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Blogging Rules, I'm Confused, Do I Have Any Company?

By
Managing Real Estate Broker with Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 TN Broker: 208698

Blogging RulesBlogging Rules, I'm Confused, Do I Have Any Company? Oh what to blog about, the ideas are really endless. But then again you have to listen to the experts and when I say that I am referring to the SEO Experts here in the Rain and the awesome staff of AcitveRain that only want the very best for us in our rankings on the web.

So should we do localism posts thet tell the public what is happening in our area? They say yes but not too much. What is Too Much? One SEO Expert suggests not over 30% of what we blog about. Okay I can live with that. I am really getting into what is happening around town and it has spiced up my social life from dog events to eating chocolate to swimming at midnight. I am becoming a party animal of sorts because I am in the know and don't want to miss anything. These posts are getting lots of clicks too..

Do you blog about a specific listing? Maybe, maybe not. Getting too specific as Bob Stewart says limits our staying power and the effectiveness of the post once it is sold and gone. Then I guess it may be in the keywords selection. Blog in general about an area or subdivision and put a highlight about your listing with a link to the listing. Years later that shouldn't make any consumer angry when the link is broken. Maybe that is killing two birds with one stone. I can put the photo of my listing and link it to its own page. Now that would be a slick way to get the info on my listing in there.

Leave the flowery words out of the title. Okay I can do that but I am a flowery word kind of gal. If I am trying to direct the consumer to a specific area or product, I am to use descriptive words like 4 bedrooms, separate office, mother in law suite, waterfront, lake view, near Microsoft, etc. and leave the marvelous and fantastic and beautiful words out of the keyword phrases. I am told I can still put them down in the body if I must to paint the descriptive picture. You can bet I will be doing that.

Blogging rulesIs it good to talk about our real estate experiences? While it may make us feel better to do so and it may help a colleague prepare and not make the same mistake, the public with probably not care because they will not be searching for our worst day in real estate, or the buyer that stood me up again. So with that said I must keep myself in check and refocus again. I will just have to slip one of these in every now and then. It makes me feel better too.

So what about market reports and numbers? This one is tricky because the consumer wants the information but they want it in simple terms. I like the graphs and the pretties that tell the story but if I give them too much at one time they are overwhelmed and move on and may never return. Less is better I guess and I should use very simple graphs or just write out the numbers. Someone said, Put it in 8th grade language. But I like those pretty, colorful graphs. Oh what to do.

Should I put links in to my other posts or lead them to outside sources? Bob says both but make it valuable, so the question is Are my past posts valuable? I have a little work to do to see if they would qualify as such. I know I thought they were valuable posts when I wrote them but are they still?

What about pictures? Oh yes people like pictures but not too many and where you put them and how big and what they are of all play into it. So if I like the photo it still may not be the one to put in the post for the most effect. And pixel size matters according to another SEO expert. Too big is bad so I guess I have been bad a lot lately. I am a very visual person so I like photos and they inspire me to take better photos.

Solution? I guess step one is to write valuable posts first then link to them with my other posts that are simple with the proper keyword phrases. And I shouldn't talk too much about my individual listings but focus generally about the subdivisions so I can be recognized as the expert in the area. Use photos but make then relevant and not too large pixel wise. After doing all that I can write about a few local events but always remember to let the public know I am in real estate and I really want their real estate business and I am doing this so they will trust me and give me their business. If I feel I have to talk about my real estate experiences then first I need to tell my friend, my mother or an associate and if that didn't relieve me of my need to share then go ahead and blog about it realizing the public doesn't care nearly as much as I do. Is there really a solution?

Blogging Rules, I'm Confused, Do I Have Any Company? Rules, suggestions, helpful tips, guidance, advice and words of wisdom? Which do you follow?

 

Posted by

 Centruy 21 Platinum Properties2130 Wilma Rudolph Blvd.

Clarksville, TN 37040

When you need Real Estate services in Clarksville TN

                  it would be my pleasure to assist you!                             

