What’s in a Name? If you are a REALTOR®: A LOT! Social Media Guide to Using REALTOR® Trademarks Use of REALTOR® trademark Usernames
As more and more real estate professionals go online, they strive to create usernames that are unique and clever in order to distinguish them from other real estate professionals promoting themselves in the same online space. A website that requires visitors to complete a registration prior to using that website often directs the visitor to create a log-in identity (also called a username) and password. Some usernames, like those used on some popular real estate blogs, are used not only to gain entry to a site, but also to identify the user publicly to others viewing the site. The rules governing the use of the REALTOR® marks are the same regardless of the medium in which the trademark being used. That means that the same rules apply to members’ firm names, domain names, or usernames. These rules require the REALTOR® marks to be used with the name of a member or with the legal name of a member broker’s real estate business. Used in this manner, the REALTOR® mark indicates the real estate professional’s membership to NAR. A separate rule adopted to preserve the viability of use of the REALTOR® marks to identify members prohibits use with descriptive words or phrases. There are two exceptions to rules for use of the REALTOR® marks on the Internet. First, because the public has adopted the use of all lower-case letters in domain names and usernames, the requirements to use capitalization and the registration symbol “®”with the REALTOR® marks are relaxed. And second, when used in a domain name or username, the REALTOR® marks need not be separated by punctuation from a member’s name or real estate business name.
Acceptable uses of the word REALTOR®
For More Information: Download a NAR Social Media Q&A Guide Internet Rules regarding REALTOR® trademark usage General Rules Regarding REALTOR® trademark usage
SCR Legal Hotline Free Member Service Call 1-800-233-6381
Punctuation and Capitalization
First and foremost, use of a REALTOR® mark can only be acceptable if it is authorized. Members or member boards of the National Association of REALTORS® are authorized to use the REALTOR® marks only in connection with their real estate business. Individuals or entities that are not members of NAR are prohibited from using the REALTOR® marks in their domain names or usernames. Even authorized uses of REALTOR® Marks in usernames of members are acceptable only (1) if used with the member’s name or firm name; and (2) if not used with descriptive words or phrases.
Examples of acceptable usernames janesmithrealtor jsmithrealtor smithrealtor jane_smith_realtor realtorjanesmith realtorjsmith realtorsmith realtor_smith jane_the_realtor realtor_jane_number1 realtorjanecharleston charlestonjanerealtor
Examples of unacceptable usernames realtor charlestonrealtor yourcharlestonrealtor mount_pleasant_realtor cyberrealtor southcarolinarealtor jamesislandrealtor realtorsolution number1realtor top_charleston_realtor residentialrealtor janecharlestonrealtor
The REALTOR® marks do not need to be separated from a member’s name or real estate business name with punctuation in usernames, email addresses, or domain names. The requirements to use capitalization and the registration symbol with the REALTOR® marks are relaxed since such formalities either cannot or are not normally observed on the Internet including on social media sites.