Around 6 months ago I did a demo of Roost for real estate social marketing, and while it had some very cool features, I wasn’t in love with it. For me, it primarily did the same thing as Hootsuite, but for Facebook only…

Well that was 6 months ago!

Roost is better than ever after being acquired by Vertical Response (a pretty cool email marketing company from what I hear).

Roost has differentiated itself from the competition by allowing social media campaigns with auto-generated content! This means you do less work!

While I’m not advocating that this be your only source for content, I would certainly recommend incorporating some of their content into your social streams. It’s kind of like an autopilot, with GOOD content, and my favorite feature…it posts during the times in which you are most likely to have consumer engagement.

Check out the video below:

1) Found this link on Mashable the other day…thought it was well worth the read/watch:. 5 Best Practices for Creating Viral Branded Videos.

2) Using this post to test out sharing articles from some of my favorite sites…not sure how I feel about this. Almost feels like plagiarism, but I guess they wouldn’t have the option on their sites if they didn’t want me to share them? Thoughts?

I’m just looking for a good way to share articles to the real estate community that I have hand picked. Sure you can read these sites too, but I bet I read more of them, more often

You’ve seen photo apps and comparisons in the past, but I am fully convinced that I can take better photos with my iPhone than just about anyone with a DSLR. I know that’s a bold statement, but I just got a new toy/attachment for my iPhone that is absolutely amazing for photography and video.

I’m talking about the OWLE Bubo by ALM.

This thing takes amazing wide angle photos, which is especially important for the small rooms we have to work with in real estate. See the difference between non-wide angle and wide angle here:

While the wide angle is cool, what most people don’t realize, is the wide angle lens lets in a significantly greater amount of light.

Here’s where it gets interesting…While the above photo is “ok”, using a simple app called Camera+ for only $.99, we’re able to easily edit our photos right on the iPhone and give them a much need enhancement!

Check out the difference here:

So agents, there is no excuse for terrible pictures! You’re only hurting yourself! I’m sure if you’re a professional photographer, you can pick apart my photos and why they suck, but take a look at my original photo above, to the end result…huge difference!

Spend some money and get an OWLE Bubo here: http://www.cameta.com/ALM-OWLE-Bubo-Stabilizer-Mount-with-Video-Lens-Mic-for-iPhone-4-4S-Black-62911.cfm

I actually spent an extra $20 for the LED light kit (included in the above link), which is great for Video!

If that’s not in your budget, at least get the Camera+ app above for $.99!

I would also strongly encourage you to get a tripod mount (ONLY if you’re not getting the OWLE) like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Studio-Neat-Glif-iPhone-4S/dp/B0052G679K

As well as a monopod or tripod…I use this one: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/755445-REG/Manfrotto_MMC3_02_MMC3_02_Compact_Monopod_Gray_.html

Here we learn to use the FREE Realtor.com app on our Facebook Fanpage and use SocialBios to create a great looking “about” page.

The key here is the “Like” gating process, in which you’ll gain a greater number of likes on your page, because people are required to like your page before they have access to your page!

Final Thoughts: If you’re a real estate agent looking for a cheap tablet to browse through listings on the go and answer a few emails, this is the tablet for you. If you’re looking to use a tablet for your listing presentations, save up for an iPad.

I found that in less than ten minutes, I was able to create a professional looking video for my Beavercreek RE/MAX Office using nothing but my iPhone. Here is the example. Read below to see how I did it.

So using an iPhone 4s (I promise I’m not trying to leave you android fans out!), I downloaded an app called iMovie. If you’re at all familiar with Apple product, you’ve surely stumbled upon this program at one time or another. While the desktop version is fantastic, and I’ve began using it almost exclusively the mobile app is icing on the cake! I downloaded the iPad version about 8 months ago, but found I didn’t have much use for it because I was using an android phone, and there was really no good way for me to get my video from one device to the other. Now that I have an iPhone, I rejoice in the ability and quantity of apps to do things like this:

I know I’ve demoed a few signature apps in the past, but they keep getting better! Check out the latest for the iPad, EasySign:

Alright, so I’m sure by now that I’m beating a dead horse, but YOU SHOULD BE DOING VIDEO!!!

My good friends Josh and Ryan w/Retechulous found an awesome video by Eric Lavey the other day that should be what every agent strives to achieve when filming a property for their clients. Check out how well Eric sells the lifestyle in the video below, and keep reading for more realistic tips for the average agent.

Alright, so that video is pretty fantastic, and if you’re in Beverly Hills and have that kind of budget, by all means GO FOR IT! But if you’re like me and the majority of agents, the coolest thing you might be able to feature on a tri-level is the 1970′s intercom. With that being said, it’s more important to actually spend the 5 minutes to make a video for your clients than spend hours contemplating how to do it perfectly. EVERYTHING WORKS, NOTHING DOESN’T!

So, my tip for the week begins with the newest feature on YouTube, the “Edit Video” button. The biggest problem I’ve encountered with taking my own video is my inability to keep my hand from shaking, or the jerking around from walking “heavily”. The Stabilize button within the Edit Video function makes your video look absolutely fantastic. For a quick “How To”, check out the video below, I’ll get to the two leads in 5 minutes, right after it!

Alright, so that’s great, but how did I get two leads in 5 minutes? Easy, I actually took 5 minutes to film the property below, post it on YouTube, Facebook, and Craigslist. It may take you longer than 5 minutes the first few times, but once you get the hang of it, taking property videos is really that simple! Since I posted the video below last night, I’ve had 2 requests for showings from potential clients that I otherwise would never made contact with! Check out the finished product below!

-I shot this video with my iPhone 4, an Olloclip wide angle lens, and used nothing but YouTube to edit it! If you want to see more on how to edit your videos, and add annotations CLICK HERE.