Hi Dean, I am just starting to experiment.  Active Rain has already shown me results and I really enjoy it, anyway, so I will be interested in the comments here.

Dean, I joined facebook when it all began. Back when I was a sophmore in college in 2005 I think it was. Well 3 years later and im out of school. I still facebook and what not. I have over 450 friends on facebook. Long story short... I've been trying to advertise via groups, mass messeges, etc. It doesn't seem to be very effecive yet. But not all of my age group is ready to buy yet. I'd imagine it'd be hard from the get go to build relationships with people on there and then try to help them buy or sell a property. Just my .02

Hey Old Timer, my daughter got me a MySpace page a few years ago and I actually started developing it about 6 months ago - about the time I started getting more involved with ActiveRain. My experience has been that here at AR you can learn a lot and share lots of experiences, improve your website rankings with SEO knowledge and pick up some business from time to time. Myspace and the others are more 'fun' stuff, more 'get-rich-quick' stuff, and definitely a younger crowd But that younger crowd doesn't hang out here so if you can devise ways to reach them through MySpace or Facebook, you can dip into that pool of Millenial buyers as well. I've got over 1,200 'friends' on MySpace including nearly 100 Realtors across the country, several of whom are also here on AR. Aside from the time involved, it's just another free marketing tool to get your face out there to a different audience.

You have a valid question here. I think if any of it works like AR then it's probably good. I mean the search engine stuff and plain old great resource situation, not to mention great enjoyment.  It actually does generate business.

I just joined twitter. I was thinking if it helped people find me via google and I had fun, it would be worth it.

Much of this communication via web is still in early stages I think, but the future will probably be closer to what it means to e-mail or talk on the phone. I know for my 16 year old, texting and internet are her main vehicles of communication.

Hi Dean.

I  got on board with facebook here in Santa Barbara.  We have 2 major colleges here...UCSB and City of Santa Barbara...I have only seen college kids in this area on this site...The messages are pretty awful and border on porn.  I also checked out the Silicon Valley area for Facebook.  They have lots of engineers and other professionals there...I wonder whether the area dictates the "quality of business leads" you'll get, if any.

You may want to post professional, informational blogs for your "buds."  You may be able to get them to see you as a bud and a real estate professional!   

Good Luck...keep us posted!

Kim 

Hey Dean, I feel like you in many ways.  I heard about the benefit of these networking sites and joined too many (like 5).  I think that is the problem.  They are all different and I'm not proficient in any of them, which I think is the problem.  I like AR best so far as there are really good ideas and I'm intrigued by many of the comments.   But when you are busy, I don't see how you can keep this up as it takes so much time.. very difficult. It's supposed to be a way for others to see who you really are (by your thought process) and how you do business (I think).  I sound really knowledgeable, don't I?  I hope it works out for you.

Ditto to everyone else.  I even  went as far as PAYING to listen in on a seminar about marketing via Facebook.  I understood the concepts and then when I sat down to make my own page for my business, I couldn't work it at all.  Now, I'm not 50 yet and I can work a fair number of things on my pc.  But these social networks are beyond me.  I even joined one at my publisher's site on Ning, and was astounded when someone friended me.  Whah?  And what's with the wall?  You've done better than i to have lasted as long as you did.

I joined Facebook, LinkedIn, and a fw other places that I have forgotten...and while it's fun it's very time consuming.

I get more bang for my time by blogging, period.  If someone is looking for me, they can find me.  I just don't have the time, inclination, or ability to get all caught up in all those things.

I tried building a lens on Squidoo - a local information lens.  It was fun, I got one comment from a girl who goes to my church.  LOL.  I've got all I can handle with my life, with Active Rain, and my outside blog. 

Dean - an extremely legitimate question, given the amount of time we invest in social networking. I will be interested to see the response here. Just so you know, I am starting a series of articles on Social Networks, and will be reviewing/critiquing many of the more popular platforms, and discussing the value proposition they present for our business. Should be interesting...

