Blogging is Not a Traditional Appalachian Folk Dance Ben Martin, CAE Director of Communications & New Media Virginia Association of REALTORS ®

Questions For You What do you want to know? What are your perceptions of blogs? Do any of you write blogs? Any in your company blogging?

What do you want to know?

What are your perceptions of blogs?

Do any of you write blogs?

Any in your company blogging?

Learning Objectives Demystify the vocabulary of blogs Demonstrate the growth of blogs Address your concerns and fears about blogging Demonstrate that blogging is simple to do Emphasize that blogging has both benefits & risks

Demystify the vocabulary of blogs

Demonstrate the growth of blogs

Address your concerns and fears about blogging

Demonstrate that blogging is simple to do

Emphasize that blogging has both benefits & risks

Key Terms Blog Post Comment Feed Newsreader/Feed reader RSS

Blog

Post

Comment

Feed

Newsreader/Feed reader

RSS

Real Estate Blog Growth From the REMBEX, a real estate blog search engine: "In early 2005, I found around 31 the first day I looked, including (RealCentralVA). 21 of those first 31 are still active." Today, there's 1189 in REMBEX. All of Active Rain only counts as one blog in REMBEX (since it's all the same domain name). Source: http: //reblog . mariah .com/

From the REMBEX, a real estate blog search engine:

"In early 2005, I found around 31 the first day I looked, including (RealCentralVA). 21 of those first 31 are still active."

Today, there's 1189 in REMBEX. All of Active Rain only counts as one blog in REMBEX (since it's all the same domain name).

Source: http: //reblog . mariah .com/

Real Estate Blog Growth Google searches for Real Estate Blog

Why Bother Reading Blogs? Because influential people are writing them Continuous archived dialog People are blogging about lots of things Are they blogging about you? Saying good things? Saying bad things? Saying ANYTHING? “ Ego feeds” in Google, Technorati Reading blogs lets you "hear" what's being said about... You Your company Your community

Because influential people are writing them

Continuous archived dialog

People are blogging about lots of things

Are they blogging about you?

Saying good things?

Saying bad things?

Saying ANYTHING?

“ Ego feeds” in Google, Technorati

Reading blogs lets you "hear" what's being said about...

You

Your company

Your community

Why Would I Comment on a Blog? It shows that you're listening (reading) You are now involved in the conversation It adds credibility to your voice Bloggers LOVE comments If you are blogging, it's a great way to get new readers, and participate in the community.

It shows that you're listening (reading)

You are now involved in the conversation

It adds credibility to your voice

Bloggers LOVE comments

If you are blogging, it's a great way to get new readers, and participate in the community.

So You’re on the Fence about Blogging Blogging is good for you. It... makes you a better REALTOR ® improves your search engine ranking enhances your stature in the community connects you to a wider professional community attracts clients who earn more money attracts clients who do a lot of their own research

Blogging is good for you. It...

makes you a better REALTOR ®

improves your search engine ranking

enhances your stature in the community

connects you to a wider professional community

attracts clients who earn more money

attracts clients who do a lot of their own research

Sample Virginia REALTOR ® Blogs

Results 80-100% of new business coming from blog Landed an international buyer looking for a $1,000,000 home through the blog Saved valuable time by referring customers with frequently asked questions to blog posts Reeled in buyer clients who are much further along in the decision making process Informed clients before they became clients Buyers able and willing to do their own research “ Clients find me. I choose the ones I want to work with.”

80-100% of new business coming from blog

Landed an international buyer looking for a $1,000,000 home through the blog

Saved valuable time by referring customers with frequently asked questions to blog posts

Reeled in buyer clients who are much further along in the decision making process

Informed clients before they became clients

Buyers able and willing to do their own research

“ Clients find me. I choose the ones I want to work with.”

So, You’ve Decided to Write a Blog… Read other real estate and related blogs The best way to learn is to do FREE blogging platforms ActiveRain.com, Blogger.com and Wordpress.com Blogs on how to blog for business purposes RealEstateTomato .com RealEstateWeblogging101.com Blogging for Newbies look at blogrolls of other bloggers

Read other real estate and related blogs

The best way to learn is to do

FREE blogging platforms ActiveRain.com, Blogger.com and Wordpress.com

Blogs on how to blog for business purposes

RealEstateTomato .com

RealEstateWeblogging101.com

Blogging for Newbies

look at blogrolls of other bloggers

So Easy, Even a REALTOR ® Could Do It

Risks Blogging is considered advertising and is subject to all laws and NAR professional ethics standards Google is all-knowing Blogging has its own culture

Blogging is considered advertising and is subject to all laws and NAR professional ethics standards

Google is all-knowing

Blogging has its own culture

Virginia Real Estate Board "When participating in or hosting a blog or chat for real estate business purposes, be sure to disclose your status as a licensee and the name of your firm PRIOR to offer to provide licensable services or disclose in text visible on the same webpage that contains the chat session or blog, especially if the licensee controls the web site hosting."

"When participating in or hosting a blog or chat for real estate business purposes, be sure to disclose your status as a licensee and the name of your firm PRIOR to offer to provide licensable services or disclose in text visible on the same webpage that contains the chat session or blog, especially if the licensee controls the web site hosting."

REALTOR ® Uses of Blogs Market updates Neighborhood information Industry topics (dual agency, inspections) How-to for first-time homebuyers Communicating with prospective clients Education - of yourself and your readers Reaching out to buyers and sellers Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Market updates

Neighborhood information

Industry topics (dual agency, inspections)

How-to for first-time homebuyers

Communicating with prospective clients

Education - of yourself and your readers

Reaching out to buyers and sellers

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Other Social Media Tools

Social Networking Sites What is an SNS ? Why use an SNS? LinkedIn.com Facebook.com ActiveRain.com Zolve.com

What is an SNS ?

Why use an SNS?

LinkedIn.com

Facebook.com

ActiveRain.com

Zolve.com

REALTOR ® Uses of Social Media Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, etc. Using social media is most effective when using multi-pronged approach, using on-and off-line tools, including your blog

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, etc.

Using social media is most effective when using multi-pronged approach, using on-and off-line tools, including your blog