What is social media management for realtors on X Twitter? I noticed the other day a realtor tweeting away but then something strange happened when I went to follow them.Β This social realtor had protected tweets.
It got me thinking. Why do some people, especially those in business,Β protect their tweets? (Now called posts in 2024)
Social realtors, you think, would want everyone to see their tweets, right? That’s one of the benefits of being on Twitter, getting to meet new people. But how can you meet new people if your Twitter account is protected and locked tight?
I’ve seen it over the years with small businesses and others on Twitter as well as on Instagram with private accounts. Why be there if you are going to protect your tweets or Instagram posts?
Unless you are new to the network and want to get familiar with it first, then I can understand.
![social media management for realtors](https://inspiretothrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/social-media-management-for-realtors-1024x576.jpg)
Table of Contents
What Are Protected Tweets vs. Public Tweets?
Protected tweets are only shown to people that you allow to follow you. Public tweets can be seen by anyone even people not on Twitter if they do a search on Google.
The default option on Twitter is set to the public unless you change it to protect.
Lisa, Inspire To Thrive
Furthermore, having your protected tweets also requires you to approve who follows you. That is an extra step you would have to do to grow your Twitter following.
If you have your Twitter account set to protected and change it back to “public”, all your protected tweets from the past can be displayed for anyone to see. (Just something to think about).
Why Protect Your Tweets?
- Newbie – You are new to Twitter and you just want to learn the ropes. You don’t want others to see any mistakes you may make in the beginning when you tweet.
- Elementary school teachers. Teachers and kids are only allowed to follow each other for classroom activities. That’s smart tweeting.
- Criminal activity – Criminals may hide their tweets for obvious reasons.
- You are being stalked – But in that case, you could just block the one person.
Why You Should NOT Protect Your Tweets
- Let other others see your tweets and get your Twitter messages out there.
- Marketing – To market yourself, Β your small business, etc.
- Get more followers that may read your tweets.
- Grow your Twitter following and reach on Twitter.
- To freely engage with others on the Twitter network. Learn more from a contributor post I recently did on how to increase your engagement on the Twitter network.
![protected tweets by realtor](https://inspiretothrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/protected-tweets-sample-1024x512.png)
Changing From Private To Public Account
This next account really surprised me, she had a verified account with her tweets protected in 2018.
![social realtors protecting posts](https://inspiretothrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/connie-protected-tweets-1024x512.png)
However, she now has a public Twitter account since I wrote this post back in 2018.
How do you know when itβs time to sell?
According to a recent survey by the U.S.-based National Association of Realtors, these are the top 5 reasons respondents listed for selling their homes.
π² 480-599-5058
π§ connie@conniecollagroup.com pic.twitter.com/XExTEjP0JEβ Connie Colla, Luxury Realtor (@conniecolla) June 16, 2023
Hence, some people on Twitter may forget that they protected their tweets and later realize it when called out on them. They can easily change their settings back to the default public option.
Now, here is another one that I found while researching accounts on the social network. This particular realtor seems to really specialize in high-end clientele possibly for NFL football players.
![private account to protect posts](https://inspiretothrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/another-protected-twitter-account-1024x512.png)
What do you think of him protecting his tweets? I’m thinking with the type of clientele he has may be the reason for a protected Twitter account.
How To Unlock Your Protected Tweets
To unlock your protected tweets, all you have to do is go to your Twitter settings. Then go to privacy.
See the sample below to easily unlock your protected tweets. Finally, be sure to uncheck the Protect your Tweets box.
![turn on protected tweets](https://inspiretothrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/turn-on-protected-tweets-1024x576.jpg)
Anyone in business like social realtors should really allow others to follow them and engage with them on the Twitter network. That’s really what it’s all about being on Twitter.
If you are going to tweet let others see what you are tweeting about.
Likewise, it would be like going to a networking event but hiding under the table all night. Why be there, right?
Here Is What Other Peeps Are Saying About Protected Tweets
Protected tweets = something to hide = shouldn't be on Twitter = social media oxymoron.
— Dinesh Balliah (@DineshBalliah) February 13, 2016
What Are Other Social Realtors Doing Right On Twitter?
Other social realtors on Twitter are tweeting consistently and not all about their listings. They are providing valuable information to past, present, and future clients.
Others are entertaining them as well along the way. They get how social media management for realtors on Twitter and other social media networks works.
Check out the realtors who are getting it right on Twitter.
