Quite frequently I come across people who think there just isn't enough to say to warrant having a blog. Not true. Yes, you are somewhat confined to talk about real estate, since that's what your blog is about. But you don't have to do the same old market reports day after day! Below is a list of 10 things you can (and should) write about to spice up your blog, along with links to examples. 1. Hit the Local Hot Spots I am sure that, no matter where you live, there is something beautiful or interesting to see or do. Teresa Boardman, for example, has a peaceful lake nearby. This post is not really about real estate, but it does talk about the area she sells in, and promotes the area by showing off it's finer points. Buyers want to live in nice areas, so you have to show them how nice your area is!
2. Review a Restaurant You know that place that you always seem to have a craving for? I have a few of those places presently, but we'll not get into that! But if I had a real estate blog, you can bet I'd be sharing my opinions of my favorite eateries. If you tell the owners of the establishment what you're up to, they'll probably pose for pics and maybe even throw you a freebie appetizer! Check out Ines' favorite Mexican restaurant in Miami.
3. Show Your Lighter Side I know, you feel like you should always be professional and conservative to avoid giving off the wrong impression, right? Wrong. This is 2008, and buyers and sellers don't expect their real estate agent to be uptight and humorless. I personally have had the pleasure of meeting a billion real estate agents, and I find that the ones not afraid to show off their personality are more appealing. Which is precisely why I like this post from Kristal Kraft. She saw a funny photo op and took advantage, and I thought it was cute.
4. Tempt Them With Tips Here's a nifty post from Roberta Murphy with tips on how to Feng Shui your house. You may not be into Feng Shui, or whatever the latest house-harmony trend is, but your readers might be. And, you'll learn something new and different in doing the research for such a post. A tip for you: readers love tips and lists, so anytime the opportunity arises, seize it!
5. Helpful Reminders Everybody needs to be reminded of common sense now and again, and it's always a good idea to blog on a topic that hits close to home. In Phoenix I would imagine that pool safety is always an issue, as it is in South Florida. Jay Thompson reminds us all to be careful near the pool, and I think that's excellent advice.
6. Investigate a Product You're a real estate agent, so you see all sorts of things in houses that the rest of us only see on HGTV. And the best source for this info is the homeowner, with whom you happen to be buddy-buddy. So take a cue from Jack Blacksmith and get floored.
7. Make Some Plans One important thing that I always consider when moving is what types of activities are going on all year. I have several dogs, a husband, and a baby that need to be entertained, and it always makes me very happy to have options of things to do. I don't think I've ever seen a more complete list than this one, so kudos to Betty Jung!
8. Pat Yourself on the Back ...or pat your town on the back. Either will be sufficient. The thing is, you pay attention to accolades that your town receives, but the rest of the world probably doesn't. The same goes for you receiving an award. You should be proud and give credit where it's due. And you can do it tastefully, like the Boston Real Estate Blog did.
9. Write a How-To There are plenty of things buyers and sellers need to know before plunging headfirst into the current real estate market. And you, conveniently, are the local expert. So write a little how-to on something that you think is important, like staging. Here's a how-to on staging from Jerry LaRose that is short, sweet, and easy to digest. If you want, you can even do several how-to's and make them a series. Readers love posts that come in series.
10. Publicize Your Social Calendar As a real estate agent, and as a blogger. you probably have speaking engagements or training seminars that you're part of from time to time. Whether you'll be doing the speaking, or just attending, you should let your readers know where to find you. Buyers and sellers like to know that their agent is "in the know", and by telling them you attend conferences such as NAR and Inman, you look like you're "in the know". Kris Berg is going to be speaking at Inman, and she should be proud.
Well, there are 10 tips for you. Now you can shake up your blog and get creative. Don't forget that you're not just limited to these topics. You can cover a variety of subjects on your blog, and it doesn't always have to be about real estate. Your readers know you're a person, so don't be afraid to act like one!
