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13 Ways to Promote Your Blog

We all know the promotion is important, although one does not want to come across as salesy or pushy.

The same is true of our blogs. We want folks to know about them and the valuable content they offer, but shoving them down someone's throat is not likely to be accepted kindly.

As I learned yesterday at REBarCampOC (although I sorta knew this), publishing your post is about 30% of the work. (that's a quote from notable RE.net dude, Jim Marks, founder and President of Virtual Results ). The rest comes afterward. That is, promoting your blog so consumers can take advantage of it if they like.

Certainly a big part of getting noticed, and as was said yesterday - if you aren't in Google you don't exist - is the work you do around SEO (search engine optimization). This post is not about that, but do a search on AR for SEO or check out the SEO Channel for a wealth of articles to help you, whether you know anything about SEO or not.

Getting the word out there isn't magic...

It won't happen as if by magic

So here are a few thoughts on how you can promote you blog. And please feel free to share your ideas - we can also benefit from the collective brain trust here on AR.

1. BUSINESS CARD - Use that blank space on the back to list your blogs

2. EMAIL SIGNATURES - whether you have one or multiple ones, for specialized groups of clients, include links to your blog(s). Make sure these are easily found (and that the links work)

3. EMAIL COMMUNICATION - I list this separately because there may be times, when directly communicating with a particular buyer or seller, that you want to refer them to your blog, or specific articles, because of the information they are seeking.

4. WEBSITE - either include links at appropriate places on pages in your website and/or put a widget on the homepage like I have.

5. BUY URLs for your AR blog and any outside blogs and use those as above

6. POSTCARDS, NEWSLETTERS and OTHER MAILINGS - include your blogs where appropriate and relevant.

And here are some more...

7. CRAIGLIST postings for listings - great to include here, PLUS the link to your single website or blog is you use one (I use Wordpress to create a blog for each listing)

8. SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES - they all allow you to include one or more links, so take advantage of this where appropriate

9. MARKETING MATERIALS - including your pre-listing, relocation, seller and buyer packets

10. WORD OF MOUTH - talking about your blog in a conversation with prospects or clients makes sense, once you have some sort of relationship and it can add value to the discussion for them

11. HANDOUTS for open houses

12. ADVERTISING - may not be suitable depending on the ad and the medium but worth keeping in mind.

13. DIRECTORIES - there are a ton of on-line directories for registering your blogs, most are free I believe. Here is the weblogs compendium of directories; here's the Search Engine Journal list of web directories; and here's an offering for your real estate marketing toolkit: 45 blog directories from Rebecca Levinson on ActiveRain. The list goes on an on, with some repetition.

Just a few thoughts to get you started or to expand your promotions. Feel free to share your own ideas so we can all benefit.

UPDATE - and one more I use but forgot - I have several t-shirts with my blogs (1 per shirt) that I wear to the gym, and occasionally the beach. Ya never know. And they are branded shirt with the RE/MAX name on front, somewhat unobstrusively.

Posted by Jeff Dowler ~ Carlsbad Real Estate ~ 760-840-1360 on 06/26/2009 08:45 PM

Comments (77)

Marketing in the ActiveRain Channel

ar, agents, technology, blogging, social media

Post is included in group: Social Media Marketing
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Post is included in group: Blogging & SEO

77 Comments on 13 Ways to Promote Your Blog

JUN

Hi Jeff, with such a common name as William Johnson ( at least a dozen and 3 in real estate here in San Diego) I was delighted that at least if someone knows my name , I did come up in a Googgle search. Ist actually.

Now If I could do that searching for San Diego real estate, I would be consider that awesome. Regretably, I am no where to to be found. I suppose it would cost in the range of many thousand dollars.

My SEO skills don't seem to be very good,:-)

Hi Jeff! I've bookmarked this as you've done a great job of summarizing great places to share your AR blog with current, past and potential clients. I have not done a good job of that to date and that is my July mission! Thanks for more awesome advice!

Jeff - This is a terrific list! I am using some of these methods (card, email signature, website), but I need to try a few of the others.

Does writing it on my kid's forehead count? Great list. this is what I've been working on lately.

I am just getting to the point where I feel that I have enough content to put it out there. I have bookmarked this post. Thanks for the summary.

Hi Jeff, Thanks for the short list of good ideas it is all about promote...promote...promote.

So I guess the whole "if you write it they will come" doesn't work? Just Kidding! Isn't ReBar camp great? So many good ideas and it's so motivating. Great list, I too am bookmarking. Thanks Jeff

All good ideas. Is there a way to link to a particular post on the Outside Blog? IF so I have not figured it out.

Jeff, great tips for promoting oneself. I've bookmarked this so I can refer to it later. thanks so much,

Brilliant ideas - many of which I am NOT currently using ... but will be !

Thank you Jeff ! You Da Man !!!!