Debbie Reynolds
"The Real Debbie Reynolds"

Check out all Clarksville TN Real Estate on My Website

                   
                   
931-771-9070 Office | 931-320-6730 Cell

Clarksville TN Homes 

                 

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Comments (44)

Tiffany Sniezek
RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring, TX 713-594-9639 direct, - The Woodlands, TX
Tiffany Sniezek 713-594-9639 RE/MAX Woodlands TX
Debbie, your post definitely gave me lots to think about! Now that I have gotten the hang of this blogging thing a bit more, I am going to try to pay attention to theses things but most importantly, I just have to blog! Your list here definitely gives some great points to try!
Jan 24, 2013 01:35 PM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

Most of the time, I blog about "nothing"..............but I'm certainly not a good example to follow.  I just love having fun "in the Rain".

Jan 24, 2013 08:43 PM
Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

This is a great post giving advice. I write about everything you mentioned and depending on the post, link to old posts and outside information. As for photos, I use all sizes but never REALLY small ones since you can hardly see what it is in those really small photos some use.

Jan 24, 2013 08:58 PM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Based on your observations, I am doing everything wrong with my blogging.  The best test of any real estate blog is results based.  The only good blogs for business are those that are productive.  

I hope you are having a most productive month as home buyers continue to take advantage of the very low mortgage interest rates.

Jan 24, 2013 11:54 PM
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

That is a great list to incorportate into your daily blogging thought process. Use common sense, bring something of value to others and someone will want to read what you write.

Jan 25, 2013 12:27 AM
David Grbich
Realty One Group - www.FindCARealEstate.com - San Juan Capistrano, CA
Orange County Real Estate - 949-500-0484

Hi Debbie, first of all "Suggested"! No doubt that this can be confusing but can be simplified by the when in doubt just do it approach - better to blog than not. The only thing I would add to your list is that we need diversity in our blogging - all blogs coming from AR is not necessarily a good thing. This is a tough one as AR blogs do well in G search results but the value of the backlinks diminish if all from one source - AR. I am trying to work on this but not easy since AR performs better than most other blogging platforms. Regards Dave

Jan 25, 2013 12:40 AM
Connie Harvey
Pilkerton Realtors - Brentwood, TN
Realtor - Nashville TN Real Estate

Debbie, I try to write about some of everything. Real Estate is important, but they don't really get to know you unless you post about other things too. I think you're already doing a great job mixing it up!

Jan 25, 2013 05:14 AM
Rebecca Urban
Becky Cleaning Service - Pocono Lake, PA
The one to call when you really want it clean.

You don't sound confused at all to me. If you want confused come visit me. There's so much going on here that sometimes I find myself turned inside out. This post helped a lot, thank you!

Jan 25, 2013 06:29 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Debbie,

Suggested!

If found this to be very helpful. I've been doing it all wrong and your outline helps a lot!

Thank you so much for all the valuable information. This is a keeper!!!

Jan 25, 2013 07:26 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Thank you all for the suggestions and other strategies. We do need to enjoy our blogging foremost. The Blogging Rules are a moving target and we all have our styles. I love Roy Kelleys posts and photos, so please don't change. I like the information I learn about local markets and reading others posts. The sharing is the best part.

Keep on Blogging!

Jan 25, 2013 10:47 AM
Sondra Meyer:
EXP Realty, LLC - Corpus Christi, TX
See It. Experience It. Live It.

Debbie,

You did a great job of summarizing all of the things that I keep hearing that we need to consider.   As you mentioned, it seems like there are pros and cons to each of the suggestions.   Ultimately, I guess it depends on what the real purpose of your blog is and why you are blogging. 

I agree with you, we need to enjoy the blogging that we do.   It isn't the only way to market, it is time consuming for me at least, so I want to be able to enjoy it. 

Jan 25, 2013 02:38 PM
Jill Sackler
Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc. 516-575-7500 - Long Beach, NY
LI South Shore Real Estate - Broker Associate

Why has this not been featured? It's excellent. Here's at least one blogging rule that should exist: great posts should be featured.

