The Best of FOREM for 2010
December 31, 2010
I cant believe it is almost the end of the year and what a year we had in real estate and technology. As I look back over the last 12 months there was certainly a lot to discuss online marketing, the role of technology in real estate, social media, mobile technology, blogging and so much more. We were very excited to see a huge number of people coming to FOREM week in and week out responding to posts, re-tweeting, commenting and subscribing to our blog via email and RSS.
2010 marked an exciting year for Inman News as well. In July at our Real Estate Connect conference, we launched our first Agent Reboot. From there, we put on 11 more Agent Reboots all across the United States. Now, we are less than two weeks away from Real Estate Connect NYC and Agent Reboot NYC, and we are about to kick off our 24-city Agent Reboot tour. WOW!! We learned that now, more than ever, agents are hungry to learn about the technologies that can make their lives easier and more productive.
For this last post of 2011, I decided to compile a list of what I consider to be some of the best posts from 2010 based on Google Analytics, number of comments and re-tweets, and the feedback I received.
I hope you enjoy revisiting some of these blog posts as I did.
I also want to take this moment to thank you our readers. I consider myself very lucky to be able to write for FOREM and meet the wonderful fans that we have. I read each and every one of your blog comments and I think we have one of the best and smartest audiences in the industry. I know in this day and age there are thousands of blogs you could read but you choose to read FOREM, and for that I want to give you a big THANK YOU!!
Here are the best of FOREM for 2010 (in no particular order):
Tip Tuesday: 5 Things Every Realtor Must do to Be Successful on Facebook
4 Free Google Tools You Must Use in Your Business
Top 4 Cool Things About the NEW iPhone4
REALTORS and Smartphones 2010 Survey Results
8 Ways Real Estate Agents Can Generate Referrals for Free
3 Social Media Mistakes Real Estate Agents Brokers Make
9 Intelligent Ways Every REALTOR Should be Using Google
25 Killer Resources Blog Content for Realtors
Seven Important Ways for Real Estate Agents to Get Started with Internet Marketing of Their Business
5 Essential Social Media Instincts Real Estate Agents Should Implement
Facebook Coming to a Theater Near You!
5 Ways Realtors Can Use Technology to Save Time and Money
5 Ways Build Your Personal Brand the Right Way
Hope you have a wonderful and prosperous new year Ill see you in 2011!
Written by: Katie Lance, Senior Marketing Manager, Inman News @katielance
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureOfRealEstateMarketing/~3/sI1PVBseZ7Q/
New Technology for a New Year
December 30, 2010
Josef D. Bookert graduated from Carnegie Mellon University school of Humanities in 2009. He joined the Rent Jungle team earlier this year as the Director of Public Relations. For additional info about Rent Jungle visit their Facebook page or view their market trends page.
The housing market has been through a lot lately, but the American Spirit remains innovative and resilient, able to carry the nation out of its slump. Whether it is an economic ding or a market collapse, we find our way through the muck and onto prosperity. Given our American instincts to find new and better ways to thrive, the folks behind Rent Jungle have come together to make a better way to search for apartments. Rent Jungle (www.rentjungle.com) came up with some interesting features to make finding an apartment quick, easy, and enjoyable.
Rent Jungle is the first true apartment search engine and features an industry-first technology that finds rental listings on the web, separates the for-sale properties, isolates key data such as price and size, and maps everything neatly together. By gathering listings from over 7,000 websites, Rent Jungle gives users access to more apartment listings than any other website. T
his technology allows Rent Jungle to double the number of listings per city available over Craigslist and other like sites.
Rent Jungle has easy to navigate map view, as well as options to see each listing in order of size, price, or features. It also has features that allow users to save favorite listings, keep notes on them, and share them with friends. Rent Jungle has everything you need to find an apartment.
