How to Use the LinkedIn Relationship Tab to Improve Your Lead Generation in Real Estate

Do you struggle to remember how or why you connected with someone on LinkedIn? 

Or the understanding of why LinkedIn is so important to have for Real Estate Agents?

By using the Relationship tab, you can build on the connections you need to convert more prospects, close more deals and grow your real estate business. If you are sick of calling people, this is another way to get your lead gen in.

What is the LinkedIn Relationship Tab?

This is a convenient tool that shows you how you’re connected to someone. You can add information to remind yourself of important details about your relationship or set reminders for future interactions. it is available to all LinkedIn users, both free and premium. You can find this tab by opening a connection’s LinkedIn profile. The tab is not available on the mobile app. Just beneath the profile information are two tabs: Relationship and Contact Info. Clicking on the Relationship tab shows information related to your relationship with this contact. This is visible only to you and is unique to you and each of your connections.

How Can You Use It For Lead Generation With Your Business?

#1: Find Out When You Connected

LinkedIn will populate the date you originally connected with someone in the Relationship tab. This information is available for anyone you’re connected to on LinkedIn. The date you connected may be helpful if you’ve forgotten how you connected with the person. The date often is enough information to keep track of a growing LinkedIn network.

#2: View Messages You’ve Exchanged

If you’ve shared messages with a LinkedIn connection, these messages also appear in your list of automatically populated details. The most recent conversation appears on the Relationship tab, but you can click on the See More link to reveal the full list of conversations and the date you originally connected with this person. Having this quick reminder of how you communicated in the past is a useful way to review your relationship. For example, if you’re developing a relationship with a connection and don’t want to send more than one LinkedIn message a month, you can quickly see how recently you sent your last LinkedIn message. Or if you want to refer to a previous conversation or details, you can quickly access those details before sending out your new message.

#3: Add Notes About Your Contacts

The first personalized section you can edit on the Relationship tab is the Note section. This is where you can add any details or information related to your connecti

on. This information can be personal or professional. It can be any information that helps you organize your contacts and keep track of your relationships. Here are a few examples of how you might use the Note section:

·         Include notes for individuals you know have attended open houses.

·         List the person’s interests for when you meet with them in person.

·         List if they are buyers/sellers.

·         If you have been following up on a cold-call development with a connection, keep track of conversations and progress notes.

·         How the buying/selling process went.

·         What service providers they are using (Marketplace Home Mortgage for Finance, etc)

When a person unexpectedly calls you while you are at home, you can quickly look up his or her LinkedIn profile and have immediate access to all of your conversations, history and details you’ve chosen to list. Rather than having to ask your contact to remind you, you already have all of this information and can impress that person with your knowledge and value of your relationship.

#4: Set Reminders To Follow Up

The Reminder tool is one of the most useful tools on LinkedIn. It allows you to set a one-time or recurring reminder for a connection. Many people don’t even know this exists.  When you’ve set a reminder, you’ll receive a notification via email, indicating you have a reminder. You can also go to your LinkedIn Connections tab, and your pending reminders will appear along the top list of activity for your connections. Once the item is complete, click Mark as Complete, which clears the item from your activity. You can also change the due date if needed. Details of completed reminders are cleared from your activity, so you should add a note indicating when and what task you completed. If you have a hot lead or a cold call relationship with someone, the Reminder tool is one of your most valuable assets within LinkedIn. It allows you to set a schedule for follow-up conversations and information sharing that will help you close that deal and stay focused on the lead so they don’t get lost in the business.

#5: Record How You Met

The How You Met tab is one that you should really take the time to complete for every connection you have on LinkedIn. It can be time-consuming, but in the long run, it’s worth it. As your network grows and you connect with more people, it’s easy to lose track of why you’re connected to people. So take a minute to fill in this section with details about how you connected or met. This information will help you keep track of your network and build those relationships to grow your business. If someone sends you a personalized LinkedIn connection request stating why he or she wants to connect with you, it’s a good idea to copy and paste it into the How You Met section. The initial conversations and messages you exchange when connecting are not transferred to the message list on the Relationship tab. If you were introduced to a contact or referred by someone, you can also include that information in the Who Introduced You field. Just start typing the person’s name, and LinkedIn will pull the list of connections you have that match that name.

