If you’ve been searching the internet for marketing tips lately, then you most likely know that this year, video is poised to become imperative to your online marketing efforts. As real estate virtual assistants, we make it our top priority to stay on top of the latest marketing trends and recommend the best ones to our clients. Video is going to be such an important part of marketing in 2012 because it is more personal. A potential client could get a sense of who you are, your personality and your level of professionalism, all based on a short video that you would post online. It’s an engaging and interesting way to put yourself out there, and since people are starting to respond more to video, you will find that this method of marketing will drive more traffic to your website.
One of the best parts about using video in online marketing is that there is a free platform for posting your informational, community and marketing videos in one place. I am, of course, referring to YouTube. While several real estate agents that I know of have a YouTube account, very few actually use it to its full potential. That’s why I thought I’d share a few quick tips on how you can maximize the use of your YouTube account and take your video marketing to the next level.
Connect YouTube with the rest of your social media sites. Now, you can connect your YouTube account to your Facebook page and Twitter account. This is a powerful tool because it will automatically put your videos on your social media sites, giving you even more online exposure. It also allows people to view your videos directly on a page where they can interact and comment on what they see. The best part is that as you upload, you can select which videos will go on your pages, so you can choose which you want to share and which you’d rather keep on your YouTube channel.
Customize your captions. Make your videos stand out by choosing what font, size and color you want your captions to have. You obviously want whatever caption you have to be keyword-rich, but you can tweak them to better match what colors are in your video. This is a great way to make your video marketing material stand out and look more professional. You can also adjust font size, so you can adjust that based upon who will be viewing your videos. For example, if you work with a lot of older clients, then you may want to make the font larger.
Use the “trends dashboard”. “Trending” doesn’t have to be limited to Twitter. YouTube’s trends dashboard gives you a look at what content is most popular right now, and it will keep you up-to-speed on the latest viral videos. This will give you an opportunity to get inspiration. You can see what viral videos are getting watched and take a few ideas for your own marketing videos. It’s a way to use what works for your own gain. Of course, you will still want to keep your videos professional, but you can use the trends dashboard to be creative and come up with some ideas that are fun, as well.
If you put effort and thought into your videos, you will find that they are a great way to get your brand exposure and to drive traffic to your website and social media sites. As your real estate virtual assistants, we feel that it’s important to be innovative and different in your marketing strategies, and using video is another way to put yourself ahead of the curve. We also would love give you some more ideas on how to make your videos great! Best of luck with your video marketing, and remember to have fun!
Sarah Kay Social Media and Copywriting Team Leader
The RealSupport, Inc. Team 1232 West Northwest Highway Palatine, IL 60067 Office: (847) 705-1655 Fax: (847) 589-8989 Info@RealSupportinc.com
We all have a sense that clients come first in business, but when things get busy it can be easy to forget. If we stepback, we may find that we’re no longer really connecting to our clients but have a singular focus on the bottom line.
Since buyers and sellers are what make your real estate business a success; building those relationships is essential. Not only will they most likely use your services again down the road, but their referrals can be invaluable in helping your business grow.
So, how can you make sure you’re creating those lasting connections? Here are five easy tips you’ll want to implement.
1. Mom and Pop Mentality- While you do want to see your business expand and utilize the latest in cutting edge technology and marketing; you’ll want to maintain that "mom and pop" store approach. Why do the smallest, family run establishments have “regulars?” It’s because customers know that they’re known when they walk through the doors.
Emulate this with your clients by remembering things about their life that they’ve shared in previous conversations. Asking them about their son that’s deciding on a college, or a vacation they’re planning can create that immediate connection.
2. Ask Questions First- Sitting down with a potential client and going into your speech on how you started your company, what services you offer and how many successful sales you’ve had in the past year can be off-putting to some clients.
Instead, ask them questions about themselves first. They can range from their real estate goals to getting to know a little about them personally. By doing this, they will see that they come first... even in conversation.
3. Talk About Yourself- While it’s not what you want to lead with, talking about yourself is important. It allows clients to get to know you and helps build trust. Of course you’ll want to make sure to not over-share personal information, but since you’ve asked them to open up about themselves it’s important for building a connection that you do the same.
