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By NikNik · December 13, 2010

 

If you’re looking for the article that tells you how to blast your listings out to everyone on the Web, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for the article that gives you a list of all the Facebook apps that auto-post listings to your business page or wall…this still isn’t it. But if you want to know how to share your listings in a socially engaging manner on Facebook or even Twitter…then you indeed came to just the right place!

Nearly every time I teach a Facebook class to real estate professionals there is usually one agent who asks (right from the beginning), “How do I post my listings to my wall or tab?” And my reply is most often not the answer, but a question, “If you’re a consumer do you start your search for a home inside Facebook?” (Usual reply: “uh no”) Yep…that’s what I thought. 

So then, why do we continue to see the Facebook Newsfeed and Walls of real estate professionals cluttered with sales pitches for their current listings? And don’t tell me it’s just the Facebook newbies? There are plenty of seasoned super tech-agents still posting “Beautiful 3 bedroom, 3 bath home in a quiet neighborhood, XYZ…call me today for more details or visit 123listing.com” on their personal profiles. Yes, on their Facebook profiles.

First, let’s remind our “salesfriends” of the basics. If you’re not already familiar with Facebook’s Terms of Service then you should know that it’s against their policy to use your Facebook Profile for commercial gain. If you want to post your listings, then do it from a Facebook Business Page. Which brings me to my next point. If you only post listings on your Facebook Page, do you REALLY think that’s going to be enough to keep folks interested or engaged (or “liking” your page)? Moreover, do you REALLY think the consumer is going to say to herself, “Today is the day, I’m ready to look for my dream home so of course I better start at Jenny Smith’s Pleasantville Real Estate page on Facebook!”

I know there’s a chance that someone in your network who’s looking to buy may be online at the moment you post that listing to your Facebook Page Wall, and may even see it in the Newsfeed. And it could be a match made in heaven (or Facebook)…it’s possible. But if that’s your strategy…go ahead, throw that dart and see where it lands.

Now let’s examine what happens when you only post listings on Twitter:

 

Yep, that sure gives me a reason to respond, follow you and converse.  When real twitter users encounter real estate listings like the example above, one word comes to mind…starts with an “s”…spammer! So you may as well sew a big “s” on your sweater because you’ll be permanently marked that way until you change your ways.

Enough is Enough

It’s time to raise the bar and use the tools the way they’re meant to be utilized.  So if you’re investing your time and effort in Facebook, Twitter and other online communication channels, remember to obey the “nature of the network”.  I’m not saying you can’t or shouldn’t post your listings altogether.  In fact, go for it. But don’t expect real “engagement” to take place unless you put in some real “effort” to make what you share actually “of interest”. So here are a few strategies you may want to try:

(1) Facebook – Listing Feature Post: Share your listing on your Facebook Page but instead of just regurgitating listing details (like 3 BED, 3 BATH, PRICED REDUCED), why not focus on what makes this home special. Highlight a feature of the home (unique yard, new kitchen, awesome view) or better yet the surrounding neighborhood or community. Give us a peek into the lifestyle…give us a reason to want to learn more, a reason to actually comment.

When you broadcast listing details the only engagement you’ll most likely yield are a couple of “likes”…and that’s usually someone who likes you, not your “NEW LISTING”. Those “likes” are not going to give you enough “FB Edge” to rank well in the Newsfeed…which means you’re counting on your targets visiting your Facebook Page on a regular basis to see if you’ve posted their dream home (that they may or may not be planning to buy right now).  So instead think about creating conversation around an interesting element of your listing with text, a photo, or video…and then link to a landing page where people can choose to get more details. Thank you Nashville & Beyond for this ROCKIN’ example:

 

And another stellar example from @FloridaSunSales of how to accomplish sharing a “listing feature”, but on Twitter:

 

(2) Facebook – Social Listing Post: Rather than posting listing features, post HOW you’re getting down to business on any given day. Working with clients, prepping for a showing, waiting at an inspection, or better yet….share the interesting work related occurrences that pop up in your day! Just think about answering “What are you up to?” as if a friend were asking. Thank you Mizzle for this ROCKIN’ example:

