Social media services have become increasingly useful to property professionals over recent years and now the latest survey from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has confirmed social media’s place as the essential online tool for successful businesses.

The survey found that some 91% of US estate agents now use social media, with key reasons for doing so including lead generation and keeping in touch with clients. Of those surveyed, 70% were found to use social media in order to build relationships and network, demonstrating the value of social media both for maintaining contact with existing clients and attracting new ones, with 64% of respondents saying they use the platforms for marketing and generating leads.

The importance of social media is instantly apparent when the numbers are considered. Facebook has over one billion monthly users, there are 500 million Twitter accounts, LinkedIn has more than 225 million members and over six billion hours of YouTube videos are watched every month. Furthermore, according to Pew Internet, 73% of adults who are online use a social networking site of some kind.

For property professionals in the UK and around the globe, the power of social media cannot be ignored. From enabling wider audience engagement to making it easier for clients to get in touch, social media is an essential part of the modern property professional’s repertoire.

In the UK, for example, some 80% of those looking to purchase a property begin their search online. Indeed, traffic statistics company Hitwise has reported that 1% of all UK internet traffic relates to property.

But with such a huge number of people to reach out to and such an array of sites through which to do it, the best approach can often be tricky to establish. It is key that each platform is approached in an indididual manner, for etiquette-wise, what is appropriate on Facebook is not so on Twitter or LinkedIn for example. Each site has its own way of operating, its own language and, importantly, certain dos and don’ts that should be followed in order to make the very most of these central modern marketing tools.

Keeping up-to-date with the latest research on social media usage as well as the ever-changing operating systems, leading UK and overseas property marketing company, AB Property Marketing, offer a wide range of services including social media that ensure that their clients, both agents and developers, are kept ahead of the curve.

For example, in the UK Facebook dropped 1.5 million users between December 2012 and December 2013 based on comScore data, Pinterest is now more popular than Twitter, attracting 21% and 18% of online adults respectively during 2013 and LinkedIn is particularly popular amongst higher income households (according to Pew Internet).

AB Property Marketing’s social media service provides property professionals with experts in Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube and Vimeo Social Media channels. Keeping abreast with the latest research and changes means that the company can take a personalised approach to targeting clients’ social media activity, capitalising on each client’s ability to expand their reach and generate maximum impact.

With over ten years’ experience under their belts, AB Property Marketing are currently offering property businesses a free 1 hour consultation to find out what PR and social media can do for their business. For more information and to register, visit http://lp.abpropertymarketing.co.uk/e/brand-awareness/