The Champ has been Dethroned. Pay Attention.

Something seismic occurred in the on-line space last week. The tremors reverberate still. It has nothing to do with Real Estate. It has everything to do with Real Estate.

Facebook became the most visited place on the Internet last week.

Joel Burslem of 1000 Watt posted about this very topic last week, and the San Jose Mercury News reported on it. According to Hitwise, Facebook edged out Google as the Internet’s most visited site by the slimmest of margins – 7.07% of all traffic to Facebook vs. 7.03% of all traffic to Google. But this is big. Real Big. People no longer go to the web just to search. They actually go to the web MORE to discuss things. To collaborate. To share experiences. On Facebook.

Let’s all sit up straight now and pay attention. Please.

90 some odd percent of consumers begin their Real Estate experience on-line. Buyers and Sellers alike. And now they aren’t going just to Google to gather information, or your Real Estate website. They are communicating on Facebook. Searching for information, sharing stories, getting the skinny on who to use and who not to use for their Real Estate experience. We have to be there. Real Estate. Brokers and Agents alike. We all have to be there, active and engaged in an intelligent conversation.

But wait. Hold on.

Before we rush like lemmings racing towards a treacherous Social Media precipice, let’s think. Effective use of Social Media, and Facebook specifically, is an art, not a Real Estate right. There are good ways to do it, and some not so good ways to do it. Your Facebook page should not consist of an explosion of listings, and sales pitches, and price reductions and post after post after post after post of the benefits of the tax credit and why you should buy now. Too many are.

Start a conversation. Craft a message. Carefully consider every post before you post it. Engage in a conversation, and stay away from the sales pitch. Reach out to your constituency and engage them. Solicit feedback. Create a community. Have your Facebook page be a Social Media extension of your Brand.

We have to do it. Companies, and specifically Google, see that Social Media is affecting the very fiber of our everyday lives (see Google’s Buzz offering). Let’s recognize this as an opportunity and engage Facebook and Social Media effectively. If you don’t yet have a strategy to do so, and do so effectively, get one, and do it RIGHT.

Remember, this is HUGE. Google has been dethroned. I never thought I would see it, the Internet’s 800 lb. Gorilla knocked from his lofty perch. If even for only a week, the shift from linear search to conversation is undeniable. Make sure that your voice gets heard.

-Amit

Become a Fan: www.facebook.com/AveryHess

Why You Shouldn’t Give Up Facebook

I’ve heard a slew of reasons. Some users say it’s too addictive, while others complain that Facebook is too overwhelming. Then there are some who are at odds with Faceboook’s privacy issues, and those who just forget they even have a profile. Whatever the excuse, Facebook is a tool that is too valuable to simply give up.

To put things into perspective, with over 400 million users, if Facebook was a nation it would be the third largest in the world. In fact, with more than 100 million active users, even Facebook Mobile is just smaller than the entire population of Mexico. With a user base of such size, how can you ignore such a large group that’s right at your fingertips?

Okay, okay–so maybe you’re not able to reach 400 million people, but you can certainly reach 400 people that you know. And that’s how Facebook can help your business grow–by putting you on the minds of the people in your network. You can update your status to remind friends and potential clients that you’re a working agent, post links with information relevant to your area, portray yourself as an authority in your profession–all the while keeping up with your contacts and expanding your personal sphere.

Facebook shouldn’t be overwhelming. Take advantage of its built-in features. Create friends lists to filter information and control the spread of your information. You may want to adjust your privacy settings, but try not to hide too much of yourself (You’re in sales, so be comfortable in your own skin because you want people to be able to find you). Finally, be sure to remain professional, but still include a personal touch. You’re not all business all the time in real life, so don’t be afraid to joke around online and have some fun with it.

Social networking wasn’t invented yesterday. We’ve all been networking our entire lives, but now our tools are evolving. In the same way you wouldn’t surrender your cell phone, you shouldn’t ignore your Facebook account. In fact, you should keep a firm grip on it and not let go.  It’ll never replace a hand shake or a phone call, but Facebook is an incredible tool that can let you easily and effectively communicate with people you know.

Post written by David Tra, Social Media Editor at Avery-Hess, Realtors.

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