I think it’s safe to say that social media has reached a point that it’s not just here to stay, but will become an ever-increasing part of how people interact online. I’m betting this has something to do with the fact that the “web 2.0” revolution is finally fulfilling the promise of the Internet; allowing people across the planet to communicate instantly (
Instant Messaging), organize into meaningful groups (
Facebook and
other social sites), and generate ideas and knowledge with ease (
Wikipedia).
Although there are many different tools available, the most fundamental social technology is still the blog. The tools available in any blogging software allow agents to connect with clients through comments, surveys, video and more; however, the problem many agents face is in not knowing where to begin or what the best practices are.
To help REALTORS® better understand the form and function of a good blog the Virginia Association of REALTORS® (VAR) founded the Center for Real Estate and Social Technology (CREST). The center published its first poll through the VAR’s official blog at
http://www.varbuzz.com/, the results of which can be found here:
http://varbuzz.com/crest/. This initial outing was a very general set of questions meant to get a baseline on who’s blogging, how, and using what tools. The second survey by CREST, found here
http://varbuzz.com/crest2/ is more detailed in how it approaches the question of blog content, visitors, tools, and more. All REALTORS® with a blog are encouraged to complete the survey, regardless of what state you live and work in. The second CREST survey closes at 9am EST on August 8
th, and results will be posted on varbuzz.com soon afterward.
Take the CREST survey on blogging in Real Estate:
http://varbuzz.com/crest2/