Optimize Your Facebook Profile for Real Estate Business Development
PROFILE IMAGE
1. Add a photo to your profile
There is no trust in social media without a photo. Make sure you upload a current photo to Facebook that looks like you and will ensure that if you see your Facebook friend in person, they will know who you are.
Profile > Upload a Photo (hover over the page image area)
2. Edit the thumbnail associated with your profile photo.
Do you have your face centered on the thumbnail that appears next to your wall posts? You can edit this feature. Make sure you have optimized the positioning of the thumbnail image.
Profile > Hover over upper right hand corner of your profile photo > Change Picture > Edit Thumbnail (link located below your profile image)
PHOTO BAR AT TOP OF PROFILE
3. Customize the photos that appear at the top of your profile by uploading 5 images that reflect your business objectives and tag yourself.
Profile > Photos (below your profile photo) > Upload Photos (upper right hand corner).
Then tag yourself in the uploaded photos.
The most recently tagged photo will appear on the left of your photo bar. As new photos are tagged, they will move the other photos to the right. Those photo spots don’t have to be limited to photos, they can also include graphics (like a company logo). To delete an image that you don’t want there, hover over the image and click the “x” that will appear in the upper right hand corner of the image.
PROFILE CONTENT
4. Include your work contact Information
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Contact Information
· Your work email
· Your work phone number (or mobile if that is where you want leads to reach you)
· Your work city in the address section
5. Add multiple websites to your profile (Facebook will display up to 6)
Hit return after the first email address you put into the website field and then enter the next web address
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Contact Information > Website
· Your Facebook business page
· Your brokers web site
· Your profile on your brokerage site
· Your business website
· Your blog(s)
· Your LinkedIn profile
· Your Twitter account
· Your YouTube channel
6. Fill in your current city
Filling in your current city can help to reinforce your area of business expertise. It does not *have* to be the city you currently live in…it can be your farm.
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Basic Information > Current City
7. Include a (Facebook friendly) bio
If you live in a state where it is required by law to disclose your license identification number at the first point of contact with customers (such as in California), include your license number in this box.
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Basic Information > About Me
8. Include your real estate brokerage and role in your employer information
Attempt to link to an active business page in Facebook for your employer by picking the page name of your brokerage (or your business page on Facebook) from the pull down menu that appears when you start typing in your employer information.
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Education and Work > Employer
9. Add a few activities and interests
Adding activities and interests gives people something to relate to you, and helps to build relationships.
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Activities and Interests
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Sports
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Arts and Entertainment
10. Strategically select your options for the following data fields: Interested In, Political Views, Religious Views, Favorite Quotations, Relationship Status, and Family Members
These items can be controversial or polarizing…select strategically based on your comfort level and knowledge of your social sphere and Facebook audience. If in doubt, leave them blank.
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Basic Information
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Relationships
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Philosophy
PRIVACY SETTINGS - Steps 11-16 work together-execute all five
11. Adjust default permissions on Connecting on Facebook to “Friends Only”
This will protect your wall and other information you put into Facebook from being seen, by default, by anyone on the internet (defined as the “Public” on Facebook). You will have to accept a friend request for someone to be able to see your data.
Account > Privacy Settings > Control Your Default Privacy > Friends Radio Button
12. Open up the “website” field to be visible by “Everyone”
Your business website is public data and is your business billboard on the web. Make sure that non‐friends who find you on Facebook can be routed to your public business website (outside of Facebook) if they come across your Facebook profile. You can still decline or accept their friend request, but at least they can be routed to your business website to confirm they have the right person on Facebook, or learn more about how to reach you in a business capacity.
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile) > Contact Information > Public (pull down menu to the right of the website field ‐ select the globe icon).
13. Turn on “Photo Review” privacy feature
Note this is a very conservative setting best for those who are concerned about privacy or are still learning how Facebook works. Not enabling this setting can allow for more opportunities for connections with friends.
Account > Privacy Settings > How Tags Work > Edit Settings > Profile Review > Edit > Turn On Profile Review
14. Confirm that your Facebook friends can leave comments on your wall
Engagement is key to effective relationship building with your Facebook profile ‐ make sure your Facebook friends can post to your wall in order to facilitate engagement.
Account > Privacy Settings > How You Connect > Edit Settings > Who can post on your wall? > Friends
15. Confirm who can see the comments left by Facebook friends on your wall
Step 14 controls who can post to your wall ‐ you can also control who can see those posts on your wall. Make a selection that is comfortable for you. It is common for the setting to be “Friends”.
Account > Privacy Settings > How You Connect > Edit Settings > Who can see Wall posts by others on your profile? > [select whatever is comfortable for you
- we recommend Friends]
16. Be findable on Facebook
Make sure people who are looking for you on Facebook (such as past clients) can find you! You can still decline their friend request if you want to.
Account > Privacy Settings > How You Connect > Edit Settings > Who can look up your profile by name or contact info? > Everyone
ACCOUNT SETTINGS
17. Display your birthday in your profile (it’s ok to hide your birth year)
By displaying your birthday, you will give permission for your Facebook friends (your sphere of influence) to reach out to you once every year. You will be surprised who you will hear from. It’s a great way to stay top‐of‐mind once every year with your sphere.
“Edit Profile” Button (upper right hand corner of your profile)> Basic Information > Birthday > “Show Only My Month & Day” option
18. Add your maiden name or a nickname that you are known by
Account > Account Settings > General > Name > Edit > Alternate Name [add] > Include this in my profile [check] > Save changes
19. Set your username/custom (vanity) URL
Setting your username is a key element in promoting your presence on Facebook and creates a userfriendly URL that you can share with people (for example, on a business card) that tells them where to find you on Facebook. Your username is ideally some form of your name. Your profile is to be personal to you per the Facebook Terms of Service so you should NOT include your profession, brokerage, or other real estate business indicator in your username selection on your profile.
Account > Account Settings > General > Username > Edit
REVIEW YOUR PROFILE
20. Preview your profile
You can see how your profile looks like to any of your Facebook friends, as well as non‐friends. This allows you to confirm that you are comfortable with what people can see and that your profile and privacy settings are configured in a way your are comfortable with.
Profile > “View as…” Button [upper right hand corner of your profile]