Social media for mortgage advisers – where to start?

In a recent survey, we quizzed mortgage advisers about their 2024 game plan. Guess what? 68% are gearing up to unleash the power of social media – not just for sharing adorable pet pics but as a serious lead generation tool!

Social media offers a free and effective way to reach customers, and you can gain instant access to thousands of consumers using social media, but where do you start? And how do you maximise your time online? In this article, we explore how social media can give you that competitive edge.

Why use social media?

Your website acts as your shop window, but social media goes further by providing opportunities to promote your business, as well as directing users to your website. Being part of a social media community can help you:

• Promote your business and communicate with potential customers
• Network with fellow brokers and connect with lenders
• Keep up-to-date with the latest news and developments in the mortgage market
• Link with industry influencers who may open doors for you
• By posting engaging, relevant content and promoting your profiles to others on the right channels, you can help boost your reputation and recognition amongst your target audience.

Which platforms should you use?

From Facebook to Instagram and LinkedIn, the myriad of channels can be overwhelming, making it hard to know which one to focus on. So, how do you decide what will work for you?

The first step is to identify where your audience is and which platforms they are using. By knowing which platform your target audience frequents the most, you can tailor your content to provide valuable mortgage insights that resonate with them. 

We’ll explain why mortgage brokers may find Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to be some of the best social media platforms for building their visibility.

LinkedIn (best for networking)

LinkedIn is a prime platform for mortgage advisers to find and network with like-minded peers. It is traditionally a professional network, where discussions tend to centre on industry-related subjects. This means that most of your connections are likely to be people you work with and other industry contacts you may know. You can also join groups about topics you’re interested in or connect with like-minded people, such as the Mortgage Brain[2] group.

You can create a personal profile as well as a company page for your business to post your content and updates to promote your services to other businesses and potential customers. LinkedIn also gives you the ability to see what your competitors are posting, recruit new talent, and get inspiration from leaders in your industry.

LinkedIn Top Tips:

• You can use hashtags on LinkedIn as well as Twitter. This is an excellent way to make sure your content is more discoverable. Remember, stick to one or two per post.
• Visual content is important. When sharing content, include a mixture of images, videos, and documents. Linkedin has changed since the pandemic content is becoming more personable. Consider content such as #MeetTheTeam or #BehindTheScenes so people can see the people behind your brand.
• Encourage your employees to engage with you on LinkedIn. Liking and sharing your content will ensure you reach more people.
• You can follow different industry or topical conversations with hashtags. Currently, #MortgageBroker has over 7,000 followers.

Facebook (best for attracting consumers)

With over three billion active users every month, Facebook is the biggest social network in the world[3]. With those numbers, it makes sense to use Facebook if you want to reach out to consumers or market upcoming events. However, there is a lot of noise on Facebook, so you need to be clever with what content you post. Most people on Facebook use it to keep up-to-date with family and friends, or for downtime, so to market your brand effectively, you need to think about what people would be interested in seeing, and not just promote your products/services.

Facebook Top Tips

• Your personal Facebook profile with party and children’s photos won’t get you far in the mortgage world, so for business promotion, it is a good idea to create a Facebook company page to act as the hub of your marketing on this channel.
•  Ensure you set up a business page so you can showcase your services, opening times and contact details (a normal page won’t do this) – Facebook guides you through the process and has a great help centre should you need it.
• Facebook is also a brilliant platform to provide customer support. You can find out a lot about your customers’ needs and interact with them instantly.
• To get you started with content, consider asking your team what questions customers ask them the most and create content around that.

Instagram (best for building trust and visual storytelling)

With over 33.4 million users in the UK alone [4], Instagram continues to be one of the fastest-growing platforms, especially among people aged 25-34 (a key first-time homebuyers demographic) [5]. It’s a visual-first platform, meaning your content needs to look good, feel authentic, and connect emotionally. For mortgage brokers, this presents a unique opportunity to build trust, showcase expertise, and humanise your brand.

People come to Instagram to be inspired and informed, not sold to – so think educational, not pushy. Tips, client success stories, and behind-the-scenes content all go a long way.

Instagram Top Tips:

• Switch to a professional account so you can access analytics, add contact buttons, and promote posts. 
• Use Stories and Reels to make quick, digestible content like “3 Things First-Time Buyers Should Know” or “Myth-Busting: Can You Get a Mortgage with Bad Credit?”
• Post client success stories (with permission). A happy photo of a client outside their new home with a short caption about how you helped them can be more powerful than any ad.
• Stay consistent with branding. Use templates and colours that reflect your brand, and post regularly. 
• Engage with your audience by replying to comments, using interactive stickers (polls, questions), and sharing user-generated content.
• Use local hashtags (#LondonFirstTimeBuyer, #BristolHomes, etc.) to increase visibility in your area.

Creating mortgage content for social media

When creating mortgage content for social media, It’s important to consider more than just demographics, such as age, gender, and location. You should also consider your audience’s psychographics, such as their personality, values, lifestyle, and hobbies.

You can hyper-target your content towards first-time buyers, landlords and commercial property owners on the social media platforms they spend the most time on. For example, on Instagram, you can share first-time buyers’ mortgage advice or helpful industry insights to start building up a brand presence. Or you could use LinkedIn to build connections with commercial property owners and business owners. 

Visualise to maximise

Images and videos can mean engagement gold! Facebook posts with an image see an increase in engagement of 37% [6] over text-only posts. But keep in mind the popularity of short-form video. 73% of consumers prefer this format when searching for products or services [7].

Create visually appealing content that showcases your expertise, explains complex mortgage concepts in simple terms, and highlights success stories.

Infographics, explainer videos, and client testimonials can be powerful tools to capture attention. Visual appeal is your ticket to capturing attention and leaving a lasting impression.

We hope this blog post has inspired you to start building your brand visibility and connections online. You can find more hints and tips for mortgage brokers in our blog posts, such as ‘How mortgage broker tools help mortgage brokers work smarter not harder’, or you can follow us on social media.