Here Are Tweets From Realtors That Get Twitter Right
π³πΈ Tired of a boring backyard? Let Tony Lanni’s innovative landscaping ideas turn your outdoor space into a stunning oasis! π‘π
Contact me today to transform your yard! πΏπΊ
πhttps://t.co/S7RwOTNKKk
βTonyLanniRI@gmail.com
π401-263-5281 pic.twitter.com/YLXoe2kRtrβ TonyLanniRealtor (@tonylanni) June 2, 2023
One of the first questions we ask when someone tells us they’re ready to #rent is, “What’s on your wish list?” Before we help you find the #rental of your dreams, we like to know what you’re looking for. Today’s #blog will help you put your list together! https://t.co/LXlOzGRXyg pic.twitter.com/PEOKgF4DI1
β Fitzpatrick Team (@fitzteamri) August 17, 2018
What is a Loan For Land and How Do They Work? https://t.co/Yw8AwtNsm3 pic.twitter.com/0GFRCnlvTR
β Bill Gassett (@massrealty) June 27, 2023
Why Facebook and Twitter Don’t Work Together
Be sure NOT to connect your Facebook and Twitter together! Here is what it looks like on Twitter:
Keller Williams Realty – New England Region Masterminds in Rhode Island. Tuesday and Wednesday. Masterminds group… http://t.co/JSoF3hlmca
β Sandy Bonney (@sandybonney) October 16, 2015
It is a wasted tweet when it’s coming from your Facebook feed. If people wanted to see you on Facebook they would be there at that moment and not on Twitter.
Instagram Recipes With Twitter
Went for a nice early morning walk with my son this last day of August.
Beautiful morning in #RhodeIsland #NewEngland #morningwalk #morningmotivation #nature_photo #nature #summer2018 #reservoir https://t.co/55qXYYl2tc pic.twitter.com/kStjvepBJbβ Lisa ?β??? (@Lisapatb) August 31, 2018
Your Turn: Social Media Management For Social Realtors On Twitter
Do you follow people on Twitter that have protected tweets? Would you for any reason protect your tweets? I’d love to know more in the comments below.
If you are looking to connect with more realtors on Twitter, be sure to check out my real estate list. You can subscribe to the Twitter list.
Need help marketing your real estate business on social media? Check out my services page today.
FAQs Social Realtors On Twitter
Why do social realtors protect their tweets?
Some realtors may forget to change their tweets from private to public, others may be in high-luxury areas where they donβt want their tweets public.
What is the best way for realtors to tweet?
To share useful information on the social network about real estate and the home-buying process.
What is social media management for realtors?
Social media management for real estate agents is managing social media from posting to responding to posts and evaluating the results.
How to introduce yourself as a realtor on social media?
Post something about you that sets you apart from other realtors on the network.
Are there social media rules for realtors?
The rules are pretty much the same as other social media users of a network. However, I like the use of the 80/20 rule, post 80% of helpful content and 20% of push marketing or advertorial content.
Why do realtors need social media?
To get their content and marketing in front of potential clients.
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This is bizarre to me Lisa. I’d say: why bother with social media if you want to protect tweets or hide away? Far easier to just grab folk’s email, get them on your list, and then, email updates. But missing opportunities to connect with human beings in your region, real estate wise, this seems weird to me. Strange. Oh well. Thank goodness I do not protect mine π
Hi Ryan, I know right? That’s my thoughts on it too. And now I’m seeing it on Instagram as well! Protected Instagram accounts, why bother? Unless they are starting out and want to observe others first. But I say “jump in and test the waters!”. I feel a new tip coming on Ryan. Thank you for coming by on this one! Have a great day.
I think if you are into members-only business then protected tweets makes sense. On the other hand, if you don’t want your competitors to know about your strategy.
All an all it is just a matter of personal choice and personal preference.
Hi Bhawna, Members only business? That’s an interesting concept. Thanks for mentioning that one. Excellent point. Thanks for coming by and welcome to Inspire to Thrive! Have a great day Bhawna.
Hi Lisa, my question is, why would anybody want to protect his tweets on Twitter? If you’re using twitter as a means to scale your business via social media, why protect your tweets? Protecting your tweet prevents other from seeing what you’re tweeting. So my next question is , do you have some skeletons in your closet?
However, your tips for unlocking protected tweets are remarkably great. I love the annotation and stuff. Goof job!
Hi Moss, I agree. Even those that deal with the exclusive accounts could tweet about things that are not “classified”. They could tweet quotes about their niche or info on their local market, etc. Any sensitive info should not be shared on any social media channel. Skeletons could be hidden too π
Thanks for your input on this one Moss, have a wonderful day ahead!