As an apartment search engine canvassing the entire United States, Rent Jungle also has rental data for each major city. The market trends feature on Rent Jungle gives apartment hunters the tools they need to search smartly and efficiently for new homes. This means they can compare their current rent against the average in the area and judge whether they are paying too much or the right amount.
Apartment hunters can also compare which part of the city is more or less expensive, and even compare city-to-city averages. They can look to see how prices have shifted and what direction they are headed in, making it easier to gauge when the best time to move will be. Rent Jungle market trends make it easier to know how much one should expect to pay during your next move and which neighborhood can boast the ideal apartment or rental home.
For owners, the Rent Jungle search engine is an invaluable tool to judge where their vacancies fit in with regards to pricing and amenities in the city. The same rental trends used to find apartments can show owners what the current market looks like around them, while giving them real time averages and pricing statistics. Owners can easily have their units posted directly on Rent Jungle on economically friendly terms, making them more visible to todays apartment hunters. Listings on Rent Jungle also take the user directly to the source, meaning more traffic is sent to the owners website.
So if you are searching for an apartment or rental home, Rent Jungle has you covered. Rent Jungle has more listings than anyone else out there; a fantastic engine and user interface, and we know youll love the site. Rent Jungles search engine technology is something quite unique in the housing market and is setting the stage for new and innovative technologies to take the rental market to new heights of success. Were pretty excited about it and we would love to hear your thoughts on Rent Jungle.
Please send us your questions or thoughts to info@rentjungle.com. Happy apartment hunting!
Here is a testimonial from a very happy client!
Oh my god, I dont say this often and I hate facebook apps out of principle (if you ask me then facebook shouldve never allowed highschool kids or applications) but:
LOVE IT LOVE IT.
a) it is simple
b) it is blazingly fast (faster than apartment website)
c) it is intuitive
d) you can save apartment to look at later
e) makes searching for a place with roommates super easy because you can share it over facebook
This is the new cragislist of apartment hunting. Seriously. I wish I had this when a few months ago. Once again, I cant believe Im saying this about a facebook app, but I LOVE IT
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureOfRealEstateMarketing/~3/phLg_6ltXgI/
Get the Inside Scoop on the Next Big Thing in Real Estate – Join me at Real Estate Connect NYC
December 29, 2010
Hey FOREM fans can you believe that our next Real Estate Connect conference is literally less than two weeks away? Where has the time gone?!
I wanted to post a very special message on here and encourage you all to sign up and come out to Real Estate Connectin NYC on Jan. 12-14th in the heart of Times Square. Many of you have already been to a Connect and I know can attest to the pure awesomeness that is Connect. The learning, the networking, the people you meet, and the ideas you come home with are priceless.
I know Ive said this before, but it bears repeating again. Before I worked for Inman News, I had the good fortune of attending two Real Estate Connect conferences. The President of the real estate company I worked for paid for me and a few other colleagues to attend, and those two events were so impactful on me and my career.
When someone talks about the ROI of an event I can say first-hand that coming to Real Estate Connect WILL make you more money. It will change how you think. It will propel you into doing bigger and better things, and working smarter with the best tools available.
As an attendee there were so many things I loved about Connect the intimate environment where you could go up to some of the most successful people in real estate and technology and shake their hand, introduce yourself and make a real connection.
I loved getting the inside scoop on what the hottest and newest companies were. I loved walking down Start-Up Alley and feeling like I was getting a sneak peak into the next big thing in real estate. I loved being able to meet the different exhibitors of companies I had heard about, see real-live demos, get my questions answered and so much more.
I love sitting in the general session with 1,500 people and feeling the excitement and anticpation as Brad Inman, the founder of Inman News would begin each session. I loved the awesome bar stool panel discussions where no questions are off limits and its ok to disagree and even make the whole room uncomfortable. I loved the amazing keynote speakers many of whom were not from the real estate industry and would provide one or two nuggets that youd scribble down or fear youd forget.
