One of the fears many real estate brokers (especially those of a certain age) still seem to have is a concern that social media is just a time suck. More often than not, these opinions come from agents that neither blog or do any social media. Sometimes, they are quite adamant that being online would be a waste their time. They're people to people types and didn't get into real estate to sit behind a computer all day.
"You showed up to a social media marketing class because why again?"
I think their point is obsolete today. It dates back to when the first big social platforms like Friendster (2002), MySpace (2003), LinkedIn (2003) and Facebook (2004) first appeared. Like confronting change and the new, I recall many conversations back then that included questions like, “Why would I ever want to go on Facebook?” And today in class I love asking for a show of hands, “How many of you are on Facebook?” I thought so... ;O)
As millennials (my kids) would say, “Why do you need to call it social media?” It just is.
The current worldwide total of internet users as of January 2015 is 3.649 billion and 62% of the total share of web pages viewed were on desktops and laptops. That’s down 13% over last year. Mobile phone views however are now at 31% of the world total and that’s up 39% over last year.
Okay, I know, who cares about worldwide. "What’s going on here in my neck of the woods, in the United States?" Well, our population as of 2014 is about 322.6 million and about 280 million (roughly 87%) use the internet and around 170 million of them are also online with a mobile device.
So here we go again. It's change and happening fast!
Future tripper I may be, yet I have to admit I'm most comfortable online with my laptop. I like a full sized keyboard and have a 2nd large monitor attached. Yet, I use my iPhone throughout each and every day. It's my office and my Swiss Army Knife.
The big shift I see with the social web is the way it’s now being used. More and more are involved in real time communication with their spheres and seeking opportunity by sifting through hashtags to join conversations about about people, shared interests, places, goods and services.
My work has me out and about most every day in the metro areas with coworkers and clients and now that I’m teaching a clock hour class #mobilecomcamp that takes place in the urban villages, I frequent a lot of businesses. Over this past year I’ve come to know many local business owners, managers, staff, and the people who shop, eat, and enjoy these locations, including those online who are talking about them and/or engaging these businesses.
The major gateway to meeting people in person has mostly happened through a combination of my Activerain blog, my Tumblr blog (you are who you say you are) and Twitter (a significant catalyst) and my reviews and check ins on Yelp.
Instagram, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and of course Facebook play a role, but so far in my mix of tools to a lesser degree. I can’t really quantify their impact on my results at this time. That might equate to the amount of time I dedicate to these sites.
I would also add that though I may not be killing the numbers yet, I've had several referrals this past year that have turned into business and especially since I’ve turned some of my attention to the mobile landscape the numbers continue to grow. The bigger picture reminds me that getting to know the business community is a good idea. This generates direct communication via the social platforms, email and phone calls related to real estate, title and escrow, and face to face in person meetings to get acquainted. This looks like opportunity to me.
Data figures quoted in this post were referenced from...
Statista.com Mobile Internet Users in the united States
PewResearchCenter.com Mobile Technology Fact Sheet
WeAreSocial.com Social & Mobile Worldwide in 2015
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