The Social Media Formula for Realtors
Why most agent videos don't work
- People decide to keep watching or scroll in the first couple of seconds.
- Most agents spend those seconds waving, saying their name and brokerage, or warming up.
- Or they read a script. Or they say the same thing every other agent is saying.
- Result: people scroll. Not because you're boring. Because you didn't give them a reason to stay.
The formula
Every video. Same three parts.
- Hook. Your very first sentence. It makes people think, "Wait, what's the answer?" Every hook below starts with "This is..."
- Answer. Answer it in your own words. Add one detail only you would know: a story, a cost, a mistake. That's what makes it yours.
- Ask. End by telling people what to do next. (This is called a call to action.)
- Good stuff (favorites, must-haves): "What's yours? Tell me in the comments."
- Mistakes and regrets: people won't confess theirs. Ask them to save it or share it instead.
Your name and brokerage go in the caption or at the very end. Never at the start.
How to film it
3 ways to show the thing. Pick whichever is easiest. All three work.
- Show it live. Stand next to it and film. Best when you're at the house.
- Green screen. You talk to the camera with a photo or video behind you. Instagram, TikTok, and CapCut all have this. Search "green screen" in the effects.
- Photo on screen. Talk to the camera, then drop the photo in while you talk about it. Great when you're at your desk.
Don't want to film your own home? Use a listing, an open house, or a client's home (ask first).
Cut the filler. The "ums," pauses, and restarts are what make videos drag. Two ways to fix it:
- Record one thought at a time. Say one sentence. Stop. Say the next. The app puts the clips together.
- Or record it all, then trim. Go back and cut the gaps and filler words between your thoughts.
Either way, the video flows faster and sounds more confident. Free apps like CapCut make trimming easy, and they can add captions for you too. Lots of people watch with the sound off, so captions matter.
Keep it short. Under 60 seconds. If you have more to say, that's part two.
The hooks
Say the line in bold first. Word for word. Then talk.
My house
- #1 This is the best appliance in my house...
- Show: the appliance doing its thing. Why it beats the old one.
- End: "What's the best appliance in your house? Tell me in the comments."
- #2 This is the biggest mistake I've made owning my home...
- Show: where it happened and what it cost to fix.
- End: "Share this with someone buying their first home so they don't make the same mistake."
- #3 This is a room my next house has to have...
- Show: the room you love (or wish you had) and how you'd use it.
- End: "What room is a must for your next house? Tell me in the comments."
- #4 This is the upgrade I'd never pay for again...
- Show: the upgrade, what you paid, why it wasn't worth it.
- End: "Send this to a friend who's about to remodel. It could save them a few thousand."
- #5 This is the cheapest fix that made the biggest difference...
- Show: before and after, plus what it cost.
- End: "What's your best cheap fix? Drop it in the comments so we can all steal it."
- #6 This is what I wish I'd checked before I bought...
- Show: what you missed and how buyers can check it now.
- End: "Save this for your next showing, and share it with anyone house hunting."
What's changing
- #7 This is what the new houses are doing and why it matters...
- Show: one feature you keep seeing in new builds and what it means for buyers.
- End: "Would you want this in your house? Tell me yes or no in the comments."
- #8 This is a feature buyers have stopped caring about...
- Show: something that used to sell homes and now gets a shrug.
- End: "Agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments."
- #9 This is the question every buyer is asking me right now...
- Show: read the question, then give your honest answer.
- End: "What would you ask me? Drop it in the comments and I'll answer it in a video."
- #10 This is the trend I think people will regret in 10 years...
- Show: the trend and why it may not age well. Keep it light.
- End: "Which trend would you add? Tell me in the comments."
What agents see
- #11 This is the first thing I notice when I walk into a house...
- Show: point it out in a real home. Why it matters.
- End: "What do you notice first? Tell me in the comments."
- #12 This is what kills deals at inspection...
- Show: the issue (roof, AC, wiring, water) and how sellers can get ahead of it.
- End: "Share this with a friend getting ready to sell so inspection day goes smoothly."
- #13 This is what I'd fix before listing, and what I'd skip...
- Show: one fix worth the money, one that isn't.
- End: "Comment FIX and I'll tell you what I'd fix at yours."
- #14 This is the question I wish more buyers asked me...
- Show: ask it, then answer it.
- End: "What have you always wondered about buying or selling? Ask me in the comments."
- #15 This is the listing photo that makes people scroll past...
- Show: a common photo mistake (dark rooms, clutter, toilet seat up) and the fix.
- End: "Send this to someone listing their home soon. Their photos will thank you."
Florida living
- #16 This is what every Florida house needs before hurricane season...
- Show: shutters, impact windows, a generator hookup, or roof straps. Why it matters for safety and insurance.
- End: "What's on your hurricane checklist? Tell me in the comments."
- #17 This is the first thing I ask about any pool...
- Show: the question (age, equipment, screen enclosure, upkeep cost) and why.
- End: "Pool or no pool? Tell me in the comments."
- #18 This is what people moving to Northeast Florida get wrong...
- Show: one surprise. Summer heat, insurance costs, flood zones, or how spread out things are.
- End: "What surprised you when you moved here? Tell me in the comments."
- #19 This is the outdoor space that actually gets used in Florida...
- Show: a screened porch, covered patio, or shaded yard. Why it beats the open deck.
- End: "Where do you hang out outside? Tell me in the comments."
- #20 This is my favorite local spot in [area] and why...
- Show: a park, trail, beach access, or coffee shop. What you do there.
- End: "What's your favorite spot? Drop it in the comments."
Money and decisions
- #21 This is the cost nobody budgets for in year one...
- Show: one surprise cost (insurance jump, HOA, AC repair, property tax change) and how to plan for it.
- End: "Share this with someone buying this year so year one doesn't catch them off guard."
- #22 This is what I'd do with $5,000 to get a house ready to sell...
- Show: walk the plan room by room.
- End: "What would you spend the $5,000 on? Tell me in the comments."
- #23 This is the number I check before I say a house is priced right...
- Show: the number (price per square foot, days on market, recent sales nearby) and how to read it.
- End: "Comment PRICE and I'll run the number on your home."
- #24 This is where buyers overpay the most...
- Show: the feature or situation and what it's really worth.
- End: "Save this before your next offer, and send it to anyone house hunting."
- #25 This is the question I'd ask before hiring any agent, including me...
- Show: ask it and answer it honestly.
- End: "What would you ask an agent? Tell me in the comments."
Make your own
Every hook above is the same sentence with the blanks filled in:
"This is the [best / worst / first / cheapest / biggest] [thing], and here's why."
- This is the worst kitchen layout I've seen this year.
- This is the first thing I check in a backyard.
- This is the cheapest way to make a house feel bigger.
Everyone can use the same hook. Nobody else has your answer. Add a street, a client story, or a real number, and it's yours.
Last few notes
- One video a week is plenty. These 25 hooks are about six months of content.
- Real beats polished. Don't wait until it's perfect.
- Reply to every comment, especially in the first hour.
- Pay attention to which ones get shared and saved. Make more of those.
- Be bold! Don't say "in my opinion" because that's a given.
