Why Blog?
LIFTING THE FOG OF UNCERTAINTY ON HOW TO CRAFT A STELLAR BLOG ENTRY
You’ve probably heard the term “blogging,” used more frequently this past year than ever before. The reason for that is simple – blogging is one of the latest mainstay Internet trends. There are many benefits of blogging, from the convenience factor of having no formal structure that needs adhered to, to having the freedom to pick and choose the topics you’ll blog about. Blogging has quickly become one of the leading ways to share your thoughts and get people to know a bit more about you (or your business) without having to contribute anything more than the time it takes writing. Blogging also showcases your personality because, let’s face it – a real estate website isn’t YouTube, and doesn’t offer the same type of entertainment value that keeps visitors returning. What does keep them coming back, besides new listings, is the unique content you provide for their enjoyment or education – and in case you haven’t already figured out where I’m going with this – one of the best ways to add new content is through blogging.
Blogging can also be a powerful SEO booster, because search engines evaluate the frequency in which your website (and in turn, your blog) has been updated, the type of content that has been added (blogs, informational pages, links, images) and what it relates to, in order to determine your website’s placement within search results. Because blogs don’t need to be lengthy, ideally 300-600 words long – the goal should be to post frequently; aim for bi-weekly articles on general real estate topics, or if you’d like to go a step further, write about your farm areas and upcoming open houses.
Although blogging is as freeform as it gets when it comes to writing, there are commonalities shared between all successful blogs. Let’s take a look at how to keep in line with other successful blogs by breaking down this blog into the 3 components that comprise it:
Title (Why Blog?)
Each blog entry needs a title. The title should be an engaging one-line caption that summarizes the blog entry. To help capture viewer interest, consider adding an element of humour, such as a play on words in the title. Not only will your viewers get a chuckle, but the likelihood of the entry being read increases if the title grabs their attention and provokes an emotional response.
Tags/Keywords (Communication, Quick Tip)
Every blog entry also requires at least 1 tag or keyword. Keywords are used to group related blog entries together. If you routinely blog about new condo developments, it would be ideal to have a keyword that is used solely for all those entries, such as “New Condos,” or “Developments,” this way, an interested party can refine the list of blogs down to only those related to new condo developments. The keywords I used for this article are Communication and Quick Tip, meaning this entry can be found within both keywords’ list of blog entries on www.RealWebAcademy.com. This is also useful for segmenting your website into different topics; say one for neighbourhood profiles and another for new condo developments. You can have a blog page for each topic, but with only the blog entries tied to that keyword being displayed – this way a visitor doesn’t have to sift through numerous unrelated blogs, and can get right to reading the important articles.
Blog Entry (Content)
Give me the meat and no filler! A common major stumbling block with blogs is writing too much on a topic that needs just a brief explanation. Don’t bog your visitors down with long-winded articles; keep the content succinct and to the point. This will also help you reduce the time spent writing, meaning you can get back to helping your clients and generating new leads sooner. Remember, all you need to do is provide the facts, share your views on the topic, and leave room for discussion. Encourage comments and be sure to respond to any reader who does comment. Creating a dialogue with your readers will increase the chances of being contacted by them when it comes time to buy or sell.
All in all, the beauty of a blog is that you get to shape it how you see fit. There isn’t any magical formula that will turn your blog into a “must-read” but, by adhering to the aforementioned guidelines, you can get the ball rolling on developing your blog into a success.
Authored by: Bryan Coughlin, Client Relations