I cant fully put into words what its like to come to Connect I can only hope that you will take my word for it, buy your plane ticket and sign up today before its too late. If you are fortunate to live in New York, then you have no excuse!! We will be right in your backyard. People from all over world come to this event dont let it pass you buy. If you truly want 2011 to be YOUR year, if you really need to get ahead of your competition (and who doesnt right?) then you cant afford not to be at Connect.
For a limited time, we have a special offer its a 2 for 1.If you purchase your tickets to both Real Estate Connect NYC and San Francisco you will save $500 total! This is an amazing deal not to be passed up.
Here is the breakdown of the 2 for 1 offer:
- Real Estate Connect NYC $899 (Jan. 12-14th 2011)
- Real Estate Connect SF $399 (July 27-29th 2011)
- SPECIAL RATE: $1298*
If you have money left in your 2010 budget, act now to secure your spot at the two hottest real estate tech conferences and save $500.
If there was ever a year to go to BOTH Real Estate Connect conferences 2011 is it.
REGISTER TODAY (use promo code FOREM1229)
Offer available for a limited time only.*
Questions about registration? Please email us atregistration@inman.com
* You must register for both conferences to receive this special price. Offer expires 12/31/10 at midnight. These rates are not valid with any other offer.
See you in New York! Leave me a comment below are you joining us? Have you been to a Connect before? Id love to hear from you. Leave me a comment below!
Written by: Katie Lance, Senior Marketing Manager, Inman News @katielance
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureOfRealEstateMarketing/~3/V33bwiZyojE/
5 Step Quick-Start Guide for REALTORS® – Setting Up Your iPad
December 28, 2010
REALTORS did you receive an iPad under the Christmas tree this year? If so, here is your quick-start guide to setting it up!
1. Remove from the box and remove the clear plastic cover.
2. Plug it into your computer to sync it up. When iTunes launches, youll be asked to activate the iPad, agree to its Terms and Conditions, and register your device.If you have never had an iTunes account, you will be prompted to set one up. You will need to provide your credit card information. This is the card that will be used when you purchase anything from the iTunes store like apps, music, videos and movies. Youll also need to come up with a username and password. Take my advice and write that down somewhere so you dont forget! If you already have an iTunes account, you will be prompted to add your iPad to your account. One of the best things about Apple is how untuitive their set-up process is. But, if you need assistance, you can go to apple.com and use their live chat feature or view any one of their video tutorials.
iTunes will serve as your iPads backup system. If you already have an iPhone or iPod, I recommend that you start fresh and do not automatically sync everything from your iPhone or iPod to your iPad. Why? Not everything is compatible and it will take a lot of time!
Next, you can choose to automatically sync applications, photos, music and videos or customizing your options.
You can also skip the iTunes process temporarily if your iPad was activated at the Apple Store.
To set up your email, click on the General Settings app button on your iPad, enter your login information, and youre ready to go.
3. Now the fun part lets download some apps!
Apps are already segmented between universal apps (that work for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad) and apps that are designed specifically for the iPhone. So you can sync all of the universal apps you already have, and then either track down the iPad equivalents of the iPhone apps you love.
4. What apps should you download right away? Here are just a few of my favorite for REALTORS:
- Flipboard (Free) -Overwhelmed by the amount of content streaming through your Facebook, Twitter and RSS streams? Turn your social media and RSS feeds into an easy to read magazine.
- Friendly Plus for Facebook ($.99) Until Facebook creates its own app, this is the next best thing. I also love how easily you can switch between accounts if you have more than one person sharing your iPad. This is great if you are part of an agent team and sharing one iPad you can all easily flip back and forth on your Facebook accounts.
- Keynote ($9.99) This app is gorgeous! If you are creating presentations, this is a must-have. As a real estate agent, I would use this all the time with clients, especially listing presentations. You can create animated charts and transitions and so much more.
