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I love facebook; more specifically, I love status updates.  From your personal life to business life, status updates help you spread messages in a very efficient way. Here are 5 tips to help you use status updates to build your business online - for FREE!

1. Update regularly - Like with every type of online community, you have to be consistent in your communication.  Two reasons to update facebook: first, it helps build your reputation as someone who’s consistently involved in information sharing and keeping in touch.  Second, when people have hundreds and hundreds of friends, it’s easy for your updates to get lost in the shuffle.  Regular updates guarantee that more of your friends will see your updates, and keep you top of mind.  If you’re not already a frequent updater, make a goal to do so at least 1x day, and build that as you get more comfortable.  I’d just stick to under 5x a day, as at that point it may start to look like that’s all you do.

2. Share what you’re doing for your clients -  At a closing?  Listing a new property?  Hosting an open house?  Took new pictures of a listing?  Share it!  Any updates you can post that show you’re a busy and productive real estate agent are great.  The whole point of status updates is to share what you’re doing, and sharing business updates is a great way to remind your friends that you’re a busy, dedicated agent.  So the next time they’re thinking about a move or know someone who is, they’ll think of you as a person who’s always working for your clients.  (BONUS: Post pictures from your smartphone at open houses and closings to REALLY show people what you’re doing!)

3. Show your different sides - But don’t JUST update about work - that can get boring.  It’s important to show that you have multiple sides to your life, and keep friends interested in what you have to say.  Talking about your work is important (see above!), but if you’re always on the same topics, people may be annoyed and think your updates are only there to serve your business and not keep in touch.  This can put you on a one-way train to the “hide” feature, which like it sounds, hides your updates from your friend’s wall.  If you’re not comfortable sharing what’s going on with your family or in your personal life, stick with comments about favorite TV shows, movies, books, restaurants - even funny things you see.

4. Limit the Facebook quizzes - Sure it’s fun to see what 80s sitcom character you are, but remember what I said above about people getting annoyed with status updates?  Well, quizzes can be really annoying.  Results take up about 2-3 inches of screen space on your friends’ pages instead of the standard 1 inch - that’s huge!  Do I really need to see 3 inches of what kind of pasta my friend’s-mother’s-cousin would be?  No.  That “hide” feature is really easy to use, so don’t give people any reason to click it.  If you want to take a quiz, try to limit to 2 a week and don’t take them on the same day.

5. Comment on friends’ updates - Don’t be afraid to interact!  Commenting on other people’s updates is a quick and easy way to tell someone “I’m reading your updates, and interested in you!” without actually saying that.  (Saying it could be weird…)  It shows you’re not just pushing your thoughts to others, but reading and thinking of others.  PLUS, if you comment on someone else’s status, all of their friends see your note - a whole new audience!

Any other facebook tips that have worked for you?  Share!

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