POKES??? - are these the Lonesome Dove variety?

seems like I join one of those groups and the next thing I know is Ivanna Humphue sends me a message saying she wants to be my friend.

I just use Active rain. It takes too much time to keep up with all the blogging and e mailing. I feel that it is time better spent elsewhere...

I have facebook, myspace and Linkedin. The only one that I feel is a valuable business tool is linkedin.  myspace seems really geared toward teens. FB has a million ways to waste time.  Linkedin doesn't have the colossal time wasters the other sites have.  I have found about 30 former coworkers on Link'd that would not have known I was a realtor and closed 1 transaction due to it.

I'm also interested to see the responses to this post.  With everything available and with the time that each requires, what is the best and highest use of my time and resources.  I agree that AR is a benefit (just received my first lead this morning from it) and will continue with it.  But, as far as Facebook, mySpace, etc, the jury is still out for me....

I believe the value of social networking is the building of community networks not extended friends networks, if you can create a local destination with preferred vendors, community based info, local blogging about events and other relevent info, then get locals to sign in and use it, thats were the eventually value will surface, you are creating value for locals- my opinion only might not be shared by others. use ning.com to set up a local place

I have joined LinkedIn, ActiveRain and Xing. I have not bothered to join Facebook or MySpace because of time limitations. I wanted to focus my efforts on networking sites that are specifically professional. I don't think the truly social networking sites are professionally valuable.

ActiveRain is by far the most effective, followed by LinkedIn for me.

Face book only allows people from your past that you never wanted to remember find. Then re emerge you in memories long forgotten. Active rain is great, but I must say Biznik.com for true business networking in your  local market, has shown to propel my tennis elbow from hand shaking.  

Myspace has been a great networking tool for me.  Of course Michael & I are in the younger generation, but I have received several leads since launching our real estate page.  I add people in my area that are like me and share the same interests, and when they are ready to buy the come to someone who they are comfortable with.  Personally I don't get the whole facebook thing, I could care less about it.

Shelley Kefauver - Century 21 Heritage York, PA

Hi Dean,

You need to spend more effort communicating about realestate on Facebook.  For example, when you update your status do you say things like, "Dean is showing a house", or "Dean is researching the housing market"

In your post to facebook to you put your listings?  Facebook is about networking, sharing interest and connecting.  For some that means, passing beers, dating, for others it, playing chess, and  and sharing photos.

For you it's about Real Estate, the house market, and some personal details.  You can still do the fun stuff, but make a real effort to talk about your business and listings.  Use Facebook to educate. 

Hey Dean,

I have a facebook and a myspace page; I've picked up a couple of leads through each, but nothing has panned out. I find its just another means of communication, albiet very informal. Its fun to chit chat and I've connected with some great KW agents on there, but it doesn't hold my interest like active rain has. Its just like you said, its great socializing, not conducting business.  

I also don't see a benefit in joing facebook, linkin or even myspace.  If I was younger and single, then I would be involved with facebook and myspace.  I just don't see what the benefit is for a business that doesn't cater to the early 20's age group.

Hi Dean - Each of the networking sites puts us in front of a different group of people. For example, I've 'met' several new contacts on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook that I've never seen on ActiveRain. The key is participating. Simply joining AR does nothing, but when we blog, read and comment we get value. Just like AR, these contacts may not always lead to listings or sales, but there is value in the conversations with them -- maybe we pick up a new business idea, a helpful link, a new tech tool, etc.

Young networking sites are complete waste of your time!  Any sales from a lead from Facebook or MySpace?  I highly doubt it!  It's for kids and all they do is BS and lie on these sites anyway.  Stop wasting your time there and focus on where your business ACTUALLY COMES FROM!  Most of these kids are years away from moving out of Mom and Dad's basement!