- Numbers ($9.99) This is the best spreadsheet app hands down. If you live in Excel, then you will love the abilities of Numbers. Plus, its just a fantastic app for organizing data. Completely redesigned for the iPad this one is a must-have for every real estate agent or broker,
- Pages ($9.99) The perfect word processing app out there. Create letters, documents, PDFs and so much more. Another must-have for the mobile real estate agent.
- there are SO many more great iPad apps for real estate professionals check back often for more blog posts about this very subject!
5. Purchase a case for your iPad. Your iPad will get banged and bruised very quickly without getting a proper case. Do a quick google search and there are millions of options or search right from the Apple store.
Am I missing anything? Feel free to chime in with your tips and feedback leave me a comment below! Stay tuned we are planning on many more iPad blog posts for 2011.
The iPad has truly changed the technology industry and for REALTORS, the possibilities are endless!
Written by: Katie Lance, Senior Marketing Manager, Inman News @katielance
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureOfRealEstateMarketing/~3/GY98vjk9mUM/
A Rocky Review for RockMelt – The Social Web Browser
December 24, 2010
Kori Covrigaru is a young entrepreneur, currently CEO of PlanOmatic, an online real estate marketing company providing interactive home tours. Kori grew up in Michigan, went to school and Western Michigan University, and currently lives in Colorado, enjoying the mountains in all seasons.
If you can relate to one of the situations listed below, then RockMelt Your Browser. Re-Imagined. is definitely for you. On the other hand, perhaps what I meant to say is exactly the opposite. If you can relate to any of these situations, download Google Chrome J I guess thats for you to decide.
- You consider yourself to be a Social Media Guru.
- You spend most of your time on the web surfing through facebook, updating your status and posting new tweets.
- Every other click on your computer takes you from one social networking site to another.
- Youve closed your browser window, only to find yourself opening a new one and subconsciously going directly back to the same social media site you just left (yes, it happens to the best of us).
- Youve just finished a two-hour couch session with your laptop, and find yourself browsing through facebook and twitter in bed with your smartphone, only to read the same exact posts you read five minutes ago.
RockMelt, available for both Windows and Mac, is a remarkable social networking, news feed and content contributing platform built directly into a desktop web browser. It incorporates facebook, twitter, RSS feeds, sharing solutions and much more while maintaining a clean, easy to navigate user interface. See a snapshot below.
I have RockMelt installed on my Mac, but is RockMelt for me? Probably not. Without the help of RockMelt, I find myself plenty distracted by news and social networking sites throughout the day as it is. Perhaps if social media is your business, I can see how RockMelt might be right for you. However, for those of us who dont use social media to earn a living, I think well pass. Isnt social networking easy enough to come across in a standard web browser? Do we really need facebook, twitter and RSS feeds hovering on the outskirts of our window as we type in a simple search for directions to the closest convenience store? I think Ill stick to my bookmarks for now.
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureOfRealEstateMarketing/~3/aOkBm4BIhAA/
William Raveis Real Estate Wishes You a Joyful Holiday and New Year!
December 24, 2010
Posted by William Raveis Real Estate in Company News, Holidays, Raveis.com
Tags: bill raveis, happy new year, holiday real estate, holidays, Raveis.com
Article source: http://blog.raveis.com/2010/12/24/william-raveis-real-estate-wishes-you-a-joyful-holiday-and-new-year/
Making a 180 with 360˚ Panoramic Scenes
December 22, 2010
Kori Covrigaru is a young entrepreneur, currently CEO of PlanOmatic, an online real estate marketing company providing interactive home tours. Kori grew up in Michigan, went to school and Western Michigan University, and currently lives in Colorado, enjoying the mountains in all seasons.
You remember Homestore, right? Leverage the Power of the Red Spinning House.
Over the last five years or so, 360-degree panoramic virtual tours have slowly decreased in popularity. This has happened for various reasons, but the one that sticks out to me the most is the increasing popularity of mobile web browsing, and the lack of support by mobile platforms for Flash. Yes, you can thank Steve Jobs for that one. Based on a study by StatCounter, as of November 2010, mobile web browsing makes up for approximately 4.02% of the total Internet traffic.