4. Really Listen- Your client will want to make sure that they’re heard... especially when it comes to such a large financial decision such as buying or selling a home. It’s important that you not just hear your clients, but are truly listening to their concerns and requests.
5. Step Away from Technology- ... only temporarily, of course! This point ties in with the last one. Being available to really listen to clients means putting down the smartphone, ipad or stepping away from your computer. Also, be sure to set up face to face meetings instead of doing everything through email or phone calls. While these are great for making our lives more efficient, be sure to make those in person meetings whenever possible.
As a good real estate agent, you're probably already doing some of these things, or a few of these ideas may be new to you. Either way, it’s still important to be reminded of them from time to time, as well as remembering that connecting with your clients is essential for your business.
Taking the time to connect with clients may seem tedious at first if you’re constantly on the go, but the more you practice these ideas, the more they’ll become second nature. In the long run, you’ll find these personal connections are well worth it. Even if you don’t get a repeat client or a referral from everyone you work with... chances are you may make a friend along the way!
Allie Coyle Blogging & Copywriting Specialist
The RealSupport, Inc. Team 1232 West Northwest Highway Palatine, IL 60067 Office: (847) 705-1655 Fax: (847) 589-8989 Info@RealSupportinc.com
Trust is imperative to the success of any business, and real estate is no exception. After all, people hire you to help them buy or sell their homes because they trust that you have the experience, knowledge, work ethic and integrity to do so. If you lose trust in your brand, then you lose business, and if you lose business, then let’s just say it: you’re out of business.
Part of our job as your real estate virtual assistants is to help you implement more marketing efforts that will help you build your business. The main reason that we are successful at doing this virtually, not on-site, for all of our clients is because they trust us. They rely on us to guide them in the right direction, make suggestions that will benefit their business and get the job done to their standards. We’ve built and maintained that trust, and we advise our clients to utilize the resources available to them to build that too. This is one area that social media maintenance and blogging can actually really benefit your business.
Since social media is a platform in which your community can interact with you and ask questions, you can really utilize it to build trust in your brand. If you look like you’re taking the time to answer everyone’s questions, interact with your network and consistently post valuable information, then people will realize that you are a true expert in your field and you can be trusted to get the job done. Blogging demonstrates how knowledgeable you are about your field and showcases your involvement in your community, as well. If people who are looking for a real estate agent come across this, they will see that you are a trusted resource and that they can rely on you to help them through their real estate transaction.
These two marketing efforts will only help you build up trust in your brand, if you utilize them correctly. If you do them the wrong way, they can actually detract from your brand and make people question you. Here are a few ways that you can ensure that your online presence is building your brand’s trust instead of hindering it.
• Please check your work. As a writer, I can’t tell you how crazy it makes me when I see agents posting things on Facebook or their blog with a bunch of spelling and obvious grammatical errors. Sure, people make the occasional typo, but if your work is filled with spelling and grammar mistakes, it makes you look a lot less professional. Take them time to spell check, and your presence could start looking more credible and impressive to people who come across it.
• Answer questions and respond to feedback in a timely fashion. If someone posts a negative review of you on your Facebook wall or asks you a bunch of questions, don’t just ignore them. Take the time to address it in a professional, non-threatening manner. Answering questions does not mean that you have to plug your services. Answer their question as if they were just a friend asking for advice. Similarly, if someone posts a criticism or negative review of your services, then address it, but do so respectfully and if need be, apologetically. People will see that you do care about your clients, and they will respond well to that. After all, nobody has a perfect track record with clients, and it’s how you handle the negative things that show your true strength as an agent.
• Consistency is key. If you’re going to utilize online marketing as a way to build trust in your brand, then you need to be willing to commit to it. Communicating with your network as frequently as possible will show just how much you value your online network and their input. When customers feel valued, they feel that they can trust that you will do everything you can to make them happy in a business transaction. We know that posting to social media and blogging every day is a large investment of your time, but if you take the time to build the following, you will see how much it actually contributes to the trust people put in to your brand.
In today’s world, before people hire services of any kind, they hop online and look up the business or person they want to hire. Having an active online presence will publicly demonstrate that people vlaue in your brand, and that will make others trust you, too. Your real estate virtual assistant can help you build your brand from the ground up, and they can also get people to respond and trust your brand through your online marketing efforts. After all, if there is one thing that you should want people to associate with your business, it is trust and honesty, right?
