October 03 2014
What does your social media biography say about you? If it doesn't say that you are the best real estate agent in your market, your biography is costing you business. If it says nothing at all, you're in big trouble. According to Undercover Recruiting's Jörgen Sundberg, your social media bio is "the document that you can most leverage during your networking activities." That's a big reason why you should want your social media biography to be perfect!
A good social media biography is unique but, luckily for you, it follows certain basic rules. Here's everything you need to know about writing social media biographies:
When you sit down to write your biography, PayScale's Jen Hubley Luckwaldt recommends asking yourself, "Who am I talking to, and what do I need them to know?" Your biography isn't about you; it's about what you offer to your clients. According to author and personal branding expert Dan Schwabel:
"The objective is to position your personal brand so you're using the right keywords and clearly showing what your focus is so people read it and know exactly what you do and whom you serve."
Your biography should make your value proposition clear to its readers. You should therefore focus on tangible accomplishments as opposed to abstract traits. As Buffer's Courtney Seiter explains, "being specific positions you to be able to be found easily for what you're best at."
According to Mediabistro's Shea Bennett, over 18,000 Twitter users claim to be social media gurus in their biographies. Buzzwords like "guru" should be avoided because they are too common to make you stand out. As The Huffington Post recently pointed out, useful words stop being useful when everyone uses them. If you want to know which words you should be avoiding, take a look at LinkedIn's annual list of "overused buzzwords."
Biographies take on slightly different forms on each social network. On Twitter, for instance, your biography can only be 160 characters long whereas LinkedIn lets you write longer biographies. To more fully understand how Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn differ in this regard, check out the handy guide produced by Unbounce's John Clark. It's imperative that you remain mindful of these differences. As Sprout Social's Anna Washenko points out, "having a sentence cut off midway through gives an unprofessional look, whether the bio is for an individual or a brand." Don't make the mistake of copying your biography from one account to the next without making sure that it fits in the allotted space.
While the length of your biography should fluctuate according to the rules of each social network, its message should remain constant. As Forbes' William Arruda notes, "consistency builds recognition and memorability." Focusing on the same selling point in all of your biographies avoids confusion and encourages your audience to follow you on other networks.
While your biography should emphasize what you offer to potential clients, it should also prove that you are a human being. As personal branding expert and author Hubert Rampersand explains, "your personal brand should be authentic—it should reflect your true character." That means it's okay to include the occasional joke to balance things out. Buffer's Courtney Seiter says that biographies should "tell a one-of-a-kind story." What is more one-of-a-kind than your personality?
Your potential customers are looking for a professional real estate agent. There is nothing more unprofessional than a typo. Although many typos are honest mistakes, they make you look careless and irresponsible. Reread your biography multiple times and, if at all possible, get someone you trust to proofread it before you hit publish. You only get one chance at a first impression. Don't let a typo ruin it.
Don't let your biography become outdated. If you have a new accomplishment, update your biography accordingly. If you become aware of a new buzzword to avoid, rewrite your biography. As with all aspects of social media, regular updates make you appear professional and trustworthy. If your biography is up-to-date but the rest of your social media is in need of regular updates, why not get in touch with the social experts at CityBlast?
Your social media biography is like an elevator pitch. It's a chance to make a good first impression and get potential clients to take you seriously. Since you only get to make one first impression, it's very important that you carefully craft your biography. By focusing on your value proposition, showing your personality, maintaining a consistent message, carefully proofreading, and ensuring that your biography is up-to-date, you can consistently make good first impressions on social media.
Do you now have the perfect social media biography and want to fill the rest of your social media pages with premium content? You should definitely talk to one of CityBlast's social experts! Our specialists will ensure that your Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts are regularly updated with engaging content.
To view the original article, visit the CityBlast blog.