Week 8 - Visual Platforms Part 2

Week 8 – Visual Platforms Part 2

Discuss [on your blog]: Find examples of 2 or 3 businesses that are similar to yours. See what visual social media they are using and how they are using it.  Is it effective? Some businesses work best when they have visual support.

The businesses I found similar to my real estate agency are:

Chris Heller The Home Seller, http://www.hellerthehomeseller.com/

I heard about Chris from a radio advertisement promoting his agency’s guarantee in selling your home. If his agency doesn’t sell your home, he will buy it!  He uses Facebook, Google +, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Blog, and a Podcast. He doesn’t have the social media icons on his website, but he had a blog link that lead me to the other platforms. He uses photos that complement his posts. He doesn’t have too many virtual tours of properties on his platforms except on YouTube he had a couple and 40 videos offering tips, advice, education, and information on the real estate market, updates, and trends. On Pinterest several boards (17 boards, 130 pins) on home improvement, rooms in a home, mortgages, and real estate. He also has a radio show on KOGO and offers seminars with a free mobile app. There was an indication that he travels and sells internationally. He is ubiquitous -- taking full advantage of social media in portraying himself as an expert in real estate, very knowledgeable, and very capable in selling / buying homes.

The Lund Team, www.lundteam.com

 

 

This real estate team is well known, established, trustworthy, and a successful family-owned business in Carlsbad. They use several social media platforms that give them exposure to a very large audience of different demographics and psychographics. It should be effective especially with a lot of virtual tours of their listings on their numerous platforms. They utilize social media with a variety of content that is interesting, informative, and visual. You realize the enormous amount of time and effort they put into maintaining their platforms on a regular basis.

Their Facebook (884 likes, 11 visits since 2011) and Google + (24 followers, 55,433 views) have similar content from real estate updates, tips, open houses, virtual tours of properties, personal family, company and community activities, interactive maps, things to know, photos of different areas they cater to, interactive maps, announcements, local activities, except they mainly have team photos on Google + not many on properties. Their YouTube (28 subscribers) have several videos on market updates, virtual tours, and intro on their company. As for LinkedIn (9 followers), they have similar posts as Facebook and Google +, to include speaking engagements.  Twitter (90 followers, 89 tweets) contain a number of hashtags, brief posts with call to actions in the form of questions, open house announcements, tips, and few videos. Instagram (6 posts, 9 followers), seem they just added this platform since July 2014 with only 6 photos (no captions) of their team members. As for Pinterest, (19 Boards, 264 pins) is full of photos in different categories from location properties, staging a home, funnies, tips, real estate FAQs, Sell My Home, etc.

Does visual media work for the type of business you have started? 

Yes, visual media would work well for real estate. It provides viewers a glimpse of what the properties look like and they can imagine how they would live in it. Photos and virtual tours of the properties will give them a good idea of the properties features and if it meets their requirements. They can start to visualize how they would furnish it to make it their home.

Week 8 - Visual Platforms

Week 8 – Visual Platforms

Which top visual platforms would be strategic to my goal in increasing my client base?

Visuals grab attention and are expressions of who you or your company is. Whether it's a photograph or a video it speaks to emotions, helps tell a story, entertains, and educates. You can engage a person to enter your world and an excellent way to share and communicate with others. They become memories and a narrative of your business.

As a real estate agent for prime properties, I chose the following as my top four platforms that would help me build my client base:

Facebook, which garners the most active users and reaches the largest audience worldwide. With the right content you can convert followers into new customers. Facebook is highly popular and I must admit it can be habitual checking Facebook daily (I for one am a addict). The probability to gain new clients is assured because of its enormity. A well-produced, visually creative video of a prime property can convert a follower into a client.  It can touch one’s emotion where they visualize themselves living in that property. Beautiful photos will also tweak one’s curiosity of wanting to see more and drive an action to contact me. Also, to build my client base, I would place Facebook ads, add it to the news feed, and target a specific audience by age, zip code, etc.  

YouTube is my “go to” platform to learn with “how to” videos, watch episodes I missed on TV, discover something new, or view a video that was mentioned on the news or someone’s post. Many have discovered talent on YouTube, so why not find a real estate agent!  I would upload stunning virtual tours of real estate properties that will drive potential customers to contact me for more information or to schedule a showing. I would produce videos about “Tips on Buying Your Home,” “Why Buy in Carlsbad,” “How to Choose the Right Real Estate Agent,” etc. Of course, I would place my links of my website, Facebook, and Twitter in the credits, which will bring them full circle to who I am and what I can do for them as a top notch real estate agent.

