Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Social media can be very daunting if you are new to the internet scene. According to socialnomics.com, Facebook has over 900 million users and tops Google for weekly traffic in the US. Based on this fact alone, why wouldn’t you want your business to become a part of this community?
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If you lack significant experience, I don’t recommend diving head first into this scene, because when not properly taken care of, you can potentially hurt your company image and waste a lot of valuable time. Instead, test the waters by finding an outlet you feel most comfortable in. You’ll see it is convenient, fun, and can reap huge benefits for your real estate business.
I’m here to share three common social media mistakes realtors make and some tips to avoid them.
Neglected profiles
No matter how excited you are to develop a great social media presence, don’t jump the gun and try to manage multiple channels. Especially for people working in real estate, the neglected profile is something you want to avoid. Start small and establish just one or two outlets before branching out onto others. Choose one that you know you will revisit and spend time populating and engaging your visitors. You’ll soon be more comfortable with your online presence until it becomes second-nature.
The one-way street
One common mistake found among real estate agents is treating your network as a one-way street (usually leading to a dead end). They were not created to simply post listings and relay your promotional materials- that’s what your website is for. Post material that encourages a response that prospects and clients can benefit from. Engaging content leads to new relationships, which is the gateway to new business. When creating content for your profiles, always keep in mind “who is this helping?”
Inappropriate content
This might seem obvious, but it is just as crucial to keep in mind as the previous two points. Despite the fact that social networks have a more informal atmosphere to them, visitors still associate your profiles with you and your business. You can have fun with it, but keep it professional!
Keep these three points in mind when creating and managing your real estate social profiles. Remember to always look at the big picture. Utilizing your network to build relationships will create referrals and increase your clients.
Annette Dvorak works for Contactually, a start-up that created a web-based personal assistant that automatically reminds you to follow up with your most important contacts. Connect with her through LinkedIn or @annettedvorak.
Annette, this is really good post. Agents have to believe that social media is important to their business, develop a plan and be consistent. The goal is to engage with clients and stay "top of mind" with them. Thanks for the great ideas.