Archive for Mortgage Marketing

The Basics: 41 Social-Media Terms To Learn For Realtors And Mortgage Professionals

Posted in Active Rain, Blogging, Blogs, Facebook, Free Training, Linked In, Marketing, Mortgage Professionals, Networking Strategy, Realtors, Social Media, Twitter with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 19, 2011 by The Ibis Network

An update of The Ibis Network’s previous list of social-media terms … New terms in bold.

The Internet is an incredible resource for real-estate and mortgage professionals but keeping up with an always-evolving online world can be a challenge. Sometimes the lingo alone can stand between successfully implementing a social-media strategy and being overwhelmed by widgets, avatars, and hashtags.

Active Rain – The largest social network for real-estate professionals. Launched in 2006, Active Rain has nearly 200,000 members.

Aggregator – A web-based tool or desktop application that collects syndicated content from across the Internet.

API (Application Programming Interface) – A computer system or application that allows programs and websites to communicate and exchange data.

App – An application performing a specific task able to be accessed by your computer or phone.

Archives – An index page that organizes past entries and older posts by date.

Avatar – The image, picture, or username a person uses to identify themselves on social-networking sites.

Badge – A linked image displayed on a blog that promotes a person’s profiles or participation on other social-media sites, such as Facebook or Twitter.

Blog – A regularly updated website or “web log” that allows a company or individual to post content and interact with readers through commentary, subscriptions, widgets, and syndicated RSS feeds.

Blogosphere – A term used to describe the totality of blogs on the Internet.

Blogroll – A list of sites, typically found in the sidebar of a blog, showing the sites that particular blogger recommends.

Content – Content on any website, including text, pictures, video, and audio materials.

Dashboard – The administrative area on blogs and social-media sites that allows you to edit your information, manage comments, monitor traffic, upload files, etc.

Domain Name – The identifying name or address of an Internet site.

Facebook – The largest social-networking site for individuals and businesses. Facebook has more than 500 million users.

Feeds (RSS Feed) – A program used by a website that allows the user to syndicate their content and provide subscribers with new blog posts and articles without requiring them to visit the site.

Forums – Online forums allow members of social-media sites to interact with other members by posting messages or questions on particular topics.

Geotagging – Adding location-based data to media such as photos and video to help users find businesses and services by region.

Groups – Communities within social-media sites that allow users interested in particular topics or activities to share information, posts, and messages with other members.

Hashtag – Used on Twitter, a hashtag is a keyword or phrase preceded by a “#” that helps organize posts, making them easier to find in Twitter searches.

Hits – A measurement defined as any request for a file from a web server.

Hyperlink – A navigational reference that embeds a link to a document or page on the Internet.

LinkedIn – A business-oriented social-media site for professional networking. Launched in 2002, LinkedIn now has more than 70 million registered users.

Links – Highlighted text that, when clicked, takes readers to another page containing related content or source materials.

Metadata – Information, including titles, tags, and captions, used to describe a media item or blog post in order to make it more easily found by search engines and aggregators.

Micro-Blogging – A form of blogging that limits the amount of characters or words per post, such as Twitter.

Permalinks – The permanent address or URL of a blog post or web page. A permalink is what is used when linking to another story within an email message or post.

Profiles and Pages – The pages on social-networking sites where a person or business displays their contact information, pictures, posts, and files.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – The process of improving and increasing traffic to a website from search engines.

Sidebar – A column or columns along either or both sides of a blog’s main content area that includes widgets, contact and biographical information, links to previous posts and favorite sites, archives, badges, subscription information, RSS feeds, and more.

Social Media – Websites that provide communities with common interests a means to communicate and engage with one another online.

Subscribing – Signing up for a site’s feed, which automatically sends you new content from that site.

Syndication – The process of sharing and distributing content online.

Tag Cloud – A visual representation of the most popular tags on a blog or website. More popular tags are usually shown in larger type while less popular tags appear smaller.

Tags – Keywords associated with a blog post or other content making them more easily found through searches.

Threads – Messages or posts under a single forum topic or the comments and trackbacks of a particular blog post.

Trulia – A real-estate search engine and networking site that allows professionals to create business profiles and allows consumers to find listings, blogs, and real-estate information.

Twitter – A micro-blogging site where members post “tweets” or messages of 140 characters or less.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator) – A URL is the technical term for a website’s address.

