Realtors, What You Should Be Blogging About
I consulted for a long time with Realtors and real estate companies and I have seen, and examined, their blogging strategies. Sadly, what I see way too often are posts about “a new listing” or “another home sold.” Who exactly do these topics attract? How do these posts convince someone that a Realtor is qualified and experienced? How do these articles help someone make a sale?
I don’t think they do any of these things. And another thing, they are boring! If you are going to write, make sure it is interesting! So, let’s look at some ideas on what Realtors can write about.
What do People Want to Hear about You?
One question all Realtors need to ask themselves is “what does the person selling or buying a home want to hear from me?” You can also think about the common questions you are asked before someone decides to work with you. Once you have a list of ideas, write articles about each of them. The goal is to sell yourself and your abilities without seeming too ‘salesy’.
Create widgets that include some of the best articles about your skill sets and experience in the sidebars of your website. This way they will always be visible and helpful to visitors. These articles should be focused on helping the trust process get started.
What Do People Need to Know?
Think about what people need to know vs. what they want to know. Here is an example…I live in Sarasota, Florida and there is a ton of waterfront property on the gulf, canals, lakes and retention ponds. If someone is moving to the town for the first time or even moving to a waterfront home for the first time what do they need to know?
- What are the issues with sea walls every homeowner should know?
- What are some common issues that arise when you live on a canal?
- What should people consider when moving next to a lake? Mosquitoes? Children? Gators? Cold vs. warm?
- What should homeowners know about retention ponds?
(Do you have any idea how many people move here and start throwing food to gators in lakes? )
So the question is, what do each of your specific home buyers/owners need to know about the homes you have listed? Or, what about the homeowners that are looking for a specific kind of home? How can you educate the individual homeowner? Think about the people you are targeting, try to answer the questions they typically have AND try to educate them on topics they might not know they need to know about.
The whole point of business blogging is to educate, to sell, and to create trust so people will invest their time and money in you or your business.
Neighborhoods – What are the Best Features of Each?
If you have a break down of each neighborhood that includes features, parks, schools, taxes, and related shopping, then you can link to it from related articles and listed homes. Many Realtors already have this information, BUT they don’t include what they personally like about the neighborhoods. They don’t add any perspective to the information. You could make it personal and unique instead of having the exact same information every other Realtor has on their site.
This information can also be printed and emailed to potential buyers. You put the time to create this info once and you can use the information in many ways.
Homeowners are looking for as much information as they can when they are buying a home. Be the one that provides it and use this information to help buyers compare neighborhoods.
What Do You Like About the Listed Homes?
One thing I NEVER see is Realtors picking out 1-2 features about a home that they really like and write about them. Buyers need to be convinced, right? The only way to convince them is to help them relate and feel. Tap into what they are looking for.
Think about your experience with women home-buyers, what are they typically looking for — large kitchens, large closets, granite counter tops, large bathrooms — if you know that a kitchen and the master closet would be very appealing to a certain demographic then write about it. Then link to the article on the home listing page.
Video
What is even better than writing is creating videos about things you really like about a home. Letting people see what you really like is better than reading about it. Be in the video and point things out – make it real and personal, not overly professional. You can add the videos to blog posts and home listings. You can also email them and add them to social networks.
Pros and Cons
As a Realtor, you probably see and hear about different pros and cons for all kinds of things. What are the pros and cons about living in a two-story house? What are the pros and cons about living on a lake?
By giving homeowners things to consider, you are really helping them narrow down the possible selection of homes. This saves you and them time. You are also helping them make a better decision on a home and this makes them appreciate you.
So to Recap, What You Could Be Blogging About:
- The goal is to sell yourself and your abilities without seeming too ‘salesy’.
- Write articles that will begin the trust process.
- Help first-time homeowners or someone new to town make an educated decision.
- You need to anticipate the buyer’s and seller’s needs – give them information.
- Help buyers choose the right neighborhood.
- Tap into what your targeted buyers are looking for.
- Show potential buyers what you really like about homes.
- Explain the pros and cons to buyers and sellers.
Don’t be afraid to be creative or unique; consumers like ‘real’ people. Please avoid only writing about new listings and homes you have sold. Sell with your words.
Melissa Fach has been in the SEO industry since 2007. She created her own agency, was the Managing Editor at SEJ, worked as an editor for Moz with their community team, she worked at Pubcon as the Community Manager for 5 years, and is an editor for SEMrush US Blog.
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