With the increase of users on social sites, many businesses have started focusing part of their marketing initiatives on social media. It has given businesses a new way to communicate with their customers who are using social networks every day. Many businesses have adapted quickly to these platforms while others are still slow to make the transition.

However, whether you like it or not, social media is here to stay as more people are jumping on board every day. I recently saw an interesting infographic, from Postling and Mashable, which depicted the Real Estate Industry’s adaptation to social media.

The following infographic proves that more real estate professionals are now using social media effectively, but that there is still room for growth in this arena. Keeping these statistics in mind can help you best utilize your social media efforts and remain competitive.

By Dyana Gutierrez

What’s important about this change? It will lead to better ad positioning and increased exposure.  Facebook ads will have longer face time with the user since the ads will follow them as they scroll down the page. It will also limit the amount of advertisements on each page giving your Facebook ad more prominence. This new functionality may mean that Facebook can charge more for these ads, but you can enjoy a higher click-through rate as a result.

As brokerages, this could have a positive influence on your online marketing efforts. Facebook ads already allow you to narrow your target audience by location, demographics, interests and more. Once these new changes occur, you’re able to reach these same users, but for a longer period of time. This increase in exposure will hopefully increase your online leads as well.

There are over 500 million users globally of which 50% login to Facebook on a daily basis. This combined with their ability to create highly targeted ads give you the opportunity to reach mass audiences. By shifting your marketing budget to include Facebook ads, you can increase exposure for your brand on a platform consumers are visiting regularly, helping make your brand the default destination for real estate in your region.

Further Reading on the upcoming Facebook Redesign:

• Facebook Is Quietly Testing First Major Redesign in Over a Year
• New Facebook design keeps ads and menus visible when scrolling
• Have You Heard About Facebook’s Redesign?

By Dyana Gutierrez

So, here’s the problem; often times, syndication sites like Trulia and Zillow are beating you on Google search results for your long tail terms (long tail terms typically refer to specific property addresses and on average account for 65% of traffic to your site). In addition, these Black Hat syndication sites are redirecting Google to their site instead of yours through no follow links. The result? These sites are telling Google they are the original source for your content and establishing themselves as the authority on that listing.

Don’t get us wrong, we’re not saying all syndication outlets are this way. In fact, there are several White Hat syndication outlets that help boost your SEO rankings, but we wanted to bring this issue to your attention in order to resolve the problem at hand.

Fixing the Black Hat syndication problem may not be as simple as just stopping syndication to these sites altogether. We’re caught in a catch 22 because our sellers and agents like the extra exposure they gain through these outlets. It will be difficult to explain to a seller why it’s better to not syndicate to these sites when your competition is listing to these sites and generating additional exposure.

Today, users begin their search for a property on search engines and social networking sites. After entering a specific address into their search field, syndication sites are appearing at the top of page one. It’s only a matter of time until buyers skip this step and go straight to Trulia or Zillow to find their next home. At this point, it will not just be sellers and agents demanding more exposure on these sites – it will become necessary to syndicate to these sites because that is where buyers are going to view your listings.

The solution really lies in education. Through educating our brokerages and agents, we can eliminate the unnecessary middle step of syndication outlets. After all, brokers and agents are the ones with the data and information – without us, syndication sites wouldn’t exist. By redistributing our budget to Google Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and Facebook Ads and by focusing on writing unique content on our blogs, Individual Property Websites (IPWs) and property details pages, we can eliminate the need for syndication outlets.

For example, Enterprise Network member, Turpin Real Estate, has implemented a content strategy for their listings and has seen impressive results. By writing unique content for each listing on their blog, property details page and IPW, they are taking over the top positions on Google for long tail searches. Below is an example of a Google search results page for a Turpin listing in Far Hills, NJ at the time of our conference. As you can see, the IPW, property details page and blog post for this property were dominating page one.