Wall – The shared portion, or discussion board, displayed on a social-media profile.

Webinar – A web-based seminar, presentation, lecture, or workshop transmitted over the web.

Widget – An application offered on social-media sites and blogs that performs a specific function allowing users to customize their profiles or blog.

Source materials here, here, here, here, here, and here. Original glossary here.

Please check back with www.theibisnetwork.wordpress.com for future updates and additions to this glossary.

Josh Millar / The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com

To learn more about the Ibis Network’s Professional Networking Suite for Realtors and Mortgage Professionals which features these valuable marketing tools:

* Your own Real-Estate or Mortgage blog updated daily with original content
* Monthly e-newsletter ready to send to your contact list
* Social Media set-up on the 8 major networking sites
* Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your business website

Visit: http://www.theibisnetwork.com/networkingsuite.html

5 Ways To Grow Your Mailing List For Real-Estate and Mortgage Professionals

Posted in Free Training, Marketing, Mortgage Professionals, Networking Strategy, Realtors, Social Media, Twitter with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 6, 2011 by The Ibis Network

Finding ways to keep in touch with potential referral partners and prospective clients is one thing. That means offering interesting information that will ensure your emails don’t become unwelcome inbox clutter soon after reaching their destination. But, before you have the chance to dazzle the members of your mailing list with a monthly newsletter, new listings, or neighborhood events, you’ll need to have a mailing list in the first place.

Here are some ideas for growing a mailing list that will boost your business and your reputation …

Use a Newsletter: If you have a newsletter that you forward among colleagues, partners, and prospective clients, include some instructions on how to subscribe to your mailing list along with it. It doesn’t need to be long and involved, just add a sentence explaining how to subscribe for anyone getting your newsletter for the first time.

Use Your Emails: Any correspondence can be an opportunity to add to your list. Including subscription information in your emails along with your signature means you can build your list each and every time you send an email. Again, it need be nothing more than a quick note asking them to respond to an email address to opt in.

Use Open Houses Or Other Events: If you’ve set up an open house, or any event where you’ll have a gathering of potentially interested attendees, ask for their email addresses with an explanation of what you’ll be sending them. Chances are if they’ve showed up to an open house, they’ll be interested in receiving more information from you, as long as they’re assured you won’t be bombarding them with emails every other hour.

Use Social Media: If you’re on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, use the followers, fans, and connections you’ve already made to build your mailing list. Ask them to sign up to your mailing list and explain that you’ll be sending out information and offers exclusive to your list.

Use a Free Consultation: People love deals. Offering a free consultation for signing up to your mailing list is a great way to get people interested and comfortable giving their information to you. Giving a little something extra will grow your list and many of those freebies will soon turn into real business and loyal customers.

Josh Millar / The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com

To learn more about the Ibis Network’s Professional Networking Suite for Realtors and Mortgage Professionals which features these valuable marketing tools:

* Your own Real-Estate or Mortgage blog updated daily with original content
* Monthly e-newsletter ready to send to your contact list
* Social Media set-up on the 8 major networking sites
* Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your business website

Visit: http://www.theibisnetwork.com/networkingsuite.html

Social-Media Marketing: Promoting Your Online Efforts Offline

Posted in Blogging, Blogs, Facebook, Free Training, Linked In, Marketing, Mortgage Professionals, Realtors, Social Media, Twitter with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 2, 2010 by The Ibis Network

To prevent your social-media profiles, posts, and online efforts from retreating into the forgotten corners of Internet obscurity, you’ll have to give them a push into the real world. Sure you can garner some search-engine attention for having consistent content and a presence on all the major networking sites, but, unless you’re delivering your information to the people most able to take advantage of it, you may have fans and followers in Finland but you won’t have clients in your own community.

Here are a few ideas for getting your business blog and online info into the right hands …

Email-Ready Newsletters: Okay, sending out a monthly email-ready newsletter isn’t exactly something you can do offline. But, if you’re already keeping a business blog, you’ve got content you can use to build a newsletter and your address book is likely filled with past clients, referral partners, and other local contacts to send it to. Compile your best posts and include your blog’s address with your other contact information, then hit send and repeat regularly.

Business Cards: Identify a few of your more successful social-media sites and incorporate them into your business card. You don’t want to go overboard with Facebook, Twitter, email, and blog addresses but adding an address or two to your business card is a great way to turn real-world contacts into part of your online community.

