Archive for the "Content Marketing" Category
4 Real Estate Blogging Tools You Should be Using
If you’re a real estate marketer, you should be blogging. These four free tools can help you get your real estate blog started.
A real estate blog is one of the most effective ways to generate leads, improve brand recognition, and market your properties. At Fronetics Real Estate, we love blogging for tons of reasons. For one, you get plenty of bang for your buck: once you publish an effective post, it can continue generating leads even years into the future.
Are you ready to up your blogging game? Here are 4 of FRE’s favorite free online tools for real estate blogging that you can start using today.
Generate a topic for your real estate blog
Sometimes the ideas just flow, but often, coming up with fresh, engaging topics is like pulling teeth. The good news is, Hubspot’s Blog Ideas Generator is here to help.
Think Mad Libs: give HubSpot three nouns, and this powerful tool will give you topic ideas. It’s a great way to focus on topics where you want to cultivate your authority and to generate real estate blog post ideas for a topic cluster, in line with existing pillar content.
Is your headline engaging?
Judging a book by its cover may be a bad idea, but when it comes to blogging, the headline of your post is hugely important. So, regardless of how compelling your content is, if you don’t have an effective headline, it’s likely not reaching its audience potential.
ShareThrough has a tool that can help. The SharedCount Headline Analyzer lets you enter your idea for a title, and helps you refine and improve your headline. Run it until you get a good score (at least 75), using their tips as you go to edit and optimize the title of your real estate blog post.
Bump up your image game
We live in a world where, increasingly, the visual is key. A picture is worth a thousand words—but only if it’s a good one! Too often, bloggers forget this crucial aspect of online story-telling and settle for tired stock photos or the first result that comes up on Google Images.
One of the best online graphic editing and creation tools out there is Canva. We love this tool, which lets you save your brand colors and fonts, and create beautiful, original graphics for blog images, Facebook ads, postcards, eBooks, and more.
Boost your SEO
Generating organic traffic with your content is one of the main benefits of blogging. Your content helps inform search engines about your site, improving your rank in relevant search queries. But writing SEO-friendly content isn’t always a walk in the park.
Luckily, there are tools like Yoast SEO to help. This plugin helps you optimize your content, as it analyzes your writing, and gives you suggestions for optimizing it for Google’s algorithm.
We’ve said it before and we’ll probably say it again—when it comes to real estate marketing, a real estate blog is one of your most powerful assets. Give these tools a try—and let us know in the comments how they work for you.
Related posts:
- 5 Ways to Generate Real Estate Blog Ideas
- Infographic: Statistics that Prove Why Your Real Estate Marketing Needs to Include a Blog
- 4 Ways a Blog Can Help You Sell Real Estate
Archive for the "Content Marketing" Category
How to Use Guest Posting as Part of Your Content Strategy
Guest posting can help you build your reputation as a thought leader, grow your online reader base, improve your SEO, and expose your content to new audiences.
At Fronetics Real Estate, we use guest posting as a part of our own — and many of our clients’ — content strategies. Essentially, we partner with a relevant influencer or company, and swap content to post on each other’s blogs. It can be a really effective way to reach new, relevant audiences and provide interesting perspectives and voices to keep your core audience engaged.
What’s so great about guest posting?
Guest posting has all kinds of benefits. If you’ve identified a list of relevant influencers and companies with similar (and ideally wider) audiences, every time you post as a guest, your content and properties are exposed to a whole new segment of your target audience. We talk about this all the time when it comes to content marketing — your biggest asset isn’t your properties, it’s your expertise. Guest posting helps you establish your brand as a thought leader.
In addition to posting with real estate industry influencers and peer brands, guest posting for larger publications can be hugely beneficial, for obvious reasons. Not only are you introducing your brand and content to a broad audience, you’re associating yourself with an established authoritative source.
By the same token, having other brands author guest posts on your own blog is a great idea as well. When key influencers write for your blog, they bring their audience directly to you, allowing you to tap into a new and relevant set of prospects. Not only that, by inviting peers to contribute to your content, you’re forging and strengthening relationships within the industry.
Guest posting is great for SEO
Here’s a fact that’s often overlooked: Guest posting can significantly improve your search engine rankings (We’re always talking about how to improve your SEO.). Search engines use backlinks from other websites, particularly popular ones, as part of their algorithm for how search results are ranked. According to online business expert Sarah Peterson, in a guest article for the Huffington Post, “you can use the opportunity of your guest post to include 1-2 backlinks to strong pieces of content you want to rank for.”