You may not find that number to be impressive, but take a look at the trend in 2010 alone. This past January, mobile browsing was just 1.56% of web traffic. Thats a growth rate of 157.69% over less than a year, and trust me folks, that growth rate is only going to get higher, faster.
Thanks to Larry Lohrmans blog, I recently came across some interesting technology that brings mobile browsing and panoramic virtual tours together. The team at PTgui has developed PTgui 9.0, a viewer that displays panoramic virtual tours at a remarkably high quality, both functionally and aesthetically. When viewing these panoramic virtual tours on an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad (any Apple iOS device), they use HTML5 to display and interact with the panoramic scene. Try it for yourself. If youre using an Apple iOS device, you will be viewing in HTML5. On a desktop computer, the scene will be displayed using Adobes Flash. The video below is a demonstration I recorded of my interaction with PTguis panoramic scene on my iPhone 4.
As you can see, it runs very smoothly and looks pretty sexy. The fact that they shot the Louvre helps a little too J. This technology has the capability to change online real estate marketing in tremendous ways.
As of today, its been cutting edge for virtual tour providers to offer a mobile version of their tours. Many have, but none (to the best of my knowledge) have found a way to incorporate panoramic scenes into their mobile tours directly in the browser. I have seen tours that utilize Quicktime and YouTube videos, but the experience is not the same because Quicktime and YouTube dont allow you to interact directly with the scene. Furthermore, having the entire presentation self-contained in the browser makes for a far superior user experience.
The PTgui viewer now opens the door for virtual tour companies to provide panoramic scene tours, while keeping the mobile presentation experience completely in tact and interactive. It will be fascinating to see how virtual tour providers incorporate and reintroduce this technology into their suite of services. Will panoramic scenes make it back into the mainstream and be viewed as cutting edge once again? Have you seen any other HTML5 viewers that display panoramic scenes? Please share your thoughts on panoramic scenes, and if and why you have stopped using them to market your listings.
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureOfRealEstateMarketing/~3/Zg1FCCZa9kQ/
Back to the Real Estate Social Media Future
December 22, 2010
Kori Covrigaru is a young entrepreneur, currently CEO of PlanOmatic, an online real estate marketing company providing interactive home tours. Kori grew up in Michigan, went to school and Western Michigan University, and currently lives in Colorado, enjoying the mountains in all seasons.
This week, Tip Tuesday is not what you are expecting. Im not reviewing an iPhone app that I cant live without. Im not recommending my favorite site where you can consolidate all of your social media noise. This week, a technology obsessed 27-year-old is going to ask you to put your smartphone and mouse down, sign off Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and think about what made you (real estate agents) successful. Before I move on, I should disclose that I have never been a licensed real estate agent, and I am deeply involved in social media, but on a SOCIAL level and not so much for business.
Facebook, todays dominating leader of social media, began in 2004 during my sophomore year of college. Back then, (only 6 years ago) we used Facebook to party, chase girls and make new relationships. We would then share these experiences with the hope that it would lead to even more socializing. Since 2004, Facebook has evolved tremendously, but is still being used in the same general sense. Perhaps youre not running around Fraternity Village Drive looking for the next best date party, but the point is that people are using Facebook to be social, and thats the way you should play it. Here are a few things that support my philosophy that social media is being misused in the real estate industry:
- Referring to yourself as a Social Media Guru What exactly makes you a Guru?
- Creating a Facebook Business Page dedicated to yourself which is different from being a Facebook user.
- Tweeting 10+ times a day and believing this is leading you to financial success There are a few exceptions here.
