Realtors have to use as many resources as possible that are available to them. Fortunately, there are several that they can take advantage of and one of these is blogging.

What is Blogging?

Blogs are formally known as weblogs and are considered to be a form of a journal. It became popular in 1994 where at that time blogs were a series of posts that were based on mostly personal information. Since that time they have evolved to where they have become a valuable business tool.

What Can A Blog Be Used For

Every business can use a blog for a variety of different reasons. For the real instate industry agents can use their blogs to:

• Build traffic to their website
• Provide information
• Create engagement
• Create leads

The Benefits That Realtors Can Gain From Blogging

Realtors can create Search Engine Optimized blogs so they get indexed better in the search engines which will increase the traffic to their blog so they are reaching a larger audience.

• It is a great resource for building the client list
• It allows a realtor to build their personal brand so they are seen as a trustworthy resource.
• It can give them exposure in their target areas
• New leads can be generated and closed
• Good quality blogs can be good for long term investment

Blogging The Right Way

Knowing what a blog is and the many benefits that it can deliver can act as an incentive for real estate agents to put the time and effort into this resource because of its value. But, it is also something that has to be done right, which means becoming familiar with blogging.

The Starting Point

One of the challenges that can come with blogging is knowing about what to write. Once a realtor starts blogging they must be consistent at producing content and this means having to come up with new topics on a constant basis. Starting with content they are familiar with is a good way to get into the habit of blogging.

Know The Target Market

Realtors are writing for their target market so they need to know what type of content is going to appeal to them the most. Realtors are normally dealing with buyers and sellers. Both of their target markets will have some things in common as well as unique wants and needs based on their category. Realtors can write for both in general and then write specifics for either category.

Content Of Value

No matter whether the content is being written for the buyers or sellers or general information it must provide the readers with something of value. In most cases, the content will provide a solution to a problem or need that the reader may have.

Keeping it Simple

Every realtor will develop their own writing style but one of the most important things for realtors is to keep it simple. They need to become familiar with the KISS rule which means keep it short and simple. When doing research on blogging it can be overwhelming because there are so many opinions of what works the best. However, most realtors find that content between 500 to 1000 words brings them the best results. The content should be written in simple words and broken into sub-paragraphs with headers.

The Headline

While every word is written is important it all begins with the Headline of the post. If this is not eye-catching and attention-grabbing the rest of the content will be lost. It is the headline that is going to draw a reader to the post. The content must deliver on the message that the headline is promising.

Create A Draft

The draft can begin with making a list of all the key points that the blog is going to cover. Then these can be expanded up. Once the draft is written then it needs to be fine-tuned. It needs to be checked to see that:

• The content is accurate
• That one paragraph flows easily into the next
• That the wording is simple
• Then if the post is being optimized for SEO the proper keywords have to be used throughout the content without overusing them.
• Finally, it has to be proofed for proper grammar and spelling.

It’s also wise to leave a post until the next day before putting it live so it can be given one final proofing.

The post should begin with a draft. Some realtors like to write their content first based on an idea that they have. Then create a great headline for this after they have completed it. Keeping to one or two major points in one blog is less confusing and easier to write.

Making It An Easy Read

Most readers will scan a blog and this is why short paragraphs with subheaders make it more appealing. Using good quality images helps to break up the text and also creates interest for the readers.

What Are Other Realtors Blogging About?

Realtors want to make sure their content is current and is addressing the problems of their audience. Which means that many realtors will be writing on the same topics. This is fine as competition is good. The goal is to take a topic that others may be writing about but make a post that is better and more informative than what is already out there. Realtors can check out other realty blogs to see what is getting the most attention. This is a good way for generating ideas if an agent is having difficulty with finding new topics.

Being Consistent

It is very important that real estate agents remain consistent with their blog postings. Readers will begin to expect new posts to be written and if they return to the blog and the posts are sporadic then this audience will soon be lost. Setting a schedule for creating blogs two or three times a week should eventually create good traffic which will in turn produce the desired results.