Take some time to think about it. Have a great day!
Sarah Kay Social Media and Copywriting Team Leader
The RealSupport, Inc. Team 1232 West Northwest Highway Palatine, IL 60067 Office: (847) 705-1655 Fax: (847) 589-8989 Info@RealSupportinc.com
Have you ever sat down to write your weekly blog only to find out that you have absolutely no idea what to write about? Even with the perfect topic at hand, sometimes the words just don’t come out. If anyone can relate to this feeling, it’s me. Even as we speak I can spend minutes reconstructing each sentence and take several moments to rub my temple in frustration as I think of how to begin the next paragraph.
While it may seem that our weekly blog posts come easy, sometimes we spend hours, or even days trying to find the perfect idea to engage our readers. That’s why today’s topic is actually pretty perfect. As your real estate virtual assistants, we are here to give you our personal advice on how to fight blogger’s block (also known as writer’s block) to keep your brainstorming techniques at the peak of perfection.
One way to fight blogger’s block is by tapping into your emotions. As a real estate agent, you may be wondering how your emotions feed into blogging. In fact, real estate agents are the perfect people for using this technique, as they know the many different feelings and emotions that come along with buying or selling a home. There’s frustration, confusion, stress…and of course feelings of accomplishment, success and happiness. Pick one of these emotions and write a blog centered around this feeling. When writing this blog, really think about the types of feelings your specific audience would tend to have. Use these feelings to blog with empathy and to create an emotional connection with your readers. Work with these feelings to turn them into a how-to blog, a story blog, or a blog that starts a discussion.
Here are some quick examples:
-Feeling lost in your quest to sell your home? Here’s story of how I helped one family sell their home, and how I can do the same for you.
-Feeling confused about the status of your transaction? Here’s what to look for in a real estate agent to make sure you’re kept informed.
-Feeling overwhelmed in your struggle to sell your home and search for a new one at the same time? Here is a time that I felt like that and how I overcame it.
To find out what feelings your readers may be having, pay close attention to the comments your blog receives, and what clients are saying in their testimonials, emails, phone calls, and face to face interactions.
Another tip you may want to try is changing your blogging environment. Sometimes the best way to get the creative juices flowing is just a simple change of scenery. If you normally compose blogs at your office, try taking your lap top to the local coffee shop, book store, or other landmark that offers free Wi-Fi. Other places you may want to try are a friend or family member’s house, a co-workers office, or even another room in your own home.
One way to make sure that you have a number of ideas at hand is to keep an idea book. For example, I have a pink Moleskin notebook that I take with me everywhere I go. I use it for all sorts of things like grocery lists, to-do lists…but mainly to jot down ideas that I find interesting or a sudden spark of inspiration. Keeping an idea book is great not only for short term use, but for long term use as well. If you write in it frequently, a year from now you may look back and discover all these creative ideas that you never even used! If a journal is a bit old school, your electronic tablet, smart phone or lap top can be a useful alternative.
If you’re still having trouble combating your blogger’s block, don’t worry, you’re not alone! Contact your real estate virtual assistant. With your ideas and ours combined, we’re bound to come up with something awesome, and some great strategies to keep the ideas coming. For more information on blogging, or other ways your real estate virtual assistant can make your life easier, keep up with our blog or contact us for a Complimentary Needs Assessment.
Have an awesome day!
Lauren Wille Marketing Coordinator
The RealSupport, Inc. Team 1232 West Northwest Highway Palatine, IL 60067 Office: (847) 705-1655 Fax: (847) 589-8989 Info@RealSupportinc.com
Whether people are just tired of moping about the economic downturn of the past few years or they’re sensing true change, it seems there’s an overarching sense of positivity for 2012... and that’s exciting! Of course just thinking positively is not a magical formula for boosting the economy, but it’s the actions that spring from a positive outlook that are agents of change.
A survey from The National Federation of Independent Business this past December noted that small business owners confidence in the economy had risen for the fourth month in a row. This positive momentum is just the thing needed leading into a new year with a clean slate and endless possibilities!