Hi Lisa,
You’re so right about that. There are many ways for one to keep his target market engaged on Twitter, than to create a protected account or protected tweets.
Tweeting quote and other relevant content as you mentioned are just right and much better than the former.
Hi Moss, thank you. I agree. There are very few instances in which one should protect their tweets. If it were top secret I would not put it on Twitter protected, or not! Thanks for coming by on this one and have a great day Moss π
Lisa: Are the professionals in the real estate industry afraid to share information with their competitors, or could it be that some information should be private, in order to protect their clients?
Hi Martin, it may be some information is private but if that is the case why tweet the information? They can tweet about so many other things. Helpful info about the local market,etc. Thanks for coming by on this one Martin and have a great day!
Hi
Lisa,
Such an informative post. Here, happy to know about the information of protected tweets. Twitter is a social platform and it doesn’t make any sense to protect your tweets, especially if you are running an online business.
How you can reach with people and how can promote your brand if you protect your information about your business on Twitter. So, it doesn’t make any sense to protect your tweets. And, I don’t like to follow people who protect their twitter account.
Happy to read this post. Thanks for sharing this post with us.
Have a great day.
Praveen Verma
Hi Praveen, Thank you. IN a few instances it may make sense like school teachers or realtors that deal only with exclusive clientele. Other than that I’d see keep your tweets public to reach a great audience and engage with people. That is what it is all about! Thanks for coming by on this one and have a wonderful weekend ahead.
Hello Lisa,
Interesting topic. I have never protected my tweets as it will be a great mistake to do this. By protecting your tweets, you will missed a large number of followers and also negatively effect engagement. Hopefully waiting for the answers that you have asked.
Have a Great day π
Vishwajeet
Hi Vishwajeet, thanks for coming by on this one. Yes, I could not understand why they would except maybe for that high end realtor that sells just to NFL players? Maybe? I hope I do get some type of response on it. Have a great day and weekend ahead. Time is surely flying by this week!
As a group real estate agents are among the least social savvy people so it is not surprising at all to see someone screwing up their settings. Most see social media as a place to sell and forget it is about building relationships.
Very interesting Bill. I guess that is an excellent point, I’ve noticed many with inactive accounts. They don’t know what they are missing. I appreciate you coming by to comment on this one Bill.
Hi Lisa,
This is an interesting post because I’ve not come across Protected Tweets. Like @Sherman said above, having them as a kind of Private Twitter Group, like a Private Facebook Group, is a good idea to exchange ideas, etc that are between you and other group members.
Or, it could be an in-house, or in-trade/profession sharing exchange.
Twitter is a great way of networking and getting to know others. I’ve met my mentors through Twitter and its brought most of my readers and students to me.
It’s a social sharing platform. Protected Tweets tend to stray away from this.
– Tom
Hi Tom, thank you. Yes, those that are protected stray away from this social sharing network. I can see the in-house aspect, excellent point Tom. I appreciate your coming by on this one and have a great day ahead.
Hey Lisa,
Long time no see!
I equate having protected tweets with have private facebook groups. You may only want a targeted group of people to engage with.
But besides that. I think you will be losing out on a lot traffic, social proof, potential subscribers and customers. One thing great about twitter is that it can be used as a search engine as well. If people can’t find you then that defeats the purpose.
Thanks for sharing Lisa! Have a great day!
Hi Sherman, I know huh? Hope all is well your way Sherman. That’s a good analogy to a private Facebook group. I still look at Twitter and Facebook as two totally different animals. They are so different. You must know people on Facebbook first but not on Twitter to interact with them. Though Facebook I believe lets you send messages now to non-friends as well. It wasn’t like that there for years though. Thanks for coming by Sherman and for your input on this one. Have a great weekend ahead.
Hi Lisa,
Great topic! I don’t know why in the world people would do that. Heck, it’s a social site and we are on that platform to be social. To have “protected tweets” doesn’t make any sense.
Actually I haven’t ran across this myself, and it is good to know. Boggles my mind because it just defeats the purpose of being on Twitter.
Thanks for the heads up!
-Donna
Hi Donna, Yes for realtors and/or any small business it does not make any sense. I can see for the kids in school or someone brand new on Twitter for the first week or so. After that unprotect those darn Twitter accounts, right? Thanks for coming by Donnna and commenting on this one. I hope you have a great rest of the week.
Hi Lisa
Very well explained the concept, pros and cons of protected tweets.
The best of this kind of tweets is one can stay focused while approaching his target audience and can convey his message without any leakage or missing.
