Ten years ago, Facebook was a fledgling site for college students. Nowadays, people of all ages are active on the social networking site. In addition to being a great tool for keeping in touch with old friends and making new ones, many business owners understand that a strong Facebook presence is essential for staying in touch with clients and generating leads.

We all know how heavily real estate careers depend on trust and relationships. A Facebook page not only makes it easy for people to get to know you at their own pace, but it also allows you to share your business knowledge in a non-intrusive way.

Establish yourself as the top REALTOR® in your area with these 8 tips:

1. Don’t treat your Facebook page as a listings page. If people want to look at listings, they’ll go to one of the hundreds of listing sites serving your area. Instead, create and share content that attracts the attention of your target market: people who want to sell their home or buy a new one. How do you do this? Fun tips and tricks, how-to’s for those new to the process, and fun real-estate themed articles to share.

2. Stay local. Following that point, to speak to your audience best, you’ll need to talk about what’s relevant to them, including their location. You want to be recognized as a real estate authority in the neighborhoods where you operate. While sharing national news is fine, we’ve seen a stronger response to content that’s local. Buyers, in particular, are going to be interested in news, activities and schools in your area.

3. Create your own content. We’ve found that blog posts, videos with how-to tips and information, and other content that we create help establish expertise. By creating your own content, you won’t risk sending people off to other sites where they may forget about you.

4. Invite engagement with your posts. When possible, add a question to your status updates and content shares. People love to talk about themselves, and they love being heard. We’ve found these questions encourage people to respond to your posts with their questions and opinions. You then have the opportunity to begin a conversation in which you can introduce yourself and, when possible, build a reputation as a helpful resource by addressing their concerns.

5. Connect your website and blog to your Facebook account. Facebook allows you to create interactive “badges” you can place on your website to encourage people to connect with you.

6. Share content from reputable websites and business partners. People are more likely to share your content if you’re happy to return the favor. “Like” and share items that are high quality and of interest to your prospects.

7. Don’t forget renters. If you market or manage rental properties, consider sharing content that’s of interest to people who aren’t yet ready or able to buy. Information about the rental market, checklists for renters and other pertinent information may be of keen interest to page visitors.

8. Keep it positive. Negativity will drive away potential clients. Focus on positive stories, even if the real estate market is currently difficult. Post content on success stories, home staging and other positive steps that buyers and sellers can use to make the process more enjoyable.