Social Media and Your Real Estate Web Site

     This one might be a bit of a long one, but I think it helps me define the problem and solution by writing it out.  Any comments and suggestions are very helpful and welcomed.

     The world is ever evolving into a more "social" world.   I used to think that social media was just a bunch of hype, but the more I look into it, the more of an impact it is going to have.  If a potential client was looking through your website or browsing other websites, and they saw that one of their friends "liked" a particular person or page, doesn't common logic lead us to derive that they are more likely to use the services of that particular person or page?  Wouldt seem as if a little fear of the unkown is taken away?

    The old school thought on selling real estate is networking, your sphere of influence, and getting referrals from these two sources.  However, with the shift of new homebuyers moving from asking their friends who to use to starting their initial searches online, the old school technique is slightly weakened when used by itself.  However, online advertising and an online presence alone are not strong enough either.

    My thoughts are that if someone Google's Edmond OK Houses for Sale, the probability of them using someone they find on the internet is raised.  By the same token, if they have family and friends who recommend someone, the probability is raised that they will use that person.  However, the initial contact barrier still exists for both.  So, the problem comes down to this.....How do we raise the probability of a potential client contacting you with their needs?  You have to be in their evoked set and be easy to get in contact wiith in order for that contact barrier to be minimalized. 

     So lets run through 2 scenarios. 
            1. A potential client finds your website.  They might know someone that has used you in the past, but that conversation didn't happen for whatever reason.
            2. A potential client finds your website.  They see that some of their friends "like" the page and the Realtor.  With Real Estate being a local business, it's bound to connect people that you would never have thought of.

      In these two scenarios, which one is more likely to bring in new clients?  Obviously it's number 2.  So, in order for number 2 to work, you need two things.  The first thing you need is traffic to your website.  The second, is to have a well established list of people who "like" your site.  This is basically your sphere of influence, or anyone who would normally recommend or refer you.  However, for a reference or a recommnedation, a simple mouse click is much easier than convincing or teaching them how to advocate for you.

      So, in essence, this is actually more of a conversion tool from initial contact than anything else.  However, Realtors are always looking for a way to differentiate themselves from the pack.  At least, the good ones are!