This site uses cookies for functionality, audience analytics, and marketing. We don't use your data without consent.
California residents have the right to opt out of data sharing.
Manage your cookie preferences below:
Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.
CloudFlare provides web performance and security solutions, enhancing site speed and protecting against threats.
Service URL: developers.cloudflare.com (opens in a new window)
Google reCAPTCHA helps protect websites from spam and abuse by verifying user interactions through challenges.
Matomo is a self-hosted, open-source web analytics platform. It is configured to operate in cookieless mode (no tracking cookies are set) with IP anonymization enabled, making it privacy-preserving and exempt from cookie consent requirements under most privacy frameworks including GDPR.
Service URL: matomo.org (opens in a new window)
Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us understand how visitors use our website.
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that tracks and analyzes website traffic for informed marketing decisions.
Service URL: policies.google.com (opens in a new window)
Marketing cookies are used to follow visitors to websites. The intention is to show ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user.
ConvertKit is used to power email signup forms and track visitor engagement with those forms.
Service URL: kit.com (opens in a new window)
Facebook Pixel is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic.
Service URL: www.facebook.com (opens in a new window)
These cookies allow us to display videos and other content from third-party sites like YouTube directly on our pages. If you don't enable this category, embedded videos will be replaced with a placeholder, and you'll need to click to load them individually. These providers may set their own cookies once the content loads.
A popular social media platform for sharing photos and videos, connecting users through visual storytelling.
Vimeo is a video hosting platform for high-quality content, ideal for creators and businesses to showcase their work.
Service URL: vimeo.com (opens in a new window)
X, formerly known as Twitter, is a social networking and microblogging platform.
Service URL: x.com (opens in a new window)
A video-sharing platform for users to upload, view, and share videos across various genres and topics.
Service URL: www.youtube.com (opens in a new window)
You can find more information in our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
My Zillow Post Broke the Internet. Here’s How to Steal the Strategy.
Join Byron Lazine, Tom Toole, Lisa Chinatti, George Laughton, Amy Stockberger, Gino Blefari, Luke Acree, and top team leaders at BAM Camp: Team Leaders, September 22–23 in Scottsdale. This intimate, two-day workshop is built to help you scale your team, increase profit, strengthen leadership, and leave with a clear 90-day action plan. Get your ticket before it sells out →
Join Byron Lazine, Tom Toole, Lisa Chinatti, George Laughton, Amy Stockberger, Gino Blefari, Luke Acree, and top team leaders at BAM Camp: Team Leaders, September 22–23 in Scottsdale. This intimate, two-day workshop is built to help you scale your team, increase profit, strengthen leadership, and leave with a clear 90-day action plan. Get your ticket before it sells out →
My “Your Zestimate says $750k” post just hit 3 million views across Facebook and Instagram, even picking up a repost from the CEO of Compass.
But here’s the real gold: The 2,000+ comments that became my content calendar for the next 6 months.
Every objection. Every defense. Every angry Realtor. Every bitter FSBO.
All of it is copywriting gold waiting to be mined.
The Comment Mining Process That Changes Everything
Step 1: Find the Patterns
I copied all 2,000+ comments and fed them to Claude to study:
Each pattern = a new piece of content addressing that exact objection.
Step 2: Find the Viral Phrases
The comment “The A in Zillow stands for Accurate” got 245 likes. That’s now a series.
“Zillow lost billions trusting Zillow” will be my best-performing follow-up.
Step 3: Find the Stories
Buried in the anger were gems:
Each story can become content that resonates because it’s REAL.
But here’s the twist: You don’t need your own viral post.
My “Comment Hijack” Strategy
Find Other People’s Viral Real Estate Content:
Where to Hunt:
Examples of Turning Comments into Content Templates:
Objection: “Agents just want quick sales!”
Content: Story about an agent who refused a listing because price was too LOW
Objection: “I saved money going FSBO!”
Content: Break down the math they’re not doing (carrying costs, underpricing, repairs)
Objection: “Zillow is accurate in my area!”
Content: Show Zillow’s own CEO selling for 40% under the Zestimate
The AI Training Method
Take those scraped comments to ChatGPT/Claude and prompt:
Here are 500 comments about real estate agents. Please identify:
Then prompt it to create 10 pieces of content that address these without being defensive.
Tools to Speed This Up
Instagram Comment Exporter – Chrome extension that grabs all comments in seconds
BuzzSumo – Find the most commented real estate content in your market
The Results From My Comment Mining
From those 2,000+ comments, I created:
Your Action Items:
The Bottom Line
Your haters’ comments are writing your content calendar. They’re telling you exactly what content they’ll engage with, even if it’s to argue.
Don’t create content in a vacuum. Create content that addresses what people are already screaming about.
The comment section isn’t toxic waste. It’s a gold mine.
Download the printable PDF with all 27 lines:
For daily real estate news, business and marketing.
Chris Smith
Chris Smith is the bestselling author of The Conversion Code and the co-founder of Ella, Beacon, and KnwnLocal. You can follow him on Instagram and subscribe to his popular email newsletter, The Chris List, for practical marketing, sales, and AI advice.
Related Posts
These 3 Simple Instagram Stories Can Actually Generate Real Estate Leads
The Broke Agent breaks down three simple Instagram Story ideas from Haley Ingram that agents can use this week to spark real conversations and leads.
Five Things To Do While Bored At Your Open House | September 13th
Instagram rolls out new features for agents, mortgage rates top 7%, brand-killing social trends, a listing appointment mistake to avoid, and the final chance to grab a BAM Camp ticket.
2 New Instagram Features Every Agent Should Try This Week
Instagram announces two updates: content creators can now add tagged posts to their profile grid and create carousels in the Edits app.
More on:
Recent Articles
Zillow and RealScout Team Up to Bring Preview Listings to More Buyers
3 Property Drip Mistakes That Are Costing Real Estate Agents Deals
Sellers Outnumber Buyers by 57.9% in the Strongest Buyer’s Market on Record
Real Estate Competitors Unite Behind One Campaign to Build More Homes
These 3 Simple Instagram Stories Can Actually Generate Real Estate Leads
The Best Week to Buy a Home in 2026
Upcoming Events
Related Posts
Zillow and RealScout Team Up to Bring Preview Listings to More Buyers
Zillow and RealScout are teaming up to bring pre-MLS listings to more than 100,000 agents and their buyers later this year.
3 Property Drip Mistakes That Are Costing Real Estate Agents Deals
Tom Toole breaks down how agents can build property drips that win business by fixing CRM setup, intake questions, and filters.
Sellers Outnumber Buyers by 57.9% in the Strongest Buyer’s Market on Record
Redfin data shows sellers outnumbered buyers by 57.9% nationally in August, the widest gap on record.
Real Estate Competitors Unite Behind One Campaign to Build More Homes
Realtor.com, Zillow and 12 other real estate leaders launch Let America Build, a campaign pushing local action to address America’s national housing deficit.
More on: