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10 Reasons Why Realtors Should Blog: There Are No Excuses

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Inner Architect

 

Jorn Barger Blog Pioneer

Courtesy Jorn Barger Wiki

As Business Director for Inner Architect, my first priority is solidifying relationships with prospective clients in our industries of choice. Before we focused on Direct Marketing driven social media marketing strategies for corporations, our first niche of focus was the employment niche.

As early as June of 2008, we began writing about how important blogging would be to job seekers in finding a new position. Throughout 2008 and through Q1 of 2009 we continued to postulate and support blogging as the near perfect method for job seekers to differentiate themselves in landing a job. Unfortunately our messages mostly fell on deaf ears–leaving us no choice but to look for other niches more willing to leverage blogging in their businesses.

Although many Realtors have adopted blogging, the vast majority (like job seekers) have ignored the benefits and failed to adopt blogging for their businesses. If you plan on staying in real estate for 5+ years, the following list of "Reasons" should make the payoff worth the effort.

In today’s world, Corporations, small businesses, and entrepreneurs have adopted blogging in a steady stream since the advent of Web 2.0. The actual number of established blogs is in debate, yet the rough estimate is that their are over 150,000,000 blogs in existence today.

The vast majority of Realtors are not  adopting blogging as a method and tool in their job search. Although this group has the need, and blogs are the nearly perfect application, the move to adoption is almost non existent. The following are 10 reasons why Realtors should blog.

10 Reasons Realtors Should Adopt Blogging

  1. Publishing Platform: a blog is the writing platform to begin creating content about you
  2. Control: blogging allows job seekers the opportunity to control their own information about their expertise and experience
  3. Delivery: blogs are delivery systems for a job seeker’s content. The url for articles can be delivered to potential employers that currently blog
  4. Networking: a blog allows Realtors to meet other bloggers; hopefully those new connections work for their targeted companies
  5. New Skills: by adopting blogging, Realtors begin to learn about Web 2.0, social networks, blog software, delivering links, and how the new paradigm shift of information is being formulated everyday
  6. Perception: Realtors that blog are perceived as being more savvy, as younger due to the perception that social media-blogging is a young person’s activity, and more relevant to employers because of these new skills
  7. Visibility: blogging allows Realtors more visibility as a blog is “open” 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. It is a organic, living resume
  8. Reputation Management: blogging provides a tool for Realtors to deliver messages that can correct or challenge erroneous information about them online
  9. Due Diligence: when people perform due diligence on a Realtor, the first place they begin is with a Google search. Prospective clients are looking for information in Google (and online) that will give them a clue as to that Realtor's understanding of the internet. Equally important is the fact that prospects are also searching for any bad behavior or personal information that might signal the Realtor is unfit to become a service provider
  10. Research: blogging requires research. Research requires skills in searching and finding information online which is a new skill for many job seekers. Research into specific subject matters that pertain to a job opening will increase a job seekers knowledge base on that subject
Sandy McAlpine
RE/MAX EXECUTIVE - Cornelius, NC
Search Lake Norman Homes For Sale - Lake Norman NC

It is true that some of the most successful real estate agents do not have time to blog, but I lost my marketing exposure when I was too busy handling the business I had at the time and not seeking new business by writing. It's as easy as making 15-30 min. a week or as long as you take to get your hair cut or manicure. Successful real estate agents can make time.

Nov 04, 2009 01:31 AM
Stephen Arnold
HomeSmart Elite Group - Scottsdale, AZ
CRS, GRI, SFR

Dean~  Cool Post!! I am starting to wrap my head around this whole 'blogging' idea and am trying to schedule some time each day to make a difference!! Great PIC in the post as well!! All the best this holiday season!!

Nov 04, 2009 01:54 AM
Sandy McAlpine
RE/MAX EXECUTIVE - Cornelius, NC
Search Lake Norman Homes For Sale - Lake Norman NC

It is true that some of the most successful real estate agents do not have time to blog, but I lost my marketing exposure when I was too busy handling the business I had at the time and not seeking new business by writing. It's as easy as making 15-30 min. a week or as long as you take to get your hair cut or manicure. Successful real estate agents can make time.

Nov 04, 2009 01:59 AM
Marian Pierre-Louis
Fieldstone Historic Research - Medway, MA
Metrowest Boston

Great top 10 list!  I totally agree with you about blogging.  I love blogging though I have to admit I am still fine tuning my skills in that area. But I will stick with it.

