5 Foolproof Content Ideas for Real Estate

The new year is approaching fast and so is your chance for a blog reboot! If your goal is to put out more content in 2018, there's no better time to step back and reframe your blog ideas and posting goals.

Before you get started, think about what makes you likely to come back to a website. People tend to revisit sites that offer value — and we don't just mean monetary value. As a real estate professional, you have a wealth of knowledge about topics that most buyers and sellers will have to research before they get started on a transaction. Put this knowledge to use to gain blog fans who come back for more.

Below are five foolproof content ideas that you can deploy as you make a 2018 blog plan.

1. Don't please everyone at once. Segment your audience and speak to them separately

If you work with first-time buyers, move-up buyers and empty nesters looking to downsize, you know you'll need different content to entice them to read your blog. Start out the year by making a list of your top five buyer or seller segments, then write out 2-3 different posts that would appeal to each of those segments.

Once posted, boost traffic to the post by running a targeted Facebook ad. Set up an ad group dedicated to each market segment in your area.

Looking for inspiration? The Loken Group wrote this post aimed at homeowners on the brink of retirement.

2. Channel your inner Dear Abby and write an advice column

Buyers and sellers turn to you advice every day. Why not leverage your knowledge by creating an advice column blog where you offer these same insights?

We love this post from SmartZip client Katie McCartney, who recently tackled a question about whether parents should buy their college-age kid a house to rent while they are in school.

Important: Be sure to present pros and cons for any decision and stop short of making a recommendation that could be construed as legally binding. Notice that Katie mentions that for the right buyer who understands the risks, buying a rental home on a college campus can be a good investment.

3. Create engaging FAQs for your visitors

Not sure about an advice column? If you want a less personal approach, create separate FAQs pages for both buyers and sellers. List out typical questions then briefly answer how you handle these scenarios.

FAQs are also excellent for cross-linking opportunities. Remember to link to a free CMA offer, your contact page, free content offers or to your mortgage loan officer's page. Check out this excellent example of an FAQ page with optimal cross-links.

4. Create a buyers' dictionary or sellers' dictionary

If you ask buyers and sellers to define FHA, DTI or MLS, their response will likely be IDK (or something a little more colorful). Consider creating a list of terms that buyers and sellers need to know, then update it as you have time. The NAR has a glossary that can be a good resource as you get started.

Another idea — which may provide more SEO juice — is to take one term per week and tackle it in an individual post. Because you'll be familiar with these terms, each post should take you only 15-30 minutes to write. Then, you can continue to cross-link to the specific terms across your site, ensuring that visitors stay on your turf even when they run into words or terms they don't understand.

5. Create evergreen or market-based infographics without the help of a designer

Infographics haven't lost their popularity, so consider tackling this visual content tactic in 2018 with the use of a free infographic generator.

Our favorite free infographic tool is Canva. But if you're willing to spend a bit of money, Piktochart has more than 500 templates that can greatly reduce the time it will take you to concept and design an infographic.

Looking for inspiration? Here's our Pinterest board of past infographics we've created, plus more trending infographics from the real estate industry.

Need help identifying your top prospects in 2018?

Whether you're in a bustling urban area or a rural market, SmartZip's predictive data solutions can help you determine the contacts from your area or sphere who are most likely to sell in the next 6-12 months. Reach out today to view personalized predictions.

To view the original article, visit the SmartZip blog.