Yesterday I talked about avoiding hosted solutions if were going to incorporate a blog into your web presence. By hosted solutions I mean platforms like Blogger, Typepad, etc. These files are held outside of your site hosting, and instead remain on the servers of the company providing the blogging service. Most people will try to simply add a link to their blog and consider their work done. This is a fine solution, but it won't add much weight to your website, and it really won't do you much good in the way of search engine rankings.
A lot of agents are partial to active rain. You can use this service all you like, but I wouldn't count on it being much of a marketing vehicle. I personally wouldn't use it all, I just don't see what it could do for you. Using active rain to promote your site is akin to spinning your wheels. It will give you some decently ranked inbound links, but you won't pick up much business, and it won't add depth to your site content.
Site Equity
In the past I have said that blogging really won't help a real estate agent gain business. I am here to say that I was wrong.
Don't get me wrong, it won't carry you all the way, and you shouldn't solely rely on a blog by any means. As an add on to an existing site however, it can really carry you a long way. I have found this to be true first hand. Here is what you should:
Once you have your site up, add a blog section to it. Write on a regular, if not daily, basis about your local market. Write about your community, local news, and local events. Interact with other bloggers, and write content people will want to read. The inbound links will pay off, and the community that you build will pay off.
Here is something that many agents don't understand... Your blog has to be hosted with your website. Don't count on active rain, blogger, or any other hosted solution. The blog itself needs to be filed, housed, hosted, whatever you want to call it, with your website itself. This will allow your site and domain name to share in the equity you build through blogging.
Expose Yourself
Now is more critical than ever. If you aren't doing everything you can to find business, then may as well stay home. When I have made comments in the past about blogging being ineffective, disregard them. You should be doing everything you can.
If I was you, I would startup a local news outlet. A blog, an email, paper, anything you can. Just get a small group of people and write stories that people want to hear. Stories that are relevant to your market, community, etc.
Build your own brand, expose yourself. You never know what might grow from it.
The Long Run
Some of you may not know this, but on website forms you can force the user to enter certain information. It is no different than when you fill out a form that will not let proceed because you forgot to enter your street address.
I never force my users to enter a name or phone number. This is something that Seth Godin would call permission marketing. If I don't have your express permission, I am not interested. I don't get discouraged when a form submission doesn't turn into a lead. If a user prefers not to put in their contact information, that is fine. If they don't care to give me that information, I don't care to pester them for it.
It is what I would prefer if I was the customer. I like to treat my customers how I would like to be treated, and I think that goes farther in the long run.
Consulting versus Conducting
In good times buyers will enter into a contract with relative ease. The real estate agent assists them with the contract, organizing inspections, and making it to closing.
When times get harder the agent becomes more of a consultant. The buyer wants to know how the market is affected by Fannie and Freddie, they need to know what a credit crisis means to them. As the agent, you are their source of information, and you have to be on top of current market conditions, political climate, and economic trends.
Mineral Estates
Interesting things are happening around the country. Unknowing residents are finding that there is value in their homes beyond the property and surface. Many also own mineral rights which are highly sought after in some areas.
The Barnett Shale has hit the entire greater Fort Worth area, leading residents to find value in unknown places.
The Haynesville Shale has been a boom for the East Texas, North Louisiana areas. Shreveport especially, has come as great interest to oil and gas companies.
The Marcellus Shale has such a wide parameter that landmen may be found from Pennsylvania to New York, Ohio, and West Virginia.
These are individuals with little understanding of what exactly is going on, how to handle it, and what the ramifications are. They sure could use an expert.
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