Writing unique content is a great way to get higher short term rankings because the content is new and fresh to Google. However, we need to remember that our efforts to gain top page rankings on Google doesn’t stop once the blog has been posted. To keep your position long term for that property, you need to continue writing content with links back to that listing in order to keep the content fresh. Comment marketing is another important key in maintaining your position. An increase in comment marketing helps increase your site’s relevancy to Google. (Check back with us next week as we discuss this in more detail.)

While the best scenario would be to stop syndicating to these sites altogether, we know it may not be a reality for all of you. So, in an effort to decrease the negative effects of syndication, Active Website has created guidelines and best practices for your listings if you choose to continue syndicating to these sites. First and foremost, we need to limit the amount of content we give the syndication outlets. By giving them a small teaser of the property, you’ll drive customers back to your site and increase the likeliness that Google will still recognize you as the authoritative source. In addition, Active will provide consulting, web class training and on-site training to Enterprise Network members if desired.

Black Hat syndication sites are slowly amassing loyal visitors, so it’s up to you to ensure you remain the real estate authority. By bringing awareness to this issue, we plan to work with all members in the future to make sure your brand is the default destination for real estate in your region.

Related Posts:

Active Website Hosts Active Enterprise Network Annual Conference

By Amanda Stephan

Below is an introductory video that discusses the topics we will be covering over the next 5 weeks. The videos that follow this presentation will expand on search objectives and will go into detail on how to drive more traffic to your site.

To kick the series off, today we are presented a video tutorial that stresses the importance of content.  We talk about this a lot, but content is necessary for an effective SEO plan. As you’re watching this presentation, we really want you to pay attention to the ways the mentioned sites are developing unique content. After you watch this, it is our hope you’ll take a closer look at how you’re promoting not only your broker websites, but your properties as well.

This video will cover the following topics as they relate to content:

• Define Your Area of Expertise
• Crafting Your Message
• Developing a Voice
• Developing Value Through Unique Content
• Make Your Content Shareable

Websites mentioned in this presentation:

Chicago Relocation Blog

Reno Realty Blog

LandVest

Telling a Good Story on Zero Energy

Bill Tancer, General Manager at Hitwise, blog

By John Sable

blog.activewebsite.com

There is no denying the popularity of these key social platforms, but where will social media take us next? With the end of the year coming to a close, the buzz about 2010 social media trends has begun. With hundreds of sites casting their predictions as to what will be the next must-have in the social media world, we’ve decided to highlight a few we think will benefit the Enterprise Network. If you haven’t already signed up for these sites, we suggest you add it to your 2010 to-do list.

1. Delicious is a social bookmarking service that allows users to manage webpages, blogs, etc. from one source. This enables you to access your bookmarks from any computer, anywhere. In addition, it serves as a great sharing tool among you and your friends and colleagues by letting you share bookmarked items with each other. By utilizing the site’s quick search feature, you’re also able to view popular tags and other sites that may be of interest to you.
2. Apture is an extremely useful plugin for bloggers using WordPress. It brings visual appeal to your site by allowing you to add multimedia to your postings and gives users a reason to stay. With this plugin, you’re able to upload files from 50+ sources including Wikipedia, YouTube, Google Maps, Power Point presentations, and Excel spreadsheets. This is an easy way to add “sticky” content to your site.
3. StumbleUpon is a great resource tool for you as well. By signing up for an account, the site matches websites that may be of interest to you based on your chosen topic areas. When like-minded people find a site useful, they click the Stumble! button which automatically updates it to the site. Offering nearly 500 topics, you have your own personalized browsing tool that delivers relevant content derived from what other users have deemed important.
4. Digg is another site to subscribe to for information pertaining to content. Everything on their site is submitted by users, with the popularity of postings rated by peer evaluations. If a subscriber sees content they like, they “digg” the page, thus increasing the submission’s popularity. This is also a gold mine for submitting stories, blogs, and news yourself that will help drive traffic to your site. Thousands of information tidbits are contributed to Digg in categories ranging from entertainment to technology.

