Key to Blogging: Be Original and Passionate!

Blah, blah, blah blog.

Blogging is a powerful way to inform, entertain and provide real estate coaching to an online audience.  Sharing insight and developing an online personality is a great marketing tool to garner more home buyer attention. 

Without a doubt it diversifies you from your local competition, as so few real estate professionals actually blog. It's daunting, time consuming and it can be hard to motivate yourself to be consistent.

Real Blogging, a Real Estate Blog, recently posted two blog posts that give two practical, good pieces of advice to aspairing bloggers.

1.) Develop original content; and

2) Let passion drive your blog home.

Bloggers Misconception #1: Content is King

Recently, we have heard the term “white noise” used to describe the bombardment of information coming from countless advisors who tout the benefits of blogging. Someone we know used the expression, “blah, blah, blah, blah, blog” to describe their overdose of information on the subject. Yet, if the blog was really understood for the stupendous marketing tool that it is more luxury real estate marketing professionals would bite the bullet and blog. There is definitely a “disconnect” here that needs to be bridged.

We have identified one of the biggest misconceptions about blogging. That is the notion that “Content is King." Content is comprised of articles, photos, videos and pod casts (audio clips). The misconception is that creating content in your blog will automatically attract followers and possibly advertisers.

Content is not king. ORIGINAL content is king! People everywhere are starving for original content to solve their problems, to entertain them, to get informed, to participate in discussions and to uplift their spirits.

When you blog you become a columnist, a journalist. But, what is a columnist without an audience? If the content of your blog is unoriginal, it is just a “blah post,” not a blog post. If your content is unoriginal no one will take the time to make a comment. Nor will anyone bother to engage in a discussion with you or others who leave their comments.

When your original content is remarkable, follow-worthy, comment-worthy, buzz-worthy, people naturally want to subscribe to your steady stream of articles, engage in discussion and also share your content with others. If your content is original blogging can be like word-of-mouth advertising on steroids. Sharing becomes contagious. That is what is meant by “going viral.”

The blogging tools themselves make it so easy for people to spread the word about you and redistribute your content. But it is original content that people want to pass along. It is the expectation of original content that gets them to subscribe to your blog and keeps them coming back for more. Can you understand why those with unoriginal, regurgitated, “canned” content are scratching their heads, trying to figure out why no one is reading their blog posts, let alone passing it along to their friends?

Misconception #2: I Can Compete With Passionless and Self-Promoting Posts

As luxury real estate marketing professional who blogs, it is your passion about your subject that engages and uplifts your audience. When you are truly passionate about your subject YOU are an original because no one else possesses your particular viewpoint on your subject. That is why finding your own “voice” is the first step in becoming a blogger. You must first identify what you are most passionate about and eager to write about.

Do not blog until you discover your passion! Otherwise, you are just adding to the white noise that is comprised of boring blogs.

It takes passion to consistently tap your resources for new material. It takes passion to be persistent in producing posts on a regular basis. If your content is uninspired or purely self-promoting your results will not inspire you, let alone your audience. And, like many luxury real estate marketing professionals, you will soon abandon your blog.

It is the “subscribe” button and the “share” button on blogs that makes the blog such an amazing marketing tool. These features make it easy for your audience to follow you, to participate in your journalistic journey and also tell their friends about you, which can lead to increased business.

Subscriptions build your audience. Think of subscribing to a magazine. Your subscribers are telling you that they like your brand of content. That is why it is so important for you to have a consistent authentic voice.

Building an audience is what makes your blog a media. There is fierce competition for attention out there. Your audience expects a certain brand, your brand of content, each and every time you publish a post. By staying consistent on your brand signal when you blog, and delivering on your unique promise of value, each and every time, your blog can help you achieve top of mind within your marketplace, especially if it is focused on a particular niche.

Click here to read the original blog post titled: Blah Post or Blog Post? The Difference is Original Content, Part 1.

Click here to read the original blog post titled: It Takes Passion to Be a Consistent Blogger Part 2.

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