Sheldon

Hi Jeff ~ This is a super list! It's going to be my to-do list - I've started on this but only scratched the surface. And thanks so much for the links to directories of directories.

Liz

I hadn't thought of including the link in my e-mail signature. Ill have to do that asap. Plus, you've provided some helpful links that I wasn't aware of. Thanks for the tips!

Jeff... this is a great list of reminders of how we can promote our blogs..

I am definately printing this list out for myself and put it on the wall. Thanx

Don't forget the opportunities to use category or tag index URLs as landing pages...

Jeff - This is a fantastic list. I have bookmarked this posting so I can refer to it as I develop my internet sites and improve my marketing materials.

Jeff..Don't you just love the things you learn at REBar Camp? .Look at these magical tips you learned and were kind enough to pass on ..Thank you

HelpfulHannah your friend in Philadelphia tweet this

Jeff Great ideas that can be easily incorporated in what we are already doing. Thanks for sharing.

Jeff - I love a good list, and this is a great one for bloggers. Thanks for compiling and sharing it.

William - well there needs to be a balance between SEO and writing what buyers and sellers want. Given the kind of person you are and wat you talk about, I think you are doing just fine. Being #1 on Google does NOT mean you will close more deals.

Thanks, Debe - I would be interested in hearing any other ideas YOU have, since you are so creative. I know this list is just a starting point. Just make a few changes at a time - it's the small things that count.

Jason - I think you are a fabulous promoter of your blog and business. Perhaps a topic on your radio station to gather some more ideas and generate discussion would be interesting AND helpful to many folks. Happy to help.

Sally - there is always someone who will try something first. That;s the power or marketing. Glad you stopped by adn hope you will share some other thoughts.

Jeff

Jeff - You've created a great starting point with this list of ways to promote our blogs. I've used many of the ones you mention and some not to the degree that I should be.

One thing I would add to the list is RealBird which I just wrote a post about. It's another great way of not only getting more exposure for our listings but gives you the ability to link to your website and blogs to it too.

Jeff,

Thanks for great ideas on how to get this out there. It seems you mentioned a little of this yesterday.

Jeff...

I'm bookmarking this. I have dome some of these but there are a few that I need to add to my blog armory. Thanks for a good post.

JUN

Jeff,

I appreciate your advice on getting people to my blog. You have included some very good ideas. Have you got any suggestions for keeping readers interest. Blogging is not a top priority in my day to day routine so sometimes my creativity is spent when I sit down to update.

Jeff

More great information; I have my work cut out for me everytime I read your post but I can't thank you enough for giving superb tips.

Jeff -

Great info!! I've bookmarked your post because I just know I'll want to come back to it again and again so I can refresh myself on what you wrote.

Thanks!

Hope you get points when a reader bookmarks, Jeff, 'cause I'm coming back to study too!

Jeff,

The only thing you missed that I do is have it tattooed on my back while participating in ultimate fighting events.....I am only kidding.

There is a local Real Estate brokerage here who uses a billboard....... Great advice. Thanks.

Jeff, great ideas! Thanks for sharing. Never thought of promoting my blog - website yes... Like the directories list - will go check those out now...

These are all great ideas. I have my blog URL on all printed materials including the flyers in my flyer boxes on my listings. Used to have it on my for sale sugns too. 60% of my visitors find me through Google so that works too.

great tips! now can you help me set up my blog to look like yours? with all of the links on the side etc?

thanks so much

Awesome, I use a few of these, but got some great ideas while reading your post. Thanks for sharing, Jim has excellent idea's.

This is a great list. There are several that we can certainly look in to adding. Thanks for sharing this!

Jeff you are so right and this is all good information. Luckily for me I have a team that allows me the time to do some of these task and not worry about whether the details of real estate are being taken care of.

Idea #1, back of business cards. I've heard about using that space before and it seemed like such a good idea. I continue to wonder when I'm going to run out of cards so I can use both sides next time!! Great idea.

I keep bouncing back and forth between simple and complicated cards. Anyone remember the business card of that guy in Men In Black. I really liked its simplicity.

Jeff - This is a teriffic list indeed ! We are doing most of the things that you mentioned but need to do more and be more consistent. I love the t-shirt idea ! And of course RE Bar camps rock !!! We went to the Philly one which was great a few weeks ago.

That's great, your blog on a T-shirt. Thanks for the tips. I'm always looking for new ways to get out there.

Great deas Jeff. I like the bookmarks idea too.

Jeff,

Great list. I use all of these now and a few others. I use these plus the additional ones when I coach people how to promote their blogs. :)

Steve

Jeff~

Reading your post was very helpful for me and my team. Reading the comments made me smile. When I read Sally Dunbar's comment, " Does writing it on my kid's forehead count?" I laughed aloud...and then I thought...hmmmmmmm.....not a bad idea!

