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Forget What the Experts Say…You CAN Shortcut Your Way to Success with Social Media
By NikNik · August 23, 2010 · 18 Comments
The Social Media Experts I’m a fan of will tell you that if you want to succeed in applying social media as a business strategy that it requires planning, consistency, balance, originality, relevancy, and listening…among other things. And they would be right. But when it comes to real estate marketing, many agents struggle with working ON their business because they’re tapped by working IN their business. And for the most part, I’ve always considered that an excuse (myself included).
There is some validity however, to the shear amount of effort required in implementing social media marketing strategies….or ANY effective marketing strategies for that matter. And that’s why I’m not surprised when agents ask me if I can do “the social media” for them. But if you know me, then you know I’m not an automator…I’m an educator. Which means I prefer you learn about the new strategies available to you, best practices for using them, and how to measure their effectiveness. Read full story
iThink iNeed iPad for Real Estate
By NikNik · April 30, 2010 · 38 Comments
The future of real estate marketing, business productivity, and customer service is here. The iPad has arrived and if you think you don’t need another tech tool, think again. There are so many benefits of owning an iPad, both for personal and business use.
Let’s say you called all the local Apple stores today, managed to find an iPad just 90 miles away, and dropped everything to drive there on a mission (not even stopping to use the bathroom). Okay, you could have just added your name to the list on the Apple Website and waited patiently for a day or 2 (but what fun is that).
So you have the iPad now….time to put it to good use! To start, you need some apps. You won’t have the abundant choices like with the iPhone since it’s still early. But there are several iPad apps worth adding right away. Check out the following: Read full story
oneforty. Your Target for Twitter Tools
By NikNik · April 21, 2010 · 9 Comments
There’s an app for that! That’s what we’re told anyway. But how do you find the best apps to streamline business productivity and online sharing? When it comes to Twitter, there’s a site for that? Oneforty, and it’s “oneforty”…all lower case letters for those of you that would like to bring a smile to @pistachio’s face.
Anyway, oneforty is like your Target for Twitter tools. Sure I can go to Walmart…but the shelves are overstocked with so many items I get frustrated by the experience and make a b-line for the door while hoping nothing jumps out at me. Target, on the other hand, also offers a great variety of items, but the shopping experience is one that draws me in. It’s organized aisles invite me to stay awhile, assuring me I’ll find what I need….oh, and there’s a Starbucks.
Now oneforty may not have a Starbucks, but it does happen to be a comprehensive site for finding, rating, collecting, and sharing Twitter apps. And by Twitter apps, I’m also referring to any application which posts to, shares content with, and/or is relative to Twitter in any way. The site was founded by Laura Fitton “@pistachio”, author of Twitter for Dummies, is backed by a rockin’ development team, and advised by social media heavyweights @briansolis and @guykawasaki. Read full story
How do you LIKE Facebook’s latest update?
By NikNik · April 19, 2010 · 19 Comments
If you’ve visited a Facebook Page today you may have noticed right away that “Become a Fan” has been replaced with “Like”. This change is aimed at improving engagement with Pages, since according to Facebook, users are more comfortable with the term “Like”.
Apparently, Facebook users are also commitment phobes and “becoming a fan” equates to saying “I DO” in front of your entire online network! I can see their point, but then again, I usually jump in with both feet blindfolded to swim around and explore before coming up for air.
Anyway, at first glance you may think you can no longer send updates to fans….I mean friends….or “people”. But you can, you just have to edit your page. However, I’m guessing there are more changes to come since the term “fans” still remains in some areas on the editing dashboard. But I don’t think it will be long before Facebook eradicates that term completely! Read full story
How To Consolidate Your Email Notifications…In A Nutshell!
By NikNik · April 16, 2010 · 2 Comments
I don’t know about you, but I get quite a few email notifications from the various social networks I engage in. From new Twitter follower notifications to Facebook friend requests and updates….my inbox can get uber-cluttered, uber-fast!
A new service called NutshellMail aims to be the Mr. Clean of your email inbox! With it, you can add all your social accounts, even other Webmail providers such as Yahoo, Gmail, and Hotmail. And instead of getting hit with a barrage of notifications you get one sleek email that gives you a daily rundown of social happenings from all your accounts!
I’ve been using NutshellMail for a couple of weeks now, and I find it to be a very useful way to consolidate all my email notifications. Which honestly reduces the distractions, stress, and organizational efforts I once dealt with.
So, exactly how does NutshellMail work? Read full story
Customize Your Facebook Profile or Fan Page with Smarter Agent!
By NikNik · February 26, 2010 · 8 Comments
You may have heard of the popular Smarter Agent Mobile Application for real estate companies and professionals….but what you may not know is that they just released a Facebook application to compliment their mobile app!
