Social Networking For Real Estate
People are becoming less social offline and more social online.
What does this mean for you and your real estate business?
With over 85% of real estate transactions starting online, your prospective clients are on the web. Whether they are doing searches on Google, conversing with friends on Facebook or watching community videos on WellcomeMat, people looking to buy, sell or invest in real estate flock to the Internet to gather as much information as possible before making one of the largest financial transactions of their lifetime. This is more of a reason than any that you MUST (1) be found easily on the web and (2) establish yourself as an authority for the services you offer in your area.
Hopefully, you are keeping current with web marketing trends such as Facebook and LinkedIn and have already been taking advantage of these networks. Now, what if I asked you how your Twitter or FriendFeed accounts are doing? Or how many of your Flickr or TwitPic photos have penetrated your market? Or even, how many views have your YouTube or WellcomeMat videos received in the past month? Starting to feel behind the times? Some of the fastest moving, and thus, most effective “tech-savvy” realtors, are getting their email inboxes to overflow with leads of prospective clients and referrals because they are effectively using the online tools available to help them get found.
Inbound marketing, marketing that does not need to be intrusive or interruptive, is one of the most organic and effective ways to accomplish further exposure and establish authority. Social networking is THE prime example of effective inbound marketing - if done right of course. By plotting your social networking strategy and / or employing professionals to manage or consult you on your social networking strategies, you will be able to define yourself as a true resource on the web - the place where a pool of prospective clients continues to grow each day.
Take the time to learn more about the social networks mentioned above and included in the data chart provided. Be proactive about talking to professionals who do these things for a living to learn how these new forms of marketing for your real estate business can truly increase your client base by making you a trusted resource online. Remember, you may be one of the top producers in your market, but if your clients can’t find you online when they are looking for your services, then you may as well be a brand new agent with no experience or credibility.
Top 20 Social Network Sites, December 2008
It is never too late to get started, especially on social networking as this is still relatively new for the real estate industry, so take advantage of it before you fall too far behind the pack.
Click here to learn more about how to use sites like Facebook to market your real estate business
Cartoon courtesy of Geek & Poke
