What Do I Blog About, Anyway?

Adding a blog to your website is a great way to stay in contact with a wide audience looking to buy or sell real estate. Your blog can help you increase your online profile, gain valuable contacts, and build your business. But getting started can be a challenge.

How to Find Relevant Blog Topics

Whether your blog is brand new or well-established, at some point you'll run into a problem every blogger struggles with at some point: "What do I blog about, anyway?"

We've got some great ideas below, not just for topics, but also for where you can find inspiration for future content that will put your blog ahead of the pack:

Important News

As an expert in real estate, your take on news that affects the industry is important. Provide a link to coverage of recent regulatory developments, or changes in banking, taxes, or interest rates, and write a post that explains the impact they will have on your market.

Neighborhood Information

The possibilities here are almost endless. You can write about historic neighborhoods in your area, great restaurants nearby, or local activities that are family- or kid-friendly. If there's a local neighborhood association or HOA, include notices of their meetings and activities. If you ask to be linked in their posts as well, this is a great way to get more readers for your blog.

Provide Solutions for Problems

Ideas for this type of post are easy to come by. Just think about the questions you are asked every day, whether by prospects or clients. These might be about your specific market, or about real estate more generally. Because your answers provide the content, these questions make great topics for blog posts. They are also a good way to encourage conversation and build up your contacts. Enable comments or feedback on your posts, and you'll be able to provide helpful information while at the same time making new connections.

How-to Posts

Tips and information about the steps involved in buying and selling real estate will get lots of attention from both prospects and existing clients. You can also include checklists of questions to ask when deciding on a mortgage broker or listing agent, or tips on how to find the right contractor or service provider.

Sell the Lifestyle

Whether aimed at families looking for a larger house, or couples downsizing to a condo, your blog can provide valuable advice and information that will help your readers decide on the right property. You can write about issues to consider when moving to a new community or neighborhood, or the different amenities offered by condo developments. Other topics of interest to both buyers and sellers include advice about decorating and landscaping.

Go Beyond Real Estate

Do you have a hobby or passion? Think about how it might tie in to real estate. If you're interested in fly fishing, for example, you could write a post that includes information about rural property values or vacation homes in your area. If you collect antiques, a post about how to identify "hidden gems" or when to consider restoring a piece of furniture would be an excellent way to appeal to a wide audience.

Real Estate Agent Spotlights

Your blog is the best place to highlight the agents on your team. Establish a schedule, and rotate through your team on a regular basis, providing information about each agent's neighborhood focus and specialties. This is also a good way to provide sales information and infographics about your team as a whole.

A great real estate blog should provide a good mix of listings, news and information, solutions for curb appeal and staging problems, plus lifestyle content. Include content that will still be relevant in the years to come as much as possible so you'll be able to draw new visitors while keeping long-time readers interested. With a calendar of great content, you'll be ready to stand out from the crowd with an attractive and engaging blog.

To view the original article, visit the IXACT Contact blog.