| This alphabet lists 26 key benefits and best | | | | single individual could easily manage a large web |
| practices of using a real estate blog. Not all of | | | | presence if it were built on blogging technology. |
| these entries will apply to every individual blogging | | | | This is ideal for real estate agents who operate |
| scenario, but they all apply to real estate blogs in | | | | independently, without the benefit of an I.T. |
| general. So you are bound to find something | | | | department. |
| useful here that you've never considered before. | | | | Non-invasive |
| Here you have them, real estate blog benefits | | | | A well-written real estate blog will "pull" readers |
| and best practices ... from A to Z. | | | | into the message, as opposed to pushing the |
| Authoritative | | | | message on the reader (like magazine ads). |
| Everyone knows you have to understand a | | | | People can sign up for your blog in total privacy, |
| subject well in order to write about it or explain it | | | | either by using the blog's RSS feed or an email |
| to others. When agents blog about the real estate | | | | subscription option (if you provide one). The |
| scene in their cities or towns, they position | | | | readers come to the blog -- it is not thrust upon |
| themselves as authorities on the subject. In this | | | | them. As long as blogs in general adhere to this |
| way, a real estate blog can be a useful tool for | | | | non-invasive, respectful approach, they will be held |
| positioning, branding and differentiation. | | | | in higher esteem than other communication |
| Believable | | | | channels like email. |
| If used properly, a real estate blog can make the | | | | Operational |
| agent (or company) behind it more believable. And | | | | A real estate blog is more than a simple |
| let's face it ... in the post-Enron, low-trust world of | | | | communication tool. It can serve operational roles |
| corporate skepticism, a little believability can go a | | | | as well. This could include internal collaboration (like |
| long way. Use your real estate blog to | | | | an intranet) or outward instruction (like a home |
| communicate openly and honestly with your | | | | buying seminar online). |
| audience. Lose the fluff and the jargon. Be candid | | | | Purposeful |
| and sincere. And speaking of being candid... | | | | Before you publish your first blog post, you should |
| Candid | | | | determine the purpose of your real estate blog. |
| It's a mistake to treat your real estate blog as | | | | Sure, you can always dive right in and figure out |
| "Website, Part 2." Blogs are easy to publish, so | | | | your purpose as you go. But your blog will be |
| you can publish to them more frequently. In this | | | | more effective (and easier to produce) if you |
| way, a real estate blog can become an ongoing | | | | have a purpose and plan ahead of time. Ask |
| dialogue between you and your audience (potential | | | | yourself, "What do I want to accomplish with my |
| clients). To get the most out of this dialogue, and | | | | blog? Who is my ideal audience? What information |
| to achieve the believability mentioned above, a | | | | would they find useful?" |
| real estate blog should take on the candid, | | | | Qualitative and Quantitative |
| heartfelt voice of the author. | | | | When real estate blogging is done well, it has both |
| Direct | | | | a quantitative and qualitative affect. The quantity |
| Real estate blogs are direct-to-reader / | | | | of content will increase your website's usefulness |
| direct-to-consumer. You simply type your | | | | and search engine visibility. The quality of content |
| message, click the "Publish" button, and your | | | | helps you position yourself as an expert and |
| message becomes instantly viewable online. Unlike | | | | differentiate yourself from other agents in your |
| other forms of business communication, there are | | | | area (see entry for "Knowledgeable" above). |
| no journalists or editors to put their own spin on | | | | Recyclable |
| things. Your message goes from you, directly | | | | Blog content can be reused for many purposes. |
| onto your blog, and directly to your audience. | | | | For example, you could expand your blog posts |
| Enthusiastic | | | | into article-length and publish them online for |
| In a perfect world, only the truly enthusiastic | | | | additional exposure and web traffic. |
| bloggers would publish real estate blogs. But this is | | | | Straight-shooting |
| not the case, and as a result there's a lot of | | | | This point is somewhat repetitive of 'C' for candid. |
| "half-hearted" blogs online today. Half-hearted | | | | Guilty as charged. But it's worth repeating, so I'm |
| commentary stands out like a purple elephant in | | | | repeating it. The most popular real estate blogs |
| the blogosphere. This kind of blogging actually | | | | got to where they are partly by being |
| does more harm than good. On the other hand, | | | | straightforward. In this context, straightforward |
| enthusiasm comes across in blog posts -- but | | | | refers to both the design and the content of the |
| enthusiasm is both positive and contagious. | | | | blog. Real estate blogs that are "overly designed" |
| Flexible | | | | tend to look more like websites than blogs. I truly |
| The number of ways you can use your real | | | | believe this reduces their candidness and |
| estate blog is limited only by your imagination and | | | | authenticity. The same goes for the blog's |
| energy. Maybe your blog will be a source for local | | | | content. Blog postings that are straightforward |
| real estate news. You can do that. Or maybe | | | | and candid will generate more interaction and |
| your blog will cater to a certain niche, such as | | | | "buzz" among readers. |
| condo buyers or home sellers. You can do that | | | | Thoughtful |
| too. With the versatile publishing capabilities of | | | | The best real estate blogs are thoughtful. I don't |
| most blogging programs, you can set up your | | | | mean thoughtful in the sense of "kind" -- although |
| blog to support any business, marketing or | | | | kindness does go a long way on the Web -- but |
| communication objective. | | | | thoughtful as in "full of thought." Each time you |
| Google-friendly | | | | publish a blog post, put some thought into the |
| A real estate blog can help you increase your | | | | content. Make sure it (A) supports your overall |
