decision making. The charts can help you avoid the “it depends” answer with stakeholders, they may be easier to understand for non-SEOs and can make the criteria for various decisions more transparent.

Shipping delays mean Santa’s got some bad news this year. Marketoonist Tom Fishburne addresses supply chain slowdowns with the help of Santa and a young child wondering whether a year of good behavior was even worth it. Fishburne’s take is especially pertinent since so many businesses pivoted to e-commerce over the last year and a half. If you’re looking to learn how shipping delays might affect your advertising, check out Fred Vallaeys’ post on the subject over at Optmyzr.

What We’re Reading: Leaked documents suggest Amazon has been doing exactly what some merchants and regulators have suspected for years

“Use information from Amazon.in to develop products and then leverage the Amazon.in platform to market these products to our customers” — That quote comes from an internal Amazon document that details the strategy for Solimo, a private brand Amazon created in India. Reuters reporters have analyzed thousands of internal Amazon documents showing that, in India, the e-commerce platform ran campaigns to create knockoff products, undercut the original brands and promote them using manipulated search results.

“The documents show that two executives reviewed the India strategy – senior vice presidents Diego Piacentini, who has since left the company, and Russell Grandinetti, who currently runs Amazon’s international consumer business,” wrote Aditya Kalra and Steve Stecklow for Reuters.

The documents are about as damning as it gets: There are specific instructions on identifying which brands to “replicate,” a strategy for partnering with the manufacturers of the original item, there’s even a designated term for the practice of placing Amazon’s own newly launched private brand items in the top three ASINs in search results — “search seeding”; seedy indeed. Focusing specifically on the above-mentioned Solimo brand, Amazon matched or exceeded the quality of competing products but were 10–15% cheaper, the documents from 2016 revealed. 

This is bad news for merchants who have reached a high degree of success selling their own products on Amazon: “It is third-party sellers who bear the initial costs and uncertainties when introducing new products; by merely spotting them, Amazon gets to sell products only once their success has been tested,” Lina Khan, now-chair of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, wrote in a 2017 paper for the Yale Law Journal. “The anticompetitive implications here seem clear: Amazon is exploiting the fact that some of its customers are also its rivals.”

“As Reuters hasn’t shared the documents or their provenance with us, we are unable to confirm the veracity or otherwise of the information and claims as stated,” Amazon said in a written response. “We believe these claims are factually incorrect and unsubstantiated.”

The post Search results, but without the search results page; Thursday’s daily brief appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Search Engine Land’s daily brief features daily insights, news, tips, and essential bits of wisdom for today’s search marketer. If you would like to read this before the rest of the internet does, sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox daily.

Good morning, Marketers, have you made headway with your DE&I initiatives?

Diversity is constantly top-of-mind for me as an SMX programming team member, as it is for our entire team. It’s easy to issue statements in solidarity with victims or denouncing injustices, but the real struggle is in identifying opportunities to make our events, workplace and industry more inclusive. Complacency and procrastination are our worst enemies here and only work to institutionalize inequity.

Making your own company more inclusive doesn’t mean treating certain demographics, like white males, as second-class citizens. “Inclusion management is really about a rising tide that lifts all boats, making sure that everybody feels that they are contributing to the mission of the company,” Dr. Lauren Tucker, founder of Do What Matters, said in an interview with MarTech. She also distinguished between intention and completion, calling out companies that hired chief diversity officers for performative reasons. Instead, she advocates for employee resource groups with leaders who can advise the company on implementing diversity initiatives.

At the top of this introduction, I said that the real struggle is in identifying opportunities to increase diversity. The Search Engine Land Award for Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in Search Marketing is one way we’re hoping to recognize professionals or organizations that have honored their commitments to positive change. I hope that this accolade shows aspiring professionals that they have a place among search marketers — I hope you’ll help us find that recipient by submitting a nomination before our October 8 deadline.

George Nguyen,
Editor

Google rolls out ticket booking links, ‘Things to do’ ads and an eco-certified badge for hotels

Google is introducing new organic and paid features for travel and leisure businesses, including ticket booking links and pricing in search results, new “Things to do” ads and an eco-certified badge for hotel listings.

The ticket booking links (shown above) can be viewed in the Tickets tab when users search for attractions (like the Statue of Liberty, for example). Things to do ads are available to tours, activities and attractions operators; they include images, reviews, pricing and a booking link and are shown to users based on their search terms, location and other related details. And, the eco-certified badge for hotel listings is available to hotels that are certified for high standards of sustainability by certain independent organizations, like EarthCheck and Green Key. 

Why we care. As the world gradually moves away from the pandemic, these offerings could help travel and leisure businesses bounce back from over a year and a half of disruption.

