Fortune Magazine's 2009 Top 100 Best Companies to Work For Provides A Lesson In Blogging to Real Estate Companies- Part IV
In Part III of this blog post series I discussed how real estate companies and franchises can use Social Responsibility Blogging to discuss their social responsibility programs or regular charity events that they sponsor. I also discussed how the use of participation from real estate consumers by interview or by blog post submission can be a credible and original source of content for a blog.
Part IV is the last post in this blogging series and we will cover the rest of the companies from Fortune's Top 100 Best Companies to work for list who are using the shorter form of blogging-micro-blogging. These companies are using micro-blogging as an integral part of their social media marketing strategy and other business goals. These micro-blogging companies have some great take aways for the real estate industry.
Let's travel together and I will show you. Come on board the blogging train for one final destination- micro-blogging land.
Companies who are tweeting with a purpose and plan
The following is a list of companies from Fortune's Top 100 Best Companies to work for list who are using microblogging instead of blogging, their twitter handles, and their rank on the top 100 list:
- Wegman's Food Markets- @wegmans
- Genentech-@genentechnews
- Carmax-@carmaxinc
- Kpmg-@kpmg
- Deloitte-Deloitte's Globabl Feed-@deloitte, Deloitte IFRS-@deloitteifrs
- Ernst&Young- Ernst&Young Corporate- @ernst_and_young, Ernst and Young News- @eynews
- Stew Leonards- FoodStore-@stew_leonards; Wine- @Stew_wines
We are going to hit pause on this journey and stop at Salesforce.coms use of twitter:
Salesforce-salesforce news-@salesforcenews, @appexchangenews, @asksalesforce,@forcedotcom, @salesforcedocs, @salesforcejobs, @salesforceoffer, @successprogram, @salesforceapac
Salesforce has multiple accounts for each product line. Each of their accounts are shown on their main twitter account @salesforcenews which makes it easy for users to navigate and find who they would like to talk with and follow. Salesforce notes each of its SMM (Social Media Marketing) channels so that users know where they can have a conversation with salesforce online. Altogether Salesforce's network of twitter accounts is simple, well branded, and slick.
Think about all of the things Salesforce can do from multiple accounts. Each tweet from each different account can:
- Send followers to a webpage specific to that product/service.
- Update followers on product/service enhancements, upgrades, or changes.
- Request followers to subscribe to newsletters or download white papers=Increase opt-in subscriber list.
- Streamline processes for reputation management and feedback by having conversations with consumers about each product/service without the confusion (twitter noise) of other product lines and services in the social stream.
Popular Social Networks could use this method. How about the #1 Real Estate Social Network ActiveRain. It could have a twitterhandle for: Localism, Outside blogs, Business builders, each Professional channel, Each Consumer channel, Featured Posts, Posts By State, Corporate News, Wordless Wednesday Posts, Speechless Sunday Posts, the ability for Groups to Have a Twitter Handle, and all possibilities that the dreaming mind can achieve.
.....We are back on track to the companies who Tweet List
- Stanleyworks- @TheStanleyWorks
- Nordstrom-@nordstrom
- Lehigh Valley Health Network-@lvhn
- CH2M Hill-@CH2MHillOMI
Four Seasons Hotels-Corporate Account-@fourseasons, Careers Account-@fourseasonsjobs, and 25 other twitter accounts for Four Seasons Hotels by location which are listed on their own webpage on the Four Seasons Hotels Website.
This model is a no brainer. Real estate companies and franchises can have a corporate twitter handle, a recruiting twitter handle, and multiple twitter accounts for office locations which consumers could find easily from a button on its home page directing consumers to a page on its website with all the company or franchise's twitter handles.
Action Item For Real Estate Companies
We have reached our final destination. The action items for Part IV is to add some of the Twitter Handles from the companies in this post to your twitter account and put them in a group, perhaps top 100 research list could be the label, and then watch how each handles communicates with its market (B2B or B2C).
- How is each twitter account used to strengthen the company's brand identity, marketing campaigns, promotions, industry/company news, new product or services line, prospect for business, and monitor their reputation?
- How do these twitter accounts interact and have conversations with their markets in a transparent and useful way?
Pay close attention to the webpages these twitter users send their followers to because many of them are chock-full of content-YouTube branded channels with useful how to do's, Libraries on company webpages, online company media rooms that have whitepapers, company background, pressreleases and more.
If you engage in all the action items, listening and taking diligent notes, you will be able to determine what method fits your business model best. You will have an outline from which you can build a dynamic blogging foundation with a unique selling proposition. One that will gain you a loyal readership, help you retain clients, gain new clients and build and maintain your brand and its reputation.
You may depart. I hope you enjoyed the ride.
Do you need a blog marketing strategy? Whether you are just getting started blogging or have been blogging for awhile consider a blogging tune-up.
Do you need a blog marketing strategy? Whether you are just getting started blogging or have been blogging for awhile consider a blogging tune-up.
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