Social Savvy

LaDonna Lockard: I’m here today with Brandon Treadway, Director of Growth at SocialCoach. Tell me a little bit about how you got started in the mortgage industry.

Brandon Treadway: So I actually got started in the mortgage education space, working right alongside you. And that was an enjoyable couple of years, but I ended up finding my way out of mortgage and into the marketing space. I worked with a number of marketing agencies for a better part of the last decade, and then slowly found my way back into mortgage. So now I’m with SocialCoach as the Director of Growth. Our mission is to help mortgage and real estate professionals to improve their reach and gain more leads from social media.

LL: I really like the approach that you’ve taken over the years, because I feel like you don’t just utilize one social media platform. You’re on all of them. What do you think is the most underutilized social platform by MLOs?

BT: The most underutilized platform is easily TikTok. And I know that when I say TikTok,we usually get a little bit of a recoil from people. “Isn’t that just a dancing app for kids?” That used to be the case, but post-COVID, it is the fastest-growing, most popular social media app in the world.What makes TikTok special is its algorithm. TikTok’s algorithm understands its users incredibly well,  based on the type of content that they use. If someone is looking for real estate, home buying, mortgage, credit repair, or other similar content, it’s so easy for a loan officer or real estate agent to find that person through video. And the reach can be insane. We have a number of LOs that we work with that are getting hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions, of views on their videos because they understand that and are figuring out how to hit that sweet spot. It takes a little bit of time and a little bit of refinement, but with consistency, there’s a really big ocean to be fishing out of.

LL: What would you say is something that LLs aren’t doing enough with their social media?

BT: Short-form video. Short-form video is the most pushed and most engaging piece of content on any social media platform, period. It doesn’t matter if it’s Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, whatever. The algorithms themselves push that video content more than anything else. And, statistically, people engage with that content at a higher rate than they do just text and images. Over 50% of people say they prefer to watch a video than read a text and image post.

LL: When we say short-form video, how short are we talking?

BT: 90 seconds is the sweet spot, particularly because that’s the maximum length for an Instagram Reel and it’s the perfect length for maximum engagement on TikTok.

LL: Something you do exceptionally well is keeping your authentic voice, even in social media across your different channels. You have content geared toward your work at SocialCoach, but then you also have something for your own personal interests. What’s your recommendation for someone like me, who doesn’t love social media but knows how important it is, to find my authentic voice?

BT: One of the biggest things that hurts a lot of creators is their inability to be authentic. I talk so much about consistency, because consistency is crucial to becoming comfortable with recording yourself and posting more. And the more your post, the easier it becomes to find your voice. I look at my content from a few months ago, and it feels and looks different to my content now because I was still figuring out how I wanted my content to come across to others and I cared how I looked on camera. Now, I’ve gotten to the point where I’m comfortable creating content and I don’t care so much about those things anymore, and that comes through repetition. Over time, you’ll work out the kinks and you’ll find your authenticity. 

LL: Do you believe there are certain times to post that work better for the algorithm, or is everyone on social media all the time anyway?

BT: I think there’s two questions here: when’s the best time to post? And should you post to feed the algorithm?

My answer to the first question is, anyone who is telling you that there’s a specific time that you should post is lying to you. There is no best time to post. Everyone’s on social media 24/7. The only person who can tell when is the best time to post is you. 

I have found the right times for me to post, and I’ve seen a difference in my engagement when I post earlier or later than this 1–2 hour range that works for me. I’ve learned this through my own experience, consistency, and utilizing my analytics. I watch for what times get better engagement, and fold that into my strategy. However, if you post according to what some website says is the best time to do so, you’ll still probably see some engagement because, like you said, people are on social media all the time. Just post when it makes sense for you.

The second thing is, don’t post for algorithms, post for your audience. When you post, you’ll find out what your audience is interested in. Continue to share the content that they’re engaging with, and you’ll find success. Don’t worry about what the algorithm is doing. 

LL: Do you use any external apps for analytics, or do you just rely on the data that you’re given within each social media app?

BT: I use SocialCoach to publish my content, and we have analytics built in. But when I want to get more granular data, I use the social media app itself for that information. For example, with TikTok I can see when my audience is online. By looking at TikTok’s data, I’ve learned that my sweet spot for posting is between  4:30 and 5:30 p.m. I get a nice bump of engagement posting then, and a good post will take off between 8:00 and 11:00 p.m. I can’t explain it, but I imagine that’s the time when most people are lying in bed scrolling through social media before they go to sleep.

LL: Thanks so much for sharing your insights, Brandon. It’s clear that social media, when used effectively, can be a game-changer for mortgage and real estate professionals. Your tips on leveraging TikTok and the importance of short-form video are especially eye-opening. I look forward to seeing more of your innovative strategies in action. 

Until next time, I’m LaDonna Lockard, encouraging you to stay authentic, consistent, and always ready to embrace new opportunities in your social media journey.