As a real estate agent, you are at the forefront of one of the economy’s greatest indicator of change; the real estate market. You’ve seen first hand the market ebb and flow and are probably the first to talk about positive changes that occur. You understand the importance of keeping that favorable outlook as you lead buyers and sellers through the real estate market.
So, how can you capitalize on this optimistic trend for the new year? Below are three ways as noted by Entrepreneur.com to which I’ve added a few real estate specific examples. Take a look!
1. Up your marketing spend. Money invested in marketing now should pay off in more new clients as the economy improves.
As you boost your marketing, you become more familiar and trustworthy within your community. When buyers and sellers do jump into the real estate market as the market continues to improve; you’ll be on the top of their list! You’ve taken the time to become that trusted resource for them and, consequently, you’ll see that return on investment many times over.
2. Consider a hire. It's a great time to snap up talented applicants.
This is true for expanding your business to include additional real estate agents for your team, but is also true for all of your daily tasks as well. By hiring a Real Estate Virtual Assistant, you can “have a marketing team at your fingertips, not in your office” which means you’re not paying for additional overhead. Here at RealSupport, we’re here when you need us. There’s no minimum requirement of how much you use our services, which frees you up to decide when you need the extra help!
3. Move in a new direction. If you've been holding off on a new business initiative, now is the time to put it in gear. Get a jump on the competition before everybody catches on to the upswing.
These three tips give you the practical steps to begin to turn your positive outlook into an agent of change! Keep the momentum for this new year going by capitalizing on this approach to 2012.
We are here to help you implement new initiatives for your business or to take on those daily tasks that keep holding you back. Feel free to contact us today to talk about the services we offer or to begin seeing your hopeful viewpoint into a reality!
Allie Coyle Blogging & Copywriting Specialist
The RealSupport, Inc. Team 1232 West Northwest Highway Palatine, IL 60067 Office: (847) 705-1655 Fax: (847) 589-8989 Info@RealSupportinc.com
Special Announcement: A Different Spin on Virtual Assistants What a surprise to have been featured in this AgentGenius article - we're honored and appreciative!
Have Your Mastered the Blogging Basics? Search-engine optimization. Who knew that these three little words could become so important to successful online marketing? Many real estate agents spend several hours obsessing over how they can give themselves the most SEO possible so that they can achieve the ultimate dream: landing on page 1 of Google.
Real Estate Technology: What's In, What's Out and What's Next The world of social media is ever changing. That is why your real estate virtual assistant wants to make sure that your marketing strategy is fresh and engaging. From Facebook to Twitter to Google+ and your own website, there are plenty of areas to think about when considering your marketing and social media tactics. This year, it's out with the old and in with the new.
2 Cutting Edge Tools for 2012! Each year, new innovative tools come on the market, and 2012 is no different! Although it can seem nearly impossible to keep up with the latest and greatest thing out there, it’s worth it if you find something you know you’ll use all the time.
Team Nakanishi Mealoha Kraus and Denise Nakanishi Prudential Orchid Isle Properties Hilo, HI
A retired Army officer and former teacher, Denise has been servicing the Big Island real estate market for over 22 years. She has consistently ranked among the top sales professionals in her market. Selected a co-REALTOR® of the Year in 2009 and is a staunch advocate for Veteran's rights. She is passionate about buying and selling in Paradise!
Mealoha is a licensed REALTOR® and graduate of the inaugural class of the Hawaii Association of REALTORS® Leadership Academy. She is currently serving as President of Hawaii Island REALTORS® and is driven to be the best agent she can be for her clients and community.
We are proud to announce that we've created and have started implementing a strategy to ensure social media success for Brent Sweet, one of our clients from Southern Maryland. • Facebook • Twitter
We've designed a custom header and have written a new bio and community pages as well as other content for Jason Irwin's new RealPro website. Jason is one of our clients from Orange County, CA, and you can see his new website (still in the works) here.
We've enhanced a new WordPress website for Javier Reyes, one of our clients from the Central Coast of CA and you can view his WordPress blog here.
We've finished a custom newsletter ad for Florence Ejrup, one of our clients from Tucson, AZ, and you can see her ad here.
