Horizon Property Group
In a market crowded with established estate agents, Horizon Property Group used social media to become Rotherham's most visible and trusted property name.
Needed to establish credibility and generate landlord and vendor leads in a crowded local property market.
Rotherham's property market was competitive and getting more so, with several national agency brands having expanded their local presence significantly. These chains had substantial marketing budgets and name recognition built over decades. Horizon Property Group's social media at the time of engagement was sporadic — occasional property listings shared from their website, a few sold signs photographed on phones, and very little that conveyed the depth of market knowledge and client care that actually differentiated the business.
LinkedIn was identified as a key underexploited channel. The landlord and property investor market in South Yorkshire is active on LinkedIn, and Mark's own professional network could be a significant source of referrals and direct instructions if properly activated. Neither the company page nor Mark's personal profile had been developed as strategic business tools. The opportunity to become the go-to property voice on LinkedIn in Rotherham was very much open.
Horizon Property Group is an independent estate and letting agent covering Rotherham and surrounding villages, founded in 2019 by experienced property professional Mark Dawson. The agency combined genuine local knowledge with a commitment to service quality that stood apart from the volume-driven chains — but five years in, communicating that difference digitally remained a challenge. The company had a good website and a small but loyal client base, yet struggled to compete with the brand visibility and marketing budgets of the larger agencies.
Key Problem
Needed to establish credibility and generate landlord and vendor leads in a crowded local property market.
We built a content-led LinkedIn and Facebook strategy showcasing sold properties, market insights, and client testimonials to position them as the local experts.
Our strategy centred on positioning Horizon Property Group as the definitive expert voice on the Rotherham property market — not just an agent advertising properties, but a source of genuinely useful market intelligence. We developed a weekly "Rotherham Property Market Update" series for LinkedIn, analysing local data, price trends, and area-specific insights that proved genuinely valuable to both property owners and investors. This content drove strong engagement and shares, reaching audiences far beyond Horizon's existing connections.
On Facebook, the strategy was warmer and more community-focused — celebrating completions with client thank-you posts (with permission), showcasing the personality of the team, and sharing the stories behind properties. A structured vendor testimonial programme created a steady stream of social proof that directly addressed the trust barrier new clients faced. We also developed a "Sold in X days" format for each completed sale that combined transparency with a powerful conversion message.
LinkedIn Market Authority Content
Weekly market insight posts on LinkedIn — price trend analysis, investment area guides, and local property commentary — positioning Horizon as the expert voice in Rotherham property.
Facebook Community & Conversion Content
Warm, story-led Facebook content featuring completions, vendor testimonials, and team culture posts that built community trust and drove direct enquiry.
Vendor Testimonial Programme
A structured system for capturing and publishing vendor reviews and case studies, creating a consistent flow of authentic social proof across both platforms.
Landlord-Focused Ad Campaigns
Targeted paid promotions to local landlords and property investors on both Facebook and LinkedIn, promoting Horizon's lettings management service and generating new landlord enquiries.
Before Bee Viral vs after.
Real numbers. Real progress. Here is exactly what changed and when.
Platform audit; LinkedIn profile and company page optimised; content pillar framework developed
"Rotherham Property Market Update" series launches on LinkedIn; first market insight posts published
Market insight posts begin reaching 3,000+ impressions; first direct DM from a local landlord via LinkedIn
Facebook completion and testimonial content schedule established; vendor testimonial programme launched
LinkedIn network growing by 60+ connections/month; first vendor instructions attributed to social contact
18 vendor instructions attributed; +175% in total enquiries; Mark cited as go-to property expert in Rotherham on LinkedIn
- LinkedIn market insight posts consistently achieving 3,000–8,000 impressions — remarkable for a local independent agent
- First DM from a local landlord via LinkedIn arrived in week 6 — a contact type that had never come from social before
- 18 new vendor instructions directly attributed to social media contact in 6 months
- Vendor and landlord leads from social convert at higher rates with less fee negotiation — trust already built through content
- +400 new LinkedIn connections with local property community in 6 months
- Mark now widely regarded as the most visible, credible property professional on LinkedIn in Rotherham
What we achieved together.
Total vendor and landlord lead enquiries attributable to social media activity increased by 175% in the six months following the strategy launch.
LinkedIn post reach quadrupled as the market insight content was shared widely by the local property community, growing Mark's professional network by over 400 connections.
Eighteen new vendor instructions were directly attributed to social media contact in the first six months — sellers who reached out having followed Horizon's content before deciding to list.
The LinkedIn market insight strategy proved more powerful than even we anticipated. Within six weeks, Mark's posts were consistently achieving 3,000 to 8,000 views — remarkable for a local estate agent — and generating direct messages from local landlords and property investors who wanted to discuss their portfolios. The content had effectively made Mark the most visible, knowledgeable-seeming property professional on LinkedIn in Rotherham, and that perception translated directly into instructions.
The vendor listings metric told the most compelling business story. Eighteen instructions in six months directly attributed to social media — sellers who mentioned they'd "been following Horizon for a while" before calling — represented a significant addition to Horizon's revenue pipeline. Property instructions that come through warm social channels also convert at higher rates and encounter less fee negotiation, because the relationship and trust have already been built. Mark is now one of the most connected property professionals in South Yorkshire on LinkedIn, and that network continues to generate instructions on a regular basis.
The Bottom Line
Property is a trust-based business above almost all else. Sellers and landlords are making decisions worth tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds, and they choose an agent they believe in. Mark knew that social media done well could build that trust at scale — showcasing expertise, celebrating successful sales, and positioning Horizon as the knowledgeable, personable alternative to the national chains.
The LinkedIn strategy was a game changer. I was posting occasionally and getting nothing. Bee Viral turned it into a proper channel. I get DMs from landlords and investors every week now who've been reading my content for months before reaching out. That kind of warm lead converts so much better than a cold enquiry.
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