Do you ask yourself some version of this question on a fairly regular basis. I suppose when in doubt you can always fall back to blogging about your listings but I have never really felt this was a good blog. Always seems like more of a Postlet activity. Blogs I have found that work for me when I know I have nothing to write about is what has sold in my local market. People are very interested in what has sold and for how much. Simple and informative. But lacking in some way.

But keeping in mind that content is king on the internet you can't just blog about your listings and other peoples sales. The consumer is looking for more information than that about real estate. Position yourself as the expert they are looking for. Be the real estate professional that sets yourself above the rest with valuable information.

Instead of venting about all the negatives you see in the market how about getting creative with your blog. Create some simple checklists for Buyers and Sellers. My "Getting Ready to Sell" blogs garnered me an interview with Dow Jones Marketplace.com Those blogs have been picked up by AOL real estate and Yahoo Finance. It all about information the consumer is interested in. Helpful checklists are easy reads.

Blog about the amenities and history of your area. I have popular bogs that focus on the farmers market schedules, local factory outlets (Stonewall Kitchens), and town histories. It helps your search engine optimization to be cross linked with several subjects. Blog about moving tips, local wifi connections, the library, radon, arsenic, the most cost effective home improvements, local specialty recipes, landscaping, fire safety tips and local non-profit fundraising events.

Real estate is more than just houses. It is the entire area that people want to know about. Do you have amusement parks, historic homes, fishing, beaches, church suppers, music, sporting events in your area? Well then you have something to write about. A blog isn't very long - a blog is not a book! The best read logs average 300-500 words.

Always remember to link your blogs to you web site to increase its content. There is always something to write about - think about what your audience wants to hear about. For me Active Rain is about learning from other agents, your personal blog on Blogger might be more of a private diary, blogs on your website should always be written with the consumer in mind.

Happy Blogging! May you always be in the flow of ideas!

(c) Shannon Aldrich, The Real Estate Learning Group