December 03 2017
Considering there are more than 2 billion monthly active Facebook users, if you don't have a presence on Facebook, you've likely been nervous about trying it out, feel you don't have the time, feel you don't understand it, or are happy just looking over someone's shoulder. (Or, maybe you choose to live a life void of social media... and that's okay, too!)
But there's a big difference between sharing pictures of your dog on your personal PROFILE and becoming the go-to real estate agent in your market via a professional business PAGE.
Wait a minute.
There's a difference between a personal PROFILE and professional business PAGE?
You betcha!
When you first joined Facebook, you set up a personal PROFILE and added your friends and family to your network. Traditionally, this is where you share your daily life, things that inspire you, pictures of your dog or grandkids, etc.
A professional business PAGE, on the other hand, is designed to specifically showcase your business. A business PAGE must be associated with a personal PROFILE — think of this as a "sponsorship" (and see our PRO TIP below). But, there are a lot of other features that a business PAGE offers that a personal PROFILE does not.
A business PAGE allows you to:
PRO TIP: You can't have a business PAGE without a personal PROFILE. So, if you're not yet on Facebook, here's a quick and easy step-by-step that will help you set up a personal profile.
Well, the quick answer is BOTH. Not only because you need one to have the other, but because using them in tandem can help you reach a larger audience.
For example: If you share a great neighborhood market update on your business PAGE, you can share that post to your personal PROFILE so your friends, family, and colleagues (who may or may not be following your business page) can see the content. This could encourage them to give your business PAGE a "like."
The best practice is to have a personal PROFILE for keeping up with friends and family (and crazy cat memes), as well as a business PAGE that focuses solely on establishing you as the go-to real estate agent in your community.
PRO TIP: You can create as many business PAGES as you'd like (unlike personal PROFILES). As part of a more advanced strategy, it could make sense to have different business PAGES for the various markets you serve.
If you haven't already set up a personal Facebook PROFILE, simply go to the Facebook homepage and follow the very simple instructions.
After you're logged in, go to the menu at the top right corner of your profile and select "Create a Page." From here, you'll need to select the type of page. For most agents, you'll want to select "Company, Organization or Institution." If you have a physical location, you may want to choose "Local Business or Place."
Because there is no category for "real estate agent," selecting "small business" is likely the best option.
Whether this is your professional headshot or your company logo, make sure it represents your brand. Note that some national franchises have certain protocols on how you use the brokerage's logo on social media, so make sure you're in line with any social media and/or branding guidelines they have.
PRO TIP: Don't forget to add a cover photo! (That's the big photo that runs across the top of the page.) You may also consider adding a video in this position instead of a photo. (Think aerial drone shot of your neighborhood?) Facebook will loop this video for you, and it's quite eye-catching.
Click "Update Info" and follow the prompts to input your business information. This includes the "About" section, your contact information, website, etc. Make sure you take time to really think about what you want to say to your audience.
We'll talk more about best practices for types of content, best times to share, etc. in future articles in this series. But, now you're all set to start sharing content and experimenting with your PAGE.
If you've got to the end of this article, you've likely got a personal PROFILE and a business PAGE set up. Go you! Now it's time to make the platform work for you. It is, after all, about making you the go-to real estate expert, growing a recognizable brand, and driving leads into your pipeline.
In this blog series, we're going to look at different ways to grow your Facebook reach, best practices for content creation and sharing, how to optimize your audience, and much more! Stay tuned for more ...
In the meantime, we'd love to hear from you! What are some of the things you'd like to learn about Facebook? Share your questions our Facebook page, where we keep in touch with more than 35,000 agents from across the country!
To view the original article, visit the Realtor.com Results blog.