55 Comments on Ten Tips to Spice Up Your Real Estate Blog
thanks for the great post..this will give me some ideas for my blogs..
Do not forget to add photos of your area, people like to look. Check out my blog and leave me a comment. www.neworleanscondostrends.com .
Many times my clients give me ideas. if I do not have time to write , I write the title and will remember the midea later when I have time to finish the idea.
If you would like a few tips on getting the most out of ActiveRain, please visit my blog Welcome to Active Rain. It has a few simple steps of what to do now that you have joined.
Hi Erin, thanks for your post. I took a look at your blog and liked it. I like your custom header. I just started my own blog at SOALounge.com. Take a quick look if you would be so kind > any advice? Thank you so much!
Congrats on joining active rain! This is a great place to network and I see your off to a good start. Again, welcome and we look forward to seeing you around. Happy Blogging.
Hi Erin - this was very helpful to me - I posted my first blog yesterday! I have subscribe to your blog so I can continue to read such helpful content. Thanks!!!
Thanks Erin...sometimes it is hard to think of things to write about...or the time to write them...my inspirations come in the shower or when I am driving...always have a notepad....you never know when that feature will hit your head !
Erin, What a nice list you have put together. Congratulations on "walking the talk" and demonstrating a great blog post with links and ideas to help others! Great job!
What a great read this post was; I appreciate the time and effort put into it. As noted in tip #8, I heard yesterday that Forbes names Hamilton County in Indiana where I live as the best place to raise a family. I'd completely forgotten about it until I read your post; think I'll go and write a blog on my website about that right now. Great tips!
Hi, welcome to Active Rain! I hope to see more of your blogs in the future. Learn from others, share your knowledge and experiences and enjoy yourself! Take care! ---Kirk.
Thank you for the great post. these are all good tips and they are "easy" I totally agree that it is 2008 and we have to show some personality not just professionalism
One of the "non-RE" posts that has gotten the best response for me was about a local football game (high school rivals). I even have a place to park now...
Thanks for the great tips- I'm always at a loss for topics to write about - so I started to make a list of topics and I check them off as I do them. It helps me stay creative, and I definitely need that!
These are great ideas for all of the new bloggers who want to make a difference. I didn't know that Fort Myers was large enough to have a north and south region.
Erin- Welcome to Active Rain! And congrats on your first feature on the rain! What a way to start out, with a gold star! :) I love SEO and blogging and love to write about them. Great to connect with others of the same like mind. You have some great tips here. I think the most important thing is to be yourself and like you said, be human and show who you are through personality and personal posts. The connection we make with our readers is the best marketing we have ever done. The results are solid and we can measure our success online by it. Welcome aboard. I write a lot of posts for newbies so feel free to check them out on my blog, under the tag, active rain community support.
These are terrific suggestions, Erin. Thanks for the ideas AND the great examples fom some of the premier bloggers - gives us more to think about, as well as some other thoughts to implement.
I do quite a bit of the first two. The trouble is that sometimes I wonder if I'm the local news reporter. This is a worry as I'm getting more calls about how crowded restaurants are on Saturday evening then for real estate sales.
I just stopped by to welcome you to Active Rain. I hope that you find it a great benefit to your business and that you see the value that I have also found here. I am from Charlottesville Virginia and using Active Rain has really increased my business!
Sometimes bloggers do run into the famous writer's block and your list here would come very handy when that curse hits you. Have to keep this in mind when the dark cloud gathers.
Welcome to Active Rain! We are faily new too - we've been on the site for a couple days now, and WE ARE LOVING IT! :-) I hope you enjoy the site as much as we have! Let us know if you need help with anything!
If you want to learn all about SEO and Blogging in a simplified, easy-to-digest way, then you've come to the right place! I'll also give you tips for blog topics and show you some neat new things I find on the web and in the blogosphere.
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thanks for the great post..this will give me some ideas for my blogs..