Valid points are being made about how other industries are doing a better job than real estate operators in leveraging social media to enhance their brands, boost business in a down market, and touch customers. In fact, we focused on this same opportunity a few months ago.

We can all do a better job of taking bold steps to extend our reach via these wonderful new channels by learning from best practices outside of our industry. That said, let’s not assume that it’s just sales associates who are leading the way in the social networking world of real estate. Just because we see regular tweets and Facebook posts from more agents than brokers doesn’t mean that brokers aren’t aware and active in this space, albeit below the radar in many cases.

As examples, JLS Connect is a new brokerage-sponsored way to allow consumers to comment on listings using new Microsoft software. And dozens of our brokers have brought in LeadingRE and Institute specialists to teach social networking classes to their associates – including two-day CE courses – to arm them for this new kind of prospecting, with best practices being shared company to company because they understand the importance.

Real estate company channels are emerging on YouTube, fan pages on Facebook and profile pages on LinkedIn.

When it comes to blogging, member brokerages large and small have adopted Propopoly to provide an easy, turn-key micro-blogging solution for their agents. Some of the earliest and most successful examples of integration integration of company websites and blogs have occurred with our LeadingRE members.

What is the true ROI test of social media? Whether these efforts get you to page 1 of Google as evidenced in this search that takes you to Latter & Blum. In that test, many of the best-optimized websites are brokerage sites or agent sites that are sponsored or hosted by brokerage firms. Just because the broker’s face isn’t front and center on Twitter doesn’t mean there isn’t some social networking leadership going on behind the scenes. And while there is lots of opportunity to make much greater headway for real estate brokers in social media, let’s give some credit where credit is due. As with so many things, brokers don’t do a great job of tooting their own horns, but many of them are definitely working to move their agents and brands forward using social media.

Posted By: Pam O’Connor