M.D. News April 2008

Realtor Blogs

A new way to get to know your agent

In early February it was reported in a Los Angeles Times article that real estate agents who are blogging on the Internet are reeling in clients and ultimately boosting their sales. Could it be that the simple act of creating and maintaining a blog could entice customers to seek out agents for a real estate transaction?

Since starting her blog last August, John R. Wood agent Shannon Lefevre has learned that blogging can “attract people who get to know you and choose to work with you through your writing.”

This is due in part because writing gives Realtors a voice. While a website showcases their photo, their biographical information, their specialties, and their properties for sale, it is static information. Yet, through a blog, readers catch glimpses of an agent’s personality through their writing, allowing buyers and sellers to determine if they like what the agent has to say and therefore, potentially like the agent themselves. 

This is leading customers to real estate agents today. As Lefevre attests, her web traffic has more than doubled when compared to this time last year, and she is currently working with several people who have confessed to reading her blog. 

“A lot of our customers are so tech savvy that we need to find a way to serve them with the ever-expanding technology tools we have,” said John R. Wood agent Shannon Gilmore, who is still experimenting with blogging. “A blog serves as a source of information and a way for the public to connect with us.”

So what are Realtors writing about that is luring readers in? Some agents are blogging about a particular community or neighborhood, in the hopes that they will be seen in the public eye as the expert and go-to person for that area. 

James Roessle, a John R. Wood agent and a resident of Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, keeps his neighbors informed through his Quail Creek Estates blog. Not only does he keep them apprised about real estate happenings, but also about road construction, traffic issues, even posting new baby arrivals in the community. While it has yet to produce customers or increase sales, it has created a “buzz,” he said.

One of most challenging aspects of blogging is the constant need to provide fresh and current copy. John R. Wood agent Christine Citrano believes that her business could someday increase due to her blog, but “one has to be committed to keeping it up regularly.” She strives to update her blog a few times a week, often writing about local events or finding inspiration in topics others are blogging about.

Of course it requires more than just regular updates. To be successful at blogging, one must provide interesting and intelligent content, Lefevre said. This is what will keep readers coming back to your site. Gilmore, for instance, blogs about subjects that have a human interest angle. “Something that might cause someone to reach out and connect with me,” she said.

Lefevre attempts to write towards people. “I ask myself, ‘What do people not know but want to hear? Then I post towards those aspects,” she explained.

Ultimately it is the combination of the blog’s frequency and the message that can help push an agent’s website and sometimes their blog to the top of the heap on most major search engines, making it easy for customers to find them. For example, Lefevre’s website currently ranks number one on Google for many search terms and can be found in the top ten on many more. 

Many real estate agents use the platform ActiveRain to help jumpstart their foray into blogging. Here, agents can network with other Realtors and industry specialists from across the country and also find potential customers. And customers can search for real estate agents on ActiveRain using a variety of search criteria. 

Blogging, as the Los Angeles Times piece pointed out, has become the new, accepted way for customers to get to know the personal side of an agent while still retaining their anonymity. When buyers and sellers are ready to make their move, it could be the blog that sways them to contact one agent over another.

John R. Wood, Inc. Realtors has eight offices throughout Collier and Lee counties and approximately 300 agents. Now celebrating its 50th year in business, this oldest, family-owned, major Naples real estate firm continues to focus on legendary customer service, innovative marketing, and superior use of emerging technologies.