#6: Assign Tags to Categorize Connections

Tags are a convenient way to quickly categorize your connections and when searching for connections on LinkedIn, there is a filter to sort by tags, which makes this a valuable tool for organizing your network. It’s a good idea to categorize every one of your connections on LinkedIn. You can get as creative or as targeted as you like with your own personalized tag titles. To assign a tag to a connection, click on the Tag tab and select one or more of your existing tags. Choose the Add New Tag option if you want to assign a new category. The contact will automatically be included in this new tag category. Examples: Buyers, Agents, Sellers, Potential Clients, Hot Leads, Family, etc.

LinkedIn is one of the most powerful tools for developing your Lead Generation and growing a network around your Real Estate business. It takes a lot more than just connecting with someone to really foster the connections and value that LinkedIn has to offer. Use the Relationship tab to grow your relationships and capitalize on opportunities to connect with potential clients. If you would like help getting this set up email me for a time to meet or check out my website for more information. 

Do You Want A Fresh Start On Your Marketing? Come To My Classes Starting Monday May 4th 11-12!

To Sign up for the entire series: http://nicoleroycraft.weebly.com/classes.html

Google Update - "Mobile Friendly" Algorithm!

How will Google’s “mobile-friendly” algorithm impact your website?

On April 21, Google will begin rolling out a worldwide mobile-friendly algorithm update that will have a “significant impact” on mobile search results for mobile searchers. If your site does not pass Google’s mobile friendly test, Google will send you fewer mobile search customers.

There is a test that you can put your website through to see if it is mobile friendly or not. The test results page will specify reasons that the page has been deemed unfriendly, such as small text, link spacing, horizontal scrolling, and other mobile usability issues.

A positive test result means your site should retain its mobile rankings or even increase it’s ranking because sites that were higher than yours in mobile search  but now are not mobile friendly will decrease their SEO and push yours ahead of theirs.

To increase and maintain your SEO make sure your website is mobile friendly. The test takes about 60 seconds to find out and it will give a pass-fail response. 

To test your website go to: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly

Bold Tech - Social Media, Blogging, Video

Social Media

On all social media platforms you need to remember the 4 E’s – Enlightening, Enriching, Entertaining and Educational. If your post does not do any of these four things then you should not post it. It has been proven that these four things are what really help you see engagement on your page. Read this blog to understand how to make your posts stand out.  There are four social media networks you should focus on: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+.

Facebook is still the #1 social media platform. It has over 68% of the population using it. Creating a business page for Real Estate is essential. There are a lot of rules and regulations within the state of Minnesota Realtors have to follow. You cannot do any sort of marketing for your listings on your personal page unless you are sharing it from your business page. The KW logo has to be visual on your profile picture. In your cover photo you need the KW logo, Realtor MLS logo, and Equal Housing logo (Shown in picture). The business page is where you can create ads for your business. You want to invite people to like your page and make your presence known.  If you need help setting it up, email me.

Twitter is starting to become bigger and bigger. It is great for business and to communicate with your clients. Video on twitter is starting to become HUGE. Do you understand the #HASHTAG? If not read about it here.

Pinterest is a good way to increase your SEO. We did a test on an agent in my office. Before when we would search her listings on Google Trulia, Zillow and the Keller Williams website would show up on the first page. We started her Pinterest account and added every listing as its own Board. We connected every picture back to her website. We also added boards like Home Improvement Tips, Season Changes, etc and linked those to her blog. If you Google her listings the Pinterest board of the listing comes up on the first page.

Google+ was mentioned earlier on how it is huge for SEO. For Google to recognize you as an author of your website you need a Google+ page. Just like Pinterest, if you share your listings on Google+ it will show up on Google when you search the listing.

Blogging

The most crucial piece to really gain SEO is blogging. It shows that you are the expert in Real Estate. You need to make sure when you blog that the content is rich. It needs to be at least 300 words. Use your Longtail keywords. You should use it in the first sentence, last sentence, in a hyperlink, as well as the saved photo you use in your blog. In your blog you need to have a call to action (Link to your IDX search), your phone number, and your email. Make sure to put all of this in before your last keyword sentence. NEVER say CLICK HERE. The new big thing is Vlogging or also known as video blogging.

