Writing a real estate blog is a great way for real estate professionals to both build their brand and engage with local audiences. With blogging becoming increasingly accessible due to online platforms like WordPress, Wix and Tumblr, anyone has the ability to build one online. That being said, writing high-quality posts for real estate blogs that are both informative and valuable is easier said than done.
Not sure how to get started? We’ve taken the liberty of gathering five tips to help you get started writing the best real estate blog possible. Even though there are many real estate career options, most of them involve selling your brand in some way. A blog is a great way to do that. Here’s how you can start:
- Research keywords applicable to your niche and location.
If you’re putting hard work into blog posts, you want people to actually read them. Pages on the internet have different ranks based on how many people visit them, and properly integrating keywords can be a good way to drive up traffic on your blog. Below is an example of how to find the best keywords to your niche and location, and how to properly integrate them for optimal results. This is a basic way to get started with SEO research. It gets a lot more in-depth from here, but if you’re just starting out, this is a manageable way to understand the basics.
- Make a list of topics that your specific audience might search on the internet. For real estate blogging, this list could include the theme of any article you’ve written, from tips for success within real estate to the specifics of buying or selling a home in your area or within your specific real estate career area focus.
- Once you have that list, start typing them into a search engine like Google or YouTube and check for the suggested phrases that pop up automatically. These phrases are commonly searched and are therefore good keywords to include in your blog post.
- Include them as much as possible in your post, specifically in the first 150 words, as Google tends to reward posts with keywords at the beginning. The title is also an important opportunity to optimize your post, so include your keywords there as well.
- Write a blog post optimized for SEO.
Before we dive into this tip, you might be wondering what SEO stands for. Short for Search Engine Optimization, SEO is basically a measurement system for the relevancy of different articles online. The internet is saturated with real estate articles, so optimizing your post with SEO in mind can make yours rise to the top of the search rankings.
Here are some tips for getting your real estate blog ideas in front of the right eyes:
- Keep the tone conversational.
- Make sure your tips are actually helpful.
- Include appropriate linking.
- Stay up-to-date on the best length for articles, which is currently at or above 1,000 words.
You can stay up-to-date on the best length for SEO optimization by searching the phrase “best word count for SEO optimization” and browsing recent posts.
- Keep the tone casual.
People generally like posts that feel like friendly advice rather than reading a manual, so keep that in mind when finding your writing tone. It’s OK to include a little bit of humor in your writing, and your audience will likely appreciate a blog with a warm touch.
- Share your blog post through your newsletter and social.
Once you have your blog post written, a great way to maximize the impact is to share it across your other platforms for communication online. This includes a weekly e-newsletter and social media channels. Starting a blog and building a community online is important, and connecting the different platforms only strengthens that community.
- Use visuals when sharing your blog posts.
When sharing that you’ve posted a new blog on social media, it’s typically a good idea to avoid text-heavy posts. For example, let’s say that you have a real estate investing blog. Post a visually appealing picture of the post’s subject and link to the full article. Try to avoid social posts that involve taking a screenshot of your real estate articles, as text doesn’t usually transfer well onto platforms like Instagram.
Alexis Petersen is the director of Content at Colibri Real Estate, a national leader in online learning for pre-licensing, continuing education and professional development. For the last six years she has been educating real estate professionals on how to successfully launch and advance their career. She’s also a seasoned marketing veteran, with nearly 15 years of experience.