Everywhere else: Creativity is key when looking to garner attention online or anywhere else. Try this list of 39 offline places to promote your online efforts and think of some interesting ways to incorporate your Internet activity on fax sheets, letterhead, envelopes, ads, and more.

More social-media tips from The Ibis Network here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Josh Millar / The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com

To learn more about the Ibis Network’s Professional Networking Suite for Realtors and Mortgage Professionals which features these valuable marketing tools:

* Your own Real-Estate or Mortgage blog updated daily with original content
* Monthly e-newsletter ready to send to your contact list
* Social Media set-up on the 8 major networking sites
* Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your business website

Visit: http://www.theibisnetwork.com/networkingsuite.html

Twitter: 8 Easy Ways To Maximize Your Tweets

Posted in Free Training, Marketing, Mortgage Professionals, Networking Strategy, Realtors, Social Media, Twitter with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 11, 2010 by The Ibis Network

You’d think it would be easy to catch the attention of a few of Twitter’s 54 million monthly visitors with nothing more than a few informative tweets. But being one among Twitter’s 175 million users means you’re likely getting lost in the chatter and not reaching the audience you’d hoped for. Luckily, while Twitter was growing in popularity, so were the number of websites aiming to help you get the most out of the wildly popular micro-blogging service.

Here are a few of the more popular, and mostly free options, to maximize your presence in the Twitterverse …

Twitter-Search: The quickest way to find who and what you’re looking for on Twitter. Filter real-time tweets to find people and businesses in your region and industry, then follow the results.

Nearby Tweets: See who’s tweeting what in your area. The simple set-up delivers search results based on a keyword and a location. Search for anything anywhere and see who’s tweeting what near you.

TwitPic: Feeling limited by Twitter’s 140 character maximum? Use TwitPic to share photos with your Twitter followers. If you have a Twitter account, then you’re already signed up for TwitPic. Log in using your Twitter username and password and get started.

TweetStats: Track your stats using this site’s quick-and-easy service.

TweetScan: Another easy-to-use search tool for keeping on top of what’s happening on Twitter.

CoTweet: A popular site for managing your Twitter accounts. Handy for tracking multiple accounts and keeping current with your followers.

Twibs: A Twitter-based business directory, Twibs aims to help businesses reach their customers. It’s as simple as registering your business name, choosing some keywords, and adding links to your email, blog, and website.

Twitdom: A directory of nearly 2,000 available applications and sites offering Twitter-related services.

More Twitter tips from The Ibis Network here, here and here.

Josh Millar / The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com

To learn more about the Ibis Network’s Professional Networking Suite for Realtors and Mortgage Professionals which features these valuable marketing tools:

* Your own Real-Estate or Mortgage blog updated daily with original content
* Monthly e-newsletter ready to send to your contact list
* Social Media set-up on the 8 major networking sites
* Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your business website

Visit: http://www.theibisnetwork.com/networkingsuite.html

 

If you’d like a free Real-Estate blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-real-estate-blog-for-free/

If you’d like a free Mortgage blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-mortgage-blog-for-free/

The Benefits of Blogging for Mortgage Professionals

Posted in Blogging, Blogs, Free Training, Marketing, Mortgage Professionals, Networking Strategy, Social Media with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 19, 2010 by The Ibis Network

These days, people seek information online before making even the smallest decision. Which means, having a presence on the Internet is vital to building a business in the age of Google, Twitter, and Facebook. And a great way to build that presence is to establish your brand through blogging. Need convincing? Here are some things to consider …

Blogs Generate More Traffic: To establish your business online, you need to show up in search-engine results. And to show up in search-engine results, you need regularly updated content. Search-engines such as Google, Yahoo! And Bing respond to frequent updates. In other words, if you’re blogging, you’re more visible to potential clients and referral partners. You’re also providing an ongoing source for useful, relevant information in your industry that will only increase your chances of setting yourself apart from the field.

Your Blog Is Your Brand: Setting up a blog and updating it regularly is an excellent way of showing potential clients that you’re more knowledgeable, credible, and committed than the competition. A traditional website isn’t updated often, or ever. Which means, that anyone viewing your business website won’t find much more than a short bio, contact information, and some testimonials. A blog offers you the ability to further brand yourself and make an impression while offering them pertinent news, industry info, and chance to build trust in your services.

