Using Social Media Influencers to Boost Your Real Estate Business

For Stephen Covic, the timing worked out perfectly. The digital creator and social media influencer, who has more than 18,600 followers on Instagram and 21,700 on TikTok, was moving from Vancouver to Toronto in the fall of 2024. He enlisted the help of Sarah Culmone, a REALTOR® and salesperson with RE/MAX (now with Royal LePage in Oakville, Ontario), to help him find a rental in Canada’s largest city. 

RE/MAX Canada saw an opportunity to build on their social media influencer program, which they had been looking to expand, so they hired Covic to share posts about this journey.                                                                                                                      

Influencer marketing has been on the rise as companies and organizations recognize the power of localized, trusted creators who have an established online community. According to a 2024 IZEA report surveying Canadian consumers, 48% of 18-to-29 year olds follow more than 20 influencers, and 58% of respondents said they preferred content created by influencers. The top two factors cited that increase trust in recommendations from influencers are authenticity and transparency, followed closely by product use (meaning that the influencer showing how they used the product). Fifty per cent of respondents said they have purchased a product after seeing it be used by an influencer. 

Case Study: RE/MAX Canada and Stephen Covic 

RE/MAX Canada made the decision to use influencers as part of their marketing strategy to reach new audiences and leverage an influencer’s following to promote the expertise of their agents. Influencers they worked with covered real estate topics in their social posts and leaned into RE/MAX Canada's market reports, blog posts, and advice, to highlight the expertise their salespeople bring to the home searching, buying, and selling process.

“RE/MAX Canada has two areas of focus right now in the influencer space, both focused on our agents,” says Melissa Clemance, Vice-President of Marketing and Communications at RE/MAX Canada. “One is empowering those who have influential followings to be an active voice and representation of the brand and starting to partner with other brands through the RE/MAX media network. We are also investing in activating our entire network to become influencers via an engagement platform to empower and reward agents for their activity on social [media].”

Covic took his followers through his property search with video posts, in which he asked his followers for their opinions on what apartment he should go with and for interior design tips to make his new basement apartment look cozier and more spacious (linking back to RE/MAX Canada’s website for more tips).

“I think the big thing was sharing almost everything that was going on in finding a place,” Covic says, citing there are a lot of differences between the Toronto and Vancouver rental markets, which his REALTOR® helped him to navigate.  

“I just shared the whole experience, going through 20 different apartments. So, I think the authenticity, the relatability of it, was interesting.”

Covic started as an influencer in 2015. The difference between REALTORS® doing their own video property tours and posting on their own social media platforms, compared to someone who does this type of internet marketing for a living, comes down to modernizing the marketing process for REALTORS® and using more unique ways to showcase what REALTORS® really do, he adds.

“I think the big thing is being able to show the human approach and the relatability online,” he says. “As long as people are connected to what you are saying … people connect to it. That’s what people want with the influencer(s) they follow.”

The process of working with an influencer, whether it’s shopping properties or, in Covic’s case, working with someone who’s searching for a new home, can go a long way to help build the credibility of using a REALTOR® and the Canadian real estate industry in general.

Before choosing to work with Culmone, Covic says he had other REALTORS® reach out via direct messaging after seeing his videos mentioning the move. 

Are there benefits for individual REALTORS® working with influencers? 

Dee Thomson, a digital creator whose travel, food, drink, and lifestyle platform has more than 16,500 followers on Instagram, says this is newer marketing terrain that REALTORS® should be looking at to boost their business. Thomson adds, while she hasn’t personally worked with real estate professionals yet, she has been approached by a few over the years.

“I’ve seen plenty of influencers collaborate with REALTORS® to showcase properties, both locally and internationally, through engaging content like home tours, lifestyle integrations, real estate tips and behind-the-scenes looks at the buying and selling process,” she says. “There are lots of benefits to partnering with influencers. Influencers bring a fresh perspective on what makes a property appealing, highlighting features that resonate with their audience. 

“These collaborations also provide valuable insight into trending content formats and strategies, helping REALTORS® stay ahead of digital marketing trends,” she adds. “Beyond property promotion, influencers understand how to create engaging content that performs well on social media, increasing visibility and attracting potential buyers in a more organic and relatable way.”

The bottom line seems to be that working with influencers gives REALTORS® direct access to an audience that’s highly engaged and that already trusts the influencer’s recommendations. 

“This trust can translate into increased interest for the [agent’s] listings,” Thomson says. “These partnerships also diversify their marketing approach, moving beyond traditional advertising to more dynamic, shareable content that showcases properties in an authentic and compelling way. It’s a great way to tap into new demographics and stay competitive in a constantly changing digital landscape.”

To utilize influencer marketing, you don’t need the largest influencer, either. Many smaller influencers have high engagement rates and hyper-specific audiences, including location based communities that may overlap with the marketing goals of a REALTOR®. 

How does a REALTOR® reach out to an influencer?

“There are so many creators in the city that if you just DM [direct message] them, you're top of mind,” says Covic, who plans to partner with a REALTOR® again when he’s ready to buy a home or an investment property. 

“I think a lot of my friends, from their mid-20s, certainly 30s, know we're not like our parents,” says Covic. “So, it's a good time to find your REALTOR® that you might want to work with for an extended period of time.” 

It’s very possible that there are influencers already cultivating great online communities in the areas you do business. While finding the right partner and fit may take time, the potential afforded to businesses who embrace this form of marketing is undeniable. Whichever marketing strategy you choose, you can’t beat credible, organic traffic.