Real Estate Social Media

How to Expand your Sphere of Influence with Online Tools

Real Estate Social Media 101

Presented by Chrystie Corns (@ccmaine)

Chrystie CornsPresident & Chief Marketing Strategisthttp://www.thirteenthirty.com

Twitter: @ccmaineEmail: chrystiecorns@gmail.com

“Making things popular on the internet since 2001”

What is Social Media?

Social media is the utilization of online tools to help people share ideas, interesting content, thoughts, opinions, photos, videos, reviews, purchases, experiences, what they had for dinner, when they’re going to bed and their penchant for Starbucks Coffee…

“

”

No Really…

It’s about sharing information…Social Media allows you to share information very easily.

Social Marketing is Trust Marketing

• Can They Trust You?• Are you authentic?• Do you do what you say you’ll do?• What are others saying about you?

Social Media IS Word of Mouth Marketing

Why Should Real Estate Agents Use Social Media

• Home Buyers are using the internet more and more to look for properties…are they finding you?

• Accessibility• Personal branding• Gain trust• Legitimize their business• It is cost effective

Traditional v. New Marketing

Traditional Marketing New MarketingExpensive (Money) Relatively Cheap (Free in most

cases)Not easily Tracked MeasureableShort Lived Campaigns Relationships are builtCasting a Wide Net More focused on your target

marketMore lag time between conversions

Better Conversions

New Marketing

What do I DO with Social Media

• Create• Share• Comment• Link• Engage• Listen• Learn

Getting Started

Social Media Goals• Personal Branding• Increased Sales• Become an local authority in your Area• Networking Opportunities• Media Exposure

Research• Who Am I

– What do I want to be known for

– What do I have to offer my clients

– What is my personality• Who are They?

– Industry– Competitors– Clients

Who am I?

Personal Branding – Who are you?

• Familiar Face• Top Producer at your Brokerage• Specialist• Known as an expert in certain area• Recommendations

“Personality is not just about what you stand

for, but how you choose to

communicate it.” - Rohit Bhargava

Who are THEY?

Industry Research

• What is acceptable?• Is anyone in the industry online?• What has been tried?• Who has succeeded?

Competitive

What is my competition doing online?

What kind of Press are they attracting?

Are they perceived in a pleasant light?

Are they well received by public?

Customer• Who is my target market?• Where do they hang out online?• Do they read blogs?• How do they want to be interacted with?• Are they content producers or passive readers?

Online Profiles – Must Haves• Facebook• LinkedIn• Twitter• Google• Active Rain• Zillow• Trulia• Naymz

Why Facebook Is Important• 200 Million Active Users• Over 360k Users in MAINE• 100 Million Users log in EVERY DAY• The fastest growing demographic is Over 35 years old

• It’s Free• It’s where your past, current & potential clients are• Your competitors are using it.

News Feed

Only YOU Can see this

Profile Page

Your Friends see this

What Can You Do On your Profile Page?

• Update your Status– “Just sold another home in South Portland”– “Heading out to meet a first time home buyer, Exciting!”– “Open House at 353 Pine Street today 11-2. Come say

hi”

Fill out your Bio:• Things you can mention in your bio

– Job - I’m a real estate broker– Area you service - I service the

Greater Portland area– Specialties - I specialize in first

time home buying– Awards or Accreditations – 2008

Maine Realtor of the Year

Info Tab

Other Profile Page Activities• Add Photos (Candid & Professional)• Add videos (Interview style or

testimonials)• Add your blog feed using the RSS

Application• Facebook Ads• Several 3rd Party Applications to show

listings on your profile: elistit ,previsite, etc.

Facebook Fan Page

How to create a Facebook Fan Page

• www.facebook.com/pages• Create a page• Fill out info• Upload Photo• Tell your friends!

Facebook Events• Advertise Upcoming Open House,

First Time Buyers Class, etc.• Promote your website• Build a guest list• Share photos, videos, and

commentary about event• Events are displayed on a users

wall if they have confirmed they are attending

www.facebook.com/events.php

Facebook Groups

http://www.facebook.com/groups.php

How do I let people know about my Fanpage, Events or Groups?

• Invite your Facebook Friends to become fans• Update your status• Write a Blog post on your website• Create a welcome video• Tweet about it• Add the link to your email signature

What is Twitter?

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent messages.  People write short updates, often called "tweets"  of 140 characters or fewer. Twitter is a microblog.

Why Twitter is Important• 32 Million Unique Visitors a month• Fastest growing Social Network• You can do it anywhere!

