Top 5 Real Estate Blogging Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make
I would guess that by now, millions of people (as well as businesses) have a blog. But when it comes to making them profitably effective, I would say that the vast majority are falling short. Really short.
So here’s an overview of the top 5 real estate blogging mistakes you don’t want to make, so on the flipside you can gain more readership, more eyeballs and more income.
Mistake #1 – Sporadic Blogging
How Often Do You Blog?
If you answer that question with once in a blue moon, then you are losing customers and ultimately wasting your time doing the little amount of blogging that you are doing. You need to have regular interactions with your readers, so they are drawn to come and read about what is going on regularly. Even if you only post new blogs once or twice a week, you must stick with those regular intervals. Anything can create a quick post, be it something in the news, an upcoming local event, or information you saw somewhere else that you can write in your own words. Be creative, think outside the real estate box that you may be stuck in!
Mistake #2 – Talking To Yourself
How is Your Conversation Going?
If you don’t open yourself up to conversation, your blog will die. You must open yourself up to allowing others to talk with you, and share their thoughts and ideas on the information that you are sharing. While you can certainly keep it all about you, sometimes people want to interact and leave you information you might be able to use. In fact, you can devote a day of the week to their questions and comments. Take it to a real-life scenario: You’re at a party and all you do is talk about yourself to yourself! Is anyone going to listen or engage in that conversation? I don’t think so!
Mistake #3 – Keeping Your Blog Hidden
Where is Your Blog?
This is one mistake many real estate agents fall into. Your blog will remain useless to many people if you don’t give them easy access to your content. Make sure that you have a blog that is linked to your social networking and website spokes. REMEMBER: YOUR BLOG IS YOUR ONLINE HUB! There are dozens of ways to link your blog automatically to your Real Estate Facebook Fan Page, your Twitter account, your LinkedIN profile and your website. Always include a link to it in your signature (or better yet, a revolving RSS feed) and on business cards as well. And of course, make sure it is optimized for search engines.
Mistake #4 – Confusing What Your Blog Is For
Your Blog Isn’t For Press Releases!
Sure it might seem like the perfect place to promote you and your business, but that is why you send out press releases, and place news on your website. The blog is designed to be conversational, relationship building and interactive – not for shoving information down the reader’s throat.
Press releases are designed to target a separate audience looking to try a new business, or product. Keep that in mind, and allow your social interaction to shine in your blog, and keep it free of self promotion.
Mistake #5 – Expecting Immediate Results
Results Take Time (but not as much as a conventional website!)
You might want to see people flocking to your blog with your introductory post, but, just as everything that is worthwhile, it takes time and work. There will never be an overnight success to a blog, but with consistent, relevant, user-interesting information, you will see results much quicker than your static website does. If your blog is easy to find, and is full of interesting information, people will be drawn to you, and they will take notice of all you do.
While it is true that blogging can be overwhelming to many real estate agents out there, when you break it down to bite size pieces and concentrate on what is important to include and remember what your ultimate goal is, it can easily become a routine like… brushing your hair! Make a point to add it to your calendar or task list.
In summary, be consistent, engage don’t promote, cross pollenate and most of all, have fun!