Sometimes we get comments of very irrelevant people on our tweets and instead of getting any good impact many other onlookers get distracted by them.
Thanks a lot for sharing this wonderful way of doing social media optimization for more results.
Hi Mi, thank you. Interesting point on those comments and getting distracted on Twitter. It can take time to get real focused on there as well. Thanks for coming by Mi on this one and have a great rest of the week.
Hi Lisa, When I get new followers, I look at their profile before deciding to add them back or not. I try anyway, I get behind. π When I see a protected account, I never ask to follow. It doesn’t make sense for either of us.
I have a 12 year old grandson on Twitter and he has his acct protected. That makes sense because it is just him and a handful of friends that send one another tweets.
Hi Brian, LOL – I know about getting behind doing stuff like that. It happens from time to time. I agree, I don’t follow either those protected accounts either. Interesting, so they just go back and forth via Twitter? Thanks for coming by Brian and I hope things are going well your way. Have a great new month ahead!
Hey Lisa,
Except we are a private group where we want out tweets to be protected, I really don’t see the place for this on Twitter. Private groups can use this feature maybe to discuss group related points.
Does Twitter also allow protected follow? that is, no one follows you until you without your approval π
Hi Enstine, Yes, I agree. And yes they do allow protected follow. You must approve others to follow if you have a protected account. A little weird in most cases but I can see for teachers and students maybe. I don’t believe Twitter has any groups either. Only lists. Facebook is home of the groups and private groups. Thanks for coming by Enstine and have a terrific day there!
Hi Lisa,
Very good topic you have raised. Thanks for enlightening everyone about the public and protected tweets. For any business owner/ business I recommend to keep the tweets public as it helps in marketing their services/products.
But there are people who like to have personal and private life different. So they only want to share the information to their closed ones, such people only should use the protected tweets option. π
Hi Nikhil, thank you. I just wonder if they want their personal life private why are they on Twitter in the first place? Or they can just tweet non-personal things. I pretty much do that myself, I don’t share too much of any personal things on Twitter. Facebook is another story though π Thanks for coming by and have a great rest of the week there Nikhil.
Hi Lisa,
I run across this every now and then and wonder why in the world they are choosing to lose out on free networking opportunities?
I used to run across this mentality a few years ago when businesses were deathly afraid that people would steal their “stuff.”
I had bad news, if they want to steal your “stuff” because it’s that good then wish them the best of luck.
Why?
Because they aren’t you and will never be you… and you are what people buy.
Instead of worrying about what everyone else is doing maybe we ought to be focused more on being who we are and the best that we can absolutely be!
Just a thought.
I love the list you provided… there are definitely some people who need to protect their tweets for professional reasons. But not if you’re a business or a business owner; or marketer.
Have an awesome week Lisa!!!
~ Don Purdum
Hi Don, yes, that was my thought exactly on those protected accounts, why? I just read a quote about that from Adrienne about being your best and not worrying what others are doing. “The Only Way to Succeed Is To Not Worry About What Anyone Else Is Doing” – It is so true. And if they steal it – it is like a compliment, right? Thanks for coming by Don and have a great rest of the week.
Hi Lisa,
Interesting ! Realtors may think to hide their deals from the Competitors or few Sellers / Buyer and their Reviews about them.
Hi Jenifer, welcome to Inspire To Thrive. If they do that they also hide from potential clients. Interesting take though. Thank you for your input on this one. Have a great week ahead Jenifer.
Hi Lisa,
Hm, I had never heard of protecting tweets but like I had the same thought as the examples you shared above why be on Twitter if your tweets are going to be protected then I read the reasons why you would protect your tweets so it makes sense.
I don’t follow anyone who protects their tweets and for me, I wouldn’t protect my tweets either.
Thanks for sharing this Lisa. Hope all is well!
Cori
Hi Corina, I’m surprised you have never run across any on Twitter. I don’t think I do either – it just doesn’t make sense. You are welcome. I am doing well, it’s been a year since the accident, can you believe it? See you back in the socialverse Corina.
Hey Lisa,
Glad to see you talking about this. When I first started on Twitter, years ago, I did use a protected account simply because I didn’t want my employer reading my tweets. Then I created a second for my blog and haven’t turned back since. There are a lot of people who are curious about Twitter but don’t like the fact that just anyone can read your tweets. I know some of these people. These are also those that are on Facebook and never post publicly. They feel a sense of security by these measures. However, they also are promoting a business or a blog and are just “hobbyists”.
