7. What is a Blog?
• Web log
• Online newspaper
• Articles = posts = entries
• Reverse chronological
order
• Interactive
• Allow for responses
8. Why Read Blogs?
• Be the first in the know
• Learn and analyze new
statistics quickly
• Make decisions faster than the
competition
• Respond to hot topics quickly
• Receive information anywhere
10. Why Consumers Will Read Your Blog?
Relevancy
Time sensitive
Frequently asked questions
Communicate
Explain complex ideas
Kept in the know
Accurate Information
You Are the Expert!
11. “50% of Internet users in the
US regularly read blogs.”
eMarketer (May 2008)
http://technorati.com/blogging/
state-of-the-blogosphere/
12. “On average, bloggers use 5
different techniques to drive
traffic to their blog.”
Technorati (2008)
http://technorati.com/blogging/
state-of-the-blogosphere/
13. “72.5% of people in
the US regularly go
online.”
InternetWorldStats.com
http://www.gstatic.com/youtube/
engagement/platform/autoplay/advertise/
downloads/YouTube_InTheKnow.pdf
14. “25% of REALTORS® post to
their own blog for business
purposes.”
2009 REALTOR® technology report
http://www.realtor.org/wps/wcm/connect/
54d719804f2807aca5f1e74e813808c1/2009+Tech
+Report+-+v1.pdf?
MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=54d719804f2807aca5f1e74e8
13808c1
15. “More than 90 percent of home
buyers 44 years old or younger
used the
Internet as a source of
information during the home
buying process.”
2008 National Association of REALTORS®
Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
17. Example RSS Feeds
• Blog
• Comments from blog
• YouTube videos
• LinkedIn network update
• Twitter status update feed
• Slideshare of new presentations
• Flickr photostream of new photos
• FriendFeed of status updates
• Google Calendar of new events
19. Features of Blogs
•Title •RSS Feeds
•Post •Widgets
•Page •Categories
•Comments •Plugins
•Permanent •Membership
links
20. Why www.WordPress.com
• Create self hosted blog
• 100% customizable
• Embeddable widgets and IDX feed
• Built in RSS feed
• Pages, posts, and multimedia
• Authorized users upload content
• Easy to use
21. Selecting a Blog Title
• Title should represent
you, area of expertise
and niche
• Five words or less
• Google “real estate
blogs” for examples
22. Keys to Creating Intriguing Entries
• Must benefit reader, not author
• Relevant information to real estate
• State opinions or facts from other
resources or websites
• Time sensitive information
• 200-500 words
23. Links
• Links highlight your
favorite websites
• Link your website to
your blog
• Link your blog to your
website
• Link individual pages
in your website
24. Conversations
• Comments track existing
conversations between author
and consumer
• Dialogue critical for success
• People receive answers to
important questions
• Never answer questions twice
29. 7. Categorize Blog Posts
• Categories are
mental file folders
that store blog
posts.
• Engaging names
for categories
• Store posts in
correct category
28
30. 6. Insert Tags to Entries
• Tags are keywords
that identify each
entry.
• Tags make entries
easier to find.
29
31. 5. No Hyperlinks
• Embed hyperlinks
into entries:
– your website
– other blogs
– documents
– online articles
30
32. 4. Inform Others About Blog
• Print advertising
• Email
communication
• Daily conversation
• Email signature
• Social media
31
33. 3. Never Respond to Comments
• Comment on
others’ comments
• Commenting shows
you care
• Comments clarify
questions
32
34. 2. Not Enough Value
• Consumers want
high content
• Relevant
information
• Targeted to a
specific niche
33
35. 1. Do Not Update Often
• Write 2-4 times a
week
• Form a team of
authors
• Hire a ghost writer
34
36. Frequency
• The more you blog the
better you get
• Stay on top of hot topics
• Creates credibility.
37. How Can Consumers
Access Your Blog?
• RSS reader
• Subscribe by email
• Direct email communication
• Facebook
• Linkedin
• FriendFeed
• Conduit Tool Bar
36
48. Favorite Links
• Each blog has favorite links of other blogs
or websites
– www.YourName.com
– www.YourCompany.com
– www.YourCity.com
– www.CitySchools.com
– www.HUD.gov
– www.ASHI.org
49. Categories
• Which topics will you write
about the most?
• Which geographic regions
do you represent?
• What areas of real estate
do you specialize?
50. Permanent Links
• Each page = web page
• Each post= web page
• Each category = web page
• Each tag = web page
• RSS feed = web page
52. Risks of Blogging
• Negative Comments
• Lose control over the message
• Neglect
• Misinterpretation of blogging
culture
• Presenting incorrect
information
54. Lose Control Over the Message
• Don’t get caught saying
– I didn’t mean that
– I didn’t think they would
respond that way
– I can erase it later
– No one will see this.
55. Neglect
• No new information for
repeat visitors
• Responding to
comments is crucial
• People may not return.
56. Misinterpretation of Blogging Culture
• Focus on expertise NOT
self promotion
• Showcase hot topics,
NOT your resume
• Extreme opinions may
cause more harm than
good.
57. Presenting Incorrect Information
• Lying will damage
your reputation
• Facts can be found
other places
• People will find out if
you are lying.
61. Be Cautious About…
• Race
• Color
• Religion
• Sex
• Familial status
• National origin
• Disability
62. Fair Housing
• Discriminatory acts
• America One Principles
• Steering
• Equal Professional
Service Model
63. Code of Ethics
• Divided into three sections:
– Duties to clients and customers
– Duties to the public
– Duties to REALTORS®
Are you following the Code of Ethics
in your blog?
64. “Such interests impose obligations beyond those
of ordinary commerce. They impose grave social
responsibility and a patriotic duty to which
REALTORS® should dedicate themselves, and
for which they should be diligent in preparing
themselves. REALTORS®, therefore, are zealous
to maintain and improve the standards of their
calling and share with their fellow REALTORS® a
common responsibility for its integrity and honor.”
65. “Such interests impose obligations beyond those
of ordinary commerce. They impose grave social
responsibility and a patriotic duty to which
REALTORS® should dedicate themselves, and
for which they should be diligent in preparing
themselves. REALTORS®, therefore, are zealous
to maintain and improve the standards of their
calling and share with their fellow REALTORS® a
common responsibility for its integrity and honor.”
66. $19.95/
month VIP Membership $199/
year
• 5 videos weekly that explain how to use tools you already own specific
to real estate.
• Weekly Downloadable PowerPoint presentation to edit, share,
and use to present in your office, association, or workshops.
• Monthly Webinar that explains advance concepts in real time allowing
for question and answer specific to individual needs and video/audio
archive of entire session.
• Recent Blog Posts reminders of new thoughts, ideas, and concerns on
the impact technology has on real estate.
• Updates on Event Recaps of live sessions Doug Devitre presents at
conventions, workshops, and seminars that include video, pictures, viewable
PowerPoint presentations, handouts, etc.
64
Hinweis der Redaktion
This stats are from the 2007 profile of home buyers and sellers of NAR. These statistics demonstrate where home buyers are learning about homes for sale. This is just for buyers not sellers. This means that if we are working with buyers then we should allocate our time, money energy accordingly.
According to the 2007 Profile of Buyers and Sellers 39% of the transactions come from 1st time home buyers. This represents a significant amount of available transactions for this type of consumer.
Let’s take a closer look. According to the 2007 Profile 65% of 1st time home buyers are between the ages of 18-34. If we multiply 39% times 65% then we see that an alarming 25% of the business that is available to us all are among a demographic that lives, breathes, sleeps with the internet religiously.