Socialebb Strategies and Solutions

Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better. - King Whitney Jr.

And so it goes.

Sometimes change comes quickly. Market conditions challenge homeowners, and real estate professionals.Those challenges also offer opportunties. A clarion call to meet the challenges of an explosive foreclosure crisis finds me at the crossroads of another change. I've jung up my hat as a Community Manager at Trulia and taken on a new role as a Trulia Evangelist, working independently in a manner that lets me explore other ways to make a difference in the housing market.

The next 60 days will find me with a new real estate talk show on a local cable network, and concentrated focus on the housing crisis and the homeless.

It will also find me presenting classes for real estate professionals and consumers about foreclosures, HUD homes, Internet marketing, social media, and risk and reputation management. Many of those classes will be presented online in an interactive format. My passion for Trulia tools and services will find a new voice in Webinars and in-person workshops around the country.

One of the most satisfying aspects of changing roles is the fact that I can remain right here, blogging and continuing to participate on Trulia Voices.

The only difference may be one of tenor ... you never know what can happen when passion finds itself Unchained ;-)

Trulia is the fastest growing web site on the Real Estate Net. Real estate professionals have a complete set of Web 2.0 tools to magnify their online voice and connect with buyers and sellers everywhere! Here are 10 ways to leverage an Internet presence in real estate:

1. Earn credentials as area expert.
   
   A complete suite of Web 2.0 tools lets real estate agents show market expertise with up-to-the-minute statistics and reports that you can use in your blogs and on the Trulia Voices question-and-answer platform. You will achieve an increasing level of expertise as you answer more questions and blog.
   
   
2. Brand your listings.
   
   The most consumer-friendly property detail sheet is not complete without your name, your contact information, and a link right to your web site. Trulia receives listings from real estate companies, multiple listing services, and other online publishers. If your listing is here, brand it and it will appear on your profile page.
   
   
3. Build your reputation proactively. 
   
   Construct an online profile that includes a record of your accomplishments and lists your affiliations. There’s plenty of room, so include memberships in organizations that fuel your passion even if they are not real estate related (i.e. CARE National Advocacy, Big Brothers and Sisters, Turning Point).
   
   
4. Showcase your testimonials on the Trulia profile page.
   
   What better way to build a reputation than with the kudos of past clients and colleagues? As you are building this page, take a few moments to contact some past clients and ask them for a few words that you can use on this important page. Here is a great example.
   
   
5. Drive quality leads to your web site.
   
   Trulia delivers more traffic to agent and broker web sites than any other web site. The more tools you use, the more traffic you will drive to your web site. And consider the qualitative value of visitors who have researched the real estate market and read the answers to the questions that you post, and visitors who read your blog.
   
   
6. Attract your ideal client.
   
   Put the Law of Attraction to work for you and let your personality shine on your Trulia Blog. Share your thoughts and successes, share your joy as well as your frustration. Be real. Be you. Watch the magic happen as you establish an online kinship with like-minded consumers. What a great way to kick off a formal business relationship.
   
   
7. Use widgets and mobile applications to share market stats and listings.
   
   Use a Trulia profile badge in your e-mail signature that keeps your online presence ever ready. Trulia market stats widgets and mapping widgets are FREE tools that drive consumer engagement on your personal web site. A TruliaHomeroll lets you customize a widget to match your web site and show properties for sale. A TruliaSearchbox widget lets your site visitors search for homes right on your web site.
   
   Trulia iPhone and SmartPhone applications bring maps and property information to your mobile devices and car.
   
   
8. Trulia Pro broadens your reach and exposure.
   
   Trulia Pro offers exposure beyond organic search. Featured listings appear at the top of search results, and you can aim your exclusive Spotlight ad at 20 market areas or zip codes. Trulia Pro is easy to use, easy to modify, and the perfect way to upgrade your suite of FREE tools and services at Trulia. (Sign up for Trulia Pro and use this coupon for TWO FREE MONTHS: F44NN)
   
   
9. Convert more inbound and outbound referrals.
   
   Use the Member Search on Trulia Voices to find a real estate professional in other market areas to find the right match for your family, friends, and clients. Read agents’ answers to consumers to gauge their market savvy and select an agent or several agents to interview for a chance to work with a buyer or a seller.
   
   
10. Carve a niche in your local market.
    
    What is your special fancy? First-time homebuyers, historic homes, equestrian properties, luxury homes? Spend energy and have fun sharing insights and information about the market you know best. Use the keyword search tool to find conversations other agents and consumers are having and lend your voice to the discussion on Trulia Voices. Leave a trail of footprints that buyers and sellers can follow to find their perfect agent.

A look at today's blogosphere leaves me dumbfounded that the copyright police are not rounding up scores of bloggers! New grassroots citizen journalists are looting articles, photos, audio files, and videos en masse.

Wikepedia offers the following definition of Copyright:

Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by governments, giving the creator of an original work of authorship exclusive rights to control its distribution, usually for 70 years after the author's death, after which the work enters the public domain. Generally, it is "the right to copy", but usually provides the author with other rights as well, such as the right to be credited for the work, to determine who may adapt the work to other forms, who may perform the work, who may financially benefit from it, and other, related rights. It is an intellectual property form (like the patent, the trademark, and the trade secret) applicable to any expressible form of an idea or information that is substantive and discrete. Copyright was initially conceived as a way for governments in Europe to restrict printing; the contemporary intent of copyright is to promote the creation of new works by giving authors control of and profit from them.

