Thanks to Easton for the flattering invitation to participate in Know More Media’s Guest Blogger Week. The chance to evangelize on blogs is always one I enjoy.
In another life, I’m a project manager and blog consultant for Blogging Systems, a company that provides turn-key community blog networks for the real estate and lending industries. I also administer Realty Blogging, A Network of Blogging Evangelists Writing on Effective Real Estate Blogging which Blogging Systems hosts.
I’d like to share an email I received from a realtor who was curious about whether or not starting a blog would help their business.
“Really need to get my business off the ground, the fees are killing me. Would a blog help, let me know. Thanks”
The answer is yes, a blog can help your business, but a blog is only as valuable as its blogger's efforts. I can’t imagine you had loads of anxious sellers and buyers banging on your door the day you got your Real Estate license. Just like anything else blogging requires time and effort. If handled with care a blog can be your online voice, a conversation, a unique marketing tool, an edge over your competition and an extension of your brand, but unless you take hold of the reins and steer it properly it won’t be anything but an inert dud. But fear not; there are so many tools and so much information readily available to help you in this new undertaking that success is but an effort away. As a Real Estate agent you’re inherently linked to the people of the community you serve. A blog presents you with an opportunity to reach out to that community and interact in a new fashion, manage customer relations, position yourself as the market expert, extend your brand and increase your online presence.
One challenge I often get from realtors is that they just don’t have the time to blog. Blogging Systems has a wonderful solution to their setback called Community Publisher. Community Publisher is an online, branded, hyper-local “newspaper like” blog hosted by realtors such as Lake County Blog presented by The Crockett Team. The content of the community blog is contributed by local organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Education, local charities, etc. and as a result you’ve overcome the time issue. It’s a brilliant way to extend your brand and drive traffic to your website all the while providing an invaluable resource to your local area.
If you’re a Real Estate agent that is serious about their business and are willing and able to invest a little time and effort then I absolutely recommend starting your own blog.
by Chris Bubny
I agree that realtors can benefit from blogs -- a frequently updated blog can be wonderful for natural search rankings. (As I recall, MarketingSherpa did a case study on one very successful realtor-blogger a year or two ago.)
But I worry that applications like Community Publisher just contribute to the proliference of splogs. Tools like this are used to generate content for AdSense revnue, and I'm not sure they really add any value to the blogosphere.
My feeling is, if you're not going to be committed to contributing *original,* relevant content to your blog, don't do it at all.
Thanks for the great post!
Posted by: Aimee | March 29, 2006 8:56 AM | Permalink to Comment