Keep in mind the most important aspect surrounding these sites is communication. It is estimated that 78% of people trust peer recommendations, so by participating in these sites, you’re able to establish a dialogue among consumers. Not only that, but all of these sites are great ways to establish a better SEO standing. By getting your company onto these sites, you’re increasing visibility. Let other users decide if your story or blog is useful. If they like it, the numbers will follow.

So as 2010 fast approaches, keep in mind the many ways your company can leverage social media sites to your advantage.

In the real estate industry, there is this notion that we don’t need to adapt to these trends because of the current demographics of homebuyers. Well, we’re here to say that’s not true anymore. Besides the fact that even my grandma has a Facebook account, keep in mind that by 2010, the number of Gen Y-ers will outnumber Baby Boomers. This new age customer is highly tech savvy, so we shouldn’t be afraid to experiment. By taking advantage of these free sites, you’re able to stay in front of the customer and help build your business- with no cost to you except your time and effort.

Earlier this year The Nielsen Company reported that time spent on Facebook increased 700% in the span of a year. Statistics also show that if Facebook alone were its own country, it’d be the 8^th most populated country in the world. Imagine what that would be if we were to combine statistics from all outlets! To see a more comprehensive breakdown of social networking statistics, check out this article Nielsen posted online.

Still not convinced that social networking is an important aspect of a company’s success? Below is a video on YouTube created by Socialnomics that reiterates the importance of social media and ROI.

There are many opportunities that await us if we open ourselves up to social networking, so we’ve come up with a few simple ways your company can use 4 of the most popular social networking sites.

1. Post Twitter updates! The retweets, video tagging and other features are new ways to market your company. By including keyword terms, people who use Twitter search are more likely to find you as well.
2. Create a Facebook profile for your company. Include information about your company and update your account with new property listings, events you’re hosting, press releases and more. You can also syndicate your blog to Facebook which is yet another way to bring traffic to your website!
3. A great social networking site for professionals is LinkedIn. Your network consists of your connections, your connections’ connections, and the people they know- which helps you connect to others in the same line of business as well as potential clients. Not to mention, if others make recommendations on your business, you’re appeal to customers will increase.
4. Posting engaging videos to YouTube is very useful to real estate professionals. Create a channel and customize it to feature properties currently for sale.

Think of social marketing as a way to setup your own content distribution plan. Using social platforms helps increase the circulation of quality content you’re producing and is a great way to increase readership and link bait. When you build the bridge to these sites and develop a following, you establish a distribution network that circulates your content to thousands of potential clients. Thus increases your chances that someone will comment or link to your site.

As I think about the importance of relevant content, it makes me think of the house I grew up in as a kid. The family dinners, Christmas morning, and all the other memories over the years give me a sense of home. Yet when I go online to read about a potential home purchase, I get a dry description that doesn’t give me any emotional connection. Here is one example of a million dollar home for sale in Denver with a description that doesn’t even begin to tell a story.

“ABSOLUTELY AMAZING HOME. EVERY AMENITY YOU COULD EVER HOPE FOR. MASTER BDRM IS A DREAM. 500K DOLLAR ADDITION TO THE HOUSE WITH POOL ENCLOSED RV STORAGE ON THE PROPERTY. UNBELIEVABLE MOUNTAIN VIEW FROM THE UPPER LEVEL PATIO DECK. A MUST SEE!”

What about the neighborhood? What makes having this indoor pool so amazing?  There are so many different directions this company could have gone to tell a compelling story, but it requires more than just a couple vague sentences.

This reminds me of one of my favorite movies, Rounders, when Teddy so elegantly describes what it’s like to play poker with Mike McDermott. “Just like a young man, coming in for a quickie. I feel so unsatisfied…”  This is how I feel after reading some of the dry property descriptions.

After thinking about this for some time, I found a link for a blog that did an incredible job telling a story about a home and the story behind a zero energy home.  Check out the blog article here.

Notice when you read this post that there are over 33 comments at the time I posted this blog.  That’s over thirty people engaging in a discussion over this property listing. I am sure any seller would love to see this kind of activity. As I dug further, it wasn’t just one post but a series of posts that left me with a feeling that, as marketers, we need to work with our agents and sellers to capture more of the essence of the homes we represent.

