Building A Successful Real Estate Blog

Building A Successful Real Estate Blog So simple… Seriously…

What’s a Blog? Definition : A blog (short for weblog) is a personal online journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs are defined by their format: a series of entries posted to a single page in reverse-chronological order.

Why have a Blog? Blogging WILL make you better at what you do Tremendous learning opportunity Promote conversation Create transparency in your business Connect to clients and potential clients Build a sense of community Increase web presence Show AND tell (expertise, personality)

Blogging WILL make you better at what you do

Tremendous learning opportunity

Promote conversation

Create transparency in your business

Connect to clients and potential clients

Build a sense of community

Increase web presence

Show AND tell (expertise, personality)

Will I make a Good Blogger? Can you write? Can you deliver?

Blogging successfully : Don’t expect overnight success Consistency is key Participate on other blogs Ask questions Have your own opinion Tell the truth. Always. You will get called out if you don’t Attack the idea, not the person Avoid politics, sex, religion Going “off topic” is OK, just remember your ultimate purpose. Avoid baiting, slander and “blog wars” Have FUN! Blogging for Business

Blogging successfully :

Don’t expect overnight success

Consistency is key

Participate on other blogs

Ask questions

Have your own opinion

Tell the truth. Always. You will get called out if you don’t

Attack the idea, not the person

Avoid politics, sex, religion

Going “off topic” is OK, just remember your ultimate purpose.

Avoid baiting, slander and “blog wars”

Have FUN!

How Do I Get Started?

How Do I Get Started?

Steps for Success: Create a Blog Binder

Steps for Success: Write down specific keywords

Steps for Success: Create categories or labels for your posts

Create categories or labels for your posts Steps for Success

Steps for Success: Selecting a domain name

OK, Let’s Do It! Go to www.blogger.com Click Here

OK, Let’s Do It!

OK, Let’s Do It!

OK, Let’s Do It!

OK, Let’s Do It!

OK, Let’s Do It!

OK, Let’s Do It!

OK, Let’s Do It!

It Really is THAT Easy Before you know it…

Great, I Have a Blog, Now What? Start creating content

Write an Effective Blog Post in 10 Easy Steps Anatomy of a KILLER blog post Write a Keyword rich title that expresses benefits to the reader Open the blog post with a keyword rich and benefit expressing sentence Use your keyword or phrases 2-3 times in the post if possible Add emphasis by bolding keywords 5. Link to your previous posts that offer more background info on the topic 6. Engage readers with a controversial or “How-To” article written in a conversational tone 7. Use proper formatting – This will be a graded exercise! 8. Link to other websites that offer more info on your topic only when absolutely necessary 9. Close each post with a call to action asking/telling readers to subscribe to your newsletter, fill out a contact form, sign up for your home search, etc. 10. Spell check/grammar check – copy and paste your text into MS word if needed

Write a Keyword rich title that expresses benefits to the reader

Open the blog post with a keyword rich and benefit expressing sentence

Use your keyword or phrases 2-3 times in the post if possible

Add emphasis by bolding keywords

5. Link to your previous posts that offer more background info on the topic

6. Engage readers with a controversial or “How-To” article written in a conversational tone

7. Use proper formatting – This will be a graded exercise!

8. Link to other websites that offer more info on your topic only when absolutely necessary

9. Close each post with a call to action asking/telling readers to subscribe to your newsletter, fill out a contact form, sign up for your home search, etc.

10. Spell check/grammar check – copy and paste your text into MS word if needed

Formula for a KILLER “About Me” page Your Very First Blog Post: A Little About Me Welcome readers to your blog Detail your expertise: list education, credentials and certifications Relate that you are like your readers by including personal interests, hobbies, etc. Strength in numbers – profile your team (if you have one) Show who you are – provide a professional headshot or team picture List previous awards if you have received any (don’t go overboard though) Confirm authority by including all brokerage info and required industry logos Provide all available contact info so readers can easily access (no more fill out this form to contact me) and print the page if needed 9. Create a link on your blog sidebar to this post for easy access

Welcome readers to your blog

Detail your expertise: list education, credentials and certifications

Relate that you are like your readers by including personal interests, hobbies, etc.

Strength in numbers – profile your team (if you have one)

Show who you are – provide a professional headshot or team picture

List previous awards if you have received any (don’t go overboard though)

Confirm authority by including all brokerage info and required industry logos

Provide all available contact info so readers can easily access (no more fill out this form to contact me) and print the page if needed

9. Create a link on your blog sidebar to this post for easy access

Other Ideas for Posts

Multimedia Content Video: Broadband adoption rates are up Universal video players Easy to capture and share Embed directly into blogs Slide Shows:

Broadband adoption rates are up

Universal video players

Easy to capture and share

Embed directly into blogs

Start Promoting Your Blog Build traffic however you can

Start Promoting Your Blog Build traffic with backlinks Build links between all your social media sites and profiles: (Inman Community, FaceBook, LinkedIn, MyBlogLog, ActiveRain) Build links by commenting on other blogs List your blog in Wiki’s (editable online encyclopedias) such as: InmanWiki, ZillowWiki, RealEstateWiki, and Wikipedia Add backlinks to your blog from online directories such as: DMOZ(free) and Yahoo!($300)

Build links between all your social media sites and profiles: (Inman Community, FaceBook, LinkedIn, MyBlogLog, ActiveRain)

Build links by commenting on other blogs

List your blog in Wiki’s (editable online encyclopedias) such as: InmanWiki, ZillowWiki, RealEstateWiki, and Wikipedia

Add backlinks to your blog from online directories such as: DMOZ(free) and Yahoo!($300)

Start Promoting Your Blog Building traffic takes time – You need to invest the time (10-20 minutes) daily to see results. You can’t generate leads with no traffic!

Generate Leads from Your Blog Time Out!

Generate Leads from Your Blog Convert traffic into leads

Generate Leads from Your Blog Examples of a good call to action:

Generate Leads from Your Blog Remember: it’s ALL about:

Spice Things Up a Bit!

Adding Some Spice to Your Layout VS.

Adding Some Spice to Your Layout Embed a Widget!

OK, Let’s Do It!

Build Your Marketing Plan Around Your Blog

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