The music and movie industries have taken an offensive posture, hiring attorneys and filing lawsuits to protect the intellectual property of the people who created and own that property. Real estate bloggers could be next!

Are Bloggers Going to be Sued for Theft?

Copyright laws were drafted to protect intellectual property.

Bloggers have adopted standards of practice with other people's intellectual property that is at striking odds with existing laws. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act  signed into law in 1998 criminalizes the use of technology that circumvents the law.

There is a prevailing view among bloggers that "everyone does it, so it must be okay." Bloggers are cutting and pasting each others' blog posts, images, and maps. They are reprinting whole articles from the mainstream press. How long will they get away with this? Nobody knows how long the looting will continue, but I don't envy the bloggers caught in the first big roundup!

What does this mean at Trulia Blogs?

• Do not reprint whole articles from other blogs or web sites or print media (unless they are your own).
• Do not use photographs or multi-media files that you do not own unless you have explicit permission to do so.

If there is an article or a blog post that you want to reference in your blog, select a couple of sentences to a paragraph at most and follow that with a link to the entire article.

Do not use photographs from Google image searches unless you have permission to use them. Many of those images are copyright protected. I have friends who have paid hundreds of dollars to the owners of images for unauthorized use ... their "theft" was innocent in terms of intent. However, ignorance has no weight in a court of law. In each case they settled out of court and traded handsome sums of money to stay out of court. Use royalty free images or use a subscription service like iStockPhoto.com. (The photo at the top right of this blog post was constructed from a royalty free photo and some text editing on Picnik.com.)

Copyright Laws Extend to Work For Hire

"I REALLY wish more people in the real estate industry understood that intellectual property can be just as important as the property they sell," laments Mike Price (MLBroadcast) on Facebook today. "It is imperative that if you are going to call yourself a business professional of any kind, that you have a full understanding of intellectual property. Not just an understanding, but a respect for the creative professionals that work hard to make you look good. Too many people in the world of real estate take things for granted and end up mistreating those that they should consider partners in the process of professional growth.

"Understand that just because you pay someone to do something does not mean you own the resultant work to do with as you choose," Price continues. "You license it or make sure you have a 'work for hire' agreement before you demand something. If the person you are dealing with does not understand that, perhaps you're getting what you paid for. This is an issue that never seems to get it's fair share of attention in the industry.I remember learning about intellectual property in a high school economics class. I personally think it should become a part of continuing education and required of every person with a license to understand the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act ) The world has changed, so have the rules. "Fair Use" and compensation for licensing is something that could catch an uneducated person off guard and do a great deal of economic and reputation damage."

Evergreen blog content will put your blog to work for your 24/7!

Wikipedia tells us, "In botany,  an evergreen plant is a plant having leaves all year round. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage for part of the year."

In online publishing, evergreen content never becomes outdated! It provides "stickiness" that keeps blog visitors coming back and offers tasty tidbits to the search engine spiders all year long.

Search engine spiders are always on the crawl for relevant content. News and current events offer timely information, but news becomes outdated very quickly. Therefore, we recommend that bloggers weigh the balance of their content and place at least 80% of their content into an evergreen forest. Evergreen content is just as readable and relevant a year following publication as the day it is written.

Here are some examples of evergreen content in real estate blogs:

• Staging tips
• Title insurance
• Going green (eco friendly)
• Remodel and renovate
• Schools
• Professionalism in real estate
• Buyer agency
• Fair housing law
• Local and demographic information
• Home warranties and insurance
• List of real estate services

Here are some examples of content that is dated:

• News and controversy
• Election debates
• Day-to-day stock market tribulations
• Interest rates going up or down
• Notice of events

Weigh your blog content. Your blog will be a more valuable resource to consumers six months from now if you plan your content wisely. Devote at least 80% of your content to evergreen material and reap the bounty in days ahead.

Happy Blogging!

I am excited and honored to fill a newly created position at Trulia as Community Manager. Trulia is expanding its commitment to a growing community with new products and support.

I have a long background in real estate and in online publishing and print publishing. I've been a licensed REALTOR for 23 years, a real estate blogger since January 2005, and the first managing editor of RealTown.com, home of the oldest real estate community on the Web.

I have been writing about social media for real estate pros and consumers. You will find me on Facebook, Twitter, RealTown, ActiveRain, Inman Community, LinkedIn, and numerous other social networks and communities.

Trulia has assembled an outstanding group of talent that is destined to make this community the most vibrant, the most productive, and most collaborative group in the real estate space on the Internet. I am thrilled to be part of a team that is committed to listen to its community, respond to its needs, and provide a fertile place for growth and FUN! Considering recent events in housing and finance, these objectives are compelling, to say the least.

Here are some of the things I am working on:

• A new Surviving the Housing Crisis page features hand-picked Trulia blogs and Trulia Voices questions and answers.  Ask the experts for advice, share tips, and read what locals in your community have to say.
• Blogs, Blogs, and more Blogs! I will offer tips and advice every week for bloggers. If you have a question, send me an e-mail at Frances @ Trulia.com.  
• I am helping manage The Hidden Gems Contest. Blog about the best hidden gems in your neighborhood and win a Dash Express GPS!
• Webinars and teleseminars will give out community members a chance to learn how to use all the great tools at Trulia.