The Interest Economy: How Elevated Agents Build an Empire

As an established agent who has built a successful real estate career on grit, grace, and a growth mindset, you’ve never had greater potential to amass an empire than you do right now because the algorithms have changed.

Welcome to the Interest Economy, where people only see what they want to see.

In this new landscape, your lame “just listed, just sold” posts are getting eaten alive by minute-long comedy sketches, deep dives into the history of a forgotten city street, and creators rating every single item on a grocery store shelf.

For the last 15 years, social media has been follower-based. The standard playbook was simple: build an audience, then keep talking to that audience, collecting feedback on what they wanted to buy.

But now?

It’s becoming increasingly rare that your followers ever even see your content.

In short: the game has changed completely.

The value of a follower has plummeted, while the value of creating truly compelling, shareable content has skyrocketed. What matters now isn’t likes or follower counts but saves, shares, watch time, and non-follower reach.

So how does an elevated agent like you capitalize on this gold rush to build an empire and a legacy that impacts millions of people beyond your local market?

You have two choices:

• Change nothing. Watch your digital presence and credibility evaporate overnight. (Good luck winning listings with zero reach.)

• Adapt. Apply your growth mindset to monetize your daily curiosities, hobbies, and habits; developing a personal brand with loyal fans eager to buy everything you create and promote.

As an Elevated Agent, I know you’re excited by the potential of this new Interest Economy. So today, we’re going to cover:

• 2026 projections for how interest-based content will continue reshaping the market

• A playbook for choosing the right personal interests to build your monetized brand around

• Examples of modern agents pulling massive reach by blending lifestyle, hobbies, and real estate

• The mindset shift you need to stand out in a noisy, algorithm-driven world

Agents who embrace this shift will massively expand their reach, attract new leads, and unlock revenue streams beyond closings. Those who don’t? They’ll instantly fade into irrelevance.

The Decline of Follower-Based Reach

For years, the formula was simple: more followers equaled more reach. In 2025, that equation has been shattered. The average organic reach for a brand's post has plummeted to a fraction of its follower count.

• Facebook: Organic reach has fallen to as low as 1.65% for brand pages. This means for every 10,000 followers, only around 165 people will organically see a post.

• Instagram: The average organic reach rate has dropped to just 3.5%. This reflects an astonishing 12% year-over-year decrease. For a business with 10,000 followers, a typical post is now only seen by about 350 people.

• X (formerly Twitter): Organic reach is even lower at around 3%, with a dismal median engagement rate of 0.03% in 2024, a trend that has only accelerated.

2026 Projection: This trend is not expected to reverse. Experts project that organic reach will continue to decline as platforms prioritize paid content and a more curated, personalized feed. The "pay-to-play" model will become even more entrenched.

The Explosion of Interest-Based Reach

While reach to followers has collapsed, the opportunity for non-followers to discover content based on interest, relevance, and engagement has exploded. This is where the new "gold rush" lies.

• Non-Follower Reach: On platforms like TikTok, a healthy account should aim for 60% or more of its views to come from non-followers. This is a key growth metric, indicating that content is successfully being recommended to new audiences.

• The Power of Shares: Platforms are now placing a massive emphasis on "sends" or "shares." For example, Instagram's 2025 algorithm values sends as the "ultimate discovery metric," placing them above likes and comments for reaching new audiences.

• Relevance Over Relationships: Algorithms no longer simply prioritize content from friends and family. They use sophisticated AI to track user behavior for how long they watch a video, whether they save a post, or if they click on a profile to deliver content that aligns with their interests, regardless of who created it.

2026 Projection: The shift to interest-based discovery will intensify. As AI becomes even more sophisticated, feeds will become hyper-personalized. The platforms that will thrive are those that successfully recommend engaging, long-form content and storytelling that builds trust, which is a significant advantage for real estate agents who can leverage their daily lives and passions.

At this point, someone is far more likely to run an interest-based search on one of these platforms before finding you. If they enjoy the first piece of your content enough they will go to your profile to look for more of the same and see what else you have going on.

At that point, it is your greatest opportunity to trigger a binge session of your content. If they do binge your content they are more likely to see your content whether they follow you or not and it is likely they will soon. But again, this was a best-case scenario so you need to start telling people to follow you or check out the next piece of content in that series in nearly every post. 

The Mindset Shifts Agents Need To Succeed In The Interest Economy

You are so much more than a real estate agent just like I am so much more than a writer or content marketing strategist. 

