What Should Real Estate Agents Blog About?

Whenever I'm at a real estate conference, I suggest to agents that they should consider starting a blog as a marketing tool. And there are usually a handful of businesses on hand who specialize in managing blogs for real estate professionals, so getting started is just a matter of signing up at one of the booths.

However, what's often missed is what to blog about. The impression I get is that inexperienced real estate bloggers think they need to write marketing-type content on their yet-to-launch blog, much like they'd write for a brochure, postcard, or other form of print advertising.

When it comes to blogging, this would be a terrible mistake. A successful blog generates loyal readers who subscribe to your content. A successful blog's content is quoted by other bloggers. Neither of those will happen with content that's making a pitch about how great the real estate agent is.

So, what works? Providing valuable information that demonstrates your expertise. Don't market yourself. Helpful posts written by content experts prove that you're an expert without coming out and directly saying it.

Here is an example of this type of writing from a mortgage broker based in Minneapolis named Alex Stenback. He runs a blog called Behind The Mortgage where he writes about the Minneapolis / St. Paul real estate market, interest rate fluctuations, and other things real estate finance related that may be of interest to his readers. In the post quoted below, he explains the dangers of option-ARMs for people with poor credit:

Despite Concern, Lenders Still Pushing Option ARMS

These loans, in our view, are suitable for a only very small slice of the borrowing public; specifically, those of very high credit quality with high net worth, who use it as a tool to manage cash flow. An option-ARM should NEVER be used simply to be able to afford a mortgage that under normal circumstances would be out of reach; that is just stupid and asking for disaster.

Options-ARMs is a topic he clearly knows something about, being in the industry. His post provides valuable information to his readers, and he shares his professional opinion about who this type of financing may be appropriate for. What he doesn't do is directly pitch his readers on why he's the guy to call for your next home finance transaction. And why should he? The content of the post speaks for itself without blatant self-promotion.

In the case of real estate agents, things like market reports, updates on local developments, real estate finance and opinions on other local real estate news would set you apart from other agents in your market. By proving your expertise on a blog, you'll get more phone calls from highly qualified buyers and sellers, more referrals from agents who get to know and trust you through your blog, and possibly more media mentions from local reports who know they can turn to you for a quote when writing on a subject you've previously shown an interest in.

Picking a blogging platform is the easy part. Picking appropriate content to write about and actually doing it is the challenge.

In my experience I found that talking about anything works just fine, the idea is to just get you name out there. My popularity speaks for itself in New Mexico.

They key to any writing - including blogging - is know your audience. Who's visiting your site and what interests them?

I think have interesting subjects and some personality make a blog readable, but for me to enjoy a blog it needs to have a nice look and feel to it. I like websites and blogs that are visually appealing and a simple, clean look.

I have had a successful real estate blog for about 18 months now. It is a different kind of marketing and not like a brochure at all. My blog attracts clients who are moving to St. Paul. Reader feedback indicates that they like the local flavor of the content and the pictures. Pictures are often over looked on real estate blogs. People like to look at houses and buildings and pictures of St. Paul.

I've run a real estate blog for 4+ years. Many readers tell me they enjoy the non-real estate related content as much as the the on-topic information. I believe a blog helps real estate buyers and sellers become comfortable with who you are long before they shake your hand for the first time. Thanks for the article!

And this is the real problem with "web 2.0" ... everybody has beautiful technology and no content. The magic answer of the day is to let your visitors provide your content through forums and whatnot, but that's a weak solution at best. Original, valuable content is the only way to make a site worthwhile.

Mortgage loan officers have this problem too, at least from what I read ... nobody wants to read the intricacies of their trade, so the number (and traffic) of such blogs is minimal. Maybe Bill is right... personal information is appropriate? I think it depends on the audience.

Don't put in very much personal info, as that can be myopic, narcissistic, boring, and irrelevant.

But put in enough personal details, occasional posts on your family, or personal interests, movies you like, music you listen to.

But better than self-revelation alone is adding links. "I like speedcore digital hardcore, and here's a site with free legal mp3s you can download: www.dtrashrecords.com" is good content, as an example.

don't just reveal your interests, also provide tips, insight, links, advice, etc.

Your passion for house shopping and curb appeal can be of benefit, when you're pithy, profound, funny, or very informative.

Im with Teresa on this. Pictures are important on blogs and most people including myself, dont use them on their blog...i'll make a change today..

This is a well written blog post. The thing is that you have to know your audience. With social media taking the forefront, there are plenty of opportunities to locate qualified prospects.

It has been seen real estate agents are getting good time. Even it is tough time to get properties for sale. You may choose real estate agents to have good chance of time as well as of money.

Comments

1. Posted by: davis freeberg on April 27, 2007 6:26 PM:

I think a lot of what you say makes sense, but I also think that it's important for people to blog about things they like best. What I've noticed is that when someone publishes regularly, there is a very unique relationship that forms between them and their readers. People start looking forward to posts regardless of the content because just having communication is what's really important. It's a strange relationship to define, but there is some kind of a bond that forms, even though the experience is very different for the writers and for the readers.

Stuff that's not about their area of expertise probably isn't going to bring in a lot of potential buyers, but what it can do is strengthen relationships with past clients and convert passive readers into customers.

This isn't to say that you shouldn't pick a focus and add your expertise to the conversation. That is just smart marketing and can be highly effective, but you also don't want to take things too seriously because people would rather help someone they like, then someone they might respect.

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