Thanks for htis post. Generous as always.

Hi Jeff--You made my morning! My partner and I have been discussing all the ways to get our blogs out there. Now I don't have to spend hours researching everything else out there! Thanks for sharing.

Jeff,

thanks for the tips and espcecially for all the links.

It's great when a fellow member can attend an event and come back and tell us the take-aways.

take care!
Tamara

Jeff,

Great Post. Lots of great information.

Thanks for sharing,

Matt Naumann

Jeff,

Good list. I added my blog to my email signature but found that many people didn't get my emails because they went directly into their spam filter.

I'm not sure whther this is still true, but I haven't tried it again.

Brian

Jeff,

Thanks for the info. I would love to start a local blog, but don't have a clue on how to get stared. Can you point me to a good referance spot?

Jeff - thanks for sharing - now if only I could write some excellent Localism posts like yours...

SOme great ideas in here, going to go with the tatoo one myself....! I agree with Brian: my emails already get sent to spam with my websites attached to my email signature, so I don'think I can fit anything else on there.

I like the idea about handing out info at open houses - including printing out a blog post and hand it out.

I don't know if anyone else has done this but I use Google's Blogger and I have it inserted into my website, there's even a button for it on the left - like this:

What do you folks think of this?

This is a great list! It's an awesome reference not just for newbies, but also for some of us who have gotten so involved in our blogs that we forgot that we have to get the word out about them!

Great information. Thanks. And thank you also to all of your comments for their additions.

A most informative post. Tips that new bloggers would take forever to discover.

Thanks for the info. I need to spend more time doing that stuff but I am out of time right now.

Thanks Jeff for the compilation.

Jeff- Great list...I just bookmarked it!@ I appreciate it! I do some of these, but I am going to have to take the time (which we all have so much of) to learn or become profficient at some of the others!

Thanks again!

Darin

Thanks for the great post today. I'm saving it that's for sure.

Patricia Aulson/portsmouth nh

Jeff,

It's always good to use this list..I use some of them but there are people out there who might not like using all of them or haven't added everything yet. I do utilize most of it...thanks

Jeff, I had not given this much thought before, but it makes sense, especially adding the address on a business card, and e-mail signiture.

Thanks for the info .... I love your last thought on the t-shirts you place your blog on. Cool idea

I do most of that stuff but its not on my business card yet. My website is there which has a link to my blog.

Thank you for your post. It is always helpful to be reminded of marketing tips like this

Great list. I am guilty as charged - only down to point 5 or 6. Gotta get to work :)

REO's are hard work.

Very good, thank you! :) I bookmarked this one.

JUN

Jeff, great ideas. Though I'm using many of these, I'm reminded to add my blog address to my new business cards when I change photos next month! ;-)

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for sharing, taking your time to help in educating us!! You gave me some new information to incoporate into my "ideas box".

My 3 Blogs:

http://www.texasorganichome.com/ my newest- Word Press blog

http://austintexasrealestatengreenhappenings.blogspot.com/ Google/BlogSpot

http://skyrealtyaustin.com/blog/author/betty-saenz On Company Website

Great post and thanks for sharing. The directory of directories thanks a ton.

Nice and well put together, I enjoy simplicity. It can get overwhelming sometimes

Your post is very comprehensive! Very good.

Tere - I'm glad it was helpful, and look forward to hearing more from you.

Steve - and you do a good job at promotion.

Colleen - you're right. Not only do you come away with great idas but it stimulates thinking. And you meet some really neat people.

Gene - just open up your outside blog and pick the article you want to link to, like you would on your AR blog (Activerain.com/blogsview...) or with another site. Then copy the URL to use in the link just like normal. The difference would be that the URL is now http://YOUROUTSIDEBLOG.com.... Make sense? You can link to your Localism posts too in the same way. I link between all my blogs regularly, and between my blogs and my website.

Jeff

Rebecca - I'm glad it will be useful. Please share any other ideas YOU come up with.

Sheldon - It's all about sharing.

Liz - well the directories lists go on and on. There isn't time to list yourself in all of them but there are some that are consistently mentioned. And you'll see what folks here on AR use if you look in their sidebars. One step at a time.

William - ANYWHERE you list your website I would list your blog, as a starting point.

Jeff

I've purchased several new domains after reading your post. I've bookmarked it since there are many great ideas shared.

Jeff I think promoting your blog anywhere you can is a great idea. I bet having the t short gets a few looks:)

I've had a t-shirt made up from one of my photos via Vista Print. And also have one that has my website on it!

I love the idea of adding the blog address, say to the back of it! Hey, nothing like some shameless self promotion! Since my Broker does none anymore, I'm gonna have to get creative for sure!

And love the link back to Rebecca's blog about places to list your blog. Yet another thing on my "To-Do" list!