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Twitter's "Promoted Tweets" - Good Idea For Real Estate Agents?

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with BEST AGENT BUSINESS

Twitter graphic - Best Agent BusinessMany of you have been using Twitter to keep new listings, or other bits of information flowing to your "followers".  You may have noticed more and more tweets, topics, and trends labeled with the word "promoted".  This is Twitter's new advertising platform, Promoted Tweets, which was introduced in 2010, but really didn't get moving until this year.

Promoted Tweets are regular tweets, but advertisers pay to have them reach a wider group of users.  The Promoted Tweets are attached to key words and are offered on a pay-per-engagement rate.  The client only pays when Promoted Tweets are re-tweeted, replied to, clicked on, or are selected as a "favorite".  This method of advertising is more likely to get your tweet to the right people because the tweet is seen by those who are actively searching out the key words.

Early users of Promoted Tweets have been big brands such as Red Bull, and Virgin America.  They reported great success with their ROI.  For instance, according to Adweek.com, the day that Virgin America's Promoted Tweets went live, the airline recorded its fifth-highest sales day in its history.  Twitter co-founder, Biz Stone, explained the basics of Promoted Tweets on CBSNews.

Online Marketing Trends states that there are more than 106 million accounts on Twitter and Twitter users send more than 55 million tweets per day.  Twitter's search engine gets 600 million queries per day.

Log into Twitter and search for "real estate - your city".  Interesting list - did your last business tweet show up on the list?  If you had a Promoted Tweet, your tweet would show up at the top of the list every time that someone did the same search or used similar key words.

Twitter users tend to check Twitter for information they want NOW.  They are drawn to businesses that are actively sharing up-to-the-moment news and updates.  Wouldn't it be effective to have your tweet show up on top of the list when a potential buyer searched Twitter to see what's new in localrealestate?  It would be especially effective if your tweet included a link back to your website or your listings on Facebook, etc.

I did several Twitter searches for real estate in different cities before writing this blog.  Each time a list of tweets from various agents showed up, but in my random search, I did not find one Promoted Tweet.  This advertising avenue is wide open for agents!

What are your thoughts?  Does it make sense to grab the real estate key words now and be the first on top of the list in your area?  I'm interested in your comments and thoughts regarding Promoted Tweets.

The virtual assistants at Best Agent Business maintain Twitter accounts for many agents.  Whether you would like more information regarding Twitter, other social media, or the many other services offered to real estate agents,  schedule a call with Steve Kantor, President of Best Agent Business, today.

 

Blog submitted by Beverly – Virtual Assistant, Best Agent Business

 

Graphic courtesy of Hongkiat.com

 

Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

BTW, suggested!

Sep 14, 2011 07:29 AM
Donna Harris
Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com - Austin, TX
Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

This sounds like an interesting concept.  I don't think I realized people were actually "searching" twitter. I guess I thought it was more just conversation with you and your followers...

Sep 14, 2011 09:06 AM
Matt Kombrink
The Kombrink Team - Geneva, IL
Chicagoland Residential Real Estate since 1991

Steve, great articlce.  Let me begin by saying I am strongly opposed to any PPC advertising since I have never felt consumers click through with a genuine interest.  However, I'm starting to have second thoughts.  I am curious to know the costs involved and have jotted a note to check this out.  If this has some impact (like it did for Virgin) then that would be amazing!

Sep 14, 2011 10:21 AM
Jan Atkinson
William Davis Realty - Frisco, TX

Good info. I just started tweeting and the way I understand it is tweets need to be conversational.  I try to respond to tweets and then send out info hoping to get responses.  I only started a couple of weeks ago, but this information may be the way to help me get out there.  Thank you!

Sep 14, 2011 11:47 AM
Margaret Goss
@Properties - Winnetka, IL
Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate

How exactly does one go about promoting their tweets?

