In an era where real estate agents often equate social media success with likes and followers, Matt Lancashire takes a different view.
“Most people think social media is about the personal brand … If I didn’t have the role and the job that I did, I probably wouldn’t be on social media, to be honest,” he says.
“For me, it’s about getting more eyeballs on our properties.”
That visibility translates directly into more inspections, more offers, and more registered bidders.
In other words, the personal brand is only valuable insofar as it drives tangible results for buyers and sellers.
Authenticity over showmanship
Matt’s approach to social media is rooted in authenticity rather than self-promotion, admitting that if it weren’t for the demands of the job, he probably wouldn’t engage online as much as he does.
Yet over the years, he has learned that being true to himself is what resonates with audiences and builds trust.
“You can tell the authentic ones versus the non-authentic ones,” he says. “Real estate can be really cringey. You’ve got to balance it with emotional intelligence around what the consumer actually wants to see.”
Unlike agents in markets such as the United States, where celebrating big wins is standard practice, Australians are often less receptive to overt displays of success.
Matt calls this the local “tall poppy syndrome,” where boasting can turn potential clients off.
The challenge is striking the right balance: demonstrating expertise without appearing arrogant.
To that end, his content strategy is structured yet personal.
About 40 per cent of posts are property-related, aimed at driving buyer engagement, while the remaining content reflects his personal interests and values.
Health and fitness, particularly running, feature heavily, inspired by his passion for maintaining both mental and physical wellness.
“People have messaged me saying they started running because of my posts, lost weight and feel the best they have in years,” Matt explains.
“That kind of feedback shows social media can actually have a positive impact beyond property.”
Family occasionally appears in his posts as well, but only in a way that reflects his real life as a father of four.
Even when followers have unfollowed because they weren’t interested in that content, Matt says that’s perfectly fine – authenticity matters more than pleasing everyone.
Of course, not everyone is going to love what Matt posts.
“I was at a party and someone said, ‘I’ve unfollowed you because I’m sick of seeing you running’,” he says.
“Which is cool as well. I’m like, no worries. You don’t have to follow me. I’ll still follow you back because I love seeing your content, but that’s fine.
Matt’s Instagram currently sits at 30.3K followers, with 4.6K on Facebook.
“I’ll gain anywhere between twelve and fifteen hundred new followers a month, but my drop-off is about 250, so my net growth is around 1,250 followers a month. You’ve got to be comfortable with that,” he says.
He emphasises that it’s all about organic growth and authenticity.
“I look at the wins more than the losses. What it’s done is allowed me to create a genuine following that isn’t just for show. You see some agents buy bots and fake followers … it’s not authentic. It just looks sh*t. They’ll post a photo or video, and within ten seconds, there’ll be 50 comments, but it’s fake. That’s not the kind of engagement that matters.”
Navigating criticism and staying “vanilla”
Putting yourself out there online inevitably invites criticism, but Matt sees that as part of the process.
He never deletes comments, whether positive or negative, viewing them as genuine feedback and an extension of authenticity.
“If you have a public social media profile, you have to be willing to take the criticism as well. If you delete comments off there, then that’s not authentic. That’s somebody’s opinion … they can write whatever they like.”
Rather than engaging in debates or controversial discussions, he describes his approach as deliberately “vanilla.”
Basically, he avoids politics, religion, or anything likely to spark conflict and the rationale is simple: his social media presence exists to serve clients, not to generate controversy.
“I’d rather focus on my clients and getting them better results than chasing controversy online,” he says.
Even with a well-established profile, social media requires consistency, patience, and the humility to accept that not every post will perform well.
One of his top-performing posts nearly didn’t make it online because he initially doubted it.
“My PA posted it anyway, and it ended up being our best-performing post,” he says.
That experience reinforced a key lesson: it’s better to be consistent and authentic than to overthink every post.
Platforms that deliver real results
While new social platforms constantly emerge (think Threads, BeReal and Mastodon), Matt has found that Instagram and Facebook remain the most effective channels for reaching buyers.
He measures metrics daily, and data from recent campaigns confirmed that Facebook alone generated 70 per cent of the enquiries – a surprising outcome given widespread assumptions that the platform is dying.
TikTok, by contrast, hasn’t proven essential for his market: “I’ve got an account, but I don’t really use it,” he says.
“It’s another platform to manage, and I’m not convinced my market sits there.”
Engagement is critical and Matt personally responds to messages and comments, believing that ignoring enquiries is counterproductive.
“If someone asks a question and you don’t respond, people think that’s rude,” he says.
“Why would you bother posting if you’re not going to engage?”
For new agents building a profile today, the challenge is significant.
With competition high and social media saturated, organic growth is harder than ever.
But Matt explains that fundamentals haven’t changed: consistent posting, authentic messaging, and direct engagement remain the keys to success.
Ultimately, he says real estate branding isn’t about the glitz of social media.
It’s about connecting buyers to properties, creating healthy competition, and helping sellers achieve the best outcomes.
“It’s not about showing people how good you are,” he says.
“It’s about helping your clients get the best result.”
