Do you use social media as a real estate marketing tool? I've noticed several realtors using Facebook and Twitter but I'm kind of scared of looking aggressive by promoting on these things. How do you guys do it? Or should social medias be ignored altogether?
Does this method I found sound good? http://www.connectionsinrealestate.com/real-estate-marketing-via-social-media.html

Thanks for your comments and recommandations.

Hi! I have a lot of the same concerns as you. I have always had a preference for just having a personal website, or at least one tied in with the brokerage site. I work for an independent brokerage with a really nice site but I think you should have your own site as well, to set you apart. I've only gone so far on Facebook as to set up an account. Right away I started getting friend requests from people I hadn't seen in 25 years, and really had no desire to be in contact with. So I deleted my account. I've wanted to set up another one that I could post real estate stuff to, and just not have "friends" but I haven't bothered to figure out how to do it. I have alot of concerns about the social media, privacy, and where we go from here. What will it be in another 10-15 years?

Heck - I just signed up recently with LinkedIn and I'm not pleased at all how somehow, some way, somewhere my emails have been traced to those I've dealt with in the past and present. This is NOT good at all!

I definitely wouldn't recommend ignoring social media; it's too powerful a tool, and it's going to be around for a while. The goal should be finding a sweet spot between effective communication and getting spammy. You don't want to annoy people. As far as creating contacts, or "friends", that's something that takes a little time. If people from your past are annoying you, ignore them.

I use it mostly to socialize and only put a little bit of business in there. As a result I have a lot of friends who know I do real estate and refer me but hopefully very few have 'blocked' me due to annoying self promotion.

I don't do twitter really. I pretty much have profiles on all the sites, occasionally update linkedin, and spend most of my time interacting with folks on Facebook. Facebook has been responsible for at least a half million in sales for me (one directly, one due to the son of the seller client of mine...he posted the house on his wall, one of his friends sent it to his parents and they bought the house.)

plus i've made friends online with other realtors just on the edge of my market area and we refer peeps to one another when we don't want to go that far away from our central area

I am on Facebook frequently, I use it to keep "in front of" my circle of friends and acquaintances. I post interesting articles or funny photos, my own photos, and whenever I list or sell a house I post that. I have gotten results I am happy with, acquaintances that I rarely saw listed with me because I "liked" their status or commented on their photos. I don't do LinkedIn because I don't want my competitors to see who I am acquainted with (I also have my Facebook friends hidden for the same reason).

Social media such as Facebook and Twitter can be used effectively as a marketing tool for real estate. As more people begin to use social media utilization of it will become more important.

I am on facebook but I just have my friends on there.I do commercial real estate so mostly focus on investors and phone calls and meetings.

Not a rah,rah let's feel all warm and fuzzy and create happiness together kind of person.

I like investments because it is about the numbers.I don't worry about people seeing my connections.The more the better.Don't live life scared to take a step or you won't get father than the next person.

farther

Google plus is also good for this... Lots of people nowadays using g+ for their business purpose and it is very effective. I have also created account on facebook, twitter and g+....

Social media such as Facebook & Twitter can be great real estate marketing tools if utilized. I know real estate agents & brokers who put up 5 posts in a day or more advertising in this way.

Don't forget to link Pinterest and LinkedIn to all your accounts!

I think using social tools like Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus is not an option anymore for 2 reasons: you would be isolated without them and the search engines are starting to use them for rankings.

i think there is a difference between using the net with websites and blogs vs. social media.

linedin. seriously, what does anyone do with that tool.

do you really want clients to look at all of your photos? keep business business and personal...personal.

there are higher uses of time on the net instead of social media that produce better more targeted results.

anyone use a videoblog?