If there is one quality that a real estate virtual assistant has to have in order to be successful, it’s the ability to use their work time productively. Our time-management skills and ability to get the job done quickly is what allows us to work on projects and tasks for several different clients per day while completing them all in a timely fashion. We have a 48-hour turnaround time at our company, and unless you have a special project that requires more time, we stick to it.
Real estate agents are incredibly busy, and we understand that sometimes, it just doesn’t seem like there is enough hours in the day in which you can get everything done. That’s why we thought that we’d offer a few of our secrets to working productively and quickly. If you utilize some of these productivity tips, then we’re fairly certain that your stress level will go down and you’ll have a strong handle on all of the projects that you’re working towards completing.
Prioritize. If you can get yourself into a routine of prioritizing which tasks need to be done each day, then you will have a clear, organized list to work off of and you can start working your way through each item. Set a time at the beginning and end of each day to check and respond to emails. From there, make a to-do list of everything you need to get accomplished, starting with the most pressing issue and down to thing things that can wait. From there, don’t second guess. Just start working. Sure, urgent things may arise that will throw off your day, but you will always have that list waiting when that issue is resolved. You’ll also get a sense of satisfaction as you check each item off of your list!
Use a calendar. Whether you use a Mac and have an iCal or use Google calendar, have a calendar accessible on your computer and tech tablet. Diligently fill in calls you have scheduled, showing appointments you have made, and personal obligations. At the beginning of each week, take a look at what you have going on and designate days where you can sit down and do paperwork and other, more menial tasks. That way, you know when you’re going to be able to work on them and can focus the days where you’re busy and have meetings on being prepared and ready to impress.
Technology is your friend. We know that ideally, we would still live in a world where we have time to call everyone on the phone once a quarter and say hello. For ongoing tasks like your keep in touch campaigns or social media efforts, use technology. Create an email drip campaign that you can automate to send out emails to your database and set up a HootSuite account that you can use to post to Facebook and Twitter. The more that you embrace the easy conveniences that technology offers, the more time you will have to focus on more pressing issues.
Know when to take a break. Studies show that when you are burned out, you are less productive and the quality of your work decreases. If you genuinely need to take an afternoon off one day, do it! You will re-enter work the next day refreshed and ready to work, and you will continue to stay on top of your game.
Hire a real estate virtual assistant. Just think: wouldn’t having an entire marketing team get rid of so many tasks that you don’t have time to complete? Hiring a team of virtual assistants will ensure that your real estate marketingefforts get completed by a group of experts that are willing to help you build your business. It will free up your time significantly, and you can focus on doing what you do best, and that is selling homes.
These quick tips will help you work more productively and get tasks done faster so you can find some time for yourself. In an industry as hectic and busy as real estate, it can be easy to lose track of everything that you have in the works. That’s why we thought that we’d share a few of our secrets of effective time management with you. Throughout everything, there is one tip that we think is more important than the rest, and that is to remember to breathe. Even on the most hectic of days, you will get everything done if you work productively!
Have a great day!
Sarah Kay Social Media and Copywriting Team Leader
The RealSupport, Inc. Team 1232 West Northwest Highway Palatine, IL 60067 Office: (847) 705-1655 Fax: (847) 589-8989 Info@RealSupportinc.com
As real estate agents, you jumped on the blogging bandwagon a long time ago. You know the basics: Blog frequently, create custom content, make it engaging and use keywords and hyperlinks throughout the posts. Now that you’ve got those things down pat, it’s time to take your blog to the next level by giving it a little edge.
What do I mean by that? To do this, you will need to really juice up your creativity and expand your blogging horizons. As real estate virtual assistants, we blog on a daily basis and know the ins and outs of keeping readers coming. One thing that we have found to be effective is using different writing styles to change things up from time to time. By incorporating narrative stories and some style and humor into your blog, you are keeping your posts light, engaging and fun to read.
Take it from us. Here are some tips on spicing up your blog:
Stories While you want your blogs to be educational and informative, you can still incorporate some narrative action in there. For example, if you’re writing about what to look for when buying a home, start off with a real-life story of a home inspection that went haywire. If you relate the blog to a real-life experience, the reader will automatically pick up on the personal aspect and feel that they can truly relate to it. Use this story in the beginning of your blog, and refer back to it throughout the post to remind readers of that personal aspect, and to form a relationship with the character. Give your story a beginning, middle and end and wrap it up at the conclusion of your blog. While you don’t have to use this approach for every blog you write, it’s a tactic that will attract more readers when you do.
