Bill Gassett

By Bill Gassett

You know you need to be on Twitter, and you have even heard other agents talk about how much traffic the social media giant can garner, but you have given it a go with nearly zero results. So what gives? Well, chances are you aren’t using the site correctly, and you aren’t alone. Twitter is confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it, it can actually be both fun and worthwhile. Start out with these Twitter rules every real estate agent should be following.

1. Keep it Interesting

One of the biggest mistakes that real estate agents make using Twitter is tweeting their listings. Bo-ring! It’s also ineffective for two reasons. First: People are not using Twitter to search for their next home. Second: A user’s Twitter feed is constantly moving, so your tweet needs to stand out from the crowd.

Instead of listings, share important news stories and helpful articles, with a variety of videos and pictures. The best-case scenario is pointing to useful content on your own site. One of the first things I do after posting a piece on my Massachusetts Real Estate Blog is to tweet the article out to my followers.

Bottom line: You only get 140 characters, and you better make them count.

2. Use Hashtags

Hashtags are everywhere these days, but they began on Twitter and it continues to be crucial that you use them there. A hashtag will increase your reach tremendously because it makes your posts searchable by everyone, not just your followers. Try popular industry tags, such as #realestate, #home, or #interiordesign. Or give one of these calendar-based hashtags a try:

• #TBT – Every Thursday, Twitter will be flooded with this hashtag, which stands for Throwback Thursday. Just post a picture from many years ago with a clever comment (and the #TBT hashtag, of course).
• #FF – On Fridays, this hashtag will be prevalent. It stands for “Follow Friday” and it’s a way for you to recommend other people on Twitter who you think are worthy of more followers. Watch the #FF posts of industry folks you admire and you’ll also find this hashtag is a great way for you to make some lasting connections beyond your sphere.

3. Be Relevant

Twitter gives you many tools to stay up-to-date on what everyone is talking about, so use them. Employ the search function to see what the hot topics are in the real estate world and your local area. Also, pay attention to what’s trending so you can add your two cents on the popular subjects of the day.

4. Always Proofread

…no matter what. You are never too busy to re-read your message before you hit the Tweet button. Yes, you can always delete it after the fact, but it’s likely someone has already seen it by then.

5. Use Formatting to Your Advantage

Even though you technically get 140 characters, it’s always smart to aim for 120. Why? If someone wants to re-tweet your post but add their own comments, they need the space to do so. You want to make re-tweeting as easy as possible for them.

6. Stay Positive

Keep your messages cheerful, don’t get involved in Twitter wars, and always maintain a professional appearance. Many people turn to Twitter to vent, but that’s not the vibe you want to give off here.

Bill Gassett is a nationally-recognized real estate leader and one of the top RE/MAX salespeople in New England. See all his real estate articles at www.maxrealestateexposure.com.