| online visibility in several ways. For one thing, a | | | | blogging goals, (B) gives your readers useful |
| blog can help you expand your website with new | | | | information, and (C) reflects well upon you as a |
| content, easily and efficiently. Blog daily for a | | | | real estate professional. |
| year, and you'll have 365 new pages of content. | | | | Usable |
| And search engines love topical content. A real | | | | When you first set up your blog, it will be |
| estate blog is also more "social" than a regular | | | | straightforward and easy to use. The default |
| website, so with time and effort your blog can | | | | settings of most blogging programs are designed |
| acquire links from other blogs. This "link popularity," | | | | this way for a reason. But some people feel the |
| as it's known, can do wonders for search engine | | | | need to clutter up their blogs with all kind of |
| ranking. | | | | nonsense, reducing the blog's usability and |
| Happening | | | | readership in one swoop. Avoid this. Keep you |
| Generally speaking, real estate blogs are much | | | | blog clean and easy to read. Web readers and |
| more "happening" than their website counterparts. | | | | researches are skilled at hopping from site to site. |
| Blogs are easier to update than regular websites, | | | | They don't need much of a reason to bail out on |
| which is important in the ever-changing world of | | | | you, and they'll do just that if your blog is hard to |
| real estate, interest rates, etc. When you update | | | | navigate. |
| your blog often with quality content, it becomes | | | | Voluntary |
| an active resource that people are more inclined | | | | You should blog because you want to, not |
| to read, revisit and recommend. | | | | because you think you have to. If you start a real |
| Informative | | | | estate blog just because everyone else is doing it, |
| When you keep people in your area informed | | | | it will lack the heartfelt enthusiasm that's a |
| about the local real estate scene, you increase | | | | trademark of popular blogs. (See "E' for |
| the usefulness of your real estate blog. You also | | | | enthusiastic above.) |
| increase the likelihood of future business from | | | | Wise |
| those readers, not to mention the likelihood they | | | | Your real estate blog is the ideal place to share |
| will recommend your blog to others. Blogging is a | | | | your wisdom about the industry. This will help you |
| simple but effective way to keep people | | | | position yourself as an authority in your field |
| informed. Before you publish a new post, get in | | | | (letter 'A' above) and foster the trust mentioned |
| the habit of asking yourself, "How will this blog | | | | under the letter 'T' above. A "tip of the day" |
| post help my readers?" If you can answer that, | | | | series is a prime example of this. It's a great way |
| publish a way. If you can't answer it, rethink the | | | | to share your real estate wisdom, and it's the |
| topic. | | | | kind of thing that will keep people coming back to |
| Jargon-free | | | | your blog and recommending it to others. |
| In general, blogs are not the place for corporate | | | | Xstensible |
| speak or "fluff" content. This applies to the real | | | | Yes, I cheated with this letter. But real estate |
| estate blog as well. Write your blog in your own | | | | blogs are truly extensible (and you try to produce |
| voice. Don't try to impress people with your | | | | an adjective starting with 'X'). Your blog can grow |
| vocabulary. The best blogs convey quality | | | | as your audience grows, or as your company |
| information in a conversational style. This will | | | | grows. You can add additional authors, perhaps a |
| increase your readership, the level of dialogue, and | | | | colleague in the mortgage industry. You can add |
| (ultimately) the blog's profitability as a | | | | sections to cover additional topics. You can |
| client-acquisition tool. | | | | expand a blog however you need to support your |
| Knowledgeable | | | | objectives. And it doesn't require an I.T. |
| Dr. John Tuccillo, former Chief Economist for the | | | | department to get it done. Blogging programs are |
| NAR, recently said: "With the expansion of the | | | | designed to be extensible. |
| number of Realtors, the level of competence has | | | | Yours |
| fallen to its lowest point ever." If this general | | | | A real estate blog can have one author or several |
| perception spreads to the public in general, it could | | | | authors. I've seen popular blogs published by |
| cause real problems for real estate professionals. | | | | individual agents, as well as some published by |
| This is another area where a real estate blog can | | | | teams of writers. But the blog has to belong to |
| benefit you. Use your blog to show readers how | | | | somebody. It should be yours, or his and hers, or |
| knowledgeable you are on your subject. Just | | | | all of yours. Somebody needs to own the blog. |
| remember, some of your readers will know as | | | | Otherwise, nobody will trust what it has to say. |
| much about the subject as you do. So check | | | | Zippy |
| your facts before posting! | | | | The dictionary defines zippy as "lively and full of |
| Lead-producing | | | | energy." These are great traits for a real estate |
| You stand to gain a lot from the interaction and | | | | blog. If you are passionate in the way you publish |
| trust mentioned previously in this list. When you | | | | your blog, it will eventually connect with readers |
| interact with your blog readers in a positive way, | | | | who are equally passionate about the subject |
| you have a much greater chance of turning them | | | | matter. These are the kind of people who will |
| into clients. You can also configure your blog to | | | | promote your blog without being asked to do so! |
| allow reader comments, which is another way to | | | | It goes something like this: "Hey, Barbara, you |
| generate leads and start a dialogue. | | | | have to check out this real estate blog I've been |
| Manageable | | | | reading lately. Let me send you the link..." |
| Blogging programs simplify the web-publishing | | | | * You may republish this article online if you retain |
| process to such a degree that anyone can do it, | | | | the author's byline and the ACTIVE hyperlinks |
| regardless of their web experience. In fact, a | | | | below. Copyright 2007, Brandon Cornett. |