Video

Videos should always be 1 minute or less. If it is longer then that you will either lose the person’s attention or they won’t watch it. Many people believe video is what will take over the internet. Get ahead of the game by starting now. Eyejot is a great free app to help you get started on videos. You always want to make sure you use your keywords in the title, description, and tags. Make sure in your video you have your contact information. The video on the left is a market report video. You should do these occasionally but a video of yourself is better. When you video yourself don't always stand in the middle of the frame be on 1/3 of it. Also have cars going by or something in the background to keep their attention on the video. 

Bold Tech - Google Apps & SEO

Google Apps

Just like what Gary Keller says: “Get off you’re a** and knock on a door!” You still need to have face-to-face contact with people even if you are using a lot of internet marketing. Google has come out with a million new apps for people to use. You don’t need to use all of them. These are the ones you should really focus on: Gmail, Calendar, Google Voice, Google Hangout, Drive, Blogger, Google Analytics, and YouTube.

I am not going to go into detail of each one but they are all essential in becoming an exceptional realtor. There are only 3 email platforms you should be using: Gmail, your work email, or a domain based email (nikki@nikkiroycraft.com). If you have anything other than these three you need to get rid of them and create a Gmail. Gmail is an easy platform that has become very professional. It allows you to have everything in one place (connected with Drive and Calendar). Use tags to help differentiate work from family. Also use folders to stay organized. At the top they have split your primary tab, social, and promotional emails into separate areas to allow you to see and delete the emails you don’t need and help keep you more organized.

The Calendar you can share with other Gmail user and have their calendar on yours to see when they are free or busy. Drive is a way to share documents. You can have more than one person working on a document at the same time. Google Hangout is like messenger and skype combined.

Google voice is great for realtors who want to keep their cell phone number private. Google voice gives you a number to use that connects with your cell phone to use for marketing. Blogger is a free blogging platform I would suggest to use when blogging about your Real Estate business. Google Analytics helps track who is going to your website. Realtors should use YouTube to upload virtual tours to help with their SEO.

SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine's unpaid. In general, the higher ranked on the search results page, and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine's users. As an Internet marketing strategy, SEO considers how search engines work, what people search for, the actual search terms or keywords typed into search engines and which search engines are preferred by their targeted audience. Optimizing a website may involve editing its content, HTML and associated coding to both increase its relevance to specific keywords and to remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines. Promoting a site to increase the number of backlinks, or inbound links, is another SEO tactic. Longtail keywords are very specific. For example: Real Estate, Lofts, Minnesota, Uptown. So if you were to add content to your website and you want people to find you by these key words you would need to put all of them in there quite often. Here are a few other SEO tricks. If you want page authority you should focus on CLIC – C-content L – Links I-Images C-Content. The more content, links and images you have about the topic the more you look like the expert to google. If you want domain authority you should focus on ASAP. A-Age S-Size A-Activity P-Popularity. Google looks to see how long the site has been running and the experience it shows you have. Google views websites that have more pages and are bigger in size as more experienced. Google also looks at activity and popularity. If you are not changing and updating your website regularly Google will notice it and not put your website towards the top. If nobody is ever going to your site Google will also take you away from the top. If you want Author Authority you should focus on SLIP. S-Shard L-Location I-Influence P-Plus. Make sure that Google knows you are the author of this information. Share others information to show that you are learning too. Always have the location of where you are on your websites. Influence others and have them engage on your website. Use Google+. Make sure to put links on your Google+ page to your website to show that you are the expert of that website. 

Advertising

If you want to advertise your websites only focus on two sources: Google & Facebook. These will do the most for you at the least expense. DO NOT do CPM ads. Zillow and Trulia offer these ads a lot which look like banner ads. What CPM means is cost per impression. So if an ad were to show up when you go to a website but you don’t click on it or even look at it at all it would still cost you. What you should focus on is PPC – Pay per click ads. To build a great ad you need to use your keywords, have strong copy, a call to action, and a specific landing page (not just the home page of your website). Google and Facebook help you get very specific in who you are trying to market for. If you want help on how to actually build a specific ad – email me.

Bold Tech Websites & Conversion Rates

To capture a client’s business you need to be the expert on the source. On your website’s you need to look like the expert and give them all the information they need. To be successful you need to have 4 websites: Buyers website, Sellers Website, Hyper local Website, and Niche Website.