Instagram, by far this is the platform my family and friends constantly posts a photo or video.  With one photo and a caption, in an instant, one shares a moment in a person’s life or sees a photo of a product that they must have. Using this platform, I would post photos/ collages of a property’s best features that will entice a viewer to obtain more information. It’s important that the photo must engage the viewer and drive an action to contact me. Again, add my links to bring them to my website, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

Pinterest, this is a highly visual platform where I can have several boards that will showcase properties with short descriptions in different areas of San Diego, tips on buying a property, interior design/staging, home improvements, and market trends, etc. I can also go to other Pinterest real estate sites and repin their images to my site. Will add links to my Facebook and Twitter accounts.

LinkedIn, here I will find professional members where I can assemble a network of realtors and new connections to help build my brand. I will establish my business and build trust with a potential client. They will discover that I am a credible, trustworthy, knowledgeable, educated, and successful real estate agent. They will read my references, client testimonials, and view my skills. I will upload photos/videos and information of prime properties to this select group of members. This is a platform of introducing myself to the demographics who can afford to purchase a property that I am selling or a seller who is selling their prime property.  It’s also a platform for leveraging relationships. I may meet other realtors who may want to partner with me. I would again add my other social media platform links.

Selecting the right platforms to promote your services/products is a significant part of your company’s strategy. You must consider what audiences you want to reach, the time it takes to keep up with each platform to ensure you are constantly communicating, and the effort it involves to respond in a timely manner.

All images were from Google.

Week 7 - Twitter

Week 7 – Twitter

Since my business is Real Estate I started with the key term “real estate” then added different words to include a diversity of businesses and individuals who would endorse my services, become customers, and places I would potentially meet customers. For more suggestions on who to follow, I clicked on their “Following” and “Followers.”

Search Terms

Real estate, Real estate in San Diego, Real estate experts, Real estate investors, Real estate developers, Real estate speakers, Real estate seminars

Following

https://twitter.com/OliverGraf360

Oliver Graf Real Estate Pro and Internet Marketer

https://twitter.com/halfrealty

Investor Ready Homes™, The Click N Stay™, Live Big Cincy™, Cincy Red Carpet™, Real Estate Investor, Real Estate agent, Entrepreneur, Product Development Company

https://twitter.com/VitesseHomes

They buy houses with cash, in any condition & location

https://twitter.com/sandiego_rt

Updates on regional Real Estate News and advance notice of new listings and open houses BEFORE they hit the MLS

https://twitter.com/sothebysrealty

Sotheby's International Realty Official Twitter. Artfully uniting extraordinary properties with extraordinary lives®

https://twitter.com/Taxhomes

‪#RealEstate‪ Investment Company Specializing in Contract Purchases & Distressed SFR's

https://twitter.com/search?q=real%20estate%20experts%2Bsan%20diego&src=typd

Lady Landlords of San Diego is a group of investors who meet monthly for creative exchange and camaraderie. 3 T's (Tenants, Toilets and Trash!)

Creating Lists

Maintaining lists on Twitter will help me catalog and organize my connections, which will make it easier and quicker for me to go directly to specific connections. I can create a variety lists to separate people who are current customers and potential customers as well as businesses that could promote my business, competitors, educational seminars, and so on. With lists, I can target my audience, observe what the competition is doing, be made aware of the trends, and become better informed on what customers want. Since I am just beginning to build my business, I generalized with the two lists below.

Real Estate – I would include successful real estate agents to learn what they are doing to be successful and real estate writers/educators who will keep me current, informed, and on what’s trending.

https://twitter.com/hellersells

https://twitter.com/MrCredit

Social Media – Learning more about social media and understanding how it impacts a business’ success.

https://twitter.com/MariSmith

https://twitter.com/SocialMedia411  

Twitter images were from Google images.

Week 6 Facebook Strategy Intro

Week 6  Facebook Strategy Intro

I scheduled three posts that provide important information to my target audience. 

• An interesting article about the market trends of real estate today, which will help them make an intelligent decision if it’s the right time to buy. 
• Tips on getting the right type of mortgage when they decide to apply for a mortgage. 
• Social events that they are prone to attend. 

