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The Real Estate Application of Twitter

By
Education & Training with Author of My Blue Goose, Business Dev. Exec. of Xpressdocs
On many occasions Twitter has been called a glorified chat room. However, as more and more professionals log on to use it, it is proving itself to be a useful tool. Twitter is much like instant messaging in that you can type to a group of people who all instantly see your responses. What makes it different is that you can search through Twitter profiles and find like-minded people. The catch is that you only have 140 characters to use for each individual posting. Additionally Twitter uses the service Tiny url so if you want to post a link to a page, you can do so without over extending your character usage.

Here are just some of the ways in which Twitter
applies practically to your real estate business.
  • Micro-blogging--Sometimes we don’t always have 500 words or more to say something about a subject making a blog posting unnecessary. For example, here is what Hugh MacLeod recently said using Twitter:

    Hugh on Twitter
    What more needs to be said about the subject? Clearly the Twitters or 'Twits' know where he stands on the subject.
  • Personal Relationship Building--I know that Jeff Turner (CEO of Real Estate Shows) had a close call with the California fires recently. This strikes a personal chord with me. I know people around the same area and I was able to see through Jeff’s Twitter postings how the neighborhoods were fairing.
  • Professional Relationship Building--I have never known Linda Davis before my days of Twitter but it turns out she is only a stone’s throw away from me in Connecticut. I have received good information through her postings about the Active Rainsite and the Connecticut market in which I have a good number of clients.
  • Getting Tidbits About Conferences--This week I am going to be able to read the highlights from people in my community about this year’s Blogger's CONNECT conference in New York City. It was a conference that I was hoping to attend but my schedule would not allow it. With Twitter I can get information as though I were there in person.
  • Linking To New Research & Ideas--I can’t tell you how many times I have stumbled upon a new website or article that was interesting because someone happened to tell me that it was what they were looking at. These people share common interests such as marketing, reading and traveling so why wouldn’t I want to know what they are reading and discovering?
  • Twitter Solves A Common Web 2.0 Problem. Take Facebook or LinkedIn. I haven’t checked those two sites in months. There is little need to because the information doesn’t change. Once I know someone, I know them...that's it! My blog feeds into those sites but other than that, I don’t have a reason to visit them on a regular basis.

    When content changes every few seconds it spikes an interest. After all, we are social beings. Even though blogs are often updated every other day, they don’t let me know that my favorite author is having dinner at a place I went to when I was visiting Atlanta. These kinds of tidbits can create solid loyalty and interest. Now, imagine you were able to keep your clients updated with that information. Surely, loyalty would be built.


There are many social media sites that are time wasters and serve no purpose. Web 2.0 has given everyone and anyone a reason to make a social website service. Many of these sites over the next few years will simply disappear but rest assured, Twitter will not be one of them.

My Blue Goose Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon

Comments (52)

Joeann Fossland
Advantage Solutions Group - Tucson, AZ
Master Certified Coach to Motivated Agents
I am still a bit baffled by it..I even have Guy Kawasaki following me..But you have explained some uses wel...so, I'll be off to play!
Jan 08, 2008 01:59 PM
Mohamed Mekhimar - Accredited Buyers Rep , E-Pro - Richmond Virginia Real Estate
RE/MAX Commonwealth - Richmond, VA
Thank you for providing the right ways to use Twitter in the real estate business. I'm going to create my account!
Jan 08, 2008 03:20 PM
Bob & Carolin Benjamin
Benjamin Realty LLC - Gold Canyon, AZ
East Phoenix Arizona Homes
Have not decided that we have time to Twitter. Need to read up more on this and what it might do to help us. BTW went to check out your book.
Jan 08, 2008 05:01 PM
fdasfdsafa gegrerbv
Enterprise, AL
Thanks Matt. Just signed up and I'm trying it out.
Jan 08, 2008 05:06 PM
Anonymous
Anonymous
Ill check out the site thx
Jan 08, 2008 06:04 PM
#37
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

OK, time for a really dumb question - is this for cell phones or email on computers?  Told you it was dumb, but I really don't know that answer.

I have an account, with people following me according to messages I get, but I have no clue what I'm doing that they're following. 

Thanks for posting this - guess I should really check it out, now that I've read a little more on it!