I think it’s time that, as an industry, we think more about the conversation we can build around the property. With a good story we can engage our potential customers and get them talking which is so important in online marketing.
So let’s all get creative and think how we can create good content that people are much more likely to read, link to, and share with friends and family. If we do this, we can create a true viral effect which is where the real search engine magic is found.

Here are a couple blog links I follow. Each of these blog’s focus is different, but you’ll notice the content is alive and engaging.

www.apartmenttherapy.com
www.littlediggs.com

Driven by his environmental background, Rob made the decision a couple years ago to become eco-broker certified. This program was established to provide environmental education to real estate professionals so they are better equipped to inform their communities of the advantages of energy efficiency and environmentally sensitive design. This is the first green real estate training program and will help agents spread the word on how to reduce your carbon footprint. Completing this program required Rob to take a 60 hour course, but the results were worth it- he found a new way to market himself to potential clients. To find out how you can become eco-broker certified visit www.ecobroker.com.

Read the Q and A session below to find out more about this inspiring realtor and what he’s doing to increase awareness to consumers.

Name: Rob Ewing
Title: Eco-broker
Company: Charles Reinhart Company Realtors
Website: www.robertewing.com

Why did you want to become eco-broker certified?
I originally came from working in the outdoor industry and have an environmental background. I wanted to follow both a philosophical bent/belief by promoting it and further my background in how construction get’s done. In this case, “Green.”

What impact does this have on your clients?
I am able to help educate them in the advantages of energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality in their home and ultimately to save them money (and maybe make the earth a better place to live in is always a perk).  I might add that it dovetails well with the extensive knowledge that I have in home construction.

How are you using this certification to market yourself to potential clients?
I use the eco-broker logo in my ads and offer my buyers an energy audit after closing at no charge to them. This is a $425 value that comes out of my pocket, but if I can help bring awareness to the importance of living a sustainable lifestyle, then the benefits outweigh the cost. And while it’s still early in the process for me to know just how it’s changing my client base, those who are aware of what I’m doing are usually very appreciative.

What are some misconceptions customers have about buying an eco- friendly home?
Cost is still an issue for a lot of people, although most homes that my customers purchase do not require a lot of money to make them more efficient.  New homes & full remodels are a different subject. For the moment, that business is subdued to a great extent although I am working with people in the industry to jump start it. The more demand there is for these products, the more the prices will decrease over time.

How can agents address these concerns?
First, get educated. That’s where eco-broker type programs come in. Also, get to know others in your community who are focused on this same goal. Whether it be construction companies or home re-modelers in the area, you can work together to continue to learn and educate others.

Why do you feel it’s important for customers to become more aware of sustainability efforts?
Money is number one.  It’s the difference between driving a car that gets 50 mpg and a Hummer that gets 8 mpg. The fact that we are now leaving more resources for future generations by building & improving existing homes in terms of maximizing energy efficiency & sustainability makes good sense to me.

Can you give us some examples of how to make your home more energy efficient?
Start with the basics, caulk, insulation etc.  But most important is a home energy audit which should yield a report prioritizing where you are losing the most & what it is costing you on an annual basis.  It creates a road map for home owners of the quickest way to greater energy efficiency.

How are consumers saving money by turning to these green initiatives?
Here is a great example. A builder that I represent built a 1950 square ft. ranch to LEED Platinum standards and the Energy Star report showed a heating & cooling estimate of $142 per year. When a person can easily have a bill that costs this much a month, this is a substantial saving and shows the benefits of green living.

By becoming eco-broker certified, you’re setting a great example of how the real estate industry can meet the demands of this new age consumer. What future plans do you have to continue the growth of this market?
I am moderating a panel of local experts specializing in wind/solar, insulation, energy rating, green building techniques, & more at a local high school physics program which will reach 400 students.  Part of their homework assignment will require interaction with their parents and is yet another way I make a difference in educating my local community.

Rob is setting a great example of how the Real Estate Industry can make a difference in their community. To visit Rob’s website, go to www.robertewing.com.