Your Blog Will Cost Nothing But Time: In comparison to the cost of traditional advertising, a blog will cost you next to nothing. It will, however, require some patience. The most successful blogs have an average age of nearly 34 months. That means, you have to make a commitment to keeping your blog updated with fresh material and you have to keep at it. You can’t write three short blog posts and then get frustrated that the money hasn’t rolled in. Frequent content and time are a winning combination when it comes to creating better search-engine rankings and building a reputation in your community.

For more business blogging tips from The Ibis Network, click here, here and here.

Josh Millar / The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com

To learn more about the Ibis Network’s Professional Networking Suite for Realtors and Mortgage Professionals which features these valuable marketing tools:

* Your own Real-Estate or Mortgage blog updated daily with original content
* Monthly e-newsletter ready to send to your contact list
* Social Media set-up on the 8 major networking sites
* Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your business website

Visit: http://www.theibisnetwork.com/networkingsuite.html

 

If you’d like a free Real-Estate blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-real-estate-blog-for-free/

If you’d like a free Mortgage blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-mortgage-blog-for-free/

Blogging For Business: How To Attract And Keep An Audience

Posted in Blogging, Blogs, Free Training, Marketing, Mortgage Professionals, Networking Strategy, Realtors, Social Media with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 22, 2010 by The Ibis Network

Chances are, you’ve heard all about the benefits of keeping a business blog. You likely wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t looking to start a blog or build upon an already existing blog. So let’s get right to it. Here are a few tips, thoughts, and ideas that should help you attract readers, and potential business, to your blog …

Think of Your Blog as Your Own TV Station: Like radio and television before it, the Internet is a means of communication. But unlike TV and radio, the Internet allows for equal and inexpensive access. Which means, setting up a blog allows you to broadcast your services, knowledge, and expertise to a larger audience than you ever could through traditional advertising, and at little to no cost. Keep it interesting, though. A radio station that only ran commercials wouldn’t attract much of an audience. Write for your target audience and offer quality content on a consistent basis.

Keep It Short: Coming up with content on a regular basis can be a struggle. Luckily, online readers tend to have shorter attention spans. After all, as quickly as they clicked on your site, they can click on another. That means, you don’t have to write 10,000 words per post. Posting short, easily digested information will encourage your viewers to spend more time reading your blog.

Syndicate Your Content: Once you’ve started producing content, spread it around. One of the many benefits of using social media for business is how easy it is to multiply your views by posting your content on multiple sites. Twitter and Facebook, for example, make it very easy to automate the process and quickly expand your influence online.

For more business blogging tips from The Ibis Network, click here and here.

Josh Millar / The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com

To learn more about the Ibis Network’s Professional Networking Suite for Realtors and Mortgage Professionals which features these valuable marketing tools:

* Your own Real-Estate or Mortgage blog updated daily with original content
* Monthly e-newsletter ready to send to your contact list
* Social Media set-up on the 8 major networking sites
* Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your business website

Visit: http://www.theibisnetwork.com/networkingsuite.html

 

If you’d like a free Real-Estate blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-real-estate-blog-for-free/

If you’d like a free Mortgage blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-mortgage-blog-for-free/

Facebook: Tips and Tricks For Realtors and Mortgage Professionals

Posted in Facebook, Free Training, Marketing, Mortgage Professionals, Networking Strategy, Realtors, Social Media with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 8, 2010 by The Ibis Network

As of July 2010, Facebook had more than 500 million active users. So if you’re among those who still don’t believe they need to incorporate social media into their networking strategy, ask yourself how many people you’re reaching with your current marketing approach. If the number is anywhere south of 700,000, it might be time to register for a Facebook fan page and give online marketing a try.

With a little time and effort, your Facebook page will quickly increase your ability to communicate with your community, advertise your services, network with other professionals, and meet people who may be looking to buy a home or refinance a loan.

Here are some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your new Facebook page …

Invite Your Friends, Contacts, And Clients: You can’t attract people to your page without first letting them know it’s there. Invite everyone on your contact list to become a fan of your page. Then add a “Become a Fan” button to your website or blog and watch your visibility grow.