Buyer Website:

 A buyer website needs to have an easy search. Typical buyers want to be able to go to a website and search for a home quickly. If there is a ton of information and the search isn't easily accessible they will most likely leave the website. Most people use their EEdge website for their buyer website. It has an easy search right on the home page and also has a lead capture IDX. A lead capture IDX is important because after someone searches a new home it will ask them for their contact information.  Make sure to have your mobile app on this website as well as a way to contact you. You need to choose a domain name that goes along with the search such as the one above: twincitieshomesforsalenw.com.

Seller Website:

A seller website is all about YOU. You need to show them that you are the expert. On this website you should show what you have sold, how fast you have sold something, and any awards or testimonials you have. Always have your phone number right at the top. Also make sure to put your service providers to show that you have connections to everything they need.  This domain name should always be your name such as the one above is: sharonsloperrrealestate.com. Many people use their EAgenc website as their seller website. This website can be totally customizable and you can add as many pages to it as you would like.

Hyper local Website:

Hyper local websites are websites that focus on a specific area and give all the information and events going on within it. You can build this as a blog or as an actual website. Use your farm as your hyper local area to focus on. Make sure to have a home search tool on it but also a bunch of facts about the area such as school information, restaurants, things to do, events, etc. This domain name should be something like: lifeinminneapolis.com.

Niche Website:

This website is optional. If you focus on a certain group of people or type of home you should create a niche website with all of the information. If you do not want to create an entirely new website you could also have it be a separate page on your Seller website. Examples of niche websites would be: lake homes, senior housing, new construction, dog lovers, veterans, golf, etc.

All of these websites will help you look like the expert online. You want to make sure that all of these website are connected. On each website have a link back to the other ones. Times have changed and Google likes to see links out from your page to another, this is a great way to do that but still have them go to something you have created. Always use .com never .realtor, .net, etc. It only confuses people. Don’t use force registration. Use beta – after they see one page then they will have to register. A good bounce rate is 5% less than the last month. You want to improve your bounce rate every month by adding value to your websites.

Conversion Rates

A conversion rate is how to convert website visitors into paying customers. Typically every 1,000 people who visit your site – 50 will be leads – 2.5 closings. A good goal to set is 10,000 visitors to your website in a year – 500 leads – 25 closings. You need to know your conversion rates to be successful. Every client you talk to ask them how they found you and record it on your Commitment to Excellence or whatever platform you use. 

If you need help building your website or figuring out your conversion rates - email me. 

Bold Tech

What does it take to capture a client’s business? 

How do you measure leads from the internet? 

What advertising has proven to be successful marketing? 

What social media platforms should you focus on?

Do you wonder about all these things? The class I took presented by Chad Hyams answered all these questions and many more. I have broken all of this information into separate blogs to help you understand: Websites & Conversion Rates, Google Apps, SEO & Advertising, and Social Media, Blogging, Video.

If in the future Bold Tech comes back to Minneapolis, I would highly recommend taking the class.

Home Buyer & Credit Repair Seminar

Are you struggling with your credit? Trying to decide if you should buy or rent? Come to our seminar on Thursday April 16th from 6:00 - 7:30. RSVP to: http://tinyurl.com/HomeBuyerCreditRepairSeminar

7 Different Visual Ideas To Help Increase Your Social Engagement

1.       Visual Bullets

Visual bullets are a collection of images put together that include a headline and a caption with each picture. In Real Estate you could create a flyer for your listings. Have a title then underneath have your listings with a small caption. Something like this:

2.       Storyboards

Storyboards are different from visual bullets because you interconnect each picture on the storyboard with step by step instructions. It is a visual way to learn how to do something instead of reading a list. Example: Create a storyboard on how to go through the closing process.

3.       Illustrated Words

Visualize the meaning of ta word or statement and create a graphic with impact. Adding humor or different images with the words will make them more interesting. The idea is to give clients a “wow” moment when they realize how the visuals add meaning to the word.

4.       Diagram

A diagram is when you take a single image and pull it apart to explain the concept in the headline. For Example: Take a picture of yourself or the professional picture you already have and put it on a flyer. Then around the picture explain why you are the perfect agent people should work with.

5.       Memes

Everyone loves memes. It is easy to create your own with a witty real estate joke. The best memes have a message behind them.

6.       Visual Captions

Visual captions can be images with accompanying text with an image in the background. Many of you do this already by placing a “SOLD” banner across a picture of a listing and posting it on Facebook.

