I Took Time Off Social Media and Wow...!!

After reluctantly cutting my ownership ties with the Real Estate Community on Google+ recently, I came to realize how much the continuous time commitment and stress affected my freedom to do all the other things I like. The flavor of freedom was so intoxicating, that I even decided to take things one step further by unshackling myself from all of social media for a few weeks. Well guess what? The world continued to turn and there were no dire consequences. 

That got me thinking, how on earth did the social media hype get us into a state of voluntary and blind submission. Frankly, we all got herded in by hearing that social media is a must if you want to be successful with internet marketing. Most of us got in without a plan and tried to learn on the job. It became a task just like brushing your teeth or paying bills. However, before we knew it, most of us got overwhelmed, with not a whole lot to show for it.

So how can we navigate social media without drowning? In my opinion, we have to realize that social media is not an answer to all things related to internet marketing. First, social media does not have a monopoly on SEO. SEO is a product of good content, proper html tagging, links and other factors among which is social media activity. Second, social media is not a lead harvesting machine like some newbies tend to think. It is just another tool, among several, that can help secure leads.

If we are ready to accept these facts, then we can intelligently devise our own plan of action, tailored to our individual needs. Here's a list of things we can incorporate into our plan to use social media more efficiently.

1. Dedicate a specific number of hours a week to social media and stick to it.

2. Do not waste time trying to interact with followers that do not reciprocate. But, make sure to always reciprocate favors as they come. I know that some out there will raise their eyebrows hearing this. But, give me a goods reason why we should spend time with those that ignore us?!

3. Use automation tools such as Hootsuite to save time. I have never been a big fan of these tools. But in the interest of saving time, I am considering crossing the line.

4. Reuse old content that is still relevant.

5. Do not forget that your mobile device is great for social media during non-productive periods of the day.

6. Do not waste time posting content on topics that have already been posted for the umpteenth time by others. The objective should be unique interesting content that is relevant to your target audience.

Hey, reducing the burden of social media is such a relief. I tried it and the feeling is amazing. Try it, you may like it!

For other related topics:

The Ten Commandments for Real Estate in Social Media
The Introduction To Your Google+ Real Estate Posts
Your Real Estate G+ Influence
Why Am I Not Getting Attention on G+?
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You
My Real Estate Posts Attract Little or No Attention
Advantages of Joining a Community on Google Plus

The Changing Face of Real Estate

Foreclosed Homes For Sale
Search for real estate foreclosures in your area and get listing details, photos, location map and contact information. Updated daily.

Yes, the Internet has turned our world upside down and we love it. It is these types of epic changes that provide tremendous opportunities for those of us that are willing to roll with the punches while looking for advantages to benefit our businesses.

Commercial real estate is feeling the heat in a big way. With time passing, owners of shopping centers and other retail properties are having a harder time filling vacancies. Store closings are a common sight everywhere. Shoppers are getting more accustomed to the convenience of internet shopping, where variety abounds, parking is a non-issue and prices are competitive. The problem is not going to go away and retail property owners have to face the music.

The office space user market is also quickly shrinking, as more office work is being done online, at home or on the fly. Service providers of all types continue to move online, where the need for human interaction is kept to a minimum. Large sales and support departments, occupying large office space have literally disappeared. The job done by fifty employees ten or fifteen years ago is now being done by a few people with the aid of self-serve websites. Furthermore, some larger office users are starting to provide shared offices for their employees, based on a reservation system. All indication is that the demand for office space is on a steep decline.

Not all is doom and gloom! The future for industrial and residential real estate looks very promising. Industrial/warehouse space will be in high demand as product inventories held in traditional stores move to warehouses and are sold over the internet. The cost savings for retailers are tremendous, as high rents, expensive store displays and sales personel saleries are kept to a minimum.

The increase in the time spent working out of the house is bound to influence the size and location of homes. Spending many work hours at home will motivate homeowners to look for nice and comfortable home office environments. Don't be surprised if future homebuyers' start considering the home office as one of their top priorities in their search for a home!

So what does all this mean? The medium term to long term trends points to the following:

1. Conversion of some shopping centers and stores to other uses, such as entertainment centers, storage space, showrooms, etc.
2. Conversion of surplus office building to condos and coops.
3. Expansion of industrial parks and the construction of warehouse properties.
4. New home builders will start designing homes with office components and old homes may be extended or modified to incorporate home offices.
5. Spending less time away from home will mean fewer cars on the road. This can result in an increase in people moving closer to city centers and an expanding public transit system.

Many of us worry about change because we don't want our boat rocked. I say, fully embrace change and use it to get ahead of your competitors.