Why Realtors Need To Be Using Google +

google plusOver the last few years, Google has struggled mightily to enter the social media arena. They’ve produced failed junctures like Google Buzz, Google Wave and Orkut. For a long time, it looked like Google would never be able to break into the social media scene. However, that all changed when Google + was introduced in 2010. Google + is Google’s answer to Facebook and Twitter, and offers a more powerful experience for people who need a flexible platform to achieve powerful results. Let’s just say Google delivered.

The key to Google’s success has always been simplicity and functionality. That’s the mindset programmers had when they first began programming the site, and they’ve made the experience of signing up and promoting your business real estate firm incredibly simple. PowerUP Social Media explains why you should be signed up for Google + and the best ways to utilize the platform for your real estate firm.

1)      Build your reputation on Google +

Facebook is a great place to start, but Google + allows you to build your reputation with your clients and present the best face for your company. Google + allows you to easily promote your listings with their extremely easy process of uploading photos. You can simply connect your Android or iPhone with your Google + account and instantly use the app to upload the photos of your listings. It’s that easy!

2)      Networking

The biggest reason why a real estate professionals should be on Google + is for networking purposes. A great deal of your business comes from referrals (from past clients, to fellow realtors, etc.), so it’s important that anyone and everyone can reach you. Not everyone has Facebook or Twitter – but anyone with a Google/Gmail account is automatically signed up for Google +. Promote you and your business and join Google + Groups that are relevant to your real estate interests.

3)      Diversify your marketing efforts

As stated before, not everyone has a Facebook page or Twitter profile, so it’s always a good idea of making yourself available in all social media platforms. That way you can keep you and your business relevant. Google + is connected with YouTube now, so you can upload the virtual tour videos of your listings and make them instantly accessible to your potential clients.

4)      Google + Hangouts

Google + has an incredibly useful feature called a Google + Hangout. This is a great way to gather potential clients together in group chat/video chat sessions and lead them on a virtual tour of your properties. Video and pictures can be instantly uploaded to the Google + Hangout session, which your clients can view and learn about your listings when they might not have known about them before.

Check out powerupsocialmedia.com for more tips on using social media to its fullest potential!

Set Up A Google+ Brand Page For Your Real Estate Business

Google+ was exclusive to people connecting with people, but the world’s newest social network introduced Google+ brand pages this week. That means people can now connect with your real estate business on Google+, just like they do on a business Facebook page. The best part is: a Google+ brand page is simple to set up (and highly recommended for any real estate professional). Watch this video to find out just how easy it is:

Google+ brand pages can help real estate professionals connect with new clients. Once they’ve found you, they can recommend you with a +1 (to help grow your following), add you to a circle (to follow you for the long-term), or spend time with you and/or your team face-to-face (with Google+ Hangouts). All you need to do is start sharing on your Google+ brand page, and customers can come to you for all of their real estate needs.

It’s important for real estate professionals — just like you — to get their name out to the public as much as possible. I understand that it can be difficult to juggle all of your social media accounts, but as I just explained, a Google+ brand page is another great avenue for you to introduce yourself to the world. That’s the greatest part about social media…it’s FREE marketing, and if done correctly, can be very powerful (so you have absolutely nothing to lose).

NOTE: If multi-million dollar companies (Pepsi and Toyota), professional sports teams (the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Cowboys), popular television shows (like Good Morning America), and yours truly have created a Google+ brand page — you should too!

If the personal interaction isn’t reason enough for you to create a Google+ brand page, here’s another reason to jump onboard: A Google+ brand page can also generate organic traffic for your real estate business. That’s because your Google+ brand page will appear in actual Google search results (not just Google+). Google is searched billions of time every single day, and people are often looking for a business or brand, so your Google+ brand page can now turn those search queries into real connections (just make sure you optimize your page).

We aim to make real estate professionals the best they can possibly be at PowerUP Social Media. Visit our website and/or sign up below for more social media tips and strategies designed specifically for real estate professionals.

Our Survey = Free Google+ Training For You

At PowerUP Social Media we’re committed to making real estate professionals the best they can be. To make sure we’re giving you exactly what you need, we’ve created this quick survey. It shouldn’t take you more than two minutes to fill out and it ultimately benefits you in the end. Plus, there’s an added bonus for you as well! After you complete the survey, enter your email address below and we’ll send you our FREE real estate Google+ training. It’s a true win-win situation for you!

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We truly appreciate your input! We’ll take all of the information we collect and turn it into even better real estate social media tips and training for you at http://PowerUPSocialMedia.com.

Here’s the best part! Now that you’ve finished the survey, enter your email address below and we’ll send you our FREE real estate Google+ training!


 

Grow Your Google+ Circles With These Resources

Every real estate professional should want to know how to grow their Google+ Circles (because your network = your net worth in real estate), so I scoured the internet to find the best resources to help you do that. There is a bunch of junk out there, but there are also plenty of winners.