7.       Comparisons

Comparisons take two images and identify opposing attributes. They often explain the types of things in life that are too obvious to notice or to educate. As Realtors working for Keller Williams Realty we could show what clients get when they work with us and what they would get working at a different Real Estate Company. Prove to them why KW is the best.

It is important to have a variety of different posts on your social media platforms to engage people in your posts. Many of you already know that visual postings make engagement level go up a lot. By mixing in a variety of different image styles you will become even more successful. If you need help with any of these postings email me. Also check out my website for more social media updates and information. 

What Are You Waiting For? 5 Keys to Being Super Competitive – Presented by Todd Butzer

Marketplace Home Mortgage sponsored a great class last week with Todd Butzer. There were over 60 people there to learn about how to be competitive. I thought the class was amazing because what he was teaching you, you could use in every aspect of your life, not just work. He gave great examples of Olympic athletes and how they stay competitive. For example: Lindsey Vaughn. After her injury she came back and made a world record. Here are the 5 Keys to Being Super Competitive:

1.       Decide – Decide to compete at a high level. Make the decision to change and improve your routine in your work.

2.       Prepare – Set goals, plan out your marketing, and make lists. Play defense with your money, only spend it on things that you see are making your business better.

3.       Implement – Implement systems to help achieve your goals. To be successful you just have to work hard. Get up an hour earlier to work a little bit longer and you will see a big difference that hour can make.

4.       Measure – Measure where your leads are coming from. Find out what makes you valuable and your definition of success. Measure what marketing works and what you want to get rid of.

5.       Refine – Dial it in. Tweak your plan to make perfect. All of it matters. Refine listing appointments, your voice mail, and social media/ marketing campaigns.

I am going to end with a great quote from Todd “Are you bringing “Lindsey Vaughn" intensiveness to your work?” If not – start now. 

Family Reunion Recap - Orlando Fl 2015

As a newbie to this amazing Marketplace Home Mortgage and Keller Williams partnership, I have never experienced Family Reunion or any work trip for that matter. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had for work and can’t wait to go back!

 Before leaving I was very nervous of what to expect as well as my plane phobia. Once I got to the airport my nerves started to calm as I was greeted by all the other wonderful Marketing Coordinators. Once on the plane I started talking to one and didn't even realize when we took off – we were going over the trip and before I knew it we were there. Probably one of easiest and most calm flights I've ever been on.

Once I got into Orlando we were told to go to our Hotels to change then to go straight to the breakout sessions. We went to 4 sessions total (2 on Sunday and 2 on Monday) where I learned a lot. It was great because there were so many to choose from so we all split up to get the most information to then share notes later.  I went to mainly all the social media breakout sessions where I listened to Top Realtors in the nation talk about how social media has made them successful. Some of the information was an overview of what I already knew but there was a lot of different things some of them used that I thought was unique. It proved to me that there are many different marketing tools but you have to figure out what works best with you and what you are trying to accomplish.

The two topics that were talked about numerous times were blogging and video. They gave examples on how these tools helped them be found on page one of Google and receive many more leads. Video marketing helps people connect with you. You can use it through the process of your transactions or just market share updates on your YouTube channel. Blogging is extremely important for SEO and click through to your website. You need to find where there is a gap on Google to make it easier to get to page one. For example: short-sale homes Elk River, certain neighborhoods within the area, etc. You can use Keyword Planner to see what search words have low competition. If you put in short-sale homes Elk River and it says high competition you may want to do something else. Blogging goes directly to your website so you want to make sure that your website is product driven and easy to use.

After the breakout sessions during the day we had bonding time at night to meet people from all over with different KW hosted events. The first night was Red Bash. We all wore matching shirts and had a great time. The second night was Marketplace Home Mortgage’s Happy Hour. So many of the agents from our office went to support us. It was great to have you all come and be a part of it.

Thank you Keller Williams and all the agents for such an amazing time! I can’t wait for Family Reunion 2016 in NEW ORLEANS! 

If you would like more information on what I learned or would like to set up a time to meet with me to go over Video or Blogging tools contact me or go to my website. 

25 Questions to Ask Yourself When Creating A Social Media Marketing Plan

To have your 2015 be a success, create a great social media marketing plan that is original for you. Answering these 25 questions will be a valuable exercise to figure out what different platforms you should use. This can help point you down the best path with your social media efforts and ensure that the time you spend is aimed at the right places and toward your top goals. The 25 questions are separated by steps to help you go through the process.