Ann

Jan 08, 2008 10:50 PM
Felix Krynicky
Keller Williams Realty - Greensburg, PA
Thanks' I am going to work on it.
Jan 08, 2008 11:01 PM
Gary Bolen
McCall Realty - South Lake Tahoe, CA
CRS - Lake Tahoe Real Estate Information

Thanks Matt. We have not checked out twitter yet. Chris also peaked our interest not long ago. Am buried updating outside blog and marketing for '08. Keep telling myself I'll find the time to add more things into the mix, but always seem to feel am way behind.

trust you're well and the new year finds you in good spirit. 

Jan 09, 2008 12:18 AM
Matthew Gosselin
Author of My Blue Goose, Business Dev. Exec. of Xpressdocs - Orlando, FL

Ann-There is no such thing as a dumb question.  Go to Twitter.com, login and the only there is to do is answer there 1 question: What are you doing."  That's it.  Let the people who are following you know what you are reading, what sites you are looking at etc.  

Joeann, Sarah E., -It's all about surrounding yourself with the right kind of people that you can learn from and share information with.  If we were following around a bunch of teenagers then this site wouldn't serve much of a purpose.  You'll get hooked. 

Brian S., You are missing the bigger picture

Thank you all for reading.  Please don't hesitate to contact me if there are other subjects you would like me to research. 

Jan 09, 2008 12:25 AM
Lane Bailey
Century 21 Results Realty - Suwanee, GA
Realtor & Car Guy
I still need to figure out what my place is in relation to Twitter...  I tried once a few months ago, and it wasn't doing anything for me... not making me go all 'a Twitter, so to speak.  Maybe it needs more time that I tossed at it.
Jan 09, 2008 02:13 AM
Kathleen Lordbock
Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals
I have to go see what you are all Twittering about -am having trouble keeping up now - I hope I don't like it LOL.
Jan 09, 2008 03:10 AM
Diane Aurit
LKN Realty, LLC - Mooresville, NC
Lake Norman Real Estate

Okay, you have inspired my to go on to Twitter again and give it a try.  Thanks!

Jan 09, 2008 04:43 AM
Mesa, Arizona Real Estate Mesa Arizona Realtor
Homes Arizona Real Estate LLC - Mesa, AZ
AzLadyInRed

So, is there a way to connect our twitter to our blogs? I had already signed up and, since I'm usually sitting at my desk and posting on Active Rain, that's all I put in there.

Jan 09, 2008 05:36 AM
Robert Hammerstein -
Christie's International Real Estate - Hillsdale, NJ
Bergen County NJ Real Estate
I have been a twit for a while now and using it only a little so far. We have connected with a few people on A/R and think it is another great app. How many of these can we keep track of? Thanks for clarifying some objectives to twit on though. We needed that.
Jan 09, 2008 06:26 AM
Christy Powers
Keller Williams Coastal Area Partners - Pooler, GA
Pooler, Savannah Real Estate Agent

I checked it out. I think I am going to join.

Jan 09, 2008 12:34 PM
Ryan Hukill - Edmond
405home @ ERA Courtyard - Edmond, OK
Realtor, Team Lead
Matthew, I got to experience firsthand today the usefulness of twitter, as I followed some of the lucky folks in NY.  While it was a bit overwhelming getting a twit update every 30 seconds, I got some great info!  Now I just have to figure out how to manage this thing so I don't have to shut my phone off when I'm in a meeting with a client.
Jan 09, 2008 02:36 PM
Kenny & Brianna Franklin
Franklin & Franklin Realty LLC - Woodford, VA
ABR®, AHWD, e-PRO®, SFR, MRP

Matthew, you can add a Twitter widget to your AR blogs. I added one just for the heck of it.

http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/twidget

 

Jan 09, 2008 03:27 PM
Susie Blackmon
Ocala, FL
Ocala, Horses, Western Wear, Horse Farms, Marketing

Hi Matt, love your book... I'm on Twitter too and am getting into it.  Thanks for this post!


Mar 01, 2008 09:52 PM
Tina Merritt
Nest Realty - Blacksburg, VA
Virginia Real Estate

Great info!  Thank you!  Thank you!

twitter.com/tinainvirginia 

 

Mar 04, 2008 01:28 PM
Tracy Santrock
Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC
Raleigh - Cary Broker

Thanks for the tidbits. I'm giving a talk tomorrow on hot technologies and need to explain some of the benefits of social netoworking.  This will help

Aug 03, 2008 09:24 AM