Marketing Your Business: Social Media 101
I recently realized that there is still a large pocket of real estate professionals who have not jumped onto the social media bandwagon. (I know, shocking!) Most of this is due to what is considered the "time constraint." It's the old lament that you just don't have time for anything new. The problem with that logic is that social media is here to stay, so in this series, we'll discuss social media options available to you. Here is a brief summary of the top social media platforms for real estate professionals.
Active Rain
Surprisingly, Active Rain is not simply a blogging platform. It is actually one of the largest real estate social networking sites available. The power of Active Rain is that you not only have a very easy to use, WYSIWYG blogging platform, but you also get to network with other industry professionals. That's important if you want to develop relationships that will lead to referrals.
Facebook
Having an active presence on Facebook is your ultimate source for getting in front of your target audience. Every person over the age of 18 is a potential client, right? Most people purchase or rent homes at some point in their lives. Some of them need the advice of mortgage lenders. Some of them need the advice of real estate professionals. Some need the advice of stagers. The point is, Facebook is where you can not only show your expertise about your geographic area and industry expertise, but also show your human side. People do business with people they like. This is where you can get them to like you.
LinkedIn
Similar to Facebook, a large percentage of LinkedIn users are potential clients. Unlike with Facebook, the majority of LinkedIn users are professionals. That means they are much more in a position to make a real estate transaction. On LinkedIn, you can participate in groups (similar to those on Active Rain) and help with your name recognition there, also leading to referrals from other industry professionals.
Trulia
Buyers and sellers are hanging out on Trulia, whether you like it or not. That means, you should be there as well. Why? Because even though many of the users on Trulia are trying the "do-it-yourself" route, we can all agree that they need help - and eventually, many of them will realize that as well. When the time is right, and they are ready to get professional assistance on their transaction, you need to have a presence where they will find you. Trulia is one of those places.
Zillow
Many agents feel that Zillow steals listings and promotes them as their own, then forces agents to pay to promote themselves on their own listings. That may very well be the case, however the fact remains that there are thousands of buyers and sellers actively searching for homes on Zillow. What does that mean for you? As a real estate professional, you need to be where your clients are.
As I said, social media is here to stay. Don't let your marketing, and by extension your business get left behind by not being in the right place at the right time!
~Renae - Market 4 Real!
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