These are the best websites I found:

FindPeopleOnPlus.com — With nearly 15 million Google Plus users indexed, this website does exactly as it says. You can search by profession, state, relationship status, number of followers…the options are almost endless.

GooglePlusCounter.com – This website helps you find new users on Google Plus through user-created lists (ranging anywhere from ”Journalists on Google+” to “Croatians on Google+”).

Group.as — I’m not extremely excited about this website, but I thought I’d share it anyway. You can find cool people to add to your Google+ Circles by their different areas of expertise (social media, celebrities, photography, etc.).

RecommendedUsers.com — This website makes adding new people to your Google Plus Circles very simple. All you have to do is click on a circle that interests you and start following until your fingers fall off.

SocialStatistics.com — Find the official Top 100 Google+ users, the Top 5 Google+ movers & shakers, the hottest Google+ posts, featured Google+ users and much more.

Of these resources, I like FindPeopleOnPlus.com the best. The search tool helps you easily find real estate professionals (or whatever you’re looking for) utilizing Google Plus. At the same time, all of these websites appear to have great value, and all will help you achieve the goal of growing your Google+ Circles.

We’re committed to helping real estate professionals explode their social media presence. Be sure to sign up for our mailing list below and/or visit PowerUP Social Media for more great real estate social media tips and training!

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RELATED GOOGLE+ ARTICLES

Use The Google+ Search Tool To Grow Your Real Estate List

Advice: Take Full Advantage Of Google+ Circles

Google+ Strategy For Real Estate Professionals

How You Can Use Google+ For Real Estate

Use The Google+ Search Tool To Grow Your Real Estate List

It’s always said that the person with the biggest buyers list wins, and we’ve found a GREAT way to build that list! Watch our video to find out how we use the Google+ search tool to meet new real estate investors and real estate agents every day.

 

 

If you have any questions about how to use the Google+ search tool you can always reach us at info@powerupsocialmedia.com. You can also find more real estate social media tips and training by joining our mailing list below, or visiting the PowerUP Social Media website.

Advice: Take Full Advantage Of Google+ Circles

We’re all learning about Google+ together. There’s no such thing as an “expert” at this point, because Google Plus is brand new to the social media scene. Everyone is still trying to figure out what the social networking site has to offer, and we’re no different at PowerUP Social Media. We’re more than committed to finding the best ways for you to use Google+ in your real estate business.

We’re finding cool new ways to utilize Google Plus every day. Everything that we find, we’re going to share with you. Just like this tip…real estate professionals need to take full advantage of Google+ Circles.

Unlike any other social media site, Google Plus allows you to separate your followers/friends into different groups (much like real life). This way you can share certain information with some people, and not share that same information with others.

For example: I’m a television sportscaster, so there are certain things I want the viewing public to see, but there are other things I want to keep private. Unfortunately, I have to turn fans away from my personal Facebook page because everyone can see everything on Facebook. Google+ is going to allow me to interact with fans, family, and friends exactly the way that I want to.

The same goes for real estate professionals. I’m sure there are pictures, storeis, etc., you want to share with your close friends that you don’t want to share with your colleagues, clients, etc. That’s exactly why we suggest utilizing Google Plus Circles.

Here’s our suggestion: create a different circle for buyers, sellers, coworkers, other experts, and whoever else you need to. You treat the groups different in person, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t on Google+. If you lump everyone into one “real estate” circle, then you’re not tending to your flock as efficiently as possible (and you’re even wasting their time too).

Everyone is also wondering how they can quickly grow their Google+ Circles (the larger your audience = the more leads you generate). We’re still finding ways as we continue to toy with the system, but here’s one tip we’ve already come up with. I also know that Joe recently found a great search tool as well, so keep your eyes peeled for that video soon (we’ve run into a computer malfunction, otherwise it would already be posted).

With that said, it’s also important to let your friends and followers on your other social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) know that you’re on Google Plus. Yes, they’re already in your sphere of influence, but this is another way you can reach them. Just like there are major differences between Twitter and Facebook; there are big differences between Google+ and other social networking sites. It’s important for real estate professionals to be available to anyone at anytime through any avenue.

We’re obviously uncracking the Google Plus code more and more all the time, so be sure to check PowerUP Social Media for all the latest. You can also find great Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook tips on our website as well.

If you’d like real estate social media tips and training (plus fun contests, tools, and much more) sent directly to your inbox, then be sure to sign up for our mailing list below!

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Google+ Strategy For Real Estate Professionals

Google+ (Google Plus) is the next “big thing” in the social media world. It’s still in a test phase, but we’re already learning strategies that will help expand your presence on the new social networking platform. The more strategies you know; the more likely you’ll see a boost in your real estate business.

