Social media similar to other marketing

It’s easy to engage in social media but it’s difficult to do it responsibly and effectively, according to Bill Lublin, noted real estate blogger and chief executive officer of Century 21 Advantage Gold in Philadelphia.

Lublin said social media gives REALTORS® an opportunity to engage with communities online. As they connect with people and build trust, people will come to them to buy and sell houses.

“REALTORS® make a big mistake posting their listings on their Facebook pages,” he said. “People on Facebook don’t care about your listings. It’s a real disconnect. Many REALTORS® don’t seem to know how to behave when they’re sitting in front of a computer. I try to remind people that if you wouldn’t brag about something to your mom or wouldn’t want to see it printed in The New York Times, you don’t want to post it on Facebook.”

Social media isn’t all that different from marketing that REALTORS® have been practicing for years, Lublin said.  People need to develop their presence online so they can be found by consumers.  “But you don’t want to be found for the wrong reasons,” he added.

As social networking continues to grow, it’s still about building trust with consumers. “Social media allows you to build trust and influence a larger group of people than ever before and it doesn’t cost you anything but your time. You just need to learn to use social media wisely and effectively,” Lublin concluded.

Bill Lublin of Century 21 Advantage Gold, Philadelphia, is known for his blogs MovePhilly.com and REReflections.com and his company BuzzBuilderz, designed to help businesses incorporate social media. In addition, he’s co-founder and CEO of the Social Media Marketing Institute. He will be teaching “Connecting with Online Consumers” and “Understanding Social Media” at Triple Play REALTORS® Convention on December 9.