A blog about how to write a blog? Is this blog-ception? Yes, yes it is. Being online is the first step, but keeping your audience engaged is the second (arguably the most important) step. As an agent, your career is very relational. You curate relationships with your clients, future clients, and everyone in between. Blogs are one of the best ways to promote you and your brand. If you have a personal agent website the hardest part is out of the way. The goal is bring as many visitors to that page as possible, right? Blog writing is great for many reasons but here are the most important:
I’ve learned a lot from writing blogs, especially the most efficient way to do so. I am going to pass my expertise onto you. Here’s what I have learned in my blog writing process.
Know your audience
Deep breath in, here we go. Step one, know your audience. This is key, because there are so many different groups of people you could target, but you can’t influence them all. Choosing a target market, will help you craft more relatable and interesting pieces to draw them in. As a real estate agent, your expertise is on home buying and selling. Let this be your audience. Target people trying to buy homes and people trying to sell theirs.
Okay, this one I learned the hard way. Personally, my mind goes in 1000 different directions and when I start writing it can get all over the place fast. So, before you start writing get your idea down. Not just your idea, but also what direction you are going to go with it. What are your stances on the subject, and also what are you hoping your reader will gain from it. Knowing how you are going to structure your post, will help your writing flow more smoothly.
Just start typing. Personally, I found that it is better to get all of your thoughts down in writing, before going back to edit and move things around. If you can’t find a quiet place, put your headphones in and zone out the rest of the world for 30 minutes. You will be surprised how therapeutic it can be to just get your thoughts on a page. A lot of people have this misconception that blog writing takes hours on hours. It doesn't have to. You just need to start writing and don't stop until you have all your thought son that page, then go back and edit. So, channel your inner author and get to typing.
You have an awesome personality, let that show in your writing. There's nothing worse than reading a post that feels like you have teleported back to 16 years old reading your history textbook. Find your voice. There are lots of real estate blogs out there, what makes yours different? You, that’s what. Make sure you are showing pieces of who you are in your writing.
Write something, that you would want to read.
People are going to read blogs that relate to them. As a real estate agent if your target market should be your clients, those that are in the market to buy and sell a home. So, you are going to want to write posts on the issues they face in that process, or tips for that process. Things that they would read and reap a benefit from. Maybe your target market is other agents, and you want to be a source of advice. You would write on the struggles you face daily as an agent or things your have learned from being an agent. The world is your oyster with ideas, get creative, but above all else write something people want to read.
A good blog should be around 1000 words or less. If your post is any more than that it is no longer a quick read, and your readers will become uninterested. Keep it simple, and straight to the point. Some of the best blogs I follow are short 2-3 paragraphs that I can quickly read and gain information from.
It’s simple. The more posts, the more views. The more you post you not only gain a following base that will frequently start checking your page, but you gain credibility. Your clients will soon start looking to you for advice. There’s nothing worse than finding a blog you relate to, but they post once in a blue moon. It helps if you develop a schedule of days you want to post, but make sure you stick to it. Keep your followers happy, and get to posting.
This is simple, but each post should have something that the reader can do after. As a real estate agent it could be directing them to your current listings, or to your other social media sites to follow you there. Your call to action should give your reader something interactive to do after reading your post.
Exposure. Exposure. Exposure. You are on the track to create some killer blogs. Now it’s time let your database see them. Post them on your social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. Put them out there so everyone can read your awesome work!
To get you started: 101 Real Estate Blog Post Ideas
Not getting the support you need from your current brokerage? Click below to find out if Village is right for you!
Purchasing a home is an exciting experience, but it can also be an expensive one. But there are several ways that you can save money to help you prepare for this major purchase. We’ve put together a list of steps that you can take to help you save money during this process.
Searching for a home isn’t always easy. It can take weeks to find the perfect home that fits your needs.Once you do find the “one” you want to ensure you are submitting an offer that will capture the seller’s attention. Although the market is shifting, there are still multiple offers being submitted on homes.
Village Premier Collection is a partnership of the best minds in Real Estate, working together to reshape the way the industry works. We empower our agents to do better–for our clients and for themselves.