We are NOT what we do.

We fill so many different roles, explore so many interests and seek the answers to so many questions in our lives. It is those relationships, experiences and many revolving passions that make us who we are as people. 

However, when it comes to developing a personal brand and digital presence as a human with a real estate license, most agents default to turning themselves into a boring real estate robot that only talks about the same boring things hoping it will generate a lead. They hide all of the parts of themselves and their lives that real people actually find interesting!

If you are going to be successful with the strategy I am sharing with you today, must make these key mindset shifts that will prevent most agents from winning in the Interest Economy:

Money-Making Mindset Shift #1: From Transaction-Focused to Trust-Focused

The old approach is transactional: you post a listing because you want a lead today. You feel like a salesperson, and your audience can feel it too. The content feels forced and promotional because it has one singular goal; to convert. In the Interest Economy, your goal is to build trust long before a transaction is even on the table. You are not a salesperson; you are a resource, a storyteller, an entertainer and a trusted guide. When you stop chasing the sale and start leading with genuine curiosity and value, clients will start chasing you.

Money-Making Mindset Shift #2: From Polished Professional to Perfectly-Human

In the past, the goal was to appear as a polished, buttoned-up professional with a perfect life. But as my research into the most successful creators shows, the most powerful brands are built on authenticity and vulnerability. Your most magnetic content is often the most raw. It’s the behind-the-scenes look, the messy moments, the struggles and successes of a real human. When you stop trying to look like every other agent and start showing up as yourself, you make it easy for the right people to connect with you.

Money-Making Mindset Shift #3: From Working Harder to Working Smarter

The myth of "more is better" has been proven wrong by the algorithms. This is not about grinding out five posts a day or spending your entire weekend shooting content. It's about integrating your content creation into the rhythm of your life. When you shift your mindset from "I have to create content" to "I am going to document my life and interests," the process becomes effortless. You are simply sharing the conversations, curiosities, and passions that already exist in your world, monetizing your growth mindset and your daily steps as you go.

Making these three shifts is the difference between being a forgotten robot and becoming a magnetic human that clients feel compelled to know, like, and trust.

Examples of Agents with Multi-Interest Content

I know all of this can feel overwhelming and confusing so I created some examples to loosely illustrate what this strategy could look like for an Elevated Agent like you.

The “Runner’s Realtor”

• Pillars: Running + Wellness + Local Food + Real Estate + Travel

• Content Execution:

  • Instagram: “Top 3 running routes near downtown + houses for sale nearby”

  • YouTube: “What marathon training taught me about consistency in business & buying homes”

  • LinkedIn: “Balancing 5 AM runs with client negotiations: habits that fuel high-performance real estate”

• Offer Suite Ideas:

  • Local “Runner’s Map” of best trails + nearby neighborhoods

  • Wellness Planner for busy professionals

  • Sponsorships with running shoe brands

  
  

2. The “Culinary Connector”

• Pillars: Foodie Adventures + Cooking at Home + Local Businesses + Real Estate + Design

• Content Execution:

  • Instagram Reels: “3 must-try taco trucks + homes you can walk to them from”

  • YouTube: “Touring kitchens in $500k homes which one is best for a home chef?”

  • LinkedIn: “How hosting dinner parties helped me become a better networker in real estate”

• Offer Suite Ideas:

  • Digital recipe journals

  • Printable “Host Your First Dinner Party” kits

  • Sponsored collabs with local restaurants

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3. The “Adventure Agent”

• Pillars: Hiking + Photography + Sustainability + Local Travel + Real Estate

• Content Execution:

  • Instagram: Drone shots of hikes near homes on the market

  • YouTube: “Weekend warrior: best hikes within 1 hour of [City] + homes nearby”

  • LinkedIn: “What nature teaches us about patience in deals”

• Offer Suite Ideas:

  • Trail & Neighborhood Guide

  • Eco-friendly home checklist

  • Photography presets for lifestyle shots

  
  

4. The “Creative Collector”

• Pillars: Art + Music + Books + Design + Real Estate

• Content Execution:

  • Instagram: “Touring local galleries + my favorite artistic home staging ideas”

  • YouTube: “Book club meets real estate: 3 novels that influenced my design taste”

  • LinkedIn: “How creativity fuels client relationships in real estate”

• Offer Suite Ideas:

  • Journals for book notes / art tours

  • Printable “Decorating with Color” guide

  • Sponsored collabs with local artists

  
  

5. The “Family & Fun Agent”

• Pillars: Parenting + Games + Local Attractions + Travel + Real Estate

• Content Execution:

  • Instagram: “Top 5 family-friendly attractions this month in [City]”

  • YouTube: “Touring backyards with kids’ eyes what makes a great family home”

  • LinkedIn: “How parenting makes me a better negotiator”

• Offer Suite Ideas:

  • Family activity planner

  • Printable scavenger hunt games for home tours

  • Sponsored collabs with toy or travel brands

These are just some starting points to get you to begin visualizing what this interest-based content marketing strategy works and what it could look like for you. That said, you may need some help rounding out those activities.