 

(3)  Facebook – Proactive Listing Post: You see a house on Broker’s Tour and immediately think of a certain client, or a client who’s always looking for that “perfect forever home”. Ever considered taking a photo and posting it to the wall or sending it via message to that client. Well, that’s exactly what Shannon King and Heather Elias do for their clients. Not only is this proactive strategy helpful to the potential buyer….but think about all the other people that will notice your initiative! Clearly these ladies have the expertise to match their clients with the home and lifestyle they are looking for! That’s talent…that’s a local market expert! Thank you LocoMusings for this ROCKIN’ example:

 

(4) Facebook  - Custom Tabs: If you focus your Facebook Business Page on your local market area and aim to deliver relevant info that local consumers care about…well, BRAVO! I’ve seen many agents migrate from personally branded pages to geographic or niche focused pages…which is great! But don’t forget to highlight who’s delivering this helpful content…YOU! So consider adding a custom tab that showcases your expertise and any tools you may want to offer. Your tab can also welcome locals to your page and provide important calls to action: like my page, sign up for my newsletter, search for homes (on your site), etc. This way you can still provide all the relevant local content that keeps targets coming back for more, but also have a place where your LIKERS know to go for YOUR real estate expertise.

MyTechOpinion

At the end of the day, you need a plan of action for gaining listing exposure online. Which most likely starts by (1) optimizing your MLS listing details, (2) creating a landing page to feature the listing on your own online hub (Website/blog), and (3) syndicating your listing to places where consumers actually go to look for real estate (Trulia, Zillow, Realtor.com). When it comes to Facebook, Twitter and the like….you need to remember why you are there (i.e. cultivate relationships). And don’t forget the nature of the SOCIAL network you’re using! 

Research can sometimes be a bit of a chore, but when knowledge is wrapped up in charts, cartoons, or even some heart-holding robots, suddenly “information” isn’t such a scary word.

What do Facebook’s 500 million users look like? Who’s suing whom in the mobile world? How does FarmVille stack up against actual farms? These questions and more are answered in the infographics below.

Have a look through the list and let us know which graphics you liked best (or learned the most from) in the comments below.

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• Time-Lapse Twitter Visualization Shows America’s Moods [VIDEO]
  A group of researchers from Northeastern and Harvard universities have gathered enough data from Twitter to give us all a snapshot of how U.S. residents feel throughout a typical day or week.
• Facebook’s 500 Million Members [INFOGRAPHIC]
  The illustration breaks down the demographics of Facebook’s burgeoning population (according to their own data on the service), and explores the international makeup of the site.
• The Social Media Impact of “Jersey Shore” [INFOGRAPHIC]
  With the premiere of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” come and gone, we can now analyze the impact of the show on our favorite social media sites.
• What Types of People Raise Money for Web Startups? [INFOGRAPHIC]
  Venture capital investment can be crucial for getting a company off the ground. But who are the entrepreneurs that receive funding for their startups?
• The Rise of Text Messaging [INFOGRAPHIC]
  Did you know that 14-17 year-old girls in the U.S. send an average of 100 texts each day? Check out this infographic for more interesting SMS stats and facts.
• Facebook Privacy: 6 Years of Controversy [INFOGRAPHIC]
  The release of Facebook Places raised serious privacy concerns for users of the social network. Check out this infographic that traces the history of Facebook’s privacy snafus.
• “FarmVille” vs. Real Farms [INFOGRAPHIC]
  Have you ever wondered how virtual farming and actual farming stack up? Do humans produce more virtual crops than real ones? We’ve harvested all the interesting data for you here.
• Social Good: Charity and Technology in the Online Universe [INFOGRAPHIC]
  How has social media giving changed over the last few years? How does it compare with traditional non-profit campaigns? Check out our infographic for some perspective.
• What People Think About America’s Most Pressing Matters [INFOGRAPHIC]
  An infographic created by creative agency JESS3 asks, “What are the nation’s most pressing issues?” and displays the answers from 1,671,267 citizens.
• Connected TV: The New Battle for Your Living Room [INFOGRAPHIC]
  Apple TV, the Boxee Box, and Roku are finally bringing web entertainment to the living room. How do these products stack up? Check out this detailed price and feature comparison chart.
• The Tangled Web of Lawsuits in Mobile [INFOGRAPHIC]
  Who’s suing whom in the mobile industry? It can be a tough question to answer, even if you’re closely following all the lawsuits that have been thrown around.

