Abandoned Real Estate Blogs - Is It a Growing Trend in Our Industry?

It seems a week doesn't go by that a Dakno blogging boot camp student doesn't ask that million dollar question, "What should I blog about?" I like the fact that they are asking the question. New bloggers are so energized and enthusiastic. They still have that sparkle in their eyes. And when they get their new blog, you would think it's Christmas morning all over again. I've heard Christmas arrives each day for 80,000 new blog sites. That's a lot of new blogs hitting the blogosphere. On the flip side, I wonder how many blogs were abandoned today?

The Reasons for Shipwrecked Blogs

Too often I see relics of old blogs left high and dry, abandoned by their owners. What a shame. These valuable online tools going to waste. No doubt, the owners:

1. Became "to busy" to write post
2. Maybe lost interest never recognizing the real value in blogging
3. Maybe even suffered blogger's burnout
4. Perhaps encountered a terminal case of writers block

Other Reasons for Shipwrecks

Then again, maybe the blog owners had legitimate reasons for putting their blog aside. Could it be they chose another blogging platform and left the old blog for a new one? If you must do this, why not place a static "page" as your landing page on the old blog so it's not so immediately evident the blog has been abandoned.

Either way, as a real estate web marketing consultant and blogging enthusiast, it saddens me to see these portals left behind. Honestly, I can't understand why the blog owner doesn't just put the poor thing out of its misery. Why even pay the hosting fees to keep the poor thing alive? Especially if it doesn't bring you business or help you with your SEO strategy.

Can a Consumer Tell if a Blog Has Been Abandoned?

I think so. With most blogs there are tell-tale signs that a blog has been ignored. It's real easy to see when the last dated post was added. Besides, many blog post contain a "calendar" in the side bar which is a clear indication when the last blog post might have been written.

What Kind of Message Does an Abandon Blog Send

Does it matter that a blog has been abandoned? Again, I have to indicate in the affirmative. So I began to ponder what difference it might make to a consumer.

• Do you think it could communicate to the consumer that the blogger was "less than professional" not maintaining their site?
• Is it possible consumers might conclude that the owner of the "failed blog" might be a good starter of initiatives but be viewed as a "poor" finisher?
• Could an agent simply say, "I became too busy to maintain my blog" and a consumer accept that answer without making any negative judgments?

Maybe. Right or wrong, reality or perception, what message do you think an abandoned blog sends to consumers? Do you think it makes a difference? Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Helping you blog smarter!

Bobby Carroll

Your Real Estate Marketing Partner

P.S. Be sure to visit my blog on the Crystal Coast!