We help real estate agents set up blogs and coach them how to use them for marketing purposes to increase the quality and quantity of their business. While the heart and soul of blogging CANNOT be taught– no more than you can teach passion for your profession– the basic mechanics and methods of blogging can be passed on to create an online marketing advantage.
“Show Me The Money”
Pragmatic real estate brokers and agents often say “show me the money” when it comes to blogging. My short answer is simple: Google. Real estate blogs have a higher likelihood of getting search engine traffic by virtue of the unique nature of Google, and other search engine, algorithms. With billions of web pages on the Internet, the search spiders have to prioritize and return the most useful pages. This usually means crawling sites which have regularly updated content, as well as keyword relevant content. In addition, over time, blogs put more relevant content on the web, leading to more signposts to the blogger. More visitors to your site means more opportunities to connect with potential clients.
Fresher is Better
Like produce, fresher content is better. Here is where blogs have the advantage over broker websites. Since blogs are frequently updated and traditional broker websites are not, Google is more likely to crawl and return results from blogs with fresh informational content.
Furthermore, people search the internet for information and expertise, not advertising. In fact, advertising is often discounted, if not totally ignored. Commercial websites are seen as advertising and can be mistrusted. A blog provides information without the direct sales pitch. If the information is valuable, a client is more comfortable contacting the author they perceive as having the expertise to help them. This is especially true in niche markets. For example, not every real estate agent knows about HUD homes or lofts.
You Were Quoted in the News, You Must Know Your Stuff
In addition, blogs provide a visibility which can lead to indirect marketing benefits. An example we like to use is mainstream media. Local newspapers, for example, have to deliver a constant stream of local content. They often rely on “talking heads” (experts/professionals) to provide useful quotes. It’s part of journalism. The blogging professional stands a very good chance of being the local expert quoted in their market. This is good press and good publicity. It is a way to stand out from your peers.
I was recently contacted by a journalist from the Press-Telegram in Long Beach, California, who was doing a story on real estate blogging. Mentioned and quoted in the story (and included on the Home Page news video) was our good friend and blogging-for-business success story, Laurie Manny, one of our Top 12 Women Real Estate Bloggers for 2007. Laurie’s website blog, LongBeachRealEstate (notice the keywords in the domain name) is bringing her real business. And as a result of stories and news coverage in her local market, she is climbing to the top of the expert ladder. This is where blogging can take you. And from up there you can see the money.
Google Loves Blogs
OK, let’s see if there’s any proof in the blog pudding. Do a search on Google for “Long Beach real estate” and see where Laurie shows up. She’s #2 — ahead of giant Homegain ! Now, that’s love, baby.
Related Posts:
10 Perception Marketing Principles
Tutorial Marketing (how telling is selling– yourself)
5 Ways to Market Yourself as an Expert
Technorati Tags: real estate blogging, real estate marketing, real estate technology, Laurie Manny, blogs