 

 

Survey Shows the Internet Would Have Passed Prop 19
Prop 19, California’s controversial bid to legalize marijuana, lost at the polls on Tuesday, but if that vote had been up to the wider web of Internetusers, Prop 19 would have passed.

Social Media’s Impact on the Midterm Elections [INFOGRAPHICS]
Social media, especially Facebook, had a huge impact on how the U.S. midterm elections were perceived and decided. Here’s a breakdown by the numbers.

The State of B2B Social Media Marketing [INFOGRAPHIC]
The vast majority (86%) of B2B businesses use social media for marketing. See how they’re using it, which tools they’re utilizing and what the future holds.

The Biggest Brands on Facebook [INFOGRAPHIC]
In the past few years, big brands have started taking social media seriously, and Facebook marketing is a big part of the plan for many companies.

What Is the Web Thankful For? [INFOGRAPHIC]
Thankfulfor.com has put together a (surprisingly long) report that details what things people say they are grateful for having in their lives.

How the World Is Using Cellphones [INFOGRAPHIC]
The infographic illustrates the number of cellphones per capita in various countries, the rate of cellphone adoption in the U.S. over the past decade and the acceptability of certain behaviors regarding cellphone use.

Who Will Win the Mashable Awards? [INFOGRAPHIC]
We’ve broken down a complete list of the finalists by category in one handy (and unicorn filled!) infographic. Make sure you get voting before it’s too late!

How Connected Devices and Consoles Compare [INFOGRAPHIC]
As 2010 draws to a close, we’re finally starting to see new and improved connected devices for bringing streaming content to the living room hit the market.

BY Kit Eat

 

Twitter, Google and Facebook are busily revealing their top ten trends for 2010. As well as being curios in themselves, the lists reveal, in stark words, exactly what users think the purpose of each of these services is.

Twitter's list is its "Top Trends," a product of its algorithm that detects what most people are talking about on its network. Its emphasis is on hot topics that quickly rise in popularity--a good measure of how interesting something is, and an excellent way to keep Justin Bieber off the top of the list. 

Facebook's "Memeology: Top Status Trends of the Year" is a more analytical affair than Twitter's. It boils down the year's billions of Facebook status trends down to a top ten list. The terms here grew fastest compared to words from 2009.

Google's Zeigeist highlights the most popular search phrases throughout 2010, in a multitude of different ways. The list we selected is the fastest-rising search trends. While the search trends don't match up exactly with the same sort of usage as people tweeting or updating their statuses on Facebook, it gives a good flavor of what the world is looking for online--and presumably then tweeting about.

The top ten lists are shown together above. Firstly they reveal that the world seems obsessed by a 16 year-old Canadian pop singer (though there's no trend for "bad haircut" that parallels Justin Bieber's presence on all three lists).

They also reveal that there's just one gadget that defines 2010 for most Netizens--Apple's iPad. This bodes well for Apple, which is likely to reveal its updated version in a few weeks.

Mentions of Google's Android smartphones, which are rapidly encroaching on the iPhone's territory, were prominent on Twitter--but not Google. 

Facebook was a place where new acronyms emerged: Hit Me Up (HMU) was its most popular trend, "digital shorthand for people to ask their friends to hang out."

Missing from all lists was "WikiLeaks," which is surprising, given the fact it has dominated the news for months.

But there are three big take-aways here: Twitter is used to talk about newsy items (highlighted in red), Google is most often used for entertainment-related info (blue highlights), and Facebook was a mix of both with some oddities thrown in. This is user-determined data, rather than the purposes that the sites themselves would like you to think of when you imagine their brand.