Real Estate Social Media Edition – Ranking the Big 4
August 27, 2010 | By Matt Rogers
This is a post in a series ranking the Big 4 social media sites — Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Foursquare — for B2B, retail, and real estate. Read the introduction for background.
Like traditional real estate marketing tactics, social media is a tool, not an end in itself. You’re not going to get a sale just because you’re doing it. Rather, your social media efforts need to reinforce your story and your brand. Facebook, as I’ll outline, is the big winner here, with the others on a much lower level of utility.
1. Facebook
A real estate agent client I work with recently set up a Facebook account where he posts his listings along with beauty shots of each property. His assistant does most of the page updating, and I’m not sure if he even knows what it’s doing for him. He’s too busy with referrals, working his relationships, and responding to the reputation juice he gets from having his name on sign riders throughout the community. But if he asked, this is what I would tell him:
People like to daydream and look at pretty pictures of nice homes, and Facebook does a very nice job of showcasing properties with well laid out galleries. If you’ve created a page and suggested it to your friends and other associates, you’re doing them a favor. You’re allowing them the chance to preview the houses and lifestyles they covet. From that standpoint, Facebook is about associating your brand with those bitter-sweet aspirations, and the opportunity to be front and center when it’s finally time for them to make a move. Or perhaps a link will get passed on to a friend or family member.
The event scheduling capability is top notch as well, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to have your contact info and website readily available on the Info tab. Getting more exposure for a property with a picture ad can’t hurt either, especially since you can narrow down the target audience by location, gender, age, and education level.
2. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a good means for displaying your resume, and you should feel free to do so in a manner that suits you. If you have connections, people will find their way to your profile. They’ll want to know what kind of realtor you are and LinkedIn can help you shape their thoughts.
3. Twitter
Let’s face it – Twitter is not a regional service and your core community of customers probably isn’t actively using it. Unless you’re a celebrity or you’re building your own real estate company, you’re unlikely to reach buyers and sellers through this channel.
Twitter can be a good way to network within the industry, distribute content, and connect with the media. If these are your goals, make sure to have a sound strategy before you commit yourself long term.
4. Foursquare
Similarly to B2B, Foursquare simply isn’t a good match for real estate unless you have a very specific location based promotional goal. You could imagine, for example, giving away a gift to anyone who checks into an open house, but this would be unlikely to translate into a sale.
You’ve probably guessed by now that if I had to pick one application for realtors, it would be Facebook. It’s easy to update and will get you the most out of your sweat equity, and is by far the best way to connect with your community. Don’t forget, though, that Facebook is part of building a relationship, not a substitute for it.