Take out an Ad: Sure, it’ll cost you but setting up a small ad on Facebook can lead to new fans and further promotion of your page. Add an image and a catchy headline and start cultivating the resulting relationships. More here.

Share Information: Share links and articles to establish yourself as an expert in your area. Post business updates on your wall. Include your newsletter subscription information on your page. Post info on upcoming events. Start a group page for your community. Ask questions. Answer questions. Get involved.

Customize Your Page: Add applications. Facebook provides easy-to-use applications that allow you to connect your page to your blog, Twitter, Flickr, and many other social-media sites. The more content and connectivity, the more opportunities there will be for people to find you and your fan page.

Josh Millar / The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com

To learn more about the Ibis Network’s Professional Networking Suite for Realtors and Mortgage Professionals which features these valuable marketing tools:

* Your own Real-Estate or Mortgage blog updated daily with original content
* Monthly e-newsletter ready to send to your contact list
* Social Media set-up on the 8 major networking sites
* Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your business website

Visit: http://www.theibisnetwork.com/networkingsuite.html

 

If you’d like a free Real-Estate blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-real-estate-blog-for-free/

If you’d like a free Mortgage blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-mortgage-blog-for-free/

Making The Most Of Your Active Rain Profile

Posted in Active Rain, Blogging, Blogs, Free Training, Marketing, Mortgage Professionals, Networking Strategy, Realtors, Social Media with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 24, 2010 by The Ibis Network

Active Rain is the largest and most active social networking site for real-estate professionals. As such, it’s a perfect place to begin refining your online efforts. Use the tips below to maximize your profile or, if all else fails, grab some ideas from the nearly 200,000 profiles currently registered.

Start Blogging: Whether or not you already have a blog, Active Rain’s blogging tools are a great way to broaden your audience. If you’re already blogging, consider re-posting your blog posts on Active Rain or write supplementary information with a link back to the original post. If nothing else, the search-engine benefits alone make it worth while. Also spend some time reading through other posts on the site and offer a comment or some friendly encouragement. Like any social-media network, it’s about relationships. The more relationships you form, the more likely they lead to a potential referral partner or client.

Link Active Rain to Your Online Accounts: Having an online network is all but useless unless you keep your profiles fresh and full of content. So, wherever possible, link your social-media sites. Connect your Active Rain account to your Facebook page, or any other accounts you have. Having your profiles automatically updated will save you time and provide even more exposure for your business and services.

Take Advantage of Your Profile: On Active Rain, the more complete your profile, the more points you receive. The more points you receive, the more visible you are when people search for agents in your area. In other words, take some time and add a bio, testimonials, work experience, and any other pertinent background information to your profile. Use anchor text to link back to your business website, blog, or anything else you’d like to share.

Learn From Observation: If you get discouraged, scroll through Active Rain’s success stories for inspiration. Click through and see how other Realtors are using their Active Rain profiles. Steal an idea or two and apply it to your page. If it worked for them, there’s no reason it can’t work for you too.

Josh Millar / The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com

To learn more about the Ibis Network’s Professional Networking Suite for Realtors and Mortgage Professionals which features these valuable marketing tools:

* Your own Real-Estate or Mortgage blog updated daily with original content
* Monthly e-newsletter ready to send to your contact list
* Social Media set-up on the 8 major networking sites
* Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your business website

Visit: http://www.theibisnetwork.com/networkingsuite.html

 

If you’d like a free Real-Estate blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-real-estate-blog-for-free/

If you’d like a free Mortgage blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-mortgage-blog-for-free/

LinkedIn Networking Strategies For Realtors And Mortgage Professionals

Posted in Free Training, Linked In, Marketing, Mortgage Professionals, Networking Strategy, Realtors, Social Media with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 9, 2010 by The Ibis Network

LinkedIn, the business-oriented social networking site, has registered more than 70 million users in just seven years and a new member signs up approximately every second. Which is to say, if Twitter and Facebook haven’t enticed you into using social media to network and market your services, LinkedIn may be a safe place to start. What began as a way for job seekers to make connections and network within their industry, has become a viable way to build your business by maintaining contacts, making and receiving referrals, and participating in the community at large.

