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Does the Public Actually Read and Respond to Real Estate Blogging?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 47-1016768

Does the Public Actually Read and Respond to Real Estate Blogging? 

by Rebecca Howard

Two Heads are Better than One

I've often pondered the value of blogging.  I admit, it took a while for me to catch on to the idea of blogging.  It requires time, thought, effort and energy from me in ways that I still can't explain.  Most times, at the end of my busy day I would just like to relax and read my newspapers--yes plural.

This time was different.  After much debate about the benefits of blogging, I wanted to decided to step outside of my comfort zone and blog about new construction going on in our community.  You may remember my blog in May 2013 about Orland Park New Construction for the Ashley Oaks subdivision.  We didn't have many pictures to use for this post since the project was literally just starting, but decided to post anyway.  That was in early May 2013. 

Patience Pays Off in a Big Way

To answer that question: Does the Public Actually Read and Respond to Real Estate Blogging, I can honestly say YES! Blogging is much like farming.  You plant seeds and cultivate the soil and soon you will see results.  Of course there are no promises that you will have an instant or abundant harvest each and every time you post a blog.  Time and  unforeseen occurrence have their way with our lives and sometimes things do not turn out to be as desirable as you would like or think they should.

It might even be presumptuous to blog about a surprising experience I had from a recent post about a month ago. After just a few weeks and a few calls and emails from curious buyers,  I am happy to report that I am actually meeting with a potential client and the builder this weekend! Can you believe it?  Needless to say, I am very excited.

Now I am typically 'point on' about how to do my business. Blogging has not been a part of it up to now.  This is a new trend for me but I now have renewed confidence in the fact that in this case blogging works. 

This client actually read my Active Rain post and followed up and registered on my website.  The initial efforts to make contact seemed somewhat shaky; either we always seems to have a bad phone connection or calls were being dropped.  I almost gave up in frustration but following my better judgment I decided to stick with it.  What was it that  attracted this potential client?  It was the useful information found in my blog about the subdivision. 

It matters little at this point about the end result.  I am so happy that things have turned around in my thinking and I am a true believer that if you blog, you never have to wonder Does the Public Actually Read and Respond to Real Estate Blogging? Blogging works!

How Can I Help You Today? 

I became a real estate agent because I wanted to help people.  There are few occupations that allow you to do that with the same feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction like real estate.  So whether you are a first-time home buyer or need to up-size, down-size, or right-size, I am here to help.  You can be confident that I have the personality to work with anyone who is sincere and honest, and together we can find the way to make your real estate dreams come true.

I will continue to blog about communities that I find to be unique and believe that the public are interested in.  It is my goal to provide information that is useful and will help you make your move confidently.  After all that's why I am  The Community Expert!

Posted by

Rebecca Howard, Broker

Rebecca Howard, Managing Broker

15255 S. 94th Ave. Suite 544

Orland Park, IL 60462

Mobile: 708.703.0684

Serving Chicagoland and the Southwestern Suburbs

Recognized | Respected | Recommended

It's important that you know, my purpose is for you to be so outrageously happy with the help I provide that you'll gladly introduce me to at lease two people you really care about before your transaction closes. Not because you feel obligated, but because you truly believe they'll benefit.

 

 

 

Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Welcome to my world of "blogging for business".

There doesn't have to be a direct link between a specific post and a response from a consumer. 

It's the synergy between the blog post, the blog site, the agent's web site and Google.

You're either connected or not.  I figure, if it doesn't hurt your advertising, do it. 

Jun 28, 2013 12:09 AM
Brad MacKenzie
Brad MacKenzie - Duxbury, MA
Turning Houses into Homes on the South Shore

Good post and good result! It's worth the time.

Jun 28, 2013 12:32 AM
Ron Aguilar
Gateway Mortgage Group - Saint George, UT
Mortgage & Real Estate Advisor since 1995

blogging is surely worth the effort but I also suggest blogging to a specific list of people by direct mail and email. 

Jun 28, 2013 12:48 AM
Andrea HoffDomin
Florida Dream Homes Realty - Fort Lauderdale, FL
- in Real Estate always on your side!

Thank you for sharing and you are right. Everything needs time to grow and become known and every reader is different. Sometime a specific blog hits a very important point the mind of a reader but not in the mind of another. 

Jun 28, 2013 01:30 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

Blogging is one arrow in our quiver... and we never know what will work when and sometimes even why. So it's important to cover all the major bases.

Jun 28, 2013 01:34 AM
Fernando Herboso - Associate Broker MD, & VA
Maxus Realty Group of Samson Properties - Clarksburg, MD
301-246-0001 Serving Maryland, DC and Northern VA

You have open up something that I questioned a few months ago about this. .

I went very far with this same question. .

This is specifically about ActiveRain

I do think that most bloggers here on the rain should know that their posts are "accidentally" found on the Internet. .

I give your post about new construction as an example. .

Your blog is not about new construction on a specific place. .

It is just one post on a general blog

If I'm a consumer. .I want the source. .not an afterthought. .