Jan 26, 2013 08:28 AM
Hella Mitschke Rothwell
(831) 626-4000 - Honolulu, HI
Hawaii & California Real Estate Broker

Debbie: With 36 comments, I am surprised that you are not being "featured" yet. So I just "suggested" you even though I come to the party late. But then, this probably explains your blogging questions. Who really knows what works ABSOLUTELY? Your guess is as good as mine. I just keep blogging stuff that interest me, or that comes up during the day. I am just getting smarter about using NAMES of things in the heading, places and locations in the body copy, and a few photos that I like to make it look more fun.

Two things I do, I write a blog a day (so far so good) and I make my 10 comments a day. Would like to do more, but I have a life and business to run. And my friends want me to talk to them on Facebook, and Barbara Todaro wants me on Google+

Jan 26, 2013 11:05 AM
Brenda Mullen
RE/MAX Associates - San Antonio, TX
Your San Antonio TX Real Estate Agent!!

I am shocked that this wasn't featured yet.  You have a lot of great questions here Debbie...my answers..do what you feel comfortable doing.  

Key words are paramount no matter what type of blog you are doing for consumers.  I am not a huge localism type of gal...too much work for me IMO.  I gravitate towards buyer and seller tips and of course I blog about my listings...should they be an endless stream of listings...IMO NOT unless you don't want anyone to read you lol ;).  

Links...very important too...links to your sites and other posts that keep readers with you.  I have heard that sometimes links to authority sites like schools in the area give you a lot of juice too...just make sure to always open those types of links in a different window.

Those are just a few of my opinions, bottom line DRIVE comsumers to your sites for business and rack em up lol :).

Suggested by the way.

Jan 26, 2013 11:06 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Sondra, Jill, Hella and Brenda, Do not despair, this post is too old now to get any attention. I am glad at least you all felt it worthy. This is another lesson we can learn together.

Jan 26, 2013 12:03 PM
Bob Stewart
ActiveRain - Seattle, WA
ActiveRain Ambassador

I think at the end of the day there is no exact right answer. Once you are consistently blogging then it becomes a matter of preference. What do you enjoy blogging about.......

That being said, the subdivision and condo complex posts are the best ones for generating real estate specific traffic. All the rest of it, I'd say write about what you enjoy writing about. Then it's something you want to do instead of something you have to do, or should be doing.

Jan 27, 2013 03:30 AM
Marti Steele Kilby, CRS
Steele Group Realty - La Mesa, CA
Broker/Owner, San Diego, CA

And here I thought I was the only one a bit confused and overwhelmed.  You hit the nail on the head regarding each of my worries about writing for my blogs!  I too like to write, so often my posts are just about what's on my mind versus a well thought out marketing ploy.  I'd like to think there was a real method to my posts, but alas, not so much. 

Jan 27, 2013 08:56 AM
Kristin Hamilton CA REALTOR
Berkshire Hathaway California Realty - Beaumont, CA
(909) 557-6966- Specialize 55+ Communties Banning

Hi Debbie,

Great post and it seems you hit the nail right on the head. We do one thing and it doesn't work and then we try something else and maybe not very effective so we are confused about what we should be doing. Bob Stewart is our resident expert here at AR and his information is right on and Debbie, your information is too. Thanks so much for putting a complicated subject in laymen terms. Happy Monday.

Jan 28, 2013 12:01 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Bob, That is what I thought. If you aren't enjoying it a little you won't stick with it.

Marti, If you are having fun don't worry. I think when all is said and done it will work out.

Kristin, I had no idea a year ago of what a blog was. So it really is whatever we want it to be.

Jan 28, 2013 04:09 AM
Jack Wickham
Clarksville, TN
Building with Integrity

It is all very confusing to me. I guess when I get started it will feel like it is falling into place.

Jan 28, 2013 09:28 AM