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(Updated August 2012)
With over 955 million members worldwide, Facebook is the social network today. It's also an ever-changing, evolving time-suck. Rule number one for Facebook—or any other social network for that matter—is to assume all the privacy shields you have created will fail and your whole profile will be visible to everyone. And with the new Timeline view, posts you thought were safely buried in the past can be front and center. But beyond the basics, how are REALTORS® using Facebook in their business? This updated field guide goes over the basics, reviews current security settings, and explores how REALTORS® are using the social network to build their brand. (D. Shumaker, Senior Library Information Specialist)
Social Media Statistics
According to the 2011 CRT REALTOR® Technology Report, 78% of brokers use Facebook for real estate business purposes, the highest of the major social networks.
The Basics
So many "getting started" guides were written so long ago that most of their info is not relevant anymore. For the basics, visit the help section of Facebook itself.
Setting Up a Facebook Page, (Facebook, n.d.).—A Facebook Page is a public profile that enables you to share your business and products with Facebook users.
Is Facebook Making You Switch to Timeline? (GeekMoms, Aug. 21, 2012). – Most of you already have switched but this Wired blog gives helpful advice for those who need to clean up their past as well as those that are new.
12 Ways to Get Your Facebook Account Disabled, (Agency Sales, June 2010)—It happens more than you might know. Play by the rules or get kicked out. Q
Are 5,001 Facebook Friends One Too Many?, (New York Times, May 28, 2010)—Facebook co-opted 'friend' and made it a verb. What happens when you reach your limit?
HOW TO: Set Up a Winning Facebook Fan Page, (Mashables, Sept. 2009)—Fan pages are now known as just 'pages', but the advice is the same.
Protect Your Privacy
Controlling How You Share, (Facebook, n.d.)—The settings you choose control which people and applications can see your information. You can share your information with friends, friends of friends, everyone (yikes!), or you can customize your settings. Take a few minutes to go through each of the sections and customize your privacy.
Facebook's Privacy Policy, (Facebook, n.d.). – Facebook's privacy policy is actually pretty straightforward and readable.
Facebook & your privacy, (Consumer Reports, June 2012). – Who sees the data you share on the biggest social network?
3 Essential Steps to Facebook Privacy, (New York Times, June 21, 2011).
Facebook's Privacy Policy, (Facebook, Dec. 2010)—Although the font is small and you expect it to be full of legal-ese, Facebook's privacy policy is actually pretty straightforward and readable.
How to Handle a Cyberstalker, (CNN, July 2010)—Here's what to do when someone goes from pal to parasite.
How REALTORS® are using Facebook
REALTOR.com Facebook Application, (REALTOR.com, n.d.)—Display your listing from REALTOR.com on your Facebook wall. Here's a step-by-step walkthrough (PDF).
Small Retailers Open up Storefronts on Facebook Pages, (New York Times, July 25, 2012). – It’s not e-commerce, it’s f-commerce. Small entrepreneurs are having more success than the big players on Facebook.
Facebook Marketing: How to keep your brand liked, (InformationWeek – online, July 23, 2012). Q
5 Best Practices for Real Estate Pros on Facebook, (Mashable, Nov. 14, 2011). – In addition to offering cost-effective methods of promoting properties, Facebook also offers a range of new opportunities to grow and cultivate a robust community of prospective buyers and sellers.
Selling on Facebook, (REALTOR® Magazine, July 2011). – Facebook is too often treated as a platform for blatant promotion, which may be off-putting to your friends and fans. But that doesn’t mean the site can’t benefit your business.
Facebook Posting Cheat Sheet, (InmanNEXT, Aug. 4, 2011)—Ideas for content, as well as creative ways to share.
The Ultimate Secret Sauce for Facebook Pages, (InmanNEXT, Feb. 7, 2011)—Less about you. More about them.
When Marketing Through Social Media, Legal Risks Can Go Viral, (Intellectual Property and Technology Law Journal, Aug. 2010)—The viral quality of social media makes it an appealing way for businesses to market products and services, but it is not without legal risks. Q
eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following ebooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
42 Rules of Social Media for Small Business (Adobe eReader)
The Accidental Billionaires - The Founding of Facebook (Adobe eReader)
The B2B Social Media Book (Kindle, Adobe eReader)
Building Facebook Applications for Dummies (Adobe eReader)
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Facebook (Adobe eReader)
Creating Facebook Applications - 100 Success Secrets to Creating Awesome Facebook Applications and Leverage Social Media (Adobe eReader)
Facebook Marketing: an Hour a Day (Adobe eReader)
The Facebook Marketing Book (Kindle, Adobe eReader)
Facebook Marketing for Dummies (Adobe eReader)
l'm on Facebook -- Now What? (Adobe eReader)
Online Social Networking (Adobe eReader)
The Social Media Sales Revolution (Adobe eReader)
The Social Network Business Plan (Adobe eReader)
This is Social Commerce (Adobe eReader)
The Truth About Facebook (Adobe eReader)
The Writer's Guide to Self-Marketing Using Social Networking Sites (Adobe eReader)
Field Guides & More
These field guides and other resources in the Virtual Library may also be of interest:
Field Guide to Social Networking for REALTORS®
Field Guide to Using Privacy & Security Features in Social Media
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