In commercial real estate, reputation matters—and so does visibility. Whether you’re filling space, raising capital, sourcing acquisitions or focused on building long-term brand value, social media has evolved from a “nice-to-have” into a critical piece of your marketing and business development strategy.

But social media in CRE isn’t about going viral. Rather, it’s about being visible to your target audience with the right content at the right time.

Here’s how leading CRE firms are using social media platforms to move deals forward and stay ahead of their competition.

1. Recruiting Tenants: Showcase More Than Specs

Brokers and landlords have long used listing websites and signage, but today’s tenants (especially in office, retail and mixed-use environments) are increasingly researching properties through social platforms.

Best practices:

• Post project updates during development or renovations to build anticipation.
• Use short-form video to walk through key spaces or amenities.
• Highlight location advantages with relevant, local market content (accessibility, demographics, complimentary uses, etc.).
• Feature current tenants or customer traffic to show activity and community.

Pro tip: People respond to stories more than specs. A 15-second time-lapse of property renovations or drone footage of a mixed-use project often performs better than a flyer.

2. Sourcing Deals & Investment Opportunities

Social media can be an effective tool in sourcing acquisition opportunities, especially for off-market deals or niche markets. Smart CRE professionals use platforms like LinkedIn to find and nurture connections—not just broadcast listings.

Best practices:

• Highlight your acquisition criteria clearly and consistently.
• Stay visible by sharing insights on market trends, comps and transaction activity.
• Spotlight prior transactions that illustrate the type of opportunities you are seeking.
  
• Don’t be afraid to comment on relevant industry posts with insights that demonstrate your investment acumen.
  

Pro tip: Position yourself as a go-to contact in your market, not just another bidder. Share knowledge, not just promos.

3. Engaging Investors and Capital Partners

Whether you’re raising capital for a fund, marketing a new offering, or simply nurturing LP relationships, social media is a powerful way to build credibility, stay top-of-mind, and communicate your investment strategy.

Best practices:

• Share case studies and before/after project recaps
• Post thought leadership on macroeconomic conditions, interest rate trends or CRE capital market strategies
• Reinforce your track record without running afoul of compliance (e.g., highlight experience, not projected returns)

Pro tip: Many investors follow GPs, REITs and sponsors online before making a call. An active, insightful online presence builds confidence long before the pitch.

4. Building Long-Term Brand Equity

This aspect is often overlooked by CRE firms: people do business with those they know, trust and remember. A consistent online brand presence does more than just promote; it positions you in the mind of your stakeholders.

Best practices:

• Develop a consistent visual identity and tone of voice
• Create CEO/founder content to humanize your business and build leadership visibility
• Post regularly, but don’t be overly promotional; educational, interesting and fun content gets people to interact

Pro tip: In CRE, deals can move slow (especially during the summer in Arizona). But when the right opportunity arises, the people who are top of mind get the call.

5. Determining What’s Worth Your Time

Each social media platform has its own role to play and not all are suitable for your business. Choose 1–2 platforms to do well, instead of trying to be everywhere.

• LinkedIn: No. 1 for networking, thought leadership and deal-making
• Instagram/Facebook: Visual storytelling, behind-the-scenes content and lifestyle branding (esp. for retail/residential)
  
• YouTube: Long-form project overviews, investor updates, virtual tours or leadership interviews
  
• TikTok: More relevant for tenant-facing or consumer-centric retail/experiential properties
  
• X: Not dead, but also not where CRE conversations happen much anymore

Pro tip: As you plan and build out your content, think how it can be leveraged across multiple platforms. A five minute interview with your CEO might be perfect for YouTube, but 10-15 second sound bites can be memorable on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

6. Tips for Better Performance

• Consistency matters. You don’t need to post daily, but weekly is a strong baseline. Purposeful, quality posting outweighs promotional, quantity posting almost every time.
• Use real people. People connect with faces and teams more than renders and building photos. Plus, when you make a personal introduction it will feel like you’ve already connected.
• Track performance. Pay attention to what gets engagement and adjust accordingly.
• Interact. When people comment on your posts, respond back. Follow, like and comment on other relevant industry content.
• Repurpose content. A single content project can yield photos, videos, market stats, quote graphics and more.

Final Thought: Social Media as a Deal Tool

Done right, social media for CRE isn’t fluff—it’s a growth lever.

It helps you stay visible in the lead-up to a decision, supports relationship building at scale, and reinforces the story of your company, properties and projects. You don’t need to be flashy. You just need to be clear, consistent and credible.Need help defining your strategy, content pillars or social media campaigns? That’s where JAB Marketing comes in. Find out how we can help your CRE social media program make the impact you need.