Style and Humor Your blog can still be professional while using some elements of humor. Readers don’t want to feel like they are being lectured when reading your blog, but rather to feel that you are also a human being and can relate to them on multiple levels. Adding in a little humor here and there will maintain a light-hearted voice and give readers a sense of who you are. For example, if you are writing about the state of the economy or housing market, finding a spot to add a light joke will relieve some of the tense feelings from what could be a less-than-positive blog.
Writing a Winning Intro Writing a killer intro has two parts: a strong hook, and setting the scene. A strong hook in the introductory paragraph of your blog is key in grabbing the reader’s interest. You want to get them interested in the beginning, so they get the most out of your blog by reading the whole thing. Keep in mind that the hook should be related to what the blog is about, so the reader doesn’t feel “jipped” once they continue. For example, if your intro paragraph is about a near-death experience with a grizzly bear (it’s a little far fetched, but hey, I’ve heard of it happening to other people) and your blog is about what to look for in a real estate agent, your readers will be heavily disappointed that they don’t get to hear the ending to your grizzly bear story. After you’ve got the hook, you’ll want to set the scene. Let your readers know what the blog is about without giving away any of the blog’s strongest points.
All of these things take practice, but after a few stabs at it you’ll be worthy of a creative blogging award. If you need assistance with blogging, your real estate virtual assistant can work with you to capture your style and voice, and help compose these unique and creative blogs. If you have yet to embark on these new writing styles, your readers will enjoy seeing something new and will look forward to your next post.
Happy Blogging!
Lauren Wille Marketing Coordinator
The RealSupport, Inc. Team 1232 West Northwest Highway Palatine, IL 60067 Office: (847) 705-1655 Fax: (847) 589-8989 Info@RealSupportinc.com
We’re all aware that videos are the next big thing in online marketing, but you may be asking yourself... “Is it really worth it?” Sure, it’s eye-catching and a huge trend, but you’re probably wondering whether to jump on the bandwagon or wait and see if it ends up taking a back seat to the tried and true marketing strategies.
Hey, we get it! You want to invest your time, energy and marketing funds into something that’s going to last, and that’s smart! So, as your trusted Real Estate Virtual Assistants, we wanted to share our professional opinion on the matter: video marketing is here to stay.
Now, since I’ve included videos in this post, you’re probably tempted to skip this part and just watch the videos... (see how attractive it is to an audience?). However, hang with me for another minute to see some of the key reasons why video marketing should be at the forefront of your marketing strategy for 2012.
1. Appeal- Let’s face it, videos are appealing. In today’s fast-paced culture, people want to get information as quickly as possible so they can move on. A webpage with a video and concise written content is much more appealing than a page full of text.
2. Varied Strategy- Videos will give variety to your marketing strategy and keep your real estate company up to date with current trends. Of course you still want to hold onto those things that work for you, but being willing to branch out will show your clients that you’re aware of what’s going on and able to embrace change as needed. It also provides a breath of fresh air to your online presence!
3. Personal- People respond better to personal contact and, while you can’t personally greet every person who visits your website, blog, or social media site, having videos creates that individualized approach. It’s also a great way to share your personality and allow people to become comfortable with you so you can begin building trust before you event meet!
4. Concise, Relevant Content- Videos are a great way to give the relevant information people want in a concise way. While watching a video may take less time than reading a page of content, people will end up spending more time on your site. Mixing a video in the midst of text will help engage the viewer and they’ll end up getting more out of your written as well. You’ll be more aware of making sure the content you do write is to the point and only enriching the content from the video.
5. SEO- Videos are great for SEO, especially if you post them to YouTube. Since YouTube is owned by Google, they’ll be indexed into this popular search engine. Many real estate agents will use videos on their website, Facebook and blog while also creating a customized YouTube channel that hosts all of their videos.
Whether you enjoy being in front of the camera or not, there are a variety of ways to use video marketing. You can highlight a new listing, tell people more about yourself and your services, give home tips or showcase your community... the possibilities are endless!