Sep 14, 2011 12:06 PM
Norma Toering Broker for Palos Verdes and Beach Cities
Charlemagne International Properties - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes in L.A.

I need to up my Twitter time and game--and now I'll have to add promoting my tweets.

Sep 14, 2011 01:10 PM
Team Lesti
Windermere Napa Valley Properties - Napa, CA
Napa Valley Real Estate Experts

I <3 twitter - thanks for the great post.  Very insightful!!

Sep 14, 2011 01:27 PM
Rob Kittle
Kittle Real Estate - Fort Collins, CO
"We Specialize, You Benefit!" -Kittle Real Estate

I see those promoted tweets on my home page, i notice big brands using them. Maybe this is a good try for real estate agents but we have to promote searching listings through twitter so we can maximize the advertising of our listings. That's what i think. Great post!

Sep 14, 2011 02:27 PM
Joan Whitebook
BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH
Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

I had know idea something like this existed.  I am going to look into further.  Thanks for the heads up.

Sep 14, 2011 03:20 PM
TERI LINDSAY
Reno, NV
STAGELIGHT HOME STAGING CO.

Promoted "tweets" turned me off to Twitter.... my homepage was filled with automated promotions, over and over again, and from the same Twitters.  It got annoying and then I decided it was creating stress, which I don't need, from the frustration. I didn't really care what others were doing at the moment and made another decision based on "who in hell started all this anyway?".... and was it going to have an impact on me or my business if I stopped... the answer was NO! 

Sep 14, 2011 04:22 PM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Very interesting to know that Twitter is doing this. Thanks for sharing and glad this was Featured. It just proves that people are searching everywhere.

Sharon

Sep 14, 2011 05:27 PM
Janet Owens
The Property Source - Montgomery, TX
The Property Source, Lake Conroe Real Estate 281.844.6584

It seems that I need to spend as much time learning and implementing the latest social network promotion as I do in actually working my market.  Perhaps they go hand in hand but I'm afraid I'll get tangled in the network "black hole".   I wonder if anyone else is finding it difficult to do all these things>

Sep 14, 2011 05:54 PM
David Shamansky
US Mortgages - David Shamansky - Highlands Ranch, CO
Creative, Aggressive & 560 FICO - OK, Colorado Mtg

I agree with commentor #1 a great post I need to check on the costs of these "promoted tweets"

 

Thanks - suggested

Sep 14, 2011 06:11 PM
Laurie C. Bailey-Gates
Robert Paul Properties - Barnstable, MA
ABR, SFR

Hi Steve,

 

Thanks for the informative post.  I wasn not aware of this advertising feature on Twitter.  I will have to do the searches you suggested and see what I find.

Thanks,

Laurie

Sep 14, 2011 11:48 PM
Cheryl Ritchie
RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD
Southern Maryland 301-980-7566
That is really interesting. I did not know this yet but do get a big kick out of Twitter.
Sep 15, 2011 12:04 AM
Phil Leng
Retired - Kirkland, WA
Phil Leng - Retired
Hi Beverly Interesting post Something else I knew nothing about! Will have to check it out Phil
Sep 15, 2011 12:12 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Steve, this was new to me. I was not aware of promoted tweets. I will check it out. Thanks.

Sep 15, 2011 02:08 AM
Delores Campbell
Keller Williams Realty - Chesterfield - Wildwood, MO
Your St. Louis Real Estate Resource

Another to do on my social networking to do list.  I also was unaware of promoted tweets.

Sep 15, 2011 02:40 AM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale
Started tweeting a couple of weeks ago. I usually direct them to a blog article I've written. I have seen my stats go up. I'll check this out but am opposed to PPC.
Sep 15, 2011 02:44 AM
Steve Kantor
BEST AGENT BUSINESS - Bethesda, MD
Best Agent Business - Virtual Assistance

Thanks for all the great comments, everyone. Some of you raised some things for all of us to ponder!

Sep 18, 2011 12:19 PM