Dean,  I would say that you can get business from these social networks, but it depends on how you use them. I have been a bit neglectful of my MySpace site as of late (it's on the list),but I found it very effective in pushing traffic towards particular posts I wanted people to see. You need to invest the time in any social network in order for it to pay off.  Most people who benefit from A/R are Active in the rain.  Those who are not would find it to be a fruitless venue for business, much like you find your other social networks.

Sounds like you are active, but did you plan a business strategy.  If you use the social networks for business, you need to set a goal and then put a strategy in place for how you want to achieve it.  FaceBook and MySpace might not be your best vehicles, but you won't know without a goal and a plan in place.   

Well, being a boomer, I don't know if my advice is very good -- however, I am concentrating all my time with social networking here on Active Rain.  My brief exploration in to some of the other sites is that there a lot of young kids --I have gotten referrals and calls as a result of Active Rain, so for now, I don't have time to experiment elsewhere.  However, I am glad you asked the question and the comments are very helpful.

Great discussion you have spawned here! I think the social networking is very much like geographical farming.....you plant seeds now and the harvest comes later. I commend you for jumping in and trusting Coach Patti (who is a very smart lady and is co-creator of www.TheRealEstateGame.com )  I teach GRI technology classes and invariably, there is a Gen Y Realtor who is getting REGULAR leads from MySpace and Facebook. It works and differentiating yourself will bring business, HOWEVER, are the Facebook and the other communities you have joined where your perfect clients are??? That is part of using the strtaegy!

Dean, I am on "everything" have no idea what is working. Looking forward to Rich's articles in the new group! I do have to say though that I do agree 50 is the new 30!! ;)

I use it to keep in touch with all my old school friends are finally getting in the market for their first home. 

I try to be on every site I can. It is great for keeping in touch with friends and clients.

Hello Dean,

Does "social networking" PAY? Great question, and if so how do I tap into it as a Realtor?

Currently, there is a "shift" taking place in the Alberta Real Estate marketplace related to how local Realtors conduct their marketing.  In part, because my firm is encouraging this shift and in part because individual people are taking some initiative on their own, usually however, without a cohesive strategy or without clear objectives. It's one thing to say "you have to have a strategy", it's another point entirely to know precisely what tactics that strategy is supposed to consist of so that you drive desired results.  Most of the time it's trial and error which can be very time and resource consuming... 

We're educating Realtors, many who are novice Internet/social networkers as to how to get on "Facebook" and how to properly become involved in social networking (SN), with the right fundamentals going in. 

For the more savvy folks like yourself and the many people who have commented here for example, we are showing them how to "in specific Real Estate terms" leverage the systems, tools, strategies and tactics within each SN site to drive targeted "buyer" or "seller" results. 

This is a coordinated branding, marketing 2.0 style approach that we're demonstrating and sharing with leaders in your industry in our home province of Alberta so far.

Overall this is a great discussion and one that spans many industries and business types.  Coincidently my firm fusedlogic is about to hold a seminar on this very topic in Edmonton, Alberta on April 8th.  The seminar is directed at two groups Alberta Realtors and Alberta small business owners.  Now we could probably be convinced to hop a plane and talk with folks in the Chicago area IF there was enough interest. 

Dean, we propose one half day of study and work to understand and you'll then be equipped with and have your clearly laid out plan.  Which from that day forward, all that time you're currently spending networking socially online (that your wife seems is weird) will start to put "Benjamins" in your pockets by growing your client portfolio with "targeted" people rather than just a generic lead or two...

If you'd like you can take a look at my blog to watch some short videos on the subject.   

www.fusedlogic.blogspot.com

And please feel free to leave me with your opinion by commenting. 

Great question and discussion Dean, highly relevant to today's Realtor and small business owner.

Dean,  I love MySpace.  But I just use it to keep up.  I do not want my friends avoiding my comments becasue they think it might be a solicitation.  But all my friends know what I do and I remind they with Myspace.

Wow,  some really good information,  Dean let me know which one you think is better.

