MLO Social Media Best Practices

Take the internet by storm with these tips.

In this day and age, there’s no denying that social media is an integral part of business, even in the mortgage industry. But, between the many different platforms, various types of content, and sheer effort required to create and post, many mortgage loan originators (MLOs) may find themselves more than a bit intimidated when it comes to building their social presence.  

Don’t get discouraged, though! No doubt, you have plenty of important, relevant information to share, and social media isn’t as complex as you might believe. In fact, you can just think of it as one more avenue to connect with clients and build knowledge.  

Ready to dive in? Keep on reading for some tried-and-true social media best practices for mortgage professionals.

Develop Standard Policies

Before you dive into filming TikToks or launching live streams, you’ll want to set some expectations. Create a policy document that establishes standard operating procedures for your online presence. This will be especially important if you have someone (or a team of someones) helping you run your social media account(s).  

You might start by answering these questions:

• Who exactly will have access to the accounts?

• What happens if someone with account access leaves the business?

• How do you plan to respond to positive reviews?

• What about negative ones?

The content and nature of your policy are up to you, but the key is clearly laying out expectations.  

If you work alongside or supervise other staff members, you may also want to communicate or explain any new policies. If applicable, you can have employees sign off on their intent to follow the rules you’ve laid out. You’ll also need to determine what happens when policies aren’t followed and enforce expectations accordingly.

Create or Fine-Tune Your Business Pages

Once you’ve set expectations, you can take to the web. Create or navigate to your business accounts, which should be separate from your personal ones. This is important because business accounts often come with additional capabilities, like scheduling, adding hours of operation, or publishing answers to commonly asked questions. You’ll also want to:  

• Ensure your profile photo is up to date (a headshot or high-quality image of your logo, etc.)

• Update any critical information, like your contact information, hours of operation, and bio.

• If you haven’t done so in a while, revisit your network and follow any new contacts.

• Set a reminder to review your online presence at least every few months, tweaking as you go along.

Add Your NMLS License Number

Keep in mind that social media posts discussing mortgages, your company, or your role as an MLO count as advertising. That means you’ll need to add your NMLS number to your profile and social media posts. The method and manner in which you display the number should meet your company’s legal and/or compliance standards, state/federal regulatory guidelines, and be easily identifiable for any current or potential clients. When in doubt, over-communicate that number!

Be Mindful

Remember that you need to adhere to national, state, and local rules and regulations when it comes to content and conduct. You should avoid heated topics such as politics or religion and never share personal or confidential information in posts, comments, or direct messages.  

A good rule of thumb is to avoid posting anything that you wouldn’t say directly to a client’s face.

Prioritize Security

In the same vein, ensure that your online accounts are safe and secure, especially if you’ve been communicating with any current or potential clients. As an MLO, you are entrusted with personal financial information, and unfortunately, online platforms like social media can pose an inherent risk.  

Keep passwords difficult to guess (definitely don’t use “password”!) and take care when connecting to any public WiFi networks. If your accounts are ever hacked, work with the social media site to restore your access as soon as possible.

Explore Scheduling Software

The idea of consistently posting to social media can feel overwhelming, particularly if marketing isn’t your strong suit. The good news is that there are now modern tools to make the job that much easier!  

Explore scheduling software options, which allow you to write all your posts at once and schedule them to publish them throughout the week or month. These platforms might also provide analytics, so you can see which posts performed best, when most of your followers are online, and more.

Social Media for MLOs

At the end of the day, social media doesn’t have to be quite so complicated, even for MLOs! If you’re still feeling hesitant, you can always explore additional education. Pick up a book on digital marketing or take a social media strategy course at your local community college. Then, get to connecting!  

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