Step One: Setting Goals

1. Why have you joined social media?

2. What is your overall purpose?

3. What do you aim to achieve with social media?

These questions often take you down a couple of different paths. The first is thinking big-picture with the goals you set, planning out a mission for why you’re on social media. The second is setting specific goals to support the mission and purpose that you've defined. Your big ideas should tie directly to your smaller ones. Think about the benefits you give as a Realtor, not just the features of the homes you sell. Make sure to use the frame work I talked about before in my previous BLOG about goal setting and being S.M.A.R.T.

Step Two: Know Your Audience

4. Who is your target market?

5. Which social channels do they use?

6. What sources of information are most important to them?

7. What events do they typically go to?

8. What problems can you help them solve?

9. What goals of theirs can you help them complete?

I helped many of you create a 4-1-1 or a marketing plan for 2015. Use this to answer these questions. To be successful in your social media marketing you really need to cater to your target market and know where they are and what they like to do.  Post surveys on your social media platforms to find out your audience. For example: ask them their age, gender, job, etc.  

Step Three: Define Your Brand

10. What is your voice?

11. What is the tone of your social media updates/posts?

12. What emotions do you hope to convey through your pictures and posts?

One very underrated factor of a good social media campaign is the voice and tone your posts give off. The words you use and the emotions you convey have a huge impact on your audience and the way you’re perceived. For example: if you have a picture of a family that looks really happy with a sold sign. This conveys happiness. When people see this on your page they will think you made this family very happy by finding them their perfect home.

Step Four: Plan Your Content

13. What types of content should I post on which social platforms?

14. What type of content best supports your mission?

15. What are the main topics, categories or messages that support your business page?

16. Should you use social media to provide customer service?

These questions can help you determine what topics you cover on social media as well as what type of media you end up posting. For example: text updates, links, quotes, photos, videos, etc. Here is a list of different platforms and what to use them for:

·           Updates with links & quotes: Twitter and Facebook

·         Image-based networks: Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr

·         Video networks: YouTube, Vimeo, Vine

·         Business-focused networks: LinkedIn

·         SEO and authorship networks: Google+, Blogger

·         Location-based networks: Foursquare, Yelp

·         Niche networks: Reddit, Blogger

Step Five: Create Content

17. What resources do you have?

18. How do I become the expert in Real Estate on social media platforms?

19. What is the workflow from content creation to publication?

20. How often should I post new content on my social networks?

21. How does social media fit with our other campaigns?

It is important to think about the expertise that you or others might have. Share expertise you see on other people’s pages on occasion, but really try to create the content yourself to make you look like the expert. I typically tell people to post 3x a week on listing updates (Facebook or Twitter), twice a week on image-based networks (Pinterest, Instagram) and twice a week on LinkedIn, Blogger and Google+.  You want to make sure you are mixing your social media in with all the other marketing you are doing. Have your social links on your websites, campaigns, flyers, etc. Make it easy accessible for users to find.

Step Six: Analyze and Measure

22. How will you define success with your social media campaign? New leads, a transaction, etc.

23. What is working with your social media marketing efforts, and what is not?

24. What is the customer journey from search to transaction?

25. Where does social media fit within your funnel?

The measurement stage is a big one, and no less important than the others even though it often comes last. Having answers to these questions ahead of time will help you follow up with your strategy and see what works and what you should continue to focus on. There is a lot of value in using ROI to benchmark your social media stats to compare the performance of your posts. It is important to understand these stats and to analyze them to find out what works and what doesn't.

For more information on how social media and marketing can help you in Real Estate visit my website. If you would like to set up a time to meet with me to create your social media marketing campaign, contact me. 

Three Digital Marketing Trend Updates

The digital marketing world is always changing. As a Marketing Coordinator for Marketplace Home Mortgage, I always making sure I am in the know by reading updates and catching-up on the new trends.

Here are three updated trends in digital marketing:

1.       Google’s new update relies tremendously on social media for SEO

Google is ready to set the bar even higher with social media. Social media platforms are crucial when trying to build SEO. You need to have more than just one platform to show Google your information is organic and real. You want to become the expert in your field. I would highly suggest having a Google+ page, Facebook Business Page and LinkedIn profile for bare minimum. With the organic online marketing ecosystem growing, Google is relying more on social media signals to inform its search engine rankings.  