Nov 04, 2009 01:59 AM
Dean Guadagni
Inner Architect - San Rafael, CA

Teresa, so nice to see you! I think that blogging requires such short bursts and is so much easier than "long writing" that if a Realtor wanted to learn they could become proficient enough to blog. Just one man's opinion.

Hey everyone, check out Teresa's blog for tips on how to get it done right!

Brief Boy, I usually don't do this but I have no choice--You have NO clue dude. If you don't want to be found in Google because your business is so vibrant then what are you doing here on this social network?

Don't bother responding because this is the last note I am going to go with on your comment. Suffice it to say we agree to disagree and leave it at that.

Stephen thank you for the kind comment!

Sandy, here is the rub. I truly believe that many Realtors fall into the trap of spending time on activities that have no ROI. The other flaw I have seen are the countless Realtors who sit in their open houses doing nothing but sipping coffee, reading a paper, or writing handwritten postcard-mailers.

Easy tips: if you hold open houses, you will have more than 30 min of down time. Use your Sunday opens to write articles. You can crank out 1 or 2 solid articles in an hour once you have the skills.

Thanks everyone,

dean

Nov 04, 2009 02:22 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Blogging is my best tool and I cannot imagine doing my job without it.  Good post.

Nov 04, 2009 02:57 AM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Great list, Dean. #4, #5 & #9 really resonated with me and will be points of focus moving forward.

Nov 04, 2009 03:12 AM
Jirius Isaac
Isaac Real Estate &TriStar Mortgage - Kenmore, WA
Real Estate & loans in Kenmore, WA

Preaching to the choir, of course.

Nov 04, 2009 03:32 AM
Ben Giordano
RE/MAX Sun & Sea - Boca Raton, FL

Great points. Blogging is now mandatory to maintain online visibility.

Nov 04, 2009 05:05 AM
Real Estate Kareer - Sara Kareer, CLHMS
Re/Max Real Estate Centre Inc., Brokerage - Mississauga, ON
This Kareer Helps You Build Real Estate Wealth

Sometimes it feels like there aren't enough hours in the day...but blogging sure pays off (so I hear!)

Nov 04, 2009 05:13 AM
Sally Lawrence
Advantage Real Estate - Tehachapi, CA
Broker, CHS, e-Pro, SFR, REALTOR®

Dean,

Thanks for the list.  I'm just getting started with blogging.  My biggest fear is that I won't be able to keep up with it.  May run out of ideas, time, etc.

I'm not too sure we want to provide too much encouragement to those who think blogging is waste of time!

Nov 04, 2009 11:29 AM
DeeDee Riley
Lyon Real Estate - El Dorado Hills CA - El Dorado Hills, CA
Realtor - El Dorado Hills & the Surrounding Areas

Exactly Dean.  Great post! 

Nov 04, 2009 01:11 PM
Wayne B. Pruner
Oregon First - Tigard, OR
Tigard Oregon Homes for Sale, Realtor, GRI

Good advice. If blogging can make me seem younger, I'm for it!

Nov 04, 2009 03:26 PM
Mike Henderson
Your complete source for buying HUD homes - Littleton, CO
HUD Home Hub - 303-949-5848

I just need to be more consistent.  The remark of preaching to the choir is so true as someone stated earlier.  Everyone who sees this is at least reading blogs.  The irony of it all.

Nov 04, 2009 04:38 PM
James Lyon
Vista Pacific Realty - Sacramento, CA

Great post and I love the beard, nice top ten here.

Nov 04, 2009 04:45 PM
Anonymous
Anonymous

Blogging can be classified as part of prospecting. If you do not prospect (market) daily, your real estate business will have ups and downs.

Ty

Nov 04, 2009 08:49 PM
#67
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

I am going to agree with Sardi here, loan officers not blogging far outweight realtors.  LO's are still sending out stupid rate sheets and delivering them in person. How 90's.  That guys photo gives me the willies.

Nov 05, 2009 03:28 AM
Robert Reid
Premier Real Estate - Vancouver, WA
OR & WA Real Estate

Thank You! You have given even more reasons why I should stay on top of my blogging.

Nov 05, 2009 05:02 AM
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

Blogging is good but time is my enemy. Need to make more time for blogging!

Nov 05, 2009 07:52 AM
Mark Velasco
West Shores Realty - Whittier, CA
Top Producing Broker Associate

Great reasons to blog Dean. You forgot- Great Google exposure.

Nov 05, 2009 05:45 PM