First and Foremost
Smarter Agent is a mobile app platform that can be utilized and branded by agents and brokers. The app can be downloaded by consumers to search all MLS listings in their area. And it’s important to know that Smarter Agent works on virtually all mobile phone devices. Read full story
10 Tips for Getting Reacquainted with Facebook’s New Layout
By NikNik · February 7, 2010 · 22 Comments
Facebook celebrated it’s 6th birthday in style…by launching a redesign of the home page. I was excited to be included in the initial 80 million accounts that were updated with the design on February 4th. This new layout is being rolled out to the remaining Facebook users now (Reggie’s still waiting).
I have to say I’ve been a bit annoyed with some of the recent minor changes made by Facebook, but when it comes to this new overhaul…I’m a fan! Most notably, are the cleaner home page appearance and the removal of the bottom “start” bar. The search bar is now prominently displayed in the top center of the home page, just above the News Feed. And the top blue navigation bar has been simplified to include just a few key quick launch links on the left and right sides.
Now just in case you are a tad turned around by this new layout, I put together a quick list of 10 tips for getting reacquainted with the network you know and love! Read full story
dsIDXPress: Search Engine Friendly IDX
By Reggie · January 26, 2010 · 17 Comments
If you’re not already aware of Diverse Solutions….you should be. These guys have some serious cool factor and have been driving innovation with their dsSearchAgent Pro IDX for years now. Recently they unleashed a beta of a long awaited “indexable” IDX plug-in for WordPress. And today they’ve ripped off that BETA label!
What does this mean for you?
It means your real estate blog can now have the functionality of a highly custom site with search engine friendly IDX data. dsIDXPress is released with special introductory pricing of $99.95 setup and $29.95 a month. That is an introductory offer and will go up over time.
And for the most part the plug-in is compliant in all markets they cover with the exception of a couple of the more strict MLSs. If you have any questions or comments about compliance reach out to them here. Let’s take a look at a few ways to implement dsIDXPress.
Realtor.com Launches New iPhone App & Makes Mobile Home Search Useful
By NikNik · January 12, 2010 · 10 Comments
I know the 12 Days of iPhone Apps are over, but I couldn’t help but share a brand new app that launches today! Realtor.com is making their 4 million listings accessible via the iPhone. In addition, they are providing agents and consumers with a rich set of features to make the most of their mobile experience.
Agents that already utilize Realtor.com to post their listings will be able to sync with their account via the app. Branding and contact information is carried over so that interested buyers can easily reach out to the agent, or even add the agent to their iPhone address book. In fact, an interested buyer can contact the listing agent in a number of ways with a single tap: ask a question, call agent directly, visit agent Website. Read full story
12 Days of iPhone Apps – Day 12: Qik
By Reggie · December 24, 2009 · 1 Comment
About Qik:
A few weeks back we were excited to hear Ustream was approved for the iTunes app store. At the time, it seemed obvious Qik would follow suite and make a move for approval. Well it’s happened; Qik (version 4.40)streaming video service has been officially approved by the app store and is now ready to download.
This smooth application lets you to stream videos right from your iPhone. If you don’t already have a Qik account, simply create one after downloading the application and you’re ready to start shooting video in public or private mode. If you choose private you’ll control who sees the video by sending various parties a direct link from SMS or email.
12 Days of iPhone Apps – Day 11: Yelp
By NikNik · December 22, 2009 · Leave a Comment
On the 11th day of iPhone apps,
MyTechOpinion blogged to you…
If it’s local info you request,
Augmented or not, Yelp is the best!
About Yelp:
Search for and receive reviews for local business and service providers while on the go. View nearby restaurants, stores, banks, etc. based on your location. Obtain a quick rating, reviews, contact info and directions. Filter your results via distance from, affordability, and what’s actually open. You can also bookmark your favorites and/or email them to friends. View the feed of real-time results for local reviews, quick tips, and added photos. Read full story
12 Days of iPhone Apps – Day 10: Dragon Search
By Reggie · December 20, 2009 · Leave a Comment
On the 10th Day of iPhone Apps
MyTechOpinion blogged to you…
Dragon Search powers voice,
Displays results on the fly!
About the Dragon Search app:
Historically if you wanted to search a keyword or phrase on your iPhone you’ve typed directly into a search engine. Ok, maybe you’ve tried the Google voice app, but for me I was left wanting more. Not any longer, Dragon Search is the new one-stop search application controlled by your voice. At its heart you’ll gain the ability to speak any given search into like Google, Yahoo, Bing, YouTube, Twitter, iTunes, and Wikipedia. Once the results have populated your screen, use the intuitive search carousel to switch between the other sources on the fly. Dragon also archives recent searches, allowing you to quickly recall past activity.
