Our Top 10 Most-Read Articles of October

Agents and brokers must have had email on the brain last month, as two articles on the topic made it into our October list of RE Technology's most-read articles. See for yourself: check out article #1 for advice on juicing up your email signature, and article #3 for tips on Gmail features you may not know about. And — extra credit — hop on over to #9 for Chrome browser extensions (including one for Gmail) that will boost your productivity.

Next, scroll on down to article #5 to get a jump on 2023 with a free business planning guide and workbook. Then see articles #4 and #6 for social media growth hacks and inspirational real estate influencers.

What else were agents and brokers reading last month? Check out our full list of October's most popular articles below to find out!

1. What Should Be in a Realtor's Email Signature?
Have you ever looked at another professional's email signature and cringed? Strong real estate signatures should be attention grabbing, while remaining professional. Also, leads should be able to easily access your website and contact information. Know which elements to include and how to format them with this short list of do's and don'ts.

2. Google Just Announced an Update About 'Helpful Content.' What Should Real Estate Agents Know?
When Google updates its algorithm, the effects ripple through the internet. In September, another Google update went live. Agents who want to succeed online need to know how to adjust to what's being called the "helpful content" update. Here's what you need to know.

3. 7 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do with Gmail
Gmail is great for sending, receiving and efficiently organizing email. But did you know that there's a ton of baked-in functionality that you may not have heard of? Watch this video to learn more about these hidden Gmail features and see simple tutorials for setting them up.

4. 12 Real Estate Influencers Who Built a Business on Social Media
You can also use social media to build a niche and promote your brand. But social media also can be used to generate secondary income or spin off a new business. In this post, we'll review some real estate professionals using social media for this latter purpose. Here are 12 real estate influencers who built a business on social media.

5. Friday Freebie: 2023 Real Estate Business Plan + Workbook
Thanks to market factors like high mortgage rates and buyer hesitancy, 2023 could be a tough year for real estate agents. But with the right planning, it doesn't have to be a tough year for YOU. Get a jump on your goal setting with this week's Friday Freebie — a real estate business plan for 2023 and a workbook that'll do all the necessary math for you (thank goodness, right?!).

6. #GrowthHack: The Types of Accounts You MUST Follow for Success on Instagram
Did you know that there are certain types of Instagram accounts you should follow in order to game the algorithm, forge connections, and make your posts, Stories, and Reels more visible to your followers? In this video, the Broke Agent explains which types of accounts you should follow to maximize your Instagram success.

7. How to Pivot (Not Panic) in a Market Shift
Right now, everyone is talking about the shifting market and expressing concerns about a possible recession. But pivoting is not about stressing out. It's about rising to the occasion and taking on the challenge at hand. Here are four critical tips that can help you pivot in a market shift without the panic.

8. What Are the Best Ways to Increase the Value of Your Listing?
Homeowners know the value of maintaining their homes, but when it comes time to sell a home, they may wonder, "What are the best ways to increase the value of my home?" As someone who has helped purchase, renovate, and resell more than 1,000 homes in Southern California as a successful flipper, here's what I've learned: the marketplace tells you what works and what does not.

9. 4 Chrome Extensions to Make Your Browser Work for You
Did you know that Google's Chrome browser offers thousands of extensions that you can install to boost your productivity? In this video, Realtor Loida Velasquez shares her four MUST-HAVE extensions for real estate. Learn how to put your web browser to work for you!

10. Facing the Future of the MLS Buyer Broker Commission Litigation
If you ask any attorney who is following the buyer commission lawsuits, the outlook is grim. MLSs that require a listing broker to provide a blanket, unilateral offer of compensation to buyer brokers in order to submit a listing to the MLS is likely to be rendered obsolete. Moreover, the case may require those commissions to be returned to home buyers. Imagining a future of the MLS without the offer of compensation should be the top issue discussed in MLS boardrooms today.