If you aren't using social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube, you could be missing out on some great business opportunities. Social search optimization (SSO), also known as social media marketing, incorporates the use of these four different social outlets. Marketing your real estate business with social search optimization is a great way to extend your business reach and increase your leads and revenue.

SSO has become one of the quickest methods for marketing your real estate business. By definition, social search optimization is the use of online marketing strategies in social media networks in order to promote a specific product, service or brand.

By involving yourself in these online marketing strategies, you can establish contacts through media sharing, opening up opportunities for new real estate clients across the country.

How does SSO work?

Let's say you just picked up a new listing from the MLS, and need to sell it within a few months. A simplified, step-by-step method for using SSO to sell the property might look something like this:

• Use Twitter to announce your new listing.
• Add the new listing to your Facebook profile and/or page.
• Update your status on LinkedIn to provide some new information about the home you are selling.
• Post a short, informative video on YouTube.
• Provide back links between the above social networks to your main real estate

Although the above techniques are oversimplified, you can still use them to engage in real estate social marketing. The possibilities are virtually endless for finding new clients and referrals.

Another benefit in social marketing for your business is that you can also create valuable real estate back links to your main website or other web properties, such as single property websites.

Social media marketing for agents

The four social networks mentioned above (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube) have well over 500 million users between them. Best of all, the majority of these users are motivated buyers/sellers who are ready to engage in a conversation about real estate transactions.

With an effective social marketing plan, your real estate business can take advantage of the vast amount of opportunities that exist with online social networks online.

To view the original article, visit the Properties Online blog.