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Ask An Ambassador: Be Original & Local

By
Real Estate Agent with Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com SAL.2002007747

Whether you're a rookie blogger or experienced, topic choice can be a challenge.

What will it take to attract attention to your blog?

And we've all heard the saying real estate is local, right?

So for the most part while I might find it interesting to see how the real estate market in California behaves, there's usually VERY little correlation between a Cali feeding frenzy on a new listing and what happens here in Ohio suburbia.

The Cali seller gets 50 offers well over full list, I get 3 on a brand new condo listing and I consider it a REALLY good day for my seller.

So when I consider what works for attracting buyers and sellers with my blog I keep coming back to ONE REAL TRUTH:  My most successful business generating content is real estate related and focused on my LOCAL market.

I can write all I want of "generic" content about getting preapproved, how real estate agency works, negotiating strategies, etc., and not a word of it is likely to cause my phone to ring.  The content is good for filling a FAQ section on our website, but it will never get ranked high enough by the search engines to be found.

And if I were to theoretically use some service such as Keeping Current Matters to fill my blog, we have the issue of 1001 other agents posting the exact same content.  It's always easy to see on the blog roll when KCM releases a new topic as agent after agent posts the same title to ActiveRain, and very few of them tinker with the post to put their own spin on the topic.

And while reblogs might be nice for providing content, those posts generally don't fall into the category of being LOCAL real estate related.

So while this might seem like a broken record from me, what works to make my phone ring is very simple:  LOCAL CONTENT THAT DIRECTLY INVOLVES HOMES FOR SALE.

IDX Search pages and posts that tie to them are what make my phone ring more than anything else I write.

  • Subdivisions
  • New construction
  • Specific home type searches (patio homes, condos)
  • Specific home feature searches (3 car garage, basements, 1st floor masters, etc.)

The beauty of these type posts is they are generally evergreen and keep working year after year and some have directly led to multiple sales in the same community.

Those posts are both original and locally tailored to give area consumers unique information they will not find on the real estate portals.  And written properly, the bots find them and put them right where the consumer can find them on Page 1.

So while a polished piece from KCM might be appealing and require little effort, I don't expect it to make your phone ring.  Not original, not local.

Find the topics that matter for YOUR local market and make it work for you.

Until next Tuesday, just Ask An Ambassador if you need help,

Bill of Bill & Liz aka BLiz

Posted by

Serving Warren County Ohio & Adjacent Areas

The Liz Spear Team of Transaction Alliance
Elizabeth Spear, ABR, Ohio License SAL.2002007747

William (Bill) Spear, Ohio License SAL.2004011109  Kentucky 77938
Ask for us by name if you visit the office!

EHO
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Liz Direct: 513-265-3004     
Fax: 866-302-8418

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Comments(11)

Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

Interesting topic, and something we all need to consider as Ben Kinney focuses on localism as we move forward.

Oct 06, 2020 07:59 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

I suspect Ben's version of localism and mine may diverge.  I've tried the local stores, restaurants, festivals approach and ultimately I got calls, but none of them were real estate related.  Focusing on homes for sale variations is what works for me.

Oct 07, 2020 05:43 AM
Chris Ivy
Ivy Vine Investments - Memphis, TN
Sell Your House Fast For Cash In Memphis Tennessee

Awesome post Liz and Bill!  Articles like this has definitely helped me with how I write my blogs now.  Local relevant info is key.

Oct 06, 2020 10:25 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

Glad to help!

Oct 07, 2020 05:43 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Bill(and Liz too) - some records need to be replayed.  It's often the way that a message is heard.  

Oct 07, 2020 04:27 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

And different audiences different days, so hopefully the broadcast signal is strong enough to reach those it can help.

Oct 07, 2020 05:44 AM
Lise Howe
Keller Williams Capital Properties - Washington, DC
Assoc. Broker in DC, MD, VA and attorney in DC

So worthy of a featured post!  KCM provides great information - sometimes - about the real estate process but you are right- it is generic and found in 50,000 facebook pages and elsewhere - go local! 

Oct 07, 2020 04:50 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

They're definitely well written, but I've found any post that can applied nationally probably doesn't have much business generating power for me.  And often what is happening in my local market may be unlike what is happening in the major market centers that the journalists are basing their articles on.

Oct 07, 2020 05:45 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

I have received calls on event-type posts, but those aren't from people who have wanted to buy or sell. "Is the festival going to be rescheduled due to rain?"

I do think the subdivision/houses/real estate related ones are great!

Oct 07, 2020 05:47 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

That was my experience.  Kids calling to know if they had to have an adult with them for a festival, a restaurant wanting to reserve a table at a festival, etc.  And while I'd help where I could, those weren't business productive calls for me, so I veered away from those posts.

Oct 07, 2020 06:05 AM
Peter Mohylsky, Beach Expert
PMI. Destin - Miramar Beach, FL
Call me at 850-517-7098

All real estate is local.  people want different stuff but be true to your business. do what works for you.  you can only send out so many recipe cards.  

Oct 07, 2020 07:09 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

And recipes might work fine for some people, but I'm no chef :)

Oct 07, 2020 08:07 AM
Margaret Goss
@Properties - Winnetka, IL
Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate

Regarding your response to Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543 above, I agree that IDX searches of homes is the #1 way to attract clients.

But - I've had good luck with those other localism posts such as new stores, restaurants, etc because I've just met with somebody NEW and done a nice thing for them. And they have consequently used me for real estate purchases, sales, or referrals!

Oct 07, 2020 07:38 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

And I know that path can work for some, but for me, I didn't have the time to do both angles.  So something had to give and local angle posts gave way to subdivisions, new construction, etc.

Oct 07, 2020 08:09 AM
Joe Jackson
Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty - Columbus, OH
Clintonville and Central Ohio Real Estate Expert

"Think globally, act locally"

Oct 08, 2020 05:51 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Local conditions for real estate seem to outweigh the national news.

Oct 08, 2020 06:25 AM
Elyse Berman, PA
LoKation Real Estate - Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton FL (561) 716-7824

Hi Bill,  Real estate is local and your niche helps.

Oct 08, 2020 07:17 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

No doubt, niches can help


 

Oct 08, 2020 08:52 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Bill:

As always some sound advice about blogging with a focus on being original and local, with personal results to back it up. And the evergreen nature of these posts (at least some of them) is a big bonus.

Jeff

Oct 08, 2020 02:50 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

It's always nice to have a subdivision post I wrote years back result in a phone call today.

Oct 10, 2020 06:22 AM
Jill Sackler
Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc. 516-575-7500 - Long Beach, NY
LI South Shore Real Estate - Broker Associate

Local content that directly involves homes for sale are the operative words. You're right that nothing else results in a ringing telephone. It may be interesting and informative reading but prospective buyers and sellers don't necessarily make the jump.

Oct 09, 2020 10:19 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

And that was the challenge I had with local events/places type posts.  I got calls, but none of them were real estate related, so I switched away to topics more likely to make the phone ring.

Oct 10, 2020 06:23 AM