RISMEDIA, January 7, 2009-The beta phase for what the company is calling the first true brokerage-centric blog platform has been successfully completed by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE). Named “PropopolyTM,” this full-service platform, which allows agents to submit blog posts via email, voicemail, or text message with full editorial review and support, provides an incredibly easy, cost-effective blogging solution for LeadingRE’s 170,000 sales associates.
The PropopolyTM pilot program of 15 blogging microsites – conducted over the summer and fall with high search engine results, qualified prospect development and actual closed transactions – is now being offered to the entire network.
According to the company, PropopolyTM leverages the power of the agent’s local market expertise and the consumer’s migration toward “long-tail” (highly specific) online searches to engage consumers online, develop a reputation as the online expert, validate a strong personal referral reputation, and strengthen the brokerage brand differentiation as “the company with more real estate experts.”
“Several blogging platforms have been introduced with limited success,” commented LeadingRE’s Vice President of Strategic Development Eric Bryn, “hindered by complexity, concerns about issues like inadvertent fair housing or other violations, cost, and a very fragmented, agent-by-agent branding approach that is not particularly consumer-friendly. We have eliminated those obstacles. This type of online networking and reputation management is the future. Agents and brokerage firms who get it will have a huge competitive advantage.”
While PropopolyTM has produced measurable SEO and transaction results during its beta phase, the most gratifying result lies in converting skeptical, non-tech-savvy sales associates, says the company. Participating agents have repeatedly commented on the program’s ability to get their postings on top of Google searches, with little time and effort.
Through an approach utilizing blogging teams, agents can devote minimal time to blogging while knowing that their posts will be reviewed for grammar and content by LeadingRE administrators. They can even blog by leaving a voicemail if they’re not comfortable writing. This level of quality control gives comfort to brokers from a liability standpoint, and the company’s brand is strengthened by the synergy of several strong agent experts blogging about different communities with one branding voice.
PropopolyTM sites now include a Swiss site, with German and Italian sites following soon.
“For real estate professionals willing to embrace blogging, there is a huge upside,” says Neil Elver, LeadingRE’s lead developer of PropopolyTM. “And brokers love it because it’s such an easy solution that increases their associates’ business, strengthens the company’s brand presence, limits their liability, and offers a scalable technology/customer-support system that they don’t have to manage.”
The fully-functioning beta participants are:
Rubloff, Inc.: GuideMeHome2ChicagoLuxury.com, GuideMeHome2ChicagoSouth.com, GuideMeHome2SWMichigan.com
WETAG Consulting: SwissMediterraneanLifestyle.com
Halstead Property, LLC: GuideMeHome2ManhattanLuxury.com
Keefe Real Estate, Inc.: GuideMeHome2LakeGeneva.com
Carpenter Realtors: GuidemeHome2BooneCounty.com
Turf Town Properties, Inc.: LexingtonHomesandHorseFarms.com
Welch Real Estate: GuideMeHome2NorthernUtah.com
Devlin McNiff Real Estate: GuideMeHome2TheHamptons.com
Joyner Fine Properties: RichmondHomesRightHere.com
HUFF Realty: Guidemehome2Cincinnati.com
Turpin Real Estate, Inc.: GuideMeHome2NorthJersey.com
Jack Conway & Co. Inc.: GuidemeHome2Capecod.com
Cam Taylor Co., LTD., Realtors, Inc.: GuideMeHome2Columbus.com
For more information, visit http://www.propopoly.com.