Ticketing booking links in search results may help attract reservations or sales for ticket sellers with competitive prices. The new Things to do ad format is another tool that attractions operators can use to reach travelers that have shown an interest in a particular destination and can be a nice supplement to organic marketing efforts. And, the eco-certified badge for hotel listings may distinguish business profiles in the search results, which can be a unique selling point for environmentally conscious travelers.

While Google’s competitors in the travel sector may release (or already have) similar features available, these offerings strengthen Google as a travel platform by leveraging the company’s ecosystem of services and products, making it easier for users to plan their trips in one place.

Read more here.

New Roku app on the way for Shopify SMBs  

Roku has announced a new Shopify app that will enable merchants to buy, build and measure campaigns across the Roku streaming platform. The Roku app will become available ahead of the 2021 holiday season, according to the company.

As the first streaming platform available to Shopify merchants, the app is set to open up SMBs to affordable TV campaigns. It’ll allow business owners to set up, monitor and execute campaigns on their own, based on the parameters of their ad budget. Advertisers download the Roku app from the Shopify App Store, pick their audience and ad budget, and set timing and duration. From there, they upload their creative and have a campaign ready to go. Roku reaches tens of millions of U.S. households.

In recent years, Roku has been a preferred streaming ad platform for many direct-to-consumer brands. TV streaming spend in Roku’s OneView Ad Platform nearly tripled year-over-year in Q2 2021.

Why we care. A low barrier to entry means that there are a lot of opportunities on streaming for advertisers, which may be especially advantageous ahead of the holiday shopping season. On an OTT platform like Roku, for instance, viewers can watch premium services like Disney+, or ad-supported free services like Pluto TV, which includes over 100+ channels. With so much inventory, SMBs with smaller budgets can run ads in front of families in their living rooms. The easy app experience further enables the democratization of streaming advertising, and will increase the slice of the overall TV pie that OTT/CTV has been building.

Read more here.

Questioning LSAs for lawyers and Google explains a use case for self-referential canonicals

Self-referential canonicals help clean up small SEO mistakes. “Since you don’t know how people link to your pages, a self-referential one helps to clean up small mistakes. For example, if a link goes to b.html?utm=cheese, then usually the server just shows b.html, and a self-referential canonical link element there would then encourage search engines to just use ‘b.html’ instead of ‘b.html?utm=cheese’,” Google’s John Mueller said, explaining a possible use case for self-referential canonicals.

The legality of LSAs for lawyers. An opinion piece was published in the NC State Bar Journal challenging local service ads (LSAs) by lawyers. The reasons seem sound enough: Contacting a lawyer via an LSA means that your communications may be recorded by a third party, lawyers have an obligation to warn prospective clients that their communications may not be private and the communications might be inadvertently disclosed. Tip of the hat to David Kyle for bringing this to our attention.

Update: “Reviews on independent sites.” Last week, we shared that local SEOs spotted text like “200+ reviews on independent sites” on GMB profiles. I asked Google, and a spokesperson told me, “We strive to surface relevant information that helps people make decisions. As part of that, we’re running an experiment to showcase how many customer reviews local services businesses have.” I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see if this ever gets an official rollout.

What We’re Reading: Facebook: Sorry, not sorry

The bad press continues for Facebook: An article by Ryan Mac and Sheera Frenkel for the New York Times has detailed the social media network’s new strategy to bolster its image. Code-named “Project Amplify,” the plan includes issuing fewer apologies, reducing outsiders’ access to internal data and distancing Mark Zuckerberg from scandals (to recast him as more of an innovator).

Historically, Facebook confronted privacy, misinformation and hate speech controversies on its platform by issuing public apologies. Zuckerberg, himself, even took personal responsibility for Russian interference on the site during the 2016 election. However, these apologies haven’t redeemed the platform. Now, “They’re realizing that no one else is going to come to their defense, so they need to do it and say it themselves,” said Katie Harbath, a former Facebook public policy director.

The company is now using the News Feed, the most valuable place on its site, to promote pro-Facebook content, according to the NYT. In April, the team behind CrowdTangle, Facebook’s tool that provides data on the engagement and the popularity of posts, was told that it would be broken up. And, I suppose Zuckerberg’s Independence Day electric surfboard post is part of his new, unapologetic image.

I imagine users won’t react favorably to Facebook’s “Sorry, not sorry, but here’s more pro-Facebook content in your feed” approach. In addition, the company recently warned that Apple’s privacy changes will have a bigger impact on its revenue in Q3. So, investors are bracing for the news, advertisers are being impacted to a greater extent than they might’ve anticipated and users probably won’t be elated by the content of the NYT article. The company still owns WhatsApp and Instagram, but if it cannot turn the swelling tides, its flagship product may lose relevance.

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