2.       Facebook’s new algorithm change

Facebook’s new algorithm for its News Feed calls for timely posts about information that provides value to your social media audience. Google and Facebook have made changes to their platforms to push businesses to focus more on the “human experience.” Think more about the user experience, your target audience, and the way you market your business.  A great way to do this is to bring in content from your blog to feature on your business page.

3.       More Brands Utilizing Instagram

Instagram has surpassed Twitter for the amount of daily active users rising to 300 million! Instagram have started to add sponsored posts within user’s timelines, giving brands even more of a reason to establish a presence on their platform. Instagram for a Real Estate Agent could be a great new social media platform to use to gain more clientele. By having your profile open to the public and using the proper hashtags with your listings you could get quadruple the amount of views.

This year is going to see a lot of change in how people consume marketing online. I will help make sure you are in the know with all the latest updates and trends to help your marketing be the best! If you would like to schedule a time to meet with me please contact me at nroycraft@marketplacehome.com. For more information on social media read my blog. 

Three Questions Recently Asked By Real Estate Agents To Their Marketing Coordinator

There are many different questions agents ask me on a daily basis. After working inside the Keller Williams Integrity NW for about 6 months now, I have heard a few questions multiple times by all different levels of agents whether it be brand new agents, cappers, teams, etc. 

1. What is the best way to promote my listing/open house? 

The first thing when you get a new listing/pen house is to go into your KW account and make a flyer.  After you have created the flyer, save it to your desktop. Then go to your business Facebook page and post it on your wall. If this is an Open House, create an event with the time, date, and address of the open house and put the flyer in the event. Invite all of your friends. To get people outside of your network to see the property create an ad. I typically do a $3.00 a day leading up to the open house or however long you want to do it for your listing. You can add more pictures of the house within the ad creation. This could help you reach over 600 people a day within the area of your listing.

2. How much and what content should I post on my business Facebook page?

Typically you should post on your business Facebook page 3-4 times a week. I usually tell agents every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Make sure to pull information from your website that people will have to fill out. For Example: Your Home’s Value, Search Properties, etc. Post pictures and flyers of new listings, blogs, and other information you believe your clients should know. It doesn't always have to be about your business, it could be something interesting you read on how to stage a home or a tip you found on the “Did You Know” campaign.

3. How do I use the Mobile App?

Go to your App Store and search for KW Realty. Download the KW Realty App. Once it is downloaded, open the app and click on view terms of use, click I accept, then it will open the app. Now on the main screen you will see you can search for homes, click on nearby homes, nearby rentals, contact agent (You), etc. If you put your finger over those boxes and scroll to the left it will bring up more. Click on the “Share App” box. Now you can put in a client’s phone number to have them download the app. Many agents use this at Open Houses. If you are at an open house and meet people who are looking in the area, go into your mobile app and have them add their phone number. Once they have downloaded the app on their phone show them how to look at nearby homes in the area and if the click contact agent – it will call you directly!

I hope by answering these three commonly asked questions, it will help you with your marketing for 2015. If you have any questions or would like to meet with me to go over more questions you may have on marketing please email me or check out my website. 

25 New UpgradesYou May Not Know About The iPhone 6!

Apple is at it again! Coming out with the best cell phone technology year after year. With the new version of the iPhone there are many different ways to make contact no matter what you are doing. It is the perfect phone for people of all ages. The iPhone 6 could tremendously help you and your Real Estate career by all of the great new features.

1. Navigate with a swipe. Instead of having to touch the back button - swipe from left to right across the screen to go backward, or swipe from right to left to go forward. This works in many apps, including Safari, Mail, and Messages. This could help quicken your time as a Realtor going back and forth between all your emails and text messages!  
   
   
2. Now you can capture multiple shots of the action. Burst mode continuously snaps 10 photos per second and the iPhone analyzes the photos in real time to suggest the best of the bunch. 
   
3. There is now a timer to set a 3 or 10 second timer. To activate timer mode and burst mode together press the camera button then release when ready.
    
    
4. Touch anywhere on the screen and slide up or down to capture the right amount of light for your photo with the new adjust exposure trick. This could come in handy when you are taking a picture of their landscape or garden. 
   
   
5. Snap photos using the volume buttons!
   

6. Tap the search icon on the top in your photo settings, and you’ll get options to search by date, time the photo was taken, location, or album name. One more tap gives you access to photos taken nearby, favorite photos, or photos taken on the same date last year.