Grow your email list
We all know that email marketing is hugely effective and profitable, if your email list is strong, and effectively segmented. Another often overlooked benefit of guest posting is that it has the potential to strengthen and enrich your email marketing efforts.
Because you’re being exposed to new audiences, both as a guest blogger and when guests write for your blog, you have the opportunity to target and cultivate new leads from relevant sources. Use guest posts as an opportunity to usher prospects to lead generation campaigns on your own website. Says Peterson, “if you’re not using this marketing strategy, you could be leaving a ton of email subscribers on the table.”
Involve your readers
As with any blogging efforts, you won’t get much bang for your buck if you simply author a guest article and do nothing to promote it. “You have to promote the article on your social media and through your own blog,” writes Tyler Zey of Easy Agent Pro. It’s also a good idea to solicit and reply to reader comments on your guest piece.
Are you a real estate professional who has authored a guest blog? Have you invited others to write for your own blog? Tell us about your experiences in the comments!
Related posts:
- 10 Quick Ways to Grow Brand Awareness
- 4 Types of Content You Need to Sell Real Estate (Besides Listings)
- A Visual Guide to Social Media Posting Frequency for Real Estate
Archive for the "Content Marketing" Category
4 Types of Content Real Estate Marketers Need to Be Using
As the real estate industry shifts, it’s time for marketers to shift with it. These four types of content are keys to marketing real estate in the digital age.
The real estate world has seen seismic shifts over the past few decades. Yet, it has been slower to change than other industries, which have been transformed nearly beyond recognition as the Internet continues to radically alter the way business is done.
The real estate industry is primed for innovation, particularly when it comes to marketing. As technology and digital media keep growing at unprecedented rates, real estate marketers have an opportunity to start putting different types of content to use to engage potential buyers and renters.
However, many are still slow to adopt content marketing. According to real estate investor Zamir Kazi, “Far too many in the real estate space simply still don’t get it when it comes to content marketing. I see so many still relying on old school methods vs. things such as social media, blogging and so on.”
For those willing to take advantage newer modes of marketing, the opportunities are vast.
If you’re a real estate marketer, consider making these four types of content part of your strategy:
1. Educational Content
You’ve probably heard the phrase “educational content” tossed around in discussions of content marketing, particularly in other sectors. Content that educates is highly preferred by buyers across the board and supports a fundamental principal of content marketing: your most valuable commodity is not your properties, but your expertise and thought leadership.
Creating content that educates your audience — for example, a piece about finding investment opportunities for your target client-base — establishes you as a trusted source of useful information. And it means your readers are far more likely to become your clients.
2. Branded Content
Creating effective branded types of content is all about ensuring that your audience is “consistently seeing your name, style, and thoughts,” while avoiding “being too promotional and one of those spammy real estate-types,” writes Forbes contributor Steve Olenski.
James Becker, CEO and founder of Fusion Growth Partners, suggests that the “story” of a brand should be at the root of all content and marketing efforts. “An agent’s story, if expressed well, conveys in an immensely impactful way, insight into that individual’s character, passion and commitment to their clients,” he says. “The story can create an almost tangible expectation for the reader to the level of service and authentic connection they will receive as a client.”
3. Email Content
Getting email content marketing right can be tricky. Of course, step one is gathering an email list. Olenski suggests that “When you think about your email marketing strategy, your first thought should be: ‘What content or experience can I create that will make someone give me their email?’”
Once you’ve established a list of emails, you can experiment with different types of content, and refine your list, segmenting it into different buyer types. Email marketing is a great place to experiment with automation.
4. Entrepreneurial Content
“Real estate is similar to entrepreneurship in that it requires sourcing projects and adding value through the process,” writes Olenski.
For example, according to Joe Pierson, CEO of BigKeyRealestate, “Agents should try to tap into the huge income potential of people who work in tech by framing real estate as an entrepreneurial endeavor suitable for their backgrounds. This is definitely difficult for the average real estate agent to do, but could open up a wealth of new buyers to work with.”
The bottom line is that content marketing is about generating value for customers and finding the types of content that cement your reputation as a trusted knowledge-source.