Craig C

Preforeclosure, loss mitigation consultant

I think all of it are trying to figure out what it all means and afraid of missing out on something or not keeping up.

 Here's my personal ranking of the sites that I use, not necessarily for making money but in overall value.

1) YouTube-great for music(worldwide), humor, technology.  I can find old Borg vs McEnroe clips, popular Japanese music, Cat Stevens videos, people showing you how to play Cat Stevens on guitar, it's awesome, where else would you find this stuff.

2)Linkedin-It's a professional networking website and great for finding people that you have lost touch with.

3)Activerain-This may eventually become #1 based on other peoples experiences.

4)Facebook-I tried to really keep up with it for a while, but I frankly find a lot of it pretty tedious.

5)Myspace-I have an account with a picture set up, but I spend almost no time on it.

I have used both facebook and LinkedIn and have found old friends and classmates from both highschool and college.  I have gotten one deal out of finding an old friend that didn't know I sold real estate.

daniel

I find that I simply can't do everything. I see the value in facebook and pages like it, but I also can't beat myself up for not getting on EVERY single one of them. I only have so many hours, and just like I did with the AR blog, I am sure I will gradually increase my presence in other places, all the while sticking to the basics of selling, which of course is getting in front of buyers and sellers by phone and face to face on a daily basis

Dean,  My Facebook page got me "found" by one of my high school classmates- fun to e-mail back and forth and re live the past.  I think it's great tool to feel good about yourself, especially since we all face rejection seemingly daily. I love AR, just wish I was more computer literate and had more time to devote to it.  I am pretty far past 50 myself! 

Dean, I have to say.....I'm with you. I LOVE ActiveRain but just haven't seen the value in the other sites. Maybe it's because I just don't have the time to spend on them like I do here. Plus I got smacked upside the head with a wet trout on Facebook and haven't fully recovered yet:)i

Dean

 I'm also in a college town and I'm on facebook.  Haven't done much with it professionally but in the long run I think it has potential.  I think it is more about making connections with people and having them see you as a resouce and person to rely on when it comes time for them to buy or sell a house.

Hello Dean,

I fill like you, allthough I register on as many sites as I can, the only one that is beneficial professionaly and as another human being is Active Rain, it did so much for me asa learning carve that you really can not mesure 

I can't really figure out LinkedIn.  I had an account for a few years and then disabled it recently because aside from linking to people, I didn't see the social connection.

Performing "social networking' with the intent of eventual 'gain' cannot succeed. More presence is required then the universe will take care if the rest

Hi Dean, I have Myspace and Facebook. I like Myspace, but mostly to keep in touch with friends, not really for business. Facebook, I really don't like it. Every time I go one there to check a message or something else, I am lead through this long, ridiculous process of downloading a widget and sending it to my friends and by the time I am done, I forgot what exactly I went on there for. So, as far as I am concerned, Activerain is the only network that I actually enjoy being on for real estate. Not only can you network, tell people what you know, but you can also learn a lot from it. I love the fact that you are talking to real estate professionals and networking with people who are actually interested in real estate. 

Hi Dean - My coach recently put a site for our group on Ning.com. I joined facebook and LinkedIn, but I am definitely active with AR.  It's probably because the information obtained on the posts are educating and also entertaining.  Conversing between the like minded are maybe the answer.

Dean - {Bob here} Linked-in and other networks are good Google juice. Keep on signing up and see the seo it will do for your business or websites. It's all good. 50 IS the new 30 Absolutely. Best of luck. I don't do Facebook though. Maybe one of these days...... lol

Your blog certainly generated a lot of comments.  I feel the same as you do - my time is valuable and the payout should be obvious, otherwise I need to spend my time on proven marketing techniques. 

We talked about this at the RETS today.  In fact, Bob Stewart sat on a panel discussing this.  I think one thing is that we can't keep up with every social networking site... pick a couple and work them.  And hard sells don't work. 