More than ever before, customers are actively seeking companies that implement these green initiatives. Sustainability is a cultural transformation and is the next big thing to drive business. Below is a chart Jim presented that shows the progression of innovation over the past 3 centuries.

By becoming a more environmentally conscious business, you become more desirable to the LOHAS consumer. LOHAS stands for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability and focuses on health, the environment, social justice, personal development and sustainable living.

The LOHAS consumer makes up 30% of the population and accounts for $230 billion in annual purchases. They are interested in green building supplies, socially responsible investing, alternative healthcare, organic clothing and food, and energy efficient products – just to name a few. The environment is at the core of a LOHAS consumer’s belief system and their purchase decisions are made with these criteria in mind. More importantly for us, they want to work with companies who share the same values.

This eco-friendly customer is here to stay and it’s time we start meeting their demands. LOHAS leaders are always looking for new and innovative products and techniques to improve their global viewpoint. There are a lot of things you can do to market yourself to a LOHAS consumer, but here are 5 easy steps towards becoming a more eco-friendly company (and can help you cut costs too!):

1. Change Your Light Bulbs: This is one of the easiest and quickest ways you can save energy. By installing compact florescent bulbs (CFL) you can cut down on electricity use by 75%.
2. Unplug Your Electronics: Computers, TVs, and other everyday electronics still use energy even when they are powered off. Unplug these devices from the wall at the end of the day and reduce energy by 25%.
3. Go Paperless: While it’s probably not realistic to never use paper again, there are ways you can cut back. Use email and electronic documents whenever possible to cut down on paper use and when you do have to print, make sure to print on both sides of the paper. Decreasing the amount of paper used is a great way to save money in your budget.
4. Recycle, Reduce, Reuse: Promote the use of recycled paper because it takes 64% less energy to produce. Another way to reduce your carbon footprint is to refill your ink cartridges and find alternative uses for old equipment. By donating old computers to your local schools or nonprofit, you become a more active member in the community and save yourself a trip to the landfill.
5. Walk the Talk: In other words, practice what you preach. Make an effort to train your staff about the importance of sustainability. Remember, it’s about aligning these values with the both the company and the brand.

To find out more about LOHAS check out www.lohas.com.

You must be consistent.

Starting 10 different social networking profiles and only using 2 of them will not help you. We often here that there is not enough time to keep up with all the different tools. So, the key to success with social networking is choosing an amount of tools that you are comfortable using consistently.

Consistently means each day, each week, each month or yearly creating new content and activity. This consistent participation feeds the search engines, helping your brokerage become more visible online.

Below is a graphic that we created for our Enterprise Network Conference last year that is a great depiction of the power of social networking as well as various venues for social networking for each level of presence.  Lets break down the different venues for social networking by how often participation is needed.

Daily- Twitter, facebook, LinkedIn etc.: participation on these sites is powerful and is one of the best ways to get in front of your customers. These are very popular venues and are also the ones that take the most time. One way to increase your presence on these sights is not only to have a brokerage profile, but also to have each realtor create a profile and link to the brokerage.

Weekly- Your Blog: a couple of posts per week will do the trick, but the more the better. The key is to make the content relevant so that you will encourage readers to come back and see what else your writing about. This constant creation of new content is also a great seo strategy as search engines want to see new content on websites.

Monthly- Local, Regional, National & International: linkbacks to organizations with powerful web presence is a great seo tool.  Each month think about which organizations you have strong relationships with and just ask! Don’t forget that synidcation to National and International sites is also an easy way to participate and won’t take much tought if it is automated; think about sites like realtor.com and enormo.com.

Yearly- Your website: review your company, community and overall website content at least yearly. Make appropriate updates and remember to focus on creating keyword rich content. This will help to improve your websites seo and keep your visitors happy.

Remember that there are multiple purposes for participating in social networking. On the most basic level, social networking is about connecting with colleagues & customers, friends & family. The more advanced purpose is to create a digital footprint to become more visible online.