As Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and other social media platforms have become major forces in business marketing, the number of Realtors wanting to use them to promote their businesses has grown. What was once a hip but optional add-on to one’s advertising efforts has become a necessity as untold millions of people have banded together in free online communities and companies have learned to successfully use these resources.
The Web has also developed into a sophisticated marketing tool. More and more buyers and sellers are beginning their search for a Realtor or a home online, and through the use of effective search engine optimization, some Realtors have figured out ways to bring their name to the top of the pile, and have reaped the benefits.
While social media and the Web provide a key opportunity for Realtors to promote their businesses, there’s a problem: Few agents have the time to learn to attract hundreds or thousands of Facebook friends or rig Google to show their name near the top of a list of online search results. Given the demanding schedule of most Realtors, learning even the basics can be challenging.
That’s where companies like Full Media come in. Where Realtors are skilled at managing the complex machinations of the real estate industry, the people who work for Full Media and other companies like it are experts at increasing a Realtor’s online visibility.
The work Full Media does in Chattanooga falls under two categories: Web site development and Internet marketing services. The former involves designing a site and providing a way for clients to add their own content. Once a site is in place, the latter service kicks in to help potential clients find the Realtor’s online home. This can be achieved through search engine optimization (known in geek parlance as “SEO”), content optimization and social media.
These options are not plug-and-play, but rather must be utilized in a way that meets the needs of each individual company or businessperson. For this reason, the first thing Full Media does when meeting with a new client is discuss his or her needs, says Ryan Naegele, head of business development at the company.
“Our service needs to provide a good return on one’s investment, so that’s my top priority when I sit down and talk with a business. We think of our Internet marketers as being an extension of our client’s business. We want to learn as much about them as possible so we can help to make their online presence as successful as their offline presence,” he says.
The benefits of Web site optimization are clear: greater visibility on Google and other search engines, which could translate to more clients. But as social media have matured, the mystery surrounding them has grown. “How can Facebook and Twitter help my business?” is a common question, says Naegele.
He provides the short answer: “A business that’s using social media is humanizing itself in the eyes of its current and potential clients. People are having conversations online about every industry and product imaginable, and if your business isn’t seizing the opportunity to be a part of those conversations, then you’re missing a big opportunity.
“Using social media might or might not increase your customer base right away, but it is a way to establish yourself as an expert in the industry. For example, I’m not going to call a Realtor until I’m looking for a house, but if a Realtor has great presence online and is consistently engaging people through the Internet, then I already know his or her name the next time I’m looking for a house.”
Although tutorials on optimizing Web sites and utilizing social media are available online, Naegele says Realtors will appreciate the need to bring in a specialist. Just as real estate agents are equipped to handle home sales more effectively than an owner or buyer, he says a skilled Internet marketer will generally have a deeper knowledge of how the Web and social media work, and therefore be able to achieve better results.
“I’m not an Internet marketer. I’ve learned a lot about how we help our clients increase their business because I spend a lot of time in this industry, but even with my knowledge, 15 hours a month of my skills will produce far less impressive results than 15 hours a month from one of our marketing experts.
“We’re constantly learning of changes in the industry and how to produce better results. Our expertise is one of the reasons we have a 95 percent retention rate for our Internet marketing services,” Naegele says.
Full Media came into being four years ago and has been in Chattanooga for over two years. Its four founders saw a need for affordable high-end Internet marketing services and custom Web site development, and stepped in to fill the void.
Since Full Media customizes each Web site it develops according to the needs of the client, each site has a different cost based on the amount of time design and development takes. However, they company does not charge a monthly licensing fee or any other costs for building a site. “The client owns the Web site,” Naegele says.
The Internet marketers at Full Media work with clients on a monthly or quarterly basis, typically between 15 and 17 hours per month – although that, too, is based on the needs of the client. “We see this as an ongoing relationship that doesn’t have a predetermined end date,” Naegele says.
Naegele has a lot of client success stories he could tell, but his favorite thing to share is his analogy of social media and sports.
“Social media is like adding a new play to your playbook. It doesn’t completely change the game, but it will make it easier to play. We help businesses add plays to their playbook to help them become more successful by using the Internet effectively.”