• It’s Free• You can follow people locally & nationally• Allows you engage one-on-one with people

What is Twitter?Everyday millions of users create, discover and share ideas on

Twitter• Users also find great value in connecting with businesses of

all kinds on Twitter– Share their experiences – Provide Feedback– Discuss new product ideas– Ask customer service questions

http://business.twitter.com/twitter101

Twitter• Create a Profile• Follow People• Provide Value• Engage

Step 1 – Sign Up

NameUsernamePasswordEmail

Step 2 – Find Friends

Step 3 - Details

Step 4 – Find, Friend, & Follow

• Find Locals• Find other Real Estate Agents• Find other Industry Organizations• Click on Follow

Step 5 –Background

Select one of Twitter’s Backgrounds

Twitterbackgrounds.com

Twitrounds.com

Have designer create one to match your current branding/ marketing material

How do I find folks to follow?• Twellow.com• WeFollow.com• Twitter.grader.com• GeoFollow.com• Justtweetit.com• #followfriday

What do I Tweet About?

Anything(But please be yourself)

Okay..if you really want rules

• DO Provide value• DO Be witty, funny & humorous• DO Use your business voice• DO Show your knowledge & expertise

• DON’T Talk AT your followers, talk with them• DON’T Spam your followers• DON’T Talk badly about your competition

How do you find time to Tweet?

TweetdeckDigsby

Ping.fm

Mobile Twitter

Echofon for iPhone TwitterBerry for BlackBerryTwidroid for Android

What Can I do with LinkedIn?

• Create Profile• Find Contacts• Add Connections• Choose Websites• Recommendations• Group Discussions• Q&A• Applications• RSS

Your LinkedIn Profile• Name, Title, Industry• Current Position• Past Employment• Education• Summary• Specialities• Public Profile (custom URL)• Optimize for Search

LinkedIn – Add your Websites

• Company Website• Blog• RSS Feed• Portfolio• Personal Website

Recommendations

Group Discussions

YouTube• Create Profile• Design the Channel• Upload video• Marketing Videos• Playlists• Favorites• Subscriptions• Custom Video Players

Create your Videos• Virtual Tours• Customer Testimonials• Training Videos• Local Area/ Event Videos• Photo Montage set to music

Upload your Videos with Tube Mogul

ActiveRain.com

Blogging• What is a Blog• Why Real Estate Agents

Should Blog• How to Get Started• Marketing Your Blog• Blog Topics

What is a Blog• Website which allows posts to be written and displayed in

chronological order• A series of articles/ posts used to demonstrate expertise in

a subject, thoughts, or share videos/photos• Very customizable and widget friendly• Able to be subscribed to through RSS• Indexed quickly by search engines

Why Should Real Estate Agents Blog

• Personal Branding• Search Engine Optimization• Become an expert in your

local area• Network with other realtors/

local bloggers• Provide value to your past,

current & potential clients.

How to Get Started• Wordpress.org• Blogger.com• ActiveRain.com• TypePad.com• BEST OPTION: Host

wordpress blog on your own domain.

Marketing Your Blog• Cross promote on your other

social networks• Comment on other’s blogs

and use your blog as URL (do not spam)

• Encourage your clients to subscribe vis RSS

• Send out a newsletter announcing your new blog

• Put URL in all print materials

• Be Authentic• Be Transparent• Use your business voice• Engage• Learn• Have Fun

The Rules of Engagement

Where do you find the time?• Block out time for social networking• Use Ping.fm, TubeMogul, & Twitter

Clients• Do it while waiting in line (Grocery,

Bank)• Get someone to do it for you

Putting it all Together

My New Listing!

Step by Step – Teaser Status

• Update Status with Ping.fm– “I Just got a great new listing in Cape Elizabeth”

Step 2 – Video• Take extensive video of property• Edit Video• Add Music• Upload to Tube Mogul• Upload to Facebook• Once uploaded

– Tweet About it– Embed on Blog

Step 3 - Photos• Take extensive interior/ exterior shots• Crop/ brigthen/ edit• Upload to Flickr & Facebook• Take photos and create video montage• Upload that to TubeMogul

– Tweet about it– Add photos to Blog– Update Status

Step 4 – Blog Post• Write blog post about the property

– Features– Details– Price– Few Photos (link to entire set on Flickr)– Embed Video– Add Contact Info– Add Social networking URLS

Step 5 – Collect URLS• Add to Facebook via/ Share link• Add to Facebook Page/ Group

– Send Updates to Fans/ Group• Tweet about All of the URLS• Send out newsletter with information

Promotion• Cross promote your social networks• Put Social Networking URLS in all print materials• Add to Email Signature• Add special Social Networking section on your website• Send out a newsletter• Have a Twitter/ Facebook Contest• Blog About it• Use Social Bookmarking sites to bookmark it

Pulling it all together..• Goals – DONE• Research – DONE• Account Setup – DONE• Listen – DONE• Engage – DONE• Promotion - DONE

Thank you for Having Me

Twitter: @ccmaineEmail: chrystiecorns@gmail.comLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chrystiecorns

Or just……GOOGLE ME!