It’s after Labor Day, school is back in session and the holidays are approaching, which generally means a decline in sales for real estate agents and brokers. But don’t let the cooler weather blow out the flames on your user engagement. Following these four simple real estate blogging tips, or the “POKE” method, will get you from obscurity to mainstream when used effectively.
If you’re reading this, hopefully your real estate blog is up and running. By now you have the basics of spelling, grammar, design, layout and content to a tee. The POKE method is a simple reminder to do things that make users want to return to your blog and use your services.
Pictures (& Video) Say 1,000 Words
Including pictures and videos on your blog will take your user engagement to a level that good writing alone cannot reach. Sure a great title will get a few clicks or reads, but pictures will make users stay longer.
Any old picture or video won’t do the job. Make sure you have high-quality images and optimized video content that keeps viewers satisfied and wanting more.
Nothing is worse than going to a website with blurry pictures, poorly shot video or bad audio.
Offer Incentives or Contests
People love free things. It brings a sense of joy that can overcome a bad day or bad experience.
Ideally, you want people to associate working with you as a joy. So how can you do this? Offer something for a free or reduced price!
It can be gift cards, consulting, lawn service or a car wash. What you offer doesn’t have to be directly associated with your real estate agency or brokerage firm, but it should somehow get potential customers thinking and talking about you. The chance to win may mean that potential customers have to sign up for email alerts from your company or post a picture on social media mentioning your name or company.
Although you want to draw more users to your blog, always remember the economic principle ”There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch”. Somewhere along the line someone has to pay the cost. Find a solution to offering “free lunches” that fits within your budget.
Keep it Current
If your blog or website’s most recent posts are months or–heaven forbid–years old, users will quickly dismiss you as an agent or broker who is irrelevant. It’s like showing up to a technology convention raving about the iPhone 4s when the iPhone 8 is the talk of the town. Staying current and relevant are keys to success.
There is plenty of truth behind the adage “Out of sight, out of mind.” To help stay visible, commit to blogging at least once a month, if not more frequently. Creating an editorial calendar will help you stay on top of things.
Engage Potential Customers
While it is great to have a target audience for marketing your products and services, sometimes real estate agents and brokers miss out on customers because the potential customers don’t meet ALL the requirements on their checklist. Sure, they may not be in the target age range or target income level; however, these factors can easily change in a few months or years.
Create blog posts that appeal to those currently looking to buy or sell as well as those who will buy or sell in a few years. It may even help to do speaking engagements or workshops with prospects outside of your target market to plant a seed that will blossom over time.
Meet prospects where they are and try to get them where they need to be: thinking of you as their only choice for home-buying needs.
The POKE method–Pictures, Offers, Keeping Current and Engage–is a simple, yet effective, way to get users more engaged with your blog and services during the colder months of the year. These four real estate blogging tips will remind users that you are relevant and able to meet their needs.
Contact Nao Media today for other tools to meet your real estate digital needs!