- Spending considerable amounts of time trying to be Mayor of restaurants and coffee shops (unless this is for pure entertainment)
- People who have two Facebook accounts. One for business, and one for personal use (which is against Facebooks TOS, by the way)
I do recognize my audience, so before you turn purple and begin to comment on how successful social media has made you and your business, please give me five more minutes of your time. Im not here to ask you to abandon social media altogether because it definitely has a place in real estate. Social media is a phenomenal way to communicate and network within the industry. Personally, I have made substantial connections through social media that would not have developed otherwise. What Im asking you to do is take a moment and reflect on how social media contributes to your bottom line. Are you allocating your time, money (time is money) and resources efficiently, or are you tweeting, 4squaring and facebooking your valuable time away because a tiny percentage of real estate agents who DID find success in social media told you its the Second Coming? Perhaps you drank one too many Kool-Aids at an RE Bar Camp. Lets take a moment to listen to what a couple successful real estate agents had to say about social medias impact on their achieved success.
Earlier this week, I had a chance to speak with a friend of mine, Katie Karczewski. Katie is a real estate agent in Grand Rapids, MI and has been involved in social media increasingly as of late. I asked Katie what led her to be the #2 real estate agent in her community and here is what she had to say:
A lot of hard work, getting involved in the community, being visible, looking directly into peoples eyes, shaking peoples hands and getting out there every Sunday for open houses.
When I asked Katie how social media has impacted her business, she replied:
Its been great. It keeps me connected to my clients and its another great form of networking. Ive also reconnected with countless people from my past. Has it improved my business? Sure it has. Can I say I sold or signed a listing via Facebook or Twitter? No, I cant. For me, its really about the basics.
Earlier this year I spoke with Michelle Genovesi, a real estate agent in Westport, CT. She explained that her team uses social media mostly to communicate with her clients, but generally, it was back to basics for them. Direct mailings, open houses, etc.
I believe social media has a very important place in the real estate industry. Real estate has always been about networking, socializing and getting involved in the community. I do, however, believe that many agents are misusing this tool. Its not here to replace Open Houses or PTSO meetings. Social media in business is here to enhance and expand your reach, not take you away from what increases your bottom line. As a matter of fact, the most productive day I had all year was the day my Mac went dead. I would have never guessed that.
Go figure. Here I am writing on a social media, technology and real estate marketing blog preaching how its is not being used effectively. Do you think I made any friends today (no pun intended)?
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureOfRealEstateMarketing/~3/qoUf00TiX-k/
What is Stubbornness Costing You?
December 18, 2010
Neil Schwartz has been in the real estate industry for over 30 years. He is the broker of Century 21 Masters, the #2 Century 21 office in the Nation. He blogs on neilschwartz.net, providing valuable information to agents regarding sales training, real estate marketing, social media, and technology.
I was driving home from work the other night when a billboard caught my eye. It said, Thousands of men will die this year due to stubbornness. The sign was referring to men who fail to seek medical attention for prostate cancer. It was a powerful campaign and it got me thinking about stubbornness. Beyond being stubborn about our medical health, I realized that stubbornness also prevents us from achieving our professional goals. This year, Thousands of real estate agents have and will fail to meet their goals due to stubbornness.
What is Stubbornness and Where Does it Come From?
Stubbornness is refusing to change ones opinion or actions, despite attempts to persuade one to make changes that will benefit them. It is being bullheaded and resistant to a change in spite of a reasonable argument. Being stubborn is a behavior that often stems from either ignorance or laziness. It is one thing not to be knowledgeable, but if you have the information and chose not to change your behavior, well then, that is just being lazy. Knowledge is only as powerful as what you chose to do with it. We all know successful real estate professionals, coaches and brokers yet many of us fail to heed their advice regarding what activities we need to do on a regular basis to accomplish our goals. Why is that?
The Tough Questions
Each of us should ask ourselves, Am I as successful as I want to be? Do I follow the advice of my broker, coach, mentor or high achieving agents? Am I seeing the professional results that I want? If the answer is no to these questions, then ask yourself, Is that because Im being stubborn? Maybe its time to change your behavior. Stubbornness can have deadly consequences when dealing with health, and is costly to your professional success.