So, when writing on ActiveRain and taking in account this. .

We must give the consumer a compelling reason to stay there and driven them to a page on your own website to capture them for more information. .otherwise. .there is no value for your effort .. 

You have 3 to 5 seconds at most. .they have to see value as soon as they land on your blog and it better be exactly what they are looking for. .no tricks on your title. .or they are gone

The biggest mistake I see many people do. .is to hold the door open for consumers to come into your world(your blogs and websites) and let them figure it out on their own  where to go next. .

The perfect system is to open the door and let your systems in place to carry them from section to section until they get served with your product. .

Its exhausting work. .but necessary. .work on progress for me. .everyday

 

 

 

Jun 28, 2013 01:40 AM
Rebecca Howard
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Orland Park, IL
Recognized | Respected | Recommended

I apologize for not addressing each one personally, but I do thank you ALL for your comments and appreciate them very much.  They are dear to me.

Trust me, this is not easy work.  However, I am looking for ways to dig inside and draw up the person I am inside and express it in words.  It's encouraging to read how successful so many of you are.  I am inspired and believe I can do it too.  Its not just about sales, but about finding new friends and building relationships.

For some of you that I read regularly; Lenn, Charita, Brad, Fernando, Edward & Celia, it is good to hear from you.  

Thank you. More to come.

Jun 28, 2013 02:24 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Tomorrow I am showing homes to two buyers who found me on line at ActiveRain.  Of course blogging works.

Jun 28, 2013 02:35 AM
Kimo Jarrett
Cyber Properties - Huntington Beach, CA
Pro Lifestyle Solutions

Another great testimonial, however, how much time is devoted to your blogging from concept to posting? Just exactly how much time in hours do you use for a single posting? 

Jun 28, 2013 02:36 AM
Ivo Henfling
GoDutch Realty Costa Rica - International, IT

Blogging is well worth the effort Rebecca, but it takes up a lot of time and effort. I write 1 or 2 blogs every week for my two websites and it took me two years to build up a good and steady readership. I have now almost 500 blogs in my name and I have a lot of people who can't wait for my newsletters to arrive. But it takes up a lot of time you can't be on the road with clients, so you have to figure out how not to work 15-hour workdays if you wnat to do it right. Each blog takes me about 1 hour to write, but you need the time to put in the right backlinks, the right photos that go with it and then put it all in the newsletter. Hiring someone to do all that unfortunately won't work.

Jun 28, 2013 03:42 AM
Travis "the SOLD man" Parker; Broker/Owner
Travis Realty - Enterprise, AL
email: Travis@theSOLDman.me / cell: 334-494-7846

Thank you for the reminder and inspiration to be more active in my Blogging.

Jun 28, 2013 03:52 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Absolutely right! Yes, they do and I just love it when I get that phone call. 

Jun 28, 2013 05:30 AM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Rebecca - what a great testimonial to blogging. Kudos to you for starting the process, gaining a new client and a builder!

Jun 28, 2013 05:35 AM
Paddy Deighan MBA JD PhD
http://www.medicalandspaconsulting.com - Vail, CO
Paddy Deighan J.D. Ph.D

I havbe receoved clients from blogs that I wrote here more than a year prior...this does work...we all ahve to keep blogging...unless it is about a facvorite ice cream store in Martha's Vinelyard

Jun 28, 2013 06:26 AM
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

It will become easier over time. Get a leg up on the competition who's not doing it. Besides, your posts are always working for you, night & day, rain or shine.

Jun 28, 2013 07:31 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Blogging works for me as a copywriter, too. But as you pointed out - it doesn't happen over night. 

I believe the fact that blogging doesn't generally provide instant results is the reason why so many agents don't do it. It's their loss. 

Jun 29, 2013 05:49 AM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate

Rebecca and Marte:  Blogging is similar in some respects to Chinese water torture.  It can take a very long time. 

There are those who say that in blogging, Knowledge is King.  If that is true, then Consistency is Queen.  And we both know it's the Queen who runs the show.

Blogging is a very gradual thing.  But it has to be consistent.  It has to be done, in my opinion, in such a way that the reader ends up forming the habit of looking for our next post, and reading it... on an ongoing basis.

One thing it does NOT do... is happen overnight.

Jun 29, 2013 08:25 AM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Rebecca, congratulations on becomming the community expert, your blogging is paying off.  I cant wait until I get my first client from all of this blogging.

Jun 29, 2013 02:38 PM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate-Kansas City Homes - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

Ever since I started blogging, I have rec'd more and more inquires via the web.  I was shocked.  Keep going Rebecca, it does pay off.  I am like you--I do not like to make time to do it.  I am not a good writer and when I do blog, I rewrite, edit, try to make my blog look professional but it's still pretty ugly compared to most.  But it still works somehow!

Jul 04, 2013 10:33 AM
William May
Century 21 / Union Realty - Torrance, CA
Your Family Realtor For Life

Rebecca, Vary good post. your post is helping me be a better bloger. Thanks.

Jul 29, 2013 04:36 PM