In this video, Joe shows you one of the ways he’s growing his Google Plus Circles. As we explained in our post How You Can Use Google+ For Real Estate, Circles are basically groups of friends, coworkers, etc., that you can share information with (think of it like friends on Facebook, but much more organized).

Real estate is all about networking (in real life and through social media), so you want as many people in your Google+ Circles as possible. This strategy is a quick way to get buyers, sellers, and other real estate professionals in your Google Plus mix.

Click here if you’d like to watch another video we’ve put together on Google+. Otherwise, please sign up for our mailing list below (and receive three FREE real estate social media training videos) or go to our website PowerUP Social Media for more great tips!

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How You Can Use Google+ For Real Estate

There’s a new player in the social media game and it’s a monster. Google recently launched Google+ (or Google Plus) in an effort to join the social networking ranks with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and the rest of the social media world.

Google Plus is still only in a test phase, but there are some out there who think the new social media platform can steal the crown from Facebook (the current king of social media). With 20 million users in its first three weeks, there’s no reason to think Google+ can’t take a run at the best of the best (and help launch your real estate business to new heights at the same time).

Since it’s just a baby, there are a lot of you wondering what Google Plus is all about. That’s why I’m here to lay down some of the basics.

As described by Google, the Google+ project makes sharing on the web more like sharing in real life.

There are three main components to Google Plus:

Google+ Circles: Think of this like friends on Facebook, but much more organized. You can make one circle for friends, another circle for family, and so on. Unlike Facebook and other social media outlets, Google Plus allows you to pick and choose who you want to share certain information (videos, pictures, etc.) with. That means you can send a cool article to your real estate colleagues, but you can leave out your friends that don’t give a lick about real estate.

Google+ Hangouts: Facebook only offers a chat feature, while Google Plus takes that to the next level. You can video chat with multiple people all at once (much like Skype). Google+ allows you catch up with your pals, watch YouTube, or just hangout. This can be an incredible tool for your real estate business. Instead of meeting in person; you can connect on a Google Plus Hangout.

Google+ Sparks: This might turn out to be the most important Google Plus feature for your real estate business. Google Plus Sparks allows you to suggest news stories, real estate articles, PowerUP Social Media videos (sorry, I had to throw that in there), etc., with certain groups of people and not others. As Google describes it, there’s always something to be watched, read, or shared. This should allow for targeted market opportunities in the future (and a boost in your real estate business).

Google Plus is going to change a little bit over time. Google is currently testing the platform to see what works and what doesn’t. With that said, you should join the Google+ project as soon as possible. The sooner you get connected, the quicker you learn the system, and the quicker you can implement Google Plus into real estate marketing strategy.

We’ve already done our first video review of Google+, so be sure to check that out by clicking here. I also want to encourage you to visit PowerUP Social Media and join our mailing list below for more great real estate social media tips!

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How The Real Estate Industry Is Using Social Media

Social media is everywhere these days. You see the Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and now the Google+ icons plastered all over the internet and television. Everyone (including my mom who swore she would never use social media) has an account, especially major companies trying to expand their brand.

The big question is…how does the real estate industry use social media?

Here’s the answer:

According to a study by Postling.com, 84% of all real estate professionals use social media. The majority of real estate professionals use Facebook (79%) and Twitter (48%) accounts, while LinkedIn (29%) and WordPress (15%) are also in the mix. Social media platforms like Flickr (4%) and Tumblr (2%) are rarely used at all, but they can both be used to boost your real estate business.

The study also shows that 73% of homeowners say they’re more likely to list with a realtor who offers to do video, but only 12% of the real estate industry uses YouTube. That’s one of the most telling stats of all. There’s a HUGE benefit for a real estate professionals to use video, but it’s rarely utilized. That needs to change (for the betterment of buyers, sellers, and ultimately your real estate business)!

If you haven’t picked up on it yet, having an active online presence is a key to success. There’s even more information to back that up. As a result of an internet home search: 45% of potential buyers walked through a home they originally spotted online, 29% located an agent via the internet, and 21% drove by or viewed a home they found on the web.

Social media isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, it’s only getting bigger and better (Google+ picked up more than 20 million users in its first three weeks…and the social network is only in a test phase). If you’re a real estate professional who isn’t in the social media game, what are you waiting for?

We understand social media can be a bit overwhelming at times, but that’s why we’re here to help. We don’t just focus on social media at PowerUP…we focus on social media for real estate. Be sure to visit our website or join our mailing list below for more great real estate social media tips.

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Our First Review Of Google+ Social Media

There’s a new social media player in the game and they want to steal the show! Google is now in the social media world with the creation of Google+ (or Google Plus). There are some who believe Google+ is going to steal the social network crown from Facebook. So, how well does Google Plus stack up in this early review? Watch our video to find out!

Visit PowerUP Social Media and sign up for our mailing list for more real estate social media tips!

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