The Real-Time Web for Real Estate

What is the “Real-Time” Web?

Real-time on the web simply means getting information as it happens and being able to respond to or share it in an instant. Whether it’s breaking news or minute-to-minute updates on your day, there are an increasing number of web sites and applications that make it possible, and easy to stay on the cutting edge of the world around you.

How is real-time used online?

Newspapers started with people gathering news throughout the day and then once every 24 hours, publishing this information to paper. Now, thanks to blogs, friend updates, newsfeeds and RSS, once per day seems highly inadequate. Take Twitter. Even a few years ago, the concept of constantly telling others about what you are up to would be considered absurd. Yet today, we embrace it. Chat and email no longer satisfy our constant hunger for what is going on right now, this minute. Twitter gives us exactly the kind of real-time news we love – personalized and short.

How will it affect me as a web user?

Google is building a section called “latest results” into the regular Google search results page that will automatically gather content from sources like Twitter, Facebook and Myspace. Any given keyword will bring up real-time tweets, web pages, and other internet content related to the searched term as it was generated. Facebook has also jumped on the real-time bandwagon, and has launched some basic real-time search features. This hugely popular social networking site has made public user profiles and updates searchable by Google and other engines, so not only will we be able to stay connected to friends and clients at a second’s notice, but Facebook will also be a resource to match the ever-changing world of Twitter.

How will it affect me as a real estate professional?

Whether you are buying or selling real estate, you should definitely be enhancing your online presence with social media or a current blog, and staying ahead of the competition by constantly posting updates, video, and images. This is a powerful, cost effective strategy to get noticed quickly by Google and other search engines, and enables your clients to stay involved, informed and up-to-the-minute on your new listings. As the real-time Web becomes more mainstream, it pays to be savvy and know at least the basics – otherwise others may be closing the deal while you are still waiting for the ink to dry on the last contract!

Contact CYber SYtes to learn more about leveraging Social Networking to your benefit.