Today, many REALTORS® are getting involved in social media in an effort to generate leads and connect with their clients. While some REALTORS® have found success via posting and tweeting, others are wondering how to go about using social media to successfully sell homes. C.A.R. has spoken to several REALTORS® about their successful social media strategies.  Here are four tips that may help improve your sales, too.

1.  Make it relevant. Your posts and tweets are only valuable if what you have to say is relevant to your audience. Consider tweeting tips on home buying, spring cleaning or ways to save. Post links to interesting articles related to homes and the marketplace, and share updates on community or open-house events.

2.  Build a community.  Build credibility.   Become a part of networking groups on LinkedIn. Position yourself as an expert on relevant subjects. Be sure to manage your social media connections and keep them professional. Post testimonials, webinars, and presentations on YouTube that demonstrate your expertise, then share the link on all your social networking sites.

3.  Create a plan and stick to it.   Make the most of your social media marketing by creating a weekly plan and then sticking to it. For instance: post to your blog on Monday; have a video ready to post on Tuesday; on Wednesday, work your LinkedIn connections; tweet on Thursday (or any time you have interesting content); and make it Facebook Fridays – post and respond to posts on Facebook (but also try to answer posts periodically throughout the week).

4.  Keep it fresh. Internet time is compressed. Information can become stale in days, sometimes even hours. Keep your LinkedIn skills and work history current and specific. For Twitter, customize your feed with a logo and/or background. Change your Facebook photo and cover photo regularly. The more you stay current, the more opportunity it provides for people to engage with you.