Lately it seems Blogging and becoming a Blogger is all the rage. They seem to have a power all their own as blogs have been key to the downfalls of major political and media members like Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and CBS news anchor Dan Rather for instance. At first it seemed an entertainment outlet for teenagers instead of gaming all night, they would Blog as a means of staying in the "know" and making sure their friends knew everything about them.
Celebrities and other high-profile people seem to use them also to captivate an audience and announce different trends in their lives, mostly personal. Still Blogs are not just for teenagers, celebrity brats, they're for the average business person, mainly right now it seems Realtors are utilizing the media to market themselves. And this begs the question do Blogs and the action of Blogging really help businesses? Are they good marketing tools or just a waste of time? Can this medium help or hinder your real estate business? The answer remains in how they are used and to what degree. It is really all about knowledge.
Still what is Blog really? For those of us that remain technically challenged and couldn't be a Web Master if we tried, a Blog is as user friendly as web content comes but it is a way of managing content or a CMS, content management system. The software involved really does all the work for the Blogger and this allows just about anyone to create and maintain a Blog. This action of maintaining or updating the Blog is known as the verb form of Blogging as well as someone who Blog is a Blogger. The individual Blogs are also known as posts and they are usually organized in reverse chronological order. The most up to date material will be viewed first. Still with all the Blogs in the Super Information Universe, what makes a Blog unique, eye catching? What makes it a different media from just a web site or a forum, email or other e-based media? How is this method unique in format and material? Can this be found in the way it balances technology with individual expression?
A Blog can be used to update any information for anything or anybody. Rather it is press release or product information or just speaking one's opinion, this is considered a Blog. The technical format is not dependent upon the content. It is could care less, as if it can have human qualities. It is just an application.
What makes a Blog different from other e-media platforms is the fashion in which is written. A Blog is very informal flexible and powerful in voice and opinion. This allows it to remain true to the owner, the Blogger but also create an authentic voice. If the Blog is well put together and written with consideration, it will be reflective of passion, thoughtful opinion and bias put out there for viewing by the Blogger. It should be the essence of the Blogger's voice. This is where the heart of the Blog remains and allows for substance to build within this framework. Still when one embarks upon starting a Blog, one must also keep in mind, this is not all the Blog needs to be successful. You cannot rely on just good writing, Individual expressionism and approach of material. This will not convey the full intent nor create a powerful Blog. This is where technology can pick up the slack and make the Blog a complete picture.
The Blog technology creates the realm of possibility not seen before because it creates an interaction, a conversation. People read Blogs but also have the option of commenting on what the Blog says and these comments also appear as posts within the Blog. The readers can also pose questions and share their opinions as well. This indeed leads to the essence of human interaction at the primal level even over an electronic medium. The action of storytelling cannot be avoided but remains active and evolving here. There is also the option to start a more personal communication, when the reader can also reply to the Blogger via email. From a business standpoint, this can create interaction with your customer and allow you to build a dialogue with them, making the possibility of return business possible. Below, it is outlined the concrete benefits of Blogging for Real Estate professionals:
It is all about exposure, really. Blogs allow you to build your audience via an increased e-media presence. It is all about how you market yourself via search engines like Yahoo and Google. With a Blog that is eye catching, maybe even thought provoking and continuously maintained with new posts, this can garner higher rankings with a search engine's return pages. Google is important to this operation because it indexes sites or specifically the text on your site. The words that build the content of your site are like gold coins to the search engine. The more frequently the word or phrase is found on your web page, the greater chance a SE like Google or Yahoo has of you appearing in their index on that word or phrase.
With your Blog, you can create direct communication with your customer, No middle man involved and this way you can build a connection with them that is built around your values.
The Blog becomes another means of exposing your brand to the public.
A Blog helps create competitive advantage because this way people get to know your story and also allows them to know you value technology and e-commerce tools. This can set you a part from the crowd.
As Real Estate professionals, we are constantly seeking new avenues of business relationships. A Blog allows you to have interaction with networks of people you may not have traditionally met. This in turn, creates long- term personal relationships and bond based on trust.
This continued focus on CRM, allows the Blog to basically soft-sell your service or product but also acts as less intimidating marketing approach for leads. The Blog, in other words, acts as the icebreaker.
A Blog can be the best PR tool because the media knows you.
With a Blog, you are able to allow your knowledge to shine and therefore, put yourself out there as an expert in your field. In this way, your views and opinions carry clout.
Blogs, while they may be time consuming to create and maintain on a regular basis, they are a cheap media tool. They are also user-friendly and a continuous source of marketing. Trust me with the time you invest, it will be worth in the long run.
Finally, an article presented by CNN Money suggested that Blogging has become so popular within the real estate field that it may change how business is done with regard to marketplace inefficiency and restricted information. There is such a wealth of information because of Blogs featured within the real estate sector, which not always report correctly but at least it keeps people reading and interacting.
Many people think of Blogs as a fad, a popular device used by teens and high-profile movers and shakers when really they are used by just about everyone. Their active use within the business world has a profound impact and is changing the way businesses market themselves and gain clientele. Seriously if you are not using one, then this could have serious implications to your future.
0 comments:
Post a Comment