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(Updated March 2016)
With over 1.3 billion members worldwide, Facebook remains the largest social network site. According to the 2013-14 REALTOR® Technology Survey Report, the majority of REALTORS® who do use social media for their real estate business tend to use it mainly to build relationships/network (70%) and for visibility, exposure, marketing (64%). Are you using Facebook as part of your real estate marketing? 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. (A. Crietz, Information & Web Content Specialist)
E - EBSCO articles available for NAR members only. Password can be found on the EBSCO Access Information page.
Social Media Statistics
According to the 2013-14 CRT REALTOR® Technology Survey Report, 77% of REALTORS® 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.
Facebook Changes 'Real Name' Policy Rules After Public Outcry, (Engadget, Oct. 2015).
Facebook Clarifies Rules on What It Bans and Why, (New York Times, Mar. 16, 2015). — New rules explain what content is permissible and what’s likely to cause trouble.
New Facebook Rules Will Sting Entrepreneurs, (Wall Street Journal, Nov. 27, 2014). — It’s called organic reach and it’s going away.
Deleting your Facebook page is foolish, (Inside Facebook, Oct. 30, 2014). — Despite occasional kinks and glitches, as well as controversial overhauls, “upgrades” and policy changes, Facebook remains by far the most popular social site on the Internet.
Marketing with a Facebook Business Page, (realtor.com®, n.d.). — Some basic tips.
Facebook, Still Dominant, Strives to Keep Cachet, (New York Times, Nov. 17, 2013). — Despite the site’s primacy in the social media market, some numbers suggest that Facebook addiction has given way to Facebook fatigue, at least among some users.
How to Customize Your Facebook Page, (PC Mag, Nov. 6, 2013). — Over a billion people actively use Facebook, but we're all stuck with the same interface. Check out these tricks to customize the look and feel of your Facebook experience.
10 Ways to Make you Small Business Social Media Activities Rock, (SBA, July 15, 2013).
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.
Protect Your Privacy
Whatever You Do, Don't Ignore Facebook's Privacy Notification, (HuffPost Tech, Feb. 2016).
Here’s How to Use Facebook’s Mystifying Privacy Settings, (Wired, Aug. 2015).
Facebook's Privacy Policy Is Changing and You're going to get a Long Email about It, (Business Insider, Nov. 27, 2014). — Facebook is sending users a lengthy email detailing changes to its privacy policy that'll start on January 1, 2015.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Sure Your Facebook Account Is As Private As You Want It to Be, (New York Magazine, Nov. 13, 2014).
Facebook Privacy Basics, (Facebook, n.d.). — Facebook’s latest attempt to gather its privacy information in one place.
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, 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?
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
7 Facebook Mistakes Real Estate Agents Should Never Make, (Inman, Sept. 2015).
Real Estate Marketing Ideas, (Facebook Community, 2015).
Innovative Facebook Real Estate Marketing: Advanced Steps for Agents, (Placester, June 2015).
Realtor’s guide to Facebook advertising: a trustworthy website, (Inman, Nov. 2014). — Also: Part two: Deploying your ads.
10 Facebook Dos and Don’ts, (REALTOR® Magazine, June 2014). — Facebook is a great marketing tool, if you use it wisely.
Vanity Metrics vs. Success Metrics: Which Facebook Posts get the Most Engagement? (Inman, Nov. 13, 2013). — Facebook Insights helps cater your content for maximum impact, even among 'silent' fans.
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.
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. E
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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