BTW, the average age on MySpace is around 35... Rumors are that Facebook might be a little older.   

Actually, and I may be wrong since I am a little older than you - the point of those blog type things is to be able to incorporate your "signature line" which should include your name and web site url. Having your url listed at these types of blogs actually allows Google to find them and that will increase your search engine ranking and put you higher on the list.

Does that sound clear to you? If not, email me and I will see if I can't re-explain it to you!

Keep enjoying those Margaritas!

Robin

http://www.RobinMichell.com 

I have had a myspcace for years, but it's more personal than work related so i just set up another one that is going to be more professional, I also just recently got a facebook, linkedin and twitter account. I too was wondering how beneficial all of this is and it is very time consuming

I have recently joined FaceBook, and am also on Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace. I have yet to actually obtain a client I didn't already know through any of these channels. I look at them as yet another way to keep your name in front of those you know and keep in touch, so when they do need an agent, you're the person they think of and call.

I have a Facebook acct and i mostly use it for friends, family etc. IMO you can stretch yourself too thin with all those different places. Now if someone asks what i do of course i say what it is. For me to have 1 or 2 is enough for me.

Dean, I don't get it all either...I have myself on Facebook, Myspace, Agentopolis, yada,yada,yada...At least I can get statistics from my own website   www.LebanonPaRealEstate.com  (nice place for a plug eh?)...The rest of them I have no idea what works and what doesn't....I just know that somewhere in the past someone told me the future was on the web and to sign up for anything because you never know who's looking where, so I have...I'm making a living and having a good time doing it...I just figure someone, somewhere will stumble upon my internet presence and give me a call or send me an email...Keep at it and remember, throw enough s--- against the wall and something will stick!

Hi Dean, Great honest post. I feel like you. A little curious as to the value beyond just socializing. Since I only have so much time in a day. I would much rather invest my time on AR if I am going to do any kind of blogging or networking. I think there is much more value here. Only my humble and baby boomer era opinion.

Hi Dean - I'm 39 (next month) and I don't get it either. Right now I'm in the FB is a waste of my time camp. But I live in a college town and also want to tap the millenial generation. This is how they roll! I love these responses. Thanks for starting this!

Hi Dean,

My daughter, Haley is a Realtor with my company.  She is also a full time student at Auburn University.  She is very active on Facebook and has gotten several leads from fellow students looking for housing.  She advertises her properties on facebook also. 

I think it's another great tool that's free for her to use to prospect for business.

I personally just like to use active rain because of the increase in web exposure, and top ranking on google.  I do not bother with the other sites, but maybe one day I will.

Hi Dean:

I can sympathize with you. I am also confused. With so many events happening; bail outs, subprime mortgages, short sales, foreclosures, financial institutions going down the drain. I thought 31 years of experience would give me a hedge. I thought I knew exactly what was happening but I have tons of doubts. Instead of joining I am cancelling. Last month I cancelled 4 sites I used to belong to. But big surprise, I was kind of relieved. The CEO of City Group does not know what the hell is happening either, so I am in good company. AR is a great learning tool. You got fabulous bloggers. The other sites are for very young people that like to chat and text.

Isaac Bensussen www.besthomesinlajolla.com

Hey folks..here's something really stupid...How come it says 'edit/ delete' after my name in my posts?...How do I get rid of it?

Dean - Once again, I just wanted to remind everyone who has commented here that starting next week, I will begin a series on "Social Network Reviews" where I will discuss in length the value proposition of the most popular social networks, and whether or not they offer any substantial benefit to our business. 

How come the people who believe in these sites say they get "Leads" from these sites, but they NEVER mention a sale?  Lots of people get back in touch with old high school friends though! Wasn't the question, are they good for your business?  What a waste of time and effort!

I have found more REALTORS are on Myspace and facebook then i see on AR (in my area atleast).

