When it comes to social media there are a lot of articles telling real estate professionals what they need to do, but it is just as important to know what not to do.

Just like in any social situation, there are some important social norms you need to know and a few faux pas’ you need to avoid.

Here are my top 5 social media faux pas you need to avoid:

1. Don’t outsource your social media. Many real estate professionals want to hire someone to “do it for them.” You wouldn’t outsource taking your best client to dinner would you? Then don’t outsource one of the biggest opportunities you have to connect and build relationships with past, present and future clients.
2. Don’t automate it. Turn off those automatic notifications, they are considered spammy and no one wants to look spammy – especially as a first impression!
3. Don’t sync your Facebook to your Twitter and vice versa. Many real estate pros do this in an effort to save time. Don’t do this – it looks lazy. Plus, the language and conversation on Facebook and Twitter is very different. You can certainly post the same type of content to each channel, but do so separately and make sure to use the right lingo for each network.
4. Don’t just promote your listings. There is nothing worse than only seeing a feed of listings on a real estate professionals Facebook or Twitter feed. To talk about your listings on social media – highlight an amazing photo using Instagram, or take a quick 15 second video of the home or homeowner using an app like Tout, Ptch or Videolicious. Social media is the place to get creative when talking about real estate – not the “same old, same old.”
5. Don’t be a broken record. No one wants to hear the same things over and over from your or your brand. This is where having a content strategy really comes into play. Take the time to brainstorm all of the different things you could talk about on your social channels and then make sure you have a nice balance day to day of content.

Did I miss any social media faux pas? I’d love to hear from you, leave me a comment below!