Here are a few videos I recently came across that may provide you with the needed inspiration to get started! You'll notice that, no matter what your budget, you can take on video marketing this year. A great way to begin is creating an introductory video of you, your services and even the area in which you serve. Take a look!
The possibilities are endless for video marketing and we hope you explore your options! If you have questions, need help adding your video to your online presence or would like us to set up a customized YouTube channel to host your videos; please contact us!
We'd love to help make 2012 the most successful year for your business!
Allie Coyle Blogging & Copywriting Specialist
The RealSupport, Inc. Team 1232 West Northwest Highway Palatine, IL 60067 Office: (847) 705-1655 Fax: (847) 589-8989 Info@RealSupportinc.com
Search-engine optimization. Who knew that these three little words could become so important to successful online marketing? Many real estate agents spend several hours obsessing over how they can give themselves the most SEO possible so that they can achieve the ultimate dream: landing on page 1 of Google. As real estate virtual assistants, we completely understand the importance of having a strong, SEO-friendly online presence. After all, several of our clients come to us because they have found us on Google, but our secret wasn’t hiring an expensive SEO company or having search engine superpowers. Our secret can be summed up in one word: blogging.
Yes, blogging is the key to boosting your SEO! Before you scratch your head in confusion, take a second to think about it. Google loves two things:
1. Custom-written content 2. Content that is full of keywords that people commonly type in to the Google search engine box
Blogging takes care of both of these things. You or your real estate virtual assistant can write custom-written, informative content that your community will enjoy reading that also features important keywords that people in your area use when searching for a real estate agent. Many agents have a blog, but they don’t really take advantage of all of the benefits that this marketing tool can offer. We thought that we’d take a few minutes to remind you of what you should be doing when you’re blogging. If you follow this advice, we’re certain that you’ll start to see yourself move up the SEO ladder.
• Make sure that all of your content is custom-written. Several real estate agents hire companies that will post blogs for them, but instead of these blog posts being custom-written, they are one article that is blasted out to several other agents’ blogs at the same time. While the content may be interesting, this approach will not boost your SEO. Google places content that is custom-written above that which has been copied and pasted to several areas on the web. If you’re going to blog, take the time to write your own articles, or find a real estate virtual assistant to write them for you!
• Blog consistently. Posting one time every two months is not going to help you get to page one of Google. The more often you submit custom content to your blog, the more Google recognizes your site as having new information, and they will place your site above ones that haven’t been update in awhile. This doesn’t mean that you have to blog every single day, but posting an interesting article that you wrote yourself once or twice per week will be enough to get yourself moving up in the search engines much faster.
• Use keywords and hyperlinks throughout each post. While you want each blog to be readable and not have keywords placed randomly throughout each post, it is important to use keywords often. You want each keyword to be something that people type in to the search engine box when they look for a real estate agent. For example, if you’re in Boston, you will likely want to use “Boston real estate”, “Boston real estate agent”, “Boston homes” and “Boston condos” as keywords throughout each post. You would then link each of these keywords in your blog back to various aspects of your online presence. This is perhaps the most important part of blogging, as it’s how you start seeing your SEO improve. If you’re blogging and not using keywords or hyperlinks, then you’re not seeing any SEO benefits from your blog. This is an important step, so find ways to integrate your keywords into each post!
• Have fun! This is an important step, too! Blogging gives you a platform to show off your personality on your website and have a little fun. Sure, you want to come off as professional and informative, but you’ll also want to have an approachable, interesting voice that will leave people wanting to come back and read more of what you have to say. Don’t be afraid to switch up your posts a little and try some new things. It will give you more traffic, and you’ll find that people will enjoy your blog posts!
As real estate virtual assistants, we blog for many of our clients on a regular basis, so don’t hesitate to ask us any questions you may have about getting started! Remember: if you want some organic, easy-to-get Google juice, the answer is blogging. There are so many benefits to implementing this in your online marketing, so we hope that you will all start to take advantage of it!
We hope to see you in the blogosphere!
Sarah Kay Social Media and Copywriting Team Leader
The RealSupport, Inc. Team 1232 West Northwest Highway Palatine, IL 60067 Office: (847) 705-1655 Fax: (847) 589-8989 Info@RealSupportinc.com
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.