We’ve trained hundreds of real estate agents to make the blog an effective marketing tool.  We run them through a dozen hours of personal training classes, aiming to keep them on track to success. 

The following represent the most common issues that we help them recognize in or to keep them focused.

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1. Worrying About Design Before the Writing

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This is akin to planning a wedding before you have even met your husband/wife to be.  Before you even ‘deserve’ a great looking home for your blogging, you need to have shown a solid commitment to The Writing. 

Our process with our new clients is to get them to start thinking and acting like bloggers while their custom design is being developed.  The process usually takes around 4 weeks, providing us with ample time to establish a strong commitment in the form of 10–12 well written articles.

Not to take away from a killer design, but the impression that you should want to make with your blog is that you are an Expert, delivering a Consistent Message.  This will gain you an audience, to whom you have earned the right to show-off you fancy site.

More on this topic: 
Why Am I Blogging Again?

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2. Failing To Establish A Clear Focus for the Content

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If we stick with the idea that the common blogging goal which we all share is to gain and retain an audience, then we need to consider their experience.

Good headlines and great content will surely gain the audience, but keeping them there, and earning their subscription and return visit is the real trick.  Categories, Related Posts, Tags, a Mission Statement and clear Calls To Action are your opportunity to make your message clear.  But the first thing you need to do is carve out exactly what topics of content you plan to deliver on a consistent basis.

If your audience is confused as to what categories of content they are going to get from your blog, they aren’t going to bother subscribing.  You put $1 down and pick up a newspaper without even looking inside because you know what you are getting (local news, world news, sports, business, entertainment, comics, etc).  Your audience needs to react with a similar understanding.  When they recognize a solid commitment to a clear group of topics that meet their interests, they will commit to you in the form of subscription.

More on this topic: 
Your Real Estate Blog is Your Newspaper.

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3. Failing to Recognize and Write to Their Ideal Reader

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In order to gain the right audience, you need to define them.  I know that most of you have worked with all ages, all incomes, all races, and have gone miles in all directions to help them… but who do you want to work with?  Define him/her, and then write to him/her.  Take a second, write down who they are and even name them if you have to. 

When you can visualize the reader, it is much easier to explain things to them.  What’s easier, explaining something to a friend or to a room full of strangers?  When you ‘know’ your audience, it will be much easier to hatch and deliver your ideas.

More on this topic: 
8 Things That You Are Not Doing On Your Real Estate Blog, But Should Be.

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4. Failing to Read and Learn from Other Bloggers

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To become a better writer you need to be an avid reader.  We learn from example, and there is no shortage of fantastic writers in and out of the RE.net. 

Read from the perspective of a writer.

I learn something every blog surfing session.  I see new formatting ideas, new call-to-action approaches, new PlugIns, etc.  But before all that, the new blogger can pick up so much from established bloggers.  Blogging is not like other forms of writing, and reading others will help you recognize the rhythm and formatting that works best.

In addition to learning the writing style, new bloggers will notice the dedication shown by the successful.  This is the most valuable lesson of them all. 

More on this topic: 
7 Reasons Why Your Local Real Estate Blogging Peers Are Not Your Competition. 
How Twitter Makes You a Better Writer

For Pitfalls 5-11, you'll need to click through to the original location of this article on Real Estate Tomato.

The 11 Most Common Pitfalls For New Real Estate Bloggers

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