Once you’ve registered, try these tips and strategies to build your online presence and your business …

Join As Many Relevant Groups As Possible: LinkedIn offers the ability to join groups that will allow you to quickly build your network and connect with potential clients. Through alumni, industry, or regional associations, you will be able to locate and interact with people you may not have through your traditional networking efforts. Participating in those groups will increase your visibility and build relationships. Join real-estate related groups such as The National Association of Realtors or The National Association of Mortgage Brokers and start making connections.

Ask and Answer Questions: Once you’ve joined a few groups, post questions and answer a few others have posed. Joining discussions will expose you to even more people and position you as someone that has expertise in your area.

Work On Your Profile: Approach your LinkedIn profile the way you would your physical appearance when getting ready for a networking event. You wouldn’t, for example, wear flip-flops and sweatpants and expect to make anything but a bad impression. Fill in as much information as possible and pay special attention to the way you describe yourself and your experience. Make sure you’ve presented yourself in a way that would convince someone that they’d want to do business with you.

Do The Simple Stuff: Add a photo. Customize your public profile’s address. Use applications to fill out your profile. Link your site to your website and blog. Update regularly. Add contact information. Recommend others and seek out some for yourself. With some simple care and attention, your profile will be more compelling to visitors and more likely to result in a potentially profitable connection.

Josh Millar / The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com

To learn more about the Ibis Network’s Professional Networking Suite for Realtors and Mortgage Professionals which features these valuable marketing tools:

* Your own Real-Estate or Mortgage blog updated daily with original content
* Monthly e-newsletter ready to send to your contact list
* Social Media set-up on the 8 major networking sites
* Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your business website

Visit: http://www.theibisnetwork.com/networkingsuite.html

 

If you’d like a free Real-Estate blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-real-estate-blog-for-free/

If you’d like a free Mortgage blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-mortgage-blog-for-free/

Blogging For Realtors: The What, Why, and How of Real-Estate Blogs

Posted in Blogging, Blogs, Free Training, Marketing, Mortgage Professionals, Networking Strategy, Realtors, Social Media with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 26, 2010 by The Ibis Network

Blogs have taken many forms since appearing on the virtual scene more than 10 years ago. But whether they were devoted to sharing vacation photos with family or attracting business, all blogs have one thing in common. Communication.

Which leads us to real-estate blogs. A good real-estate blog should be more than another advertisement for your services. Realtors who blog do so because it opens up another line of communication between them, their clients, and potential clients. What you blog is ultimately up to you, but sharing your knowledge and resources can only help give clients a better picture of who you are as a Realtor and a person. Giving them a one-stop source for easily digested information that will help them better understand their choices and their Realtor will only lead to more business and better business. It isn’t an instant fix, though. Here are five tips to being a better blogger and a better Realtor …

1. Position Yourself As The Expert:

A blog is an excellent way to set yourself apart from the crowd. If a potential client has a choice between you and other agents in your area, an informative and regularly updated blog will help position you as the expert in your region.

2. Be Social:

Social networking sites offer millions of additional viewers. Sharing your blog posts on sites such as Facebook and Twitter will boost your search engine results and the number of people you’re attracting to your blog.

3. Give It Time:

Many business blogs come to a quick end. That’s because blogging isn’t as easy as it may seem. Regularly updating your blog means coming up with content on a consistent basis. The more you blog, the more visible your blog will become. Update every day or many times a day and keep at it. 94 percent of business bloggers see the benefits within a year. Don’t give up after a month.

4. Commit To A Regimen:

Making a commitment to your blog means setting aside some time every day to monitor your stats, add content, respond to comments, and think of new ways to attract readers.

5. Use Video:

Video is an easy way to grab readers attention. Breaking up the text with videos makes your blog more reader friendly as well as providing you the opportunity to share useful information, educational videos, or advice from industry experts.

More blogging tips from The Ibis Network here.

Josh Millar / The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com

To learn more about the Ibis Network’s Professional Networking Suite for Realtors and Mortgage Professionals which features these valuable marketing tools:

* Your own Real-Estate or Mortgage blog updated daily with original content
* Monthly e-newsletter ready to send to your contact list
* Social Media set-up on the 8 major networking sites
* Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your business website

Visit: http://www.theibisnetwork.com/networkingsuite.html

 

If you’d like a free Real-Estate blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-real-estate-blog-for-free/

If you’d like a free Mortgage blog designed for you… no strings attached – click here: https://theibisnetwork.wordpress.com/want-your-own-mortgage-blog-for-free/