Where does Twitter fall on the priority list of social media for home builders?  A close look at the trends tells the story. Yes we know Twitter's impressive growth rate (1,382 % from Feb 2008 - Feb 2009) and 32 million recorded visitors in April, 2009, makes Twitter the big social media buzz of today.  

But the question remains the same for any industry and any business.  Why is it important to me as a home builder?  Take a look at the Twitter consumer demographics. 

This informative graphic from eMarketer shows that 35% of Twitter users are between 20 and 24 years old.  Combined with the 31% of Twitter users ranging from 15-19 years of age, you're talking about 67% of Twitter users ranging in age from 15-24 years old.

While that is not typically the home buying age, it will be the home buying age in 5-10 years.  That gives the average home builder another 5 years to get up to speed with the whole Twitter thing.  If you want to be on the leading edge as a home builder, you'll be experimenting with Twitter today.

I think Twitter is the most powerful of all social media - because of its potential.  Everyone has a mobile phone.  You don't need a smart phone to receive information on Twitter.  Any new home sales professional can user Twitter.  With a 140 character limit, sending out a new home community tweet will take all of 2 minutes, whereas blogging or Facebooking can take an hour or more.

My vision is that each new home community has its own Twitter account.  When a consumer has a strong interest in purchasing, they are going to follow that account because no one wants to be left out of the 'Information Loop'.

Training a sales person on Twitter will take 20 minutes as compared with blogging and Facebook, which can take days or weeks or months to be proficient.

And because every person has a cell phone, pushing information and having that information received ensures success. No more worrying about whether your email blast got hung up in the spam box. No more waiting for corporate to create that email blast that is really for 30 communities in the same division. You tailor that short message to your community followers.

We're always talking about new home sales professionals being responsible for their own traffic. Using a Twitter account is by far the easiest way to get and stay connected with their new home community consumers.

This may not be the most effective means today, but look at the trends.  Younger people doing it today means our home buyers of tomorrow will be doing it.

Jim Adams - CEO
New Homes Directory.com