Launched in September 2009, one of NAHB’s most important social media platforms — the Facebook Fan page — now has almost 23,000 followers, pushing the association’s online networking and connections to a wider audience of industry leaders and experts.

“Our strategy for Facebook is to offer our members and the public a great resource for industry news and analysis,” said Chad Davis, NAHB’s director of social media.

“Some of that is provided by NAHB’s own staff,” he said, “but we also pull from blogs, trade publications, major media outlets and, of course, from Facebook pages run by our local home builders associations.”

NAHB Facebook followers are a mix of individuals and companies interested in staying up-to-date on the latest housing and economic news, Davis said.

“Through social media, we’re able to talk to our members and HBAs in real time, as well as a younger group of industry professionals and potential members who are interested in our work and our messages,” said NAHB CEO Jerry Howard. “The bigger our audience, the further our message travels.”

NAHB has been striving to establish social media as a mainstream means of communication for its members and the home building industry.

In addition to the Facebook page, members receive the latest information on the industry from NAHB’s Twitter feed and LinkedIn groups.

NAHB has also been working with local HBAs to connect with and share information from NAHB’s page and vice versa.

Davis recently led two webinars showing the association’s executive officers how to set up and manage Facebook pages to keep their members informed at the local level and tied into national activity as well.

As with the Facebook page, participation in NAHB’s LinkedIn and Twitter accounts has been growing.

More than 5,660 people have signed up for the members-only LinkedIn group, while the Friends of NAHB on Linkedin — open to members and non-members — now number 10,500 participants.

LinkedIn serves as a networking venue for members to discuss issues online, while the Twitter account — @NAHBhome with 9,280 followers currently — provides headlines and breaking news blasts.

“With Facebook we’re seeing a lot of knowledge transfer. Our Facebook fans are liking the content there, but they’re also sharing that extensively with their own friends and fans. And that’s what we like to see,” Davis said.

“On LinkedIn, we’re seeing more discussion, and it’s discussion that’s member-driven,” he said. “In most ways, LinkedIn is a great complement to Facebook, which is why we have distinct strategies for both platforms.”

A page on NAHB’s website provides a complete listing of the association’s social networks.

NAHB has also launched a Google+ page. Its content is similar to what appears on Facebook, but stories can be targeted to specific audiences.

For more information, email Rin-rin Yu at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8404.

'Social Media for Home Builders 2.0' Available at NAHB BuilderBooks

“Social Media for Home Builders 2.0: It’s Easier Than You Think,” available through NAHB BuilderBooks, demonstrates the power of social media through case studies and online outlets created specifically for the home building industry.

The publication explains how builder can use social media sites to build their brand, engage new and existing consumers, manage their online reputation and sell more homes.

To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.