Related posts:
- Using Content Marketing to Market and Sell Luxury Real Estate
- 4 Types of Content You Need to Sell Real Estate (Besides Listings)
- 4 Real Estate Marketing Trends 2018
Archive for the "Content Marketing" Category
Using Messaging Platforms for Real Estate to Deliver Content
The 4 biggest messaging platforms now have more users than the 4 biggest social media platforms. Here’s how marketers are leveraging messaging platforms for real estate to deliver content to target audiences.
Gone are the days when social messaging platforms were just about chatting or making plans with family and friends. You might be surprised to learn that “the combined total monthly active user count of the top 4 messaging apps has grown to 4.1 billion in 2018.”
Just to put that in perspective, that’s well over half of the world’s population and — perhaps even more strikingly — dwarfs the 2.19 billion monthly active users that Facebook reported in the first quarter of 2018.
It’s official: Social messaging platforms have surpassed “traditional” social media when it comes to active users. Not only that, marketers are taking notice, and beginning to think about how to leverage messaging platforms for real estate to deliver content to target audiences.
Popular social messaging apps include, for instance, WhatsApp, Viber, Line, Snapchat, and Facebook Messenger.
Tip: Use conversational content on messaging platforms for real estate
As you might expect, a key element in the successful use of using social messaging platforms is to tell your story conversationally. This means tailoring your content to the specific wants or needs of your target audience, creating a compelling narrative with your content, rather than an overt sales pitch.
This kind of storytelling is fundamental to content marketing.
“Messaging and chatbots represent the next logical extension of the content marketing mission,” writes Chris Frascella of the Content Marketing Institute.
According to Thomas Husson of Forbes, “Messaging apps will introduce a paradigm shift for marketers where interactive and contextual conversations will replace ad broadcasting. New conversational interfaces will drive deeper relationships between consumers and brands.”
You may be thinking that this is all well and good for marketing products, but how does it apply to real estate marketing? The truth is, if you have a content marketing strategy in place, chances are, you have a story to tell, and these are tools to help you do it.
Chatbots
Enter chatbots, the technology to turn your content into conversations. Chances are, you’ve already come face-to-screen with a chatbot and may not have even known it.
These computer programs simulate human conversation using auditory or textual methods. Basically, it’s software that communicates with your target audience inside a messaging app. Chatbots are already changing the way businesses interact with their prospects — and with each other.
If you’re thinking that you’re about to be replaced by a robot, relax. AI technology that could take the place of human interaction won’t happen anytime soon. Chatbots are a tool, and they need to be fed content and trained by human marketing professionals.
Tips for using chatbots
The first step is adapting your content for use in a chatbot conversation.
“You can’t just duplicate existing content in your conversational scripts,” says Frascella.
While the goals for your content are the same, the way it is delivered is different. That requires a shift in how it’s structured.
It’s also important to be mindful of timing. Because chatbots require users to opt into conversations, retaining permission to access your audience in this way depends largely on content and timing. This means delivering engaging, meaningful, and valuable content at regular intervals, but not intrusively.
For more ideas on creating a chatbot, check out this post.
Social messaging platforms for real estate are opening new doors for you to deliver personalized content straight to your target audience. Make the most of this opportunity!
Related posts:
- 10 Social Media Statistics for Real Estate Marketers 2018
- Good Real Estate Marketing Gets Personal
- Social Media Trends for 2018 Real Estate Marketers Need to Know
Archive for the "Content Marketing" Category
Must-Know Social Media Strategies for Real Estate
Social media fits real estate marketing like a glove—but only if it’s done right. These social media strategies for real estate will help you effectively tap into new sources of leads.
Real estate is a people business. That’s why you should leverage a marketing tool that is also all about people: social media.
If you have not begun developing social media strategies for your real estate business, now is the time to get started.
Consider for a minute that in 2017, 81% of Americans had at least one social media profile. And the numbers are projected to continue skyrocketing: by 2020, 200 million people just in the U.S. are estimated to be on social media.
And it’s not just your high school friends, and distant relatives who are all over Facebook—professional marketers are tapping into social media in a big way. A recent survey of marketing professionals found that 41% plan to up their social media marketing budgets “significantly” in 2018.
Social media strategies for real estate make a lot of sense. But that doesn’t mean that all social media use is good for your brand—the key is to use it the right way. As Bubba Mills, chief executive officer of Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, puts it, “Done right, social media can increase your trips to the bank. Done poorly, it can drive you to the poor house.”
