Your Real Estate Career: 9 Ways Blogging Can Help You
Is blogging right for you?
While I’m a big fan of blogging as a way to get content online, I don’t think it’s the ULTIMATE way of having a web presence for real estate agents.
Why? Simple. Blogs don’t suit every personality.
You might be a writer. Then again, you might not be.
You might be a good communicator. And you might not be.
You might prefer speaking over writing. Or not.
You might be a self-starter. Or not.
You might be starved for time. Or not.
You might have thick skin. Or not.
You might enjoy reading. Then again, maybe not.
You might have the stamina. Or not.
Where you fall in these two columns depends on lots of factors, but namely your personality. In other words, you have to decide that for yourself if blogging fits your personality.
However, if you’ve come to that point in your career that blogging, indeed, suits your personality, then this post is for you. Here are nine ways in which blogging can help you and your real estate career.
1. Attract a New Market.
No surprise here, but the new savvy home buyer and seller is online. Googling for homes to buy. And real estate agents to work with. And more.
People are also searching for answers. You have to be the person who answers those questions.
2. Dominate Search Results.
So, a blog will allow you to write content about how to buy a home, stage a home or finance a home…typical needs home buyers and sellers have.
In other words, you write posts about ways you can help people.
And you want a page from your blog to appear in the top ten of search results. More pages with more inbound links equals greater chance you land on that coveted first page for that keyword. That’s how you dominate search results.
3. Establish Your Authority.
Published online content–at first blush–equals instant credibility. But there’s more to it than this. I’ll explain in a minute.
4. Sharpen Your Writing Skills.
Within four seconds people decide if the page is worth their time and attention. The more you write, though, the better you become. And people start to recognize your talent. Thus, your credibility grows.
5. Engage Your Prospects in a Wider Discussion.
Did you touch upon an issue in a meeting you would’ve liked to have gone deeper but couldn’t because of time? Blog it.
Local issue that’s abuzz in your community? Blog about it.
Then there’s popularity contest you could play. A sure winner for drawing readers.
6. Clarify Points.
Maybe you said something in a networking event or negotiations that wasn’t clear. Or drew criticism. Blog it. Systematically and clearly. Why? See point 4.
7. Do More.
Wanna start a discussion about a topic but don’t want to mess with the logistics of actually bringing warm bodies together? Blog it.
You can use your blog as a forum and invite your prospects to join a certain topic–new development or a slumping market. Think online small group.
8. Build a Reputation.
This is similar to authority. The difference is that authority is instant credibility. The certificate you see on the wall certifies your doctor is legit. That’s authority. Your best friend raving about the best MD in town…that’s reputation.
You want both.
9. Stretch Your Skill Set.
Launching a blog is easy. Still, it contains challenges and new ground to cover–from the hard [minor technical tweaks] to the soft [replying to criticism].
Thus, rounding out your real estate career set with blogging skills can be an added bonus for younger generations who grew up with blogging and social media. Something to consider.
Please note that these are in order from what I think is most important to the least important. Building an online presence and generating more traffic is a good reason to start a blog. Better than simply stretching your skill set.
But they’re all good things–both professionally and personally.
I’m sure there are plenty of other reasons why or ways that blogging can help your real estate career. Can you share some?
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