My Facebook page should offer both real estate information and comings and goings associated with their lifestyle.

Scheduled Posts

Week 6 Likes - Strategic Connections

Week 6   Likes – Strategic Connections

I “liked” select publications that provide current and vital information for both real estate consumers and real estate agents. I chose an upscale magazine that my target demographics would read, as well as an upscale resort where wealthy guests stay, golf, get spa treatments and houses the infamous Chopra Center. These Facebook pages will lead my followers to continually return to my page as a resource for tips/advice/tools to make intelligent decisions on their real estate investment. They will find interesting articles to read and recommendations for places / events / activities they would enjoy. It’s targeted to the demographics and psychographics who can afford prime real estate. I could interact with my followers on articles, advice, events, and make valuable connections via posts that will result in gaining a new client.

https://www.facebook.com/ConsumerAdvocatesinAmericanRealEstate  373 likes

CAARE, is a nonprofit (501(c)(3) charity dedicated to providing consumer resources and advocacy for fair and equitable real estate practices in the United States.

https://www.facebook.com/FINEmagazines/info  8,065 likes

FINE magazine is your guide to the latest fashion, travel, and dining in San Diego. An inside look at the luxury lifestyle of professional and influential urban consumers in San Diego.

https://www.facebook.com/OmniLaCostaResort  23,181 likes

Omni La Costa Resort & Spa is a place where guests may escape the everyday to experience a life of play and leisure. A playground for celebrities, athletes, professionals, executives and their families with every amenity imaginable from golf, spa, meditation, fine dining, luxurious rooms, etc.

https://www.facebook.com/forbes/info   1,559,338 likes

Forbes is among the most trusted resources for senior business executives, providing them the real-time reporting, uncompromising commentary, concise analysis, relevant tools and community they need to succeed at work, profit from investing and have fun with the rewards of winning.

https://www.facebook.com/narresearchgroup/info  32,872 likes

The National Association of REALTORS® Research Facebook page is a place for NAR staff to interact with members, consumers, the media, and other key constituencies, and share information about real estate and the association.

https://www.facebook.com/Realtor.comPro/info  116,336 likes

Realtor helps REALTORS® with tools and tips to grow their businesses.

https://www.facebook.com/trulia?fref=pb&hc_location=profile_browser  126,921 likes

Trulia gives homebuyers, sellers, owners and renters the inside scoop on properties, places and real estate professionals. Thet have unique info on the areas people want to live that can’t be found anywhere else: users can learn about agents, neighborhoods, schools, crime and even ask the local community questions.

Week 5 The Difference Between Post Reach and Post Engagement

Week 5 The Difference Between Post Reach and Post Engagement

Since I don’t have 30 likes on my “fake” Facebook, I won’t be able to access the tool -- “Insights”. So I am on an internet quest to search for the definitions of post reach and post engagement.

After reading a few articles, in the simplest terms, I understand the main difference is that post reach is the number of people who simply view your posts in their news feed and post engagement is the number of people who either click on it, like it, comment on it or share it. It somewhat equates to a person window shopping versus purchasing a product.

It’s important to distinguish between both terms because one indicates how many people read that post and the other shows how many people are genuinely interested in the product/service. Comparatively, a post that entices a customer or a post that induces a customer to buy the product.

The “post reach” figures are the number of people that were touched by a post and may potentially become a customer. To make them a customer, start crafting posts that will lead them to interact, which will facilitate the growth of a customer base. A post should include vital information that will compel people to take action.

The “post engagement” people had a positive reaction to the post.  It captured their interest so take the opportunity to establish a relationship in a timely manner. Pay close attention to what they say and want, which will ultimately help build the brand. Acknowledge them by offering a discount or coupon to keep them coming back. Connect with them via your posts.

How can a business use these insights to better serve their customers?  Analyzing the data of both numbers, a business can deduct which posts worked, peaked a viewer’s interest, and generated a response. It empowers a business owner to focus on the success of their business. It prompts them to ask the questions: Are they reaching their target audience, are their posts interesting enough to generate a reaction, what impact do their posts have on their followers, and how can they better connect with them. How can they retain them as a long-standing customer? In addition, they should keep track of the data changes because the demographics and psychographics may evolve into implementing a different business strategy.

Note: On Facebook they indicate that post reach figures are for the first 28 days after a post was created and the people engaged figures are for the last seven days.