7. Hide Your Photos! Touch and hold a photo to hide it from Moments, Collections, and Years. You can view all hidden photos by visiting your Hidden photos album. If you want to keep your home life and work life private you can set up different albums for it and hide certain photos you don’t want everyone to see. 





8. View the locations of your pictures on a map by clicking the location heading under Years, Collections, or Moments. When you meet with clients you can show them on the map how many homes you have sold in that area.




9. Did you know you can leave a conversation whenever you want in a group message now? Or that you can tap on details, turn on Do Not Disturb, and read your messages later? With the new iPhone 6 you can start a group conversation and give it a name. You can include and exclude who you want.  As Real Estate Agents this could be very helpful when you are at a showing or closing to turn on DO NOT DISTURB and read all the messages later. 

10. You can now swipe down on a new message notification to reply without leaving the app you’re using and share what you’re seeing as you see it!  

11. In a text message, touch and hold the camera button and swipe up for a photo or swipe right for a video to take a picture to send directly to a friend. 

12. If you are hands free or driving touch and hold the microphone button to record your message. Then swipe up to send it. To hear the message, tap the play button!  

13. Share your location! More and more Realtors are becoming hesitant to doing Open Houses because of the recent murders and kidnaps. With the new iPhone you can share your whereabouts with your loved ones or friends while you are there so they know if you leave that location or where to find you if something were to happen. This is also a great feature for kids so parents know where they are. 

14. If you tap details you can see all the attachments from a conversation! Touch and hold an attachment and tap more to save or delete multiple items at once.


 
 
15. With the new Health App on the iPhone 6 you can create a Medical ID. Create an emergency card that’s accessible from your Lock screen. To add or edit your information, go to the Health app and tap Medical ID on the bottom right. Access your card from the Lock screen by tapping Emergency and then selecting Medical ID on the bottom left. This allows everyone to see what your allergies are, emergency contacts, and more in case of an emergency. 


16. Siri can Identify Songs! Siri knows the name of the song that’s playing around you. Just ask “What song is playing?” and it will tell you the title and artist.

17. You can now tell Siri who’s who. When you say “Nikki is my sister” or “Mike is my dad” she will then save that so when you say “Text my sister” Siri knows what you mean. 

18. When you add your home and work address in your contacts, Siri can tell when you’re at each location. You can then set up a reminder to remind you when you leave work or arrive home and Siri will. For example, “When I get to work tomorrow remind me to email John Thompson.” This is perfect for Realtors who are always on the go. 
  
19. Be on time. Wouldn’t it be nice to know when exactly you should leave for a closing with the traffic? With the new iPhone you can do just that. Enter and select the address in the location field when you create an event, then choose travel Time to be alerted at just the right time to depart by car or foot. 

20. You can now email photos and videos! When you’re composing an email, touch and hold the message to open the options menu. Tap the arrow and select “insert photo or video.” Then choose the photo or video to attach from your camera roll, albums, or shared albums. This would be perfect if you happen to drive by a home for sale you think your buyer may be interested in! Take a picture and send it off! 

21. Get to your favorite people fast! Double press the home button and see your favorite people and the most recently contacted people. Just tap once to call, text, or start a FaceTime.  

22. Have your iPhone read back to you. Go to Settings General Accessibility Speech and turn on Speak Screen. Then go to an app and swipe down from the top with two fingers or tell Siri to “Speak screen.” All the content of the page will be read back to you. 

23. Limit access to a single app. Guided Access lets you temporarily limit your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to a single app and control which app features are available. You can even set time limits on each app. This is great for children. You’ll find Guided Access in Settings General Accessibility along with instructions on how to use it. 



24. Smart Albums automatically collect your panorama, burst, and hidden photos as well as slo-mo, time-lapse, and HD videos. The Recently Deleted album stores deleted photos for 30 days in case you change your mind.



25. Broadcast live with AirPlay. When connected to a Wi-Fi network, you can use AirPlay Mirroring to share exactly what’s on your iPhone with your HDTV connected to an Apple TV. Just access Control Center by swiping up, tap AirPlay, and select your TV.

As you can see Apple has made some major technological advances with their phones over the years. If you need help with setting up or understanding the phone better with your Real Estate business please do not be afraid to contact me. I can’t wait to see what they come out with next!