Do you have a Facebook page to promote your real estate business? I don't mean your own personal Facebook profile where you view your friends' photos and play Farmville. I mean an actual Facebook page (like Rockwell's Facebook page) to promote your real estate business. No? You should, and here's why.
A lot of agents use Facebook both for personal purposes and to promote listings or comment on the market. But it's probably best to keep those two worlds separate; your professional contacts don't really need to know your answer to the quiz, "Which reality TV show character would you be?" (Especially if that answer is "Snooki"!)
That's where Facebook pages come in. While logged in to your own Facebook account, you can create one or more Facebook pages to promote your real estate business. While the two are connected, fans of your professional page can't see your personal profile or photos. What they will be able to see is your listings, your knowledge, and your professionalism.
Facebook Create a PageTo get started, log in to your Facebook account. At the very bottom of the page, you'll see a link to "create a page." From there you'll see that you have the option to create one of several types of pages. Most agents will choose "local business or place."
Now choose a type of business from the dropdown list that best describes your page. Include your name, address, and other basic information.
Now it's up to you to customize the space. You can use a professional picture of yourself (save the one of your cat for your personal profile!) or something else appropriate. Once you're set up, go ahead and start posting: post your listings, market information, or even professional updates about your real estate activity ("showing three homes this afternoon"). Of course, you'll need to keep in mind any applicable state licensing laws regarding Internet advertising and disclosure. For example, in both California and Washington, you must disclose your licensee status.
Facebook Create a PageIt's easy to switch back and forth between your personal profile and your professional page. When you want to get to your business page, simply log in to your personal profile, then choose "Use Facebook as Page" from the "account" link.
Use the "account" menu again when you want to return to your personal page. That's it! You can even create a cool widget to connect your real estate Facebook page to your blog or website.
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and use a Facebook page to promote your real estate business properly!
If you need help in creating your own page, Facebook has a great tutorial. And remember, if you have real estate questions, you can always find the help you need on Rockwell's Facebook page.