These three strategies will help you ensure that social media takes your real estate business to the bank.
1. Know what’s out there
You’ll often hear people talk about “social media” like it’s a monolithic entity. In fact, every social media platform is unique, and comes with its own set of challenges and advantages. As you think about what content to post, consider what platform will best serve your own social media strategies for real estate.
Facebook and Twitter are ever-popular, and nearly any content can be tweaked to make sense on these platforms. More visual platforms, like Instagram and Pinterest, are ideal for showcasing properties or visual content like a before/after feature. To connect with target businesses or other industry professionals, LinkedIn is likely your best bet.
2. Be a resource: a key social media strategy for real estate
We hardly need to tell you social media is a nexus for the best and worst. When your prospects scroll through their newsfeeds, they wade through a tremendous amount of useless information. Your goal should be to grab their attention with a standout topic, and keep that attention and interest by providing value to your audience.
“When you write your social media posts, think of yourself as a teacher, not a salesperson,” says Mills. “Educate with solid facts and materials readers can use.” Establishing yourself as a trusted resource ensures a lasting and fruitful relationship with your audience.
3. Keep your eye on the prize
As with any marketing endeavor, a crucial first step is a strategy. Social media marketing is no different. A clear, documented social media strategy for real estate, with measurable goals and a mechanism for collecting data on its effectiveness is crucial for success. In the end, it’s all about generating leads—but it’s important not to forget all the steps on the way to this overarching goal.
Used wisely, social media can help build your brand, engage your potential buyers and renters, generate leads, and establish your reputation as a trusted resource.
Related posts:
- 10 Social Media Statistics for Real Estate Marketers 2018
- A Visual Guide to Social Media Posting Frequency for Real Estate
- Social Media Can Be a Strategic Weapon in Real Estate Marketing
Archive for the "Content Marketing" Category
5 Ways to Generate Real Estate Blog Ideas
A real estate blog is one of the best ways to market your brand and properties. These five tools can help you generate relevant, engaging ideas.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll certainly say it again—a real estate blog is one of the best ways you can market your properties. Blogging helps increase search engine visibility, establish your brand, and drive web traffic (new leads). Maintaining an active blog also helps you build and maintain relationships and establish yourself as a trusted resource.
So, blogging is great for your business—but what happens when you can’t think of anything to write about. Content creation possibilities are endless but generating topics can nevertheless be daunting sometimes.
As usual, the internet is here to rescue you. To get you started, here are five of our favorite sources for generating real estate blog ideas.
1. Hubspot’s Blog Ideas Generator
Think Mad Libs: Give HubSpot three nouns, and its Blog Ideas Generator will give you topic ideas. This tool is a great way to focus on topics where you want to cultivate your authority and to generate blog post ideas for a topic cluster, in line with existing pillar content.
2. Google AdWords Keyword Planner
A free tool that allows you to search for a keyword related to your topic, Google AdWords Keyword Planner helps keep you on message by providing hundreds of keywords and phrases to help you generate ideas.
3. HitTail
This keyword analysis tool makes use of Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools data. It determines which keywords are driving traffic to your website and suggests additional keywords you could target to optimize traffic. Use these keyword suggestions to come up with real estate blog topic ideas.
4. Alltop
Co-created by legendary business advisor and author Guy Kawasaki, Alltop aims to help you answer the question “what’s happening” in topics that pertain to your business. Essentially, it provides a list of recent posts from the most trusted blogs on each topic. It’s a great “in” on the most important conversations going on among thought leaders in the real estate industry.
5. Ubersugggest
It may not be the best tool for coming up with actual post titles, but for generating general topic ideas, you can make Ubersuggest your go-to. Enter a word or phrase, and Ubersuggest produces a long list of results containing the word or phrase followed by related phrases.
Bonus: Twitter
Yes, you read that right. Twitter can actually be a useful tool to generate blog post ideas. Try running a Twitter search using your keyword proceeded by a hashtag (#properties, for example) to get a list of tweets containing your keyword. Twitter also has the bonus of being likely the most up-to-date conversation you can find on the web.
Now, all you need to do is to compile a list of real estate blog ideas, create an editorial calendar, and get started.
Related posts:
- 10 Must-Follow Blogs for Real Estate Marketers
- 4 Types of Content You Need to Sell Real Estate (Besides Listings)
- 4 Real Estate Marketing Trends 2018
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