Let’s Talk Facebook Changes, Shall We?

So, as I’m sure you’ve all noticed, facebook has rolled out some significant changes to its interface that will impact how you interact with your friends and connections on the network.  There are several changes that will be rolling out in the coming weeks, but I would like to focus on one in particular: timeline.

Timeline

I think facebook is really trying to make using its network an “experience” again-much like it was when the network first exploded on the social scene in 2004.  Zuckerberg wants to evoke emotion from users everytime they login.  And that’s clever thinking because it keeps users coming back.  This is what timeline does, as he explained during the f8 conference last week (I highly encourage you to check this out for a full debriefing on facebook changes…and for an awesome Zuckerberg impersonation from Andy Samberg).  With this feature, you can scroll to a particular year within your profile and see exactly what happened through past status updates and photos.  Think of it almost as flipping through a photo album-but much better because you can actually see what your friends and family thought of what you were sharing through past comments and “likes.”

Your timeline can go as far back as you would like.  In fact, facebook has created a “way back” section where you can add stuff from your past-baby photos, your first home sale, etc.  A sample of timeline view is below (also, if you watch Zuckerberg’s keynote, fast forward to 14:02 to see him start talking about timeline).

Facebook timeline

A couple of quick points I would like to make about timeline.  I think it will be very easy for realtors to abuse this new feature by putting up too many photos that portray them as, well, realtors.  I would not take advantage of the new, more visually alluring format to do what you see below:

Facebook Timeline 2

This picture came from an awesome post by Chris Smith at Inman News, talking about how realtors may abuse the new facebook layout.

As tempting as it may be, try your darndest to not create whole sections of your timeline devoted to listings or receptions for awards ceremonies or your first $4 mil+ sale.  Stick by the hard and fast rule social media senseis have tried to relay: the 1: 10 ratio…for every 1 real estate related post you put up on your personal profile, put up 10 other items that just express who you are-such as how much you love your ipad, baking your first pumpkin pie, thoughts on Justin Bieber’s hair, you get the idea.  Or better yet, reserve real estate posts for your “Like” page (also known by the real estate community as a Business Page).  That is really where you are supposed to be promoting your business.

I am looking forward to seeing how real estate embraces timeline.  I guess only ‘time’ will tell!

Kindle(ing) Fire

Amazon released the latest iteration of the Kindle-Kindle Fire early this week.  And let me tell you, it’s gonna kindle some fires.  Amazon redefined the traditional Kindle with this model, creating a tablet for media consumption-music, video, web browsing and reading.  Also-it has only a 7 inch window for increased portability.  Perhaps the most intriguing part of it all is the cost: The Fire is charging a fraction of the iPad2…to be more specific, the iPad 2 is $499 and the Kindle Fire is $199!  The cost differential alone is what has helped Amazon achieve so much press in the past few days since the product launch.

Humongous price difference aside, Amazon may be onto something here and other tablet makers should take notice.  While there is some basic hardware that is missing-example, no cameras and only 8 hour battery life-it does have an impressive dual core processor and its own browser which is super fast, called Amazon Silk.  Silk uses cloud computing to deliver an incredibly efficient, speedy browsing experience.  Also, users will have access to Amazon’s wealth of content, including books, music, and movie streaming.

I believe Fire will be a great alternative to those who don’t care for the bells and whistles many of the higher priced tablets out there.  It is certainly extremely fast, offers ease of browsing and access to Amazon’s entire portal.  And of course, it’s cheap. There are the makings of a future tablet rivalry here.

You can pre-order one now and look for the Fire in stores on November 15^th.

Let’s Talk About Location

Location-based social networks, that is.  The nerd terminology for this type of social networking is ‘geo-social,’ or, essentially, sharing tips and ideas with your sphere based on location.  Perhaps the most noteworthy network leading the geo-social bandwagon, is foursquare.  Foursquare has helped change the way people, real estate agents included, participate in their local communities and express themselves as local area experts (probably the best strategy you can take as an agent when utilizing a social network!).

A quick description if you are not using the network:  Foursquare is a free, geo-social mobile app that allows you to check-in to different locations around town, pretty much anywhere.  Once you have checked in, you can see who else has checked in, who has checked in the most (those people are awarded Mayorships, which are very highly coveted) and you can also qualify for coupons and discounts.  It’s an interesting scene that combines sharing fun spots around town with some competitive flair of achieving the most check-ins.

It makes logical sense to have a location-based social network as part of your marketing plan as a real estate agent because, real estate is local!   So, next time you hit up a new restaurant or venue in town or are returning to one of your old haunts, check-in on foursquare and leave a tip!  See the image below for an example of a branded location’s (Starbucks) foursquare page and tips left by those who check-in.