Interests & Hobbies for Agents To Build A More Fulfilling Brand & Life

I know there are times when its hard to cultivate a list of hobbies. In fact, many adults struggle to develop a list of hobbies outside of work that fulfill them. So here’s a starter brainstorm of 30+ interest categories you could lean into.

• Fitness & Wellness: Running, yoga, cycling, weightlifting, hiking, nutrition, mindfulness

• Food & Drink: Cooking, baking, wine tasting, coffee shops, local restaurants, food trucks

• Creative Arts: Painting, drawing, photography, design, fashion, interior décor, crafts

• Entertainment: Movies, TV series, gaming, music, concerts, theater

• Books & Writing: Reading clubs, journaling, poetry, blogging, storytelling

• Travel & Adventure: Road trips, RV life, international travel, camping, exploring local gems

• Family & Lifestyle: Parenting, pets, kids’ activities, family traditions, celebrations

• Sports & Recreation: Golf, tennis, basketball, soccer, skiing, surfing

• Personal Development: Productivity, business strategy, leadership, spirituality, wellness rituals

• Community & Culture: Volunteering, events, festivals, farmers markets, museums

• Home & Living: Gardening, DIY projects, sustainability, home organization, smart home tech

You can also take your audience on a journey as you explore them all and just have fun looking for new ways to have fun where you live.

The algorithms have changed, and the old playbook is officially dead. But as an Elevated Agent, this isn’t a moment of crisis; it’s a call to action. This is your invitation to pivot from a salesperson to a storyteller, from a robot to a magnetic human.

The numbers are clear: follower-based reach has collapsed. The future isn’t about talking to the people who already follow you; it's about creating content so compelling that new audiences discover you, binge your content, and become loyal fans. This is the only way to build a brand that is truly impervious to market shifts and algorithmic changes.

The path forward is simple, but it isn’t easy. It requires you to embrace your authentic self, abandon the tired scripts, and lean into the life you’ve already built. It means using your business as a vehicle to explore your curiosities and using your passions to fuel your business.

The real estate professionals who thrive in the Interest Economy will be the ones who not only adapt but also redefine what it means to be a modern agent. You have the grit, the grace, and the growth mindset. It's time to leverage all three.

Your empire is waiting. The only thing standing between you and a more aligned, impactful business is a single post. So, go create it.

FAQs on Building an Interest-Based Personal Brand as an Agent

Q1. “I don’t want to look unprofessional by posting about my hobbies. Won’t that make people take me less seriously as an agent?” A1. Not at all. Buyers and sellers aren’t looking for robots; they’re looking for humans they can relate to and trust. Your hobbies create points of connection that make you more memorable. Professionalism comes through consistency and integrity, not a rigid content calendar of just listings.

Q2. “What if my interests are too ‘random’ and people don’t get the connection?” A2. Seemingly random interests become powerful when tied back to your core identity and values. The key is weaving them together into consistent themes (like lifestyle, growth, or community) rather than trying to make each post directly about real estate.

Q3. “I don’t feel interesting enough; who cares about my hobbies?” A3. Everyone thinks that at first. But people are endlessly curious, they don’t follow you just for information, they follow you for storytelling and perspective. Even ordinary hobbies (running, cooking, gaming) become magnetic when you share your personal take, local tie-ins, or lessons you’ve learned.

Q4. “This feels like it will take too much time and I’m already swamped.” A4. That’s why it’s easier than you think: you’re already living your interests. You just need to document, not create. If you’re out for a run, film a 30-second clip. If you’re cooking, snap a photo. Think of it as “press record on what you’re already doing.”

Q5. “But my clients want real estate advice, won’t this content confuse them?” A5. Actually, your clients want to trust that you understand their lifestyle. By mixing interests with real estate, you show them what it’s like to live in your market. Someone who sees your foodie posts might think, “I’d love to buy a house near that taco place.”