I have found friends on myspace, invitedthem here and they dont even join....huh???

i am speechless when this happens

A/R and our other blogs and websites are more than we can keep up with and handle. We are like you in not really knowing what the business value is of these facebook sites. Perhaps we will never know - honestly there are only so many hours in a day to do business, do these Internet things and have any sort of life at all.

Ernie - you don't get rid of it. It's there for you to use. If you say something you regret, you can go back in and delete your comment. Or, if you mispell something, you can go back in and change/edit the word.

Hey Dean  - I see you already have a Team blog, one thing you can do is "share" your posts on Facebook. Zap them to your profile, or to your free Facebook business (agency) page. Set up an Open House calendar. Ask your sphere of influence to become "Fans" of your page. Or subtley market yourself by joining groups that interest you anyway.

I'll admit I don't use Facebook too much, and don't have a lot friends on the site, but it is another platform to syndicate my existing content, and if someone "discovers" me through Facebook and wants to hire me, great! If not, minimal time investment.

Ok Dean,

I know just about as little now as I did when I first started reading.  Have to ask my partner and 24 year old son how much success he has.  He talks to his friends all over the place on FB.

List and Sell (keep asking the good questions too)   Gary @ RentonHomeFinder

I also joined Facebook on a recommendation from someone on AR.....a couple of my clients found me and made several positive comments and I just use an rss feed from my AR blog on both Facebook and MySpace but agree that AR is the place for me........

The social networking sites are a great way to expand your sphere of influence, reconnect with those you've known in the past and may have even forgotten about and spread a reminder that they know someone in the real estate business.  I recently got contacted via LinkedIn by a friend from high school who just happened to be moving from Tampa to Atlanta and needed an agent.  After that experience, I vowed to be more pro-active about expanding my network on these sites.  Also, from what I understand, every inbound link to your web site can potentially help your search engine rankings.  I hope that helps.

I am only beginning to participate on Active Rain and although many agents in the office have put themselves on myspace or facebook , they have gotten no sales. It seems these are more social sites and I don't know I would select my Realtor this way, but maybe I will become enlightened more in the future.   

I too have a my space and a face book account. The connection is with my daughter's friends (my daughter likes me) at  this point. I have not joined any groups there. I love AR and have got so much info out of this site.

Hello!

I wanted to share a resource with you

Chris Brogan blogs about social networking.  You might find his advice interesting. 

For example today his post is about realtors using video to sell homes:

http://www.chrisbrogan.com/social-media-starter-moves-for-real-estate/

 Just as a side note, I found my way here via Linked In.

Thanks for letting me share.

Lara Nieberding

The Data Digger 

I too, don't see the value in those social.  I've decided to focus my blogging efforts on AR only...after all, life is too short to devote it to your computer.    

I've been in sales for a number of years prior to becoming a Realtor.  As a Salesman I have found LinkedIn to be a great way to find new contacts, stay connected with friends and colleagues. I have also used LinkedIn as a way to connect with Realtors outside my area and service providers in my area.  However I am looking for ideas and suggestions on ways to turn a great LinkedIn network into new opportunities in the real estate business.  Right now I see it as a great tools to stay connected to my sphere of influence.

Dean, Like you I have a facebook and a Myspace.  I'm also on Twitter which is okay but kind of annoying.  I have never gotten anything meaningful from either facebook or myspace.  I love Active Rain and that is a site I go to everyday. 

There are just too many platforms out there to really keep up with it. Ihave created profiles but have still not gotten into a routine on using them. I spend a lot of time blogging and reading here. My kids think this laptop is connected to my waist!

I have a facebook account. I set up an account for business purposes but then family members found out about it.  My nieces and nephews think Uncle Bill is cool because he has a facebook account.

I have yet to get any business from it.  I will keep it up in case. The price is right. I don't participate in the vampire biting, or the comparisons or any of the other silly games they do on facebook.

I joined linkedin. I think there is more possibilities for business there than on facebook.