Business owners, global brands, and real estate agents are increasingly turning to blog writing as a source of lead generation. Can blogging work for you?
You bet!
Blog writing may not be your area of expertise but the benefits for realtors can’t be denied. New and old agents alike who master only a handful of blogging tips can generate organic traffic, exposure, and referral lead.
Blogging has slowly but steadily evolved since its beginnings back in 1994. It is now the #1 content marketing tool, used by global brands and entrepreneurs alike to generate higher engagement and more qualified online traffic.
Writing blog articles that attract buyers and sellers won’t happen overnight. Blog writing is a subtle blend of academic writing, journalism and marketing. Add to that a knowledge of SEO best practices, and you can understand why so many agents are overwhelmed by the very idea of launching a blog.
Key Blogging Statistics
Still, if you want to reduce the money you spend on CPC advertising, blog writing is the best way to generate FREE organic traffic. That’s right, free. The most significant cost is your time. some minor start-up requirements (a publishing platform, domain name, plug-ins).
But once you hit publish, you own that article. It will remain online, eventually compounding in traffic.
Here are some compelling facts about the impact of writing a blog for business:
- A blog increases your odds of ranking higher in search results by 434%.
- 47% of prospects consume 3-5 pieces of content before making a purchase.
- 94% of people share blog content that they think will be useful to others in their circle.
- Small businesses that blog generate 126% more leads than those that don’t.
Key Benefits of Blog Writing For Real Estate Professionals
- Less costly than CPC advertising and other forms of marketing
- Generates free organic traffic
- Generates compounded traffic as posts age online
- Increases engagement with potential buyers and sellers
Investing time in writing quality blog articles consistently will lead to valuable referral business. Use your blog as a tool to promote local businesses and their services to your local market.
Interview leading business owners, members of your local Chamber of Commerce – even the local police department. These individuals carry authority in their circles, will appreciate the free exposure you provide. It can be a valuable source for generating referral business. If you use your blog to help business owners gain targeted exposure in your geographic farm, your blog posts will
Blog Writing Tips For Real Estate Professionals
Marketing gurus like Jeff Bulla’s coach business owners on how to start a blog, but his advice holds true for agents as well.
You don’t have to be a tech savvy agent at HTML to craft blog articles and interviews people want to read. If you’re struggling to launch your real estate blog, here are some blog writing tips to get you started:
#1) Keywords
Choose a keyword that you want to rank for. Start by thinking of topics your audience might be searching for. Experiment on Google with different phrases to see what comes up in the results. You’ll be competing against similar pages so visit your competitors and look for ways to make your page more useful to readers. The longer the article, the better.
#2) Video Interview
VIDEO content is king! It keeps people engaged on your site longer. The longer they stay, the higher you will rank in search engine results (over time). If you can videotape the interview, it will be a big boost for traffic.
Many agents worry that they lack the expertise to create compelling, polished video content. Admittedly, a poor video will not help you generate business, but the cost and time of creating a good video is well worth it.
Here’s some really great, practical advice on video for real estate agents:
And here’s a great example of a very effective, simple video by successful realtor Katie Roberts of Arvada, CO:
Video production isn’t as expensive or as difficult as you think. Start small, and work your way up to higher quality videos over time. Planning your video and keeping it short will help you master video skills quickly.
#3) Real Estate Blog Topics:
Writing about real estate is not the only topic you can explore on your real estate blog. Researching industry blogs is one way to get topic ideas, but here are 3 key types of blog content you can start with:
List Articles
When you write an article, focus on creating a list article of businesses, services or venues that will be helpful to business owners or residents (yoga classes, child care, restaurants, insurance brokers, business financing, home renovation, etc)
Examples of real estate List Article topics are:
Top 5 Yoga Studios In…
Top 5 Child Care Services in….
Best Restaurants In…
5 Golf Courses In …
Top 5 Mistakes Made By FSBO’s
How To Articles
A ‘How To’ article explains in detail how to achieve a specific goal. It should be educational, and provide readers with clear, step by step instructions.
Interview a local expert and write a blog post about how to:
Find the right home inspector…
Calculate monthly mortgage payments…
Reduce energy costs for your business or home…
Install accounting software on your laptop…
Home Valuations
Home valuation reports are of keen interest to potential sellers, but new homebuyers are usually clueless. Write blog articles that explain to first time buyers what a home valuation report is, how it works, why it’s important – and the costs. Use call to action within your blog post to generate traffic to a dedicated home valuation landing page.
#4) Keyword Use and Placement
ALWAYS use the city or neighborhood you are targeting as a keyword. Include the keyword in the following places:
- Header 1 (the title) – Top 5 Yoga Studios in Fletcher NC
- Header 2 (sub heading) Yoga Studios In or Near Arvada CO
- Alt Attributes: Include high-resolution photos and add the keyword in the alt text field of the image. The alt text field appears when you upload an image. It is used as a reference by anyone using voice search, or anyone searching specifically for images with the keyword.
Alt Text Field for Parkbench Neighborhood Website
WordPress users will likely be familiar with alt attributes when adding media to their blog post. Most content management systems provide users with access to the image properties.
#5) Website Copy
Avoid huge blocks of text. 2 – 4 lines max per paragraph. Most people will read from a mobile phone and the spacing is easier to read.
Use bullet points, lists, infographics, and subheadings to break up your content.
Images will get your blog article 94% more views.
#6) Using External Links and Anchor Text
Linking to external pages with authority will help your page. Try to avoid linking to a page that is using the same keyword you are. You’ll know because the keyword is in the title of the page.
Government websites can be useful links, but they carry more authority and may be using the same keyword you are.
If you are writing about a business, link to the business using Anchor Text. Don’t just link to the home page, but something more specific like a schedule, contact page, bio, or about page.
When you write a list article, create a link using anchor text within the body of the article, rather than linking directly from the business name.
Example:
Interested in a quote for your insurance? Contact John at InsurancePro today or visit the website
By placing the anchor text as close to the end of your article as possible, it will force readers to stay on your page longer.
Search engines measure the length of time visitors stay on your site (bounce rate) as a critical ranking factor.
#7) Social Media
One way to boost engagement is social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc). Search engines reward content that has engagement with higher visibility.
Share the article on your social media channels, and your website, to encourage sharing. If you don’t share, who will care?
Hootsuite is a social media management tool that allows you to schedule and post content across multiple channels instantly. The initial service is free with limited features, while the paid services offer extended features.
Recommended Social Media Sites For Real Estate Professionals
Summary
Blog writing doesn’t have to be your primary expertise for you to succeed at creating highly optimized posts. Focus on a hyperlocal audience that appeals to business owners and residents in your geographic farm.
Use your blog to promote local businesses and associations if you want people to share your content. You’ll be surprised at how responsive people will be when you offer free exposure instead of soliciting them for business.
Your interviews will create opportunities for you to engage business owners, offer value to your community, and generate qualified referral business.
Well, what are you waiting for? Start blogging!