Blogging Basics for Real Estate Agents

Real Estate Blogging The Basics Marie Episale, REALTOR, e-PRO Broker-Salesperson

Introduction
Marie Episale, Broker-Salesperson Sales Manager/Trainer
Century 21 Crest Real Estate, Pompton Plains, NJ
973-646-7423 office direct
201-314-0106 cell
[email_address]
I blog on
ActiveRain
WordPress
RealEstateTomato

We will discuss
What is a Blog?
Why Blog?
How to write a blog.
Where do I submit my blog?
Marketing my blog
Blog Topics
Your Blog Plan

What is a blog?
Sort of a website, but different.
Quick, easy to submit
“ Posts” are read “newest first” to “oldest”
Readers can leave comments and “converse” with you
Can include text, pictures, videos, sound and slide shows, widgets & gizmos.
Updated more frequently than websites
Indexed and caputured by search engines quickly.

http://activerain.com/marieepisale

Sample blog sites
Active Rain
Word Press

http://marieepisale.wordpress.com/

Why Blog?
Opportunity to learn & perfect your skills
You get to share your personality, business practices and knowledge.
24/7 Exposure…. All year long
Network with other professionals
You become a search engine search result.
Buyers and Sellers will FIND YOU!
Gives you “credibility” and “authority status” on your listing & buyer appointments.

Sample Google Searches
Marie Episale blog
Lionshead Lake Wayne NJ Real Estate

How To Start a Blog
Start with these: More in Blogging Part II class
www.activerain.com
www.wordpress.com

Word Press
www.wordpress.com
Click on Sign Up Now
Choose User Name and Password
Blog will be www.username.wordpress.com , so choose user name purposely. Best bet: use your firstlastname as user name
We will set up your account in “hands on” session to follow

Active Rain
Click on hyperlink:
join # professionals on the world’s largest real estate network
Fill out form and continue to follow instructions

Hint:
Have your photo and bio ready ahead of time, so you can just “copy & paste”
Save to your “thumb drive”
Create folder labeled “bio stuff for websites and blog sites”
Write your bio, philosophy, about you, business experience, areas of expertise, testimonial quotes from your clients etc.

What to blog about? Blog topics:
Read other blogs
- “google search” real estate blog (topic or no topic)
- read www.activerain.com blogs
- read www.realestatetomato.com blogs
Get ideas from your clients or colleagues
Blog about what is important to you
Blog about what is timely in the market

Marketing your blog
Put your blog site everywhere
Flyers
Business cards
Website
Advertising
E-mail signatures
Mailings
Sign riders

More Marketing & Prospecting
Ask yourself why clients might connect with you.
Knowledge
Personality
Your background, education & experience
Your business philosophy
What you look like
Your market saavy
The Internet is ALWAYS OPEN

The Plan
Blogging and Social Media sites are the 'must do' in real estate internet marketing.
To be part of this, you must have a Plan.
Plan Your Strategy:
You need to make a commitment to consistently blog.
Identify your mission statement and stick to it
Determine what return you want from your blog, then blog for those reasons.

Next Steps and other things
Post Articles:
Write as often as you can.
Schedule fixed time to write articles.
Start as many 'good idea drafts' as you can - this ensures a reserve of good content.
Stay on subject (no one cares about the weather, or how busy you've been).
Don't be wordy
Many short is way better than a few long.

Post often, at least 2 to 3 times a week. Keep your posts short and on topic. Blog readers have short attention spans. Write with keyword rich content. Mention the town, area and local local market several times in your post. The search engines will pick up these keywords. Use hyperlinks that will give the reader excellent resources: Official town websites, your website, demographics, school information. Put yourself in the shoes of the consumer and write for them. Online consumers will not respond to posts that are not relevant to anything or that are obviously just to advertise you. Consumers read blogs for information, so that’s what you must give them. Use spell check. If you have a lot of spelling errors, the educated consumer may look over you when picking an agent. Be yourself in your posts. Be authentic to yourself. This is the forum for that. This is your time and your space to be you and to share “The Professional You” with the world! Tips to Success with a Blog

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Blogging Basics for Real Estate Agents

by Marie Episale

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