The Corcoran Group: Social Media
During my time at The Corcoran Group, I built a substantial presence for Corcoran’s brand across numerous social platforms, much of which became recognized as the template for how to drive local awareness for brokerages around the world. Centered around the premise of helping users understand how Corcoran could not only help them find that perfect home, but also how Corcoran was uniquely positioned to help them understand what life looked like beyond the four walls of the building, each platform was treated as one element in a large, interconnected ecosystem of community. Below is documentation of some of the things my team and I built over the years, which were a ton of fun to work on together.
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Corcoran Group Uses Gowalla to Highlight the Big Apple (May 23)
New York City is an amazing epicenter of culture. There are few places on Earth that feature as much diversity as the Big Apple.
Getting around New York can be difficult by car so it’s key to be located in a neighborhood that has a bunch of cool walkable spots nearby. New York City’s largest residential real estate firm, The Corcoran Group, decided to use Gowalla to create both useful trips for current and potential clients as well as highlight fun spots around the properties they sell.
Matthew Shadbolt, Corcoran’s Director of Interactive Product and Marketing, uses Gowalla to help paint a picture of various neighborhoods throughout New York City. "A key part of Corcoran’s brand strategy is the idea that looking for homes is just as much about what’s around the property, as what’s contained within the four walls of the apartment. We call this idea ‘thinking beyond the four walls’. We think it’s a critical part of the home buying process, and communicating the idea of 'what’s near here’ is something we focus on a lot. We find that it’s a key differentiator in terms of content for all of our marketing initiatives.
As part of the promotion of our services, we have a substantial social media presence, focused on providing helpful information for what it’s like to live in NYC. We are on Facebook, Twitter and also have a large volume of content on YouTube. Our social strategy is focused on providing specific, local-only insight and education.
This is where Gowalla highlights comes in. By providing helpful, insightful information per venue when folks check-in, we can market Corcoran’s local expertise on a per person and per check-in basis, and we find this to be a very powerful and effective form of brand marketing (plus its a lot of fun!) We see our use of Gowalla as a great location-based extension of what we’ve been doing elsewhere in social media.“
Corcoran has made eight Gowalla trips so far and is rolling out a vast venue highlight/ tip inventory across Gowalla. They aim to have over 1000 New York City highlights rolled out over the next few weeks. That’s a lot of great information about the Big Apple!
Whether you are a native New Yorker or just an admirer, be sure to follow The Corcoran Group on Gowalla and bookmark all of their interesting trips to help you navigate your way through town.
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“Matthew thinks better than most people. He not only sees trends and ideas, but understands them at a deep level. Matthew also has a talent for sharing these insights in written and spoken form in a manner that imparts his wisdom into the minds of the readers and/or audience. He is diligent and thorough in every action he takes. His intelligence is experienced in the most refreshing way due to his humble and fun personality. As a thought leader in the real estate and new media fields, it's obvious that he will excel at everything he chooses to be a part of. I'm honored to work with Matthew and happy to call him a friend.”
Brad Nix
COO/Owner at Path & Post Real Estate
“Matthew is unique among interactive directors in his industry. He has an understanding of branding that goes well beyond the superficial. He has a grasp of technology not just in terms of feature/benefit but in terms of how actual human beings behave while using technology. He is a leader that inspires his small team to achieve case-study levels of achievement, inspires his industry to reconsider their approach, and knows how to work within a larger organizational framework to push for growth in emerging technologies. Any organization would be strengthened by having someone with his deep talents, measurable results, and leadership capabilities - regardless of industry. His work and thinking are a treasure.”
Gahlord Dewald
Founder, Thoughtfaucet
”What Matthew Shadbolt has done for The Corcoran Group regarding their online brand is nothing short of spectacular. More importantly, what he has done for the real estate industry at large, his willingness to share and engage with 1,000's who want his advice, is inspiring. In a digital era where many are confused and falling behind, Matthew is razor sharp and leading the way. I envy his IQ and appreciate his perspective daily.”
Chris Smith
Sales and Marketing Expert, USA Today Bestselling Author of The Conversion Code, Keynote Speaker
