(This article is part of a training series presented for real estate professionals, whether new to the industry or experienced, to help them discover, understand, and benefit from the tools that are available on-line.  For access to the full series, join the ActiveRain Technology Toolkit Training group.  If you have not yet joined the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, you may do so here.)

Social Networking

Seen by many as the backbone of "Web 2.0", social networking has changed the way internet users connect with, and routinely communicate with each other.  This includes that way consumers connect with service providers.

What are the potential uses of Social Networking platforms for Real Estate Professionals?

1. Internet Presence -- By maintaining profiles on various social networks, and actively using the tools available on each platform, you serve to increase your "presence" on the Internet.  Each network you use essentially creates another pathway that consumers can potentially follow to your doorstep.
2. Targeted Prospecting -- By searching the profiles of other members of the network, you can vastly improve the effectiveness of your prospecting.  For example, you could specifically target only members that identify themselves as Engaged, or those interested in investing in real estate.
3. Building Rapport with clients -- You can use the social aspect of these platforms to find out what interests and hobbies your clients share.  More importantly, you can share yours.  Simply stating what your favorite movie is on your profile for example, may not seem like much, but it it may just be the thing that has a prospective client contact you.
4. Keeping Informed -- Many platforms allow users to subscribe to topical discussion groups.  This can be a great way to keep informed on news in your industry, as well as consumer sentiment.  By being well-informed, and up-to the minute, you can share that knowledge with your clients, and you can improve your perceived value as an expert.
5. Attracting Referrals -- by actively participating in the on-line community, you also establish relationships with people that may become referral sources for you.  Contributing to on-line conversations, and posting relevant information, you create a firm foundation for future real-word business relationships to develop.
6. Directing Traffic -- beyond a simple Internet "presence," networking sites allow you to create pathways to direct people to your own website.  The more networking platforms you use, the more likely your chances of seeing increased traffic to your website.

What Online Networking platforms should I use, and what should I do on them?

Social networking sites exist for many niches. Most broad-based networks have a feature that lets users create customized communities or groups to share information with friends. Agents can use these sites to create a profile for themselves, so that users of the network can find them and communicate with them more easily. This is value in and of itself, but the deeper value lies in searching the profiles for signs of interest, and reaching out to them first (in a way that is within the site's guidelines, and applicable Do Not Call and anti-SPAM laws, of course.)

As with any advertising an agent does, there may be state laws regulating what must appear in your advertising. Be sure to include all necessary information in your profiles on these networking platforms, since they can certainly be seen as interaction with the public, and thereby as advertising.

ActiveRain Real Estate Network is a networking site for real estate professionals. Currently, there are over 100,000 members.  Active Rain provides a free blogging platform, the ability to send and receive referrals from other professionals, and the ability to answer anonymous questions posed by consumers.  Local content posted on their blogging platform is posted to localism.com, their consumer portal, making it very easy for local prospects to contact you when they are searching for local information.

Myspace is the granddaddy of social networks, with over 300 million profiles which you can search, finding your target market is fairly easy. Members can also post classifieds. (Listings, available rentals, etc.)

Facebook originally for college students and graduates only, it is now free to anyone. Facebook also has a Marketplace, where you can post your listings, and looking through the "housing wanted" ads, will garner a few potential buyer or rental leads. A new addition to the site allows you to advertise within the network.  Facebook is actually made up of many networks, each based around a company, region, or school. Their platform enables anyone, anywhere, to build complete networking applications that you can choose to use. Users can fine-tune their experience on Facebook by choosing applications that are useful and relevant to their needs. The site has more than 60 million active users.

LinkedIn is a business professional networking site. Of all the networking sites out there, I see this one as having the greatest ability to facilitate referrals from the people you do business with.  Great for hooking up with luxury home buyers and potential relocation clients. It has more than 17 million registered users spanning 150 industries and more than 400 economic regions.

Gather is an innovative networking platform with a business model that provides rewards and incentives for active users. Very easy to publish articles to thousands of users.

Fast Pitch is a site designed to link users needs with other users business offerings. There are both free and premium levels of membership. 

WannaNetwork is a site designed exclusively for real estate professionals to network. Listings can also be posted.  There are currently about 16,000 users.

A word about On-line Networking and Etiquette:

To be successful at on-line networking, you have to remember the following:

• Think of online networking as very similar to face-to face networking.  Be respectful and appropriate to the conversations.  Don't simply interrupt a conversation to tell someone about your great website (unless the original topic was great websites, of course)
• If you are using a social site, be sociable.  You don't want to gain a reputation for sending people unsolicited commercial messages, a.k.a Spam.  All the time you spend creating and maintaining your presence on the network could get flushed away if you get banned for spamming.  Let the people you interact approach you, instead of you soliciting them.  Be a ready resource, but don't be "that guy."  You know -- "That guy" who always tries to sell something with every breath...it isn't appreciated by consumers in the real world, and the same is true on-line.
• The most successful on-line networking efforts will be the ones that you integrate with face-to-face efforts.  Invite people you know to join the networks you are on, and invite people you "meet" on-line to meet with you in person, when appropriate.

Rich Schiffer is a Licensed Real Estate Agent, a REALTOR, a certified e-PRO, and a private consultant for real estate agents that need help catching up with today's technology.  Additional Technology ToolKit Training is also available in an Active Rain Group by that name.  Check it out.