If you think you may be stubborn, acknowledging it is the first step. Congratulations! Now, what changes should you make?
Successful real estate agents consistently engage in the following activities. Ask yourself, Am I doing these?
1. Meet People (Prospect)
Door knock, phone prospect, holds open houses, go to social events, advertise, use social media. Keep in mind that there are more people out there that dont know you than do know you. Go find them!
2. Follow up on Connections (Lead Follow-up)
Call and email their leads on a consistent basis, dont take no for an answer when yes is still a possibility. You dont lose many deals from over following up but how many deals have you lost from not following up?
3. Know the Market (Preview Property)
Visit all of the properties for sale in their market. Knowledge =ConfidenceWhen you know your market you will speak with confidence.
4. Make a presentation (Know your Scripts and Dialogues)
Learn what to say and how to say it. Commit to a script, either write one yourself or use another that youre comfortable with, and stick to it. Learn how to handle objections. Leads best respond to powerful presentations. Knowing not only your listing presentation but also how to handle objections is critical.
Break The Cycle of Stubbornness
Heres a quick plan of action for you to supercharge your business in 2011.
- Visit or call 5 expireds daily and then door knock or call the 10 homes around each one.
- Preview 5 properties daily and door knock 10 homes around each one.
- Spend 30 minutes daily practicing your scripts and dialogues.
- Spend 1 hour daily doing intense phone follow up.
- Spend 20-30 minutes daily managing your data base, make sure that everyone is receiving emails from you on a consistent basis and be sure to keep your blog/facebook current
Dont let stubbornness hold you back from achieving the success you deserve. Stop being bullheaded and resistant to change. Learn from the actions of high achieving agents and incorporate it into your own businesses. Soon you will be joining their ranks!
Let me know what you are going to do to beat stubbornness.
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureOfRealEstateMarketing/~3/nfd61y2xuDQ/
Face Recognition Comes to Facebook Photos
December 17, 2010
Millions of people upload their photos to Facebook everyday. For most of us, Facebook is the first place we upload our photos of our family and friends. Why? Because its easy, quick, and thats where all of ourfriends are!
Just announced yesterday,Facebook said it will soon enable facial-recognition technology. Itll start rolling out to about 5 percent of Facebooks U.S. users next week.When Facebook members upload photographs and are encouraged to tag their friends, they will be able to choose from a list of suggestions.
According to Facebook there are now 100 million photo uploads per day, and 100 million tags each day as well.
Every day, people add more than 100 million tags to photos on Facebook. They do it because its an easy way to share photos and memories. Unlike photos that get forgotten in a camera or an unshared album, tagged photos help you and your friends relive everything from that life-altering skydiving trip to a birthday dinner where the laughter never stopped. Tags make photos one of the most popular features on Facebook.
Because photos are such an important part of Facebook, we want to be sure you know exactly how tag suggestions work: When you or a friend upload new photos, we use face recognition softwaresimilar to that found in many photo editing toolsto match your new photos to other photos youre tagged in. We group similar photos together and, whenever possible, suggest the name of the friend in the photos. - Facebook Blog
Also, earlier this year Facebook announced it will roll out the ability to group tag photos (versus tag the same person 50 times in one album!)
Im excited to see the roll-out of this new technology its just one more way Facebook is setting the bar higher and always improving upon what they have developed.
One thing I really hope to see in 2011 is the ability for a page admin to tag photos of people who like the page, not just tag their friends. Well see if that happens but for now, the new face recognition seems to be an exciting update to Facebooks #1 service Facebook Photos.
Id love your thoughts on this, leave me a comment below!
Written by: Katie Lance, Senior Marketing Manager, Inman News @katielance
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureOfRealEstateMarketing/~3/msnrc1ukrI0/
