By now most Realtors are using Facebook, either personally or for business, and while it can be a little overwhelming at first this social network really does offer alot in the way of marketing your services and brand — but it’s not in Farmville, so close that now!
That being said one of the biggest flaws (if you can call it that) is that once you’re part of it, it’s easy to forget you can (and should) be using it for strengthening your digital presence. Therefore it’s important to budget out your daily FB time for maximum effectiveness. Make your digital presence management part of your morning ritual. It only takes about 15 minutes to get the ball rolling – the key is sticking to it and using those 15 minutes wisely, and hey, if you add in an extra 5 minutes to see who needs to be whacked on Mafia Wars, it’ll be our little secret.
Update your status – this is the daily mantra. It’s the easiest thing to do and takes the least time. Tell everyone what you are going to be doing today, share an inspirational or witty quote, or pose a question. Status updates are especially key to your Fan Page as that indexable text can count towards your search engine placement. (consequently, Fan Page text is indexed by search engines, groups and other types of pages are not) Do NOT constantly bombard people with real estate this, real estate that, overhyping is one of the surest ways to lose friends and make enemies.
Check the Birthdays – Facebook lists your friends who have birthdays coming up right on your landing page. Wouldn’t it be nice to drop them a pleasant birthday wish? It might not count for much, but it will keep your name circulating around (and on their wall), which in turn leads to more clicks to your profile. Want to get personal? Check Facebook Phonebook to see if they have their phone number listed, you can even go that extra mile and wish them happy birthday by voice to really stand out.
Comment on Status Updates – read through the latest updates from your friends and connections, engage them in conversation, state your sympathy, speak your opposing view, or even just make a witty reply. Social networking is ALL about interacting and interconnectivity, if you aren’t using it to communicate and stay in touch so that your name it out there, you may as well not be using it at all.
Use Twitter – Yes, technically thats not a “facebook tip”, but well, it kind of is. You can link Twitter to Facebook in a number of ways so that you can tweet from your phone and update your Facebook status at the same time.You can also use different Facebook applications to show your Twitter feed on your profile sidebar.
Take Care of Your W’s — Where, Why, and What. You should fill out as much information as possible under your Info tab. In addition to that it likely wouldn’t hurt to write a note or two describing a bit about yourself. YES, let people know WHERE you are in your state, let them know WHY you got into real estate, and tell them WHAT you do and what services you offer — a Fan Page is a GREAT extension of this idea; works in conjunction with your existing profile. If they know, they won’t have to guess; this combined with keeping your name highly visible can in turn lead to more returns.
Ask Questions – ENGAGE your friends and followers. Ask questions that stimulate conversation. Be current, be provocative, don’t be afraid! Try not to step on any toes religiously or politically, but a little controversy CAN drive alot of traffic if used correctly. Post a question about music for instance, “Do you know where the lyrics from Don McCleans song ‘American Pie’ came from?”, or “Can you name the 50 states only using the titles from songs?” etc…
Keep an Eye on Events – Facebook allows others to send you invites for upcoming events in your community. It never hurts to check in on these and keep up with whats going on. Facebook even allows you to RSVP so that if you can’t make it to the event, or simply aren’t interested you can reply with a “NO” to the invite with an added message like “Sorry I couldn’t make it to your event, I have an open house this weekend”. Better yet, use the Events function to announce your own open houses and events to help encourage others to connect!
Facebook isn’t the last word in social networking, but it is a great site that offers alot of ways for you to interact, make new leads, and generate business. Fact is most social sites these days have followed Facebooks lead and offer status updates and many of the same features – so these tips apply for those social sites as well, it’s up to you to use them!
Still a little confused? Just not getting this ‘social networking’ mumbo jumbo? Tour Real Estate can help demystify the net! We have guides to help you optimize your website for search engines, help you setup social network accounts, and drive traffic to your website or blog. Our tech experts have the skills and knowledge that can help you get the most out of your online real estate presence. Contact TourRE today to find out more about the best Realtor websites and Realtor marketing available today!
Tour Real Estate Inc. 