I can see both sides of the equation but for a business, I have to agree Protected Tweets are a big No-No.
Thanks for sharing this!
Hi Brenda, Interesting. I’m always careful what I tweet and retweet, that’s why I can’t always tweet your blog posts – some of them can be a bit racey π Not that I don’t read them though!
True about those on Facebook – lurkers they are called there π I know some too, people I see in person who will mention something about what I posted but never commented on Facebook itself, only in real life, LOL.
Thanks for your input since you had done this Brenda, not a bad reason really. Enjoy the rest of your week!
Hi Lisa,
I also agree that if you’re a business owner then you shouldn’t be protecting your tweets. I can see for reasons you shared like for teachers who are just using it for school reasons and it’s only those that they are connected with who see them. That makes perfect sense but I would love to hear the logic behind that realtor and why he has his protected. That makes totally no sense at all.
As always, thanks for the Twitter info because I’m sure some people really aren’t sure about this topic.
Great share, thanks Lisa and hope you’re enjoying your week.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, yes, business owners protecting tweets? Why bother, right? Like a waste of time really. Almost like being on Facebook with no friends. I hope to hear from one, that would be good. You are welcome Adrienne and hope your week is going well.
Hi Lisa,
If you’re a blogger or if you’re running any type of online business, it doesn’t make sense to limit your audience by protecting your accounts. It’s shooting yourself in the foot. But I’m sure that they have a reason. So let me guess it…
Some people mix business with personal things. (That’s wrong if you ask me). And they want to protect their personal stuff. So they protect everything instead of having two separate accounts.
And if you think that my guess is just a guess, without any facts to prove it, let’s talk about Facebook…
Don’t tell me that you haven’t seen bloggers or marketers who share their blog posts or marketing posts with a limited audience, other than “Public.” There’s no difference between these people and the people who protect their tweets. All of them shoot themselves in the foot. When I try to reshare their blog articles, I cannot do it. Or I can reshare the articles only with the two or three mutual friends. So many times I wanted to share an article, but I wasn’t able to do it.
Now if you ask the people who use Facebook like that, they’ll find a reason for their shooting in the foot – such as, “My family isn’t interested in my business posts, so I share those posts only with some of my friends.”
If you ask me, that’s not how you run a business. If you ask them, well, ask them. Some of them are common friends who comment frequently on your blog. Maybe they’ll see my comment. They don’t have to understand that I criticize them. How they run their blog marketing or their business … is none of my business.
My comment is just a friendly piece of advice: that’s not how you run a business! That’s all π
Hi Adrian, you make some interesting points. I say have two seperate accounts.
I do on both platforms but use my personal Twitter for everything. I’m more personal on FB as that’s where family and more friends are. But I have a Facebook Page for my blogging business.
I really treat those two social networks very differently. But that’s just me π
Thanks for your input on this one Adrian. I can always count on you for a different perspective! (It’s a good thing…)
Hmm… I’m back. I’m not very sure what is that perspective of mine that is different from yours.
My point: Limiting the audience of your business posts is bad. Period. Irrespective of the network you use.
Is your perspective different? Do you mean that your point is… limiting the audience of your business posts is bad on Twitter and it’s good on Facebook?![:mrgreen:](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSI3MiIgaGVpZ2h0PSI3MiIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDcyIDcyIj48cmVjdCB3aWR0aD0iMTAwJSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDAlIiBzdHlsZT0iZmlsbDojY2ZkNGRiO2ZpbGwtb3BhY2l0eTogMC4xOyIvPjwvc3ZnPg==)
Hi Adrian, I think you got it – My point isβ¦ limiting the audience of your business posts is bad on Twitter and itβs good on Facebook? I look at the two networks quite differently. I have more real friends and family on FB and not many on Twitter. Many on FB would find my blogging stuff boring. Or my real estate info boring. So I try to seperate them most of the time, not ALL of the time as some posts are made for a broader audience. Thanks for coming back Adrian. Hope that clarifies it.
Hi Lisa,
I always learn something interesting when I visit your blog! Protected tweets – who would have thought and it doesn’t make sense to me. Your reasons to protect tweets kind of says it all. It is a social platform. My thing is why would you want to protect them. Isn’t that defeating the purpose of Twitter. Anyway, just my thoughts. Love your information!
Hope you are well.
Regards,
Barbara
Thank you Barbara. Yes, there are only a few reasons why someone would protect their tweets. I don’t see why small businesses like realtors would. Hope to hear from one. Thanks for coming by Barbara. Doing well, hope you are too.