Some other cool ways to use this tool as an agent?  There’s been much talk about checking-in to open houses and I can definitely see this as a beneficial strategy.  You could add a little flash to your open-house sign letting prospects know if they check-in, they receive a little present, say a small gift-card to an area coffee or pastry shop.  You can also promote this giveaway on your facebook and twitter pages, so your spheres on those networks are also informed of your savvy open-house incentive.  An added bonus-post a photo of where you are, perhaps even just an image of the dish you are eating or the décor in a café so your followers can visualize your location.

Check out https://foursquare.com/ , sign up and start chatting about your local area!  I am sure other marketing ideas will spur once you begin using the tool!

Just Tweet It

I have written several posts and talked to agents about the power of twitter for real estate marketing.  Much of the twitter experience comes from outside its site, particularly from 3^rd party sites that help you expand your network.  One of these sites is called Just Tweet It (there are volumes that can be written about various 3^rd party sites that enhance your twitter marketing, but we’ll leave that for another time).  If you feel like your follower numbers are lackluster, this tool will come in handy in helping you branch out.

Visit http://justtweetit.com/directory/ and you will be greeted with a “Twitter User Directory.”  There are several categories of users here, including a whole Real Estate section!  Once in a section that intrigues you, check out different users’ pages and start following!  You will start to notice that many users you follow will follow you back, helping to increase your sphere.  I encourage you to check out the site to explore its many cool features.

Facebook is Going  Shopping

In its never-ending quest at web domination, facebook is now rumored to be shopping the web for Skype, the free phone and web communication service (with extra fees, Skype gives you extra perks).  The mammoth social network may have plans to either purchase Skype or enter a JV.

Skype has already enabled its users to chat with their facebook friends right within its site interface.  You can also update your facebook profile and interact with your friends’ profiles and Like pages from within skype.

So what’s the price tag Facebook is allegedly paying for Skype?  The number around the web is around $3 or $4 billion.  Not a bad shopping budget, Mr. Zuckerberg, not bad at all.  Let’s see how this plays out.

All for now.  Have a wonderful weekend!

A BIG Facebook Update

This week, facebook announced a new social feature that could potentially change the way users interact with and share content.  It’s called the “Send” feature.  Ever come across an article or piece of information that you just wanted to send to a few people on facebook, say, your clients?  That’s what “send” does.  The button is designed “to make it easier for users to share content with close groups of friends,” said Facebook product manager, Austin Haugen.  When you click on the “send” button, a pop-up appears (much like if you were to click on “share” from an outside website) and you can select to whom you would like to send the interesting tidbit you found on the web.  You can send the article to an email address, facebook group or to facebook friends.  Pretty cool stuff.  Takes away the burdensome task of having to copy and paste a url of an article, then pop it into and email and then send it.

Kudos to facebook for creating a plug-in that allows for a little more intimacy.  With “send,” you get to really decide who should see the information you find on third-party sites.  You could not do that with the simple “like” or “share” feature (though these features are still essential to share great content with masses of people, say your followers on your “Like” page).

I think this is a great development for real estate professionals.  Facebook is filled with real estate broker and agent Like pages and they are increasing their virtual SOI and business as a result.  A lot of agents are also starting niche groups on facebook…whether they be devoted to first time homebuyers, downsizing or local area happenings.  This is a great way to connect with a group of people (who also may happen to be your clients) in a more personal way (groups allow for more privacy than Like pages because you have to be invited to become a member).  With the new “send” feature, a realtor can send an article from an outside site to the entire group or to select members of the group.

50 sites and counting have launched the “send” button, including Gilt Groupe, 1-800-flowers, the Wall Street Journal, Orbitz, The Huffington Post, People.com and The Washington Post.  If you are interested in placing the “send” button on your site, copy and paste the code snippet from the Facebook Developer’s Website to the backend of your blog/site.

Below are a couple screenshots of what the “send” button looks like on a website:

White is the New Black

The white apple iPhone went on sale in numerous countries yesterday.  This long-awaited color option is available in the U.S. from Apple’s online store, Apple’s retail stores and AT&T and Verizon wireless stores (yes the white version is available for both service providers).

The white iPhone was announced early last summer, but experienced delays due to paint mixture issues.  Delay notwithstanding, “at least one Wall Street analyst believes the “mystique” surrounding the elusive device will boost sales, even as rumors of the anticipated fifth-generation iPhone heat up,” according to AppleInsider.

Several industry experts see Apple boosting iPhone sales due to the new color option.  1 to 1.5 million units of white iPhone 4s are expected to be sold in the June and September quarters, leading up to the release of the iPhone 5.

Will you be purchasing the white version?