The term “quality content” is so over used in the real estate blogosphere that I think we have actually become desensitized to exactly what it is. Quality content for the real estate consumer or potential consumer is more about providing them with useful, entertaining and relevant information than penning post after post of market reports. Remember, these are real people reading what you have to say, so you have to make it interesting while at the same time useful to both the human visitor and the search engine crawler. So, let’s break down the components of quality content and how your real estate blog can use them to build readership and leads.

The 6 Steps to Writing Quality Real Estate Blogs

1.  Cast a wide net. Target not just the visitor currently looking to buy or list a home today, but the visitor quietly residing in an apartment and dreaming of home ownership. Remember, the real estate visitor is a fleeting reader- as they are only going to buying/selling for a single moment in time (typically between 4-8 months). So, be sure to create content for the community as a whole to attract local visitors in mass as well as targeted content for the home buyer/seller. This helps to get your name out there and to connect with the community in general so when they are looking to buy or sell, they think of you first. So, write posts about local news, schools, businesses and even gossip. You want to attract as many local visitors as possible- not just the ones that are buying and selling today.  Think outside the box when it comes to creating content for your real estate blog!

Read also: A year’s worth of real estate blog ideas for the busy Realtor Blogger

2.  Use a Human Voice: A real estate blog is not the place to use the industry lingo or mortgage jargon. A blog is the place for you to let your hair down and talk to your customers in the same conversational tone you do with your closest friends. Use some slang, get creative with your grammar, spell with an accent if the story permits. Get gregarious on your blog!

Read also: Humanizing a real estate blog

3.  Engage readers emotionally:  People want to be emotionally engaged by your post. That means that your post has to either answer an urgent need in a readers life or generate strong feelings on a particular issue. So, creating controversy or penning a great tutorial post are the best ways to engage a reader.   Every town has a “hot button” issue or person. Press that button and you will be amazed at how traffic and participation skyrocket. Say things on your blog designed to interest the local press and incite controversy. Look at what is making the front page of your local paper and spin-off a few posts. You can even seed your blog back to the press by shooting them an email about your blog covering the topic.

Read also: Plan a blog war to increase traffic and participation

4.  SEO your content:  What a search engine wants: All search engines really care about in your posts are keywords and links. So, pepper each post with the keywords you want it to be searchable by and link out to other resource sites that would provide further information on the topic you are writing about. You also want to link to other posts on your own site that might add further value to the topic and keep visitors on your site longer.

Read also:  How to boost search engine rankings by using keywords in the body text of your blog post

5.  Answers WIFM (What’s in it for me?): Good blog posts not only provide quality information but they clearly spell out what the benefits of reading the post are. Many newbie bloggers forget to remind readers why they would want to read their posts in the first place.  Explicit benefits far outweigh implied ones. So, remind the reader throughout your post how what the article will help them achieve the promise you made in the post’s title. The word “because” is always valuable when expressing benefits.

Read also: Killing me softly with your blog

Read also: Common rookie blogger mistakes and how to fix them

6.  Close with a call to action and direct people to your lead generation tools:  People like to be told what to do on the web. It creates comfort and a sense of purpose. So, at the end of each post, guide readers to your lead generation tool, RSS subscription page or back to your website where they can contact you or search for a home. Simply create a 3-5 sentence call to action for each of your target readers. Generally, those will be buyers, sellers and investors. Then place a link to your applicable lead generation tool. You'll be amazed how this will improve lead generation on your site.

• Buyers: Ready to start your dream home search? Contact me and I can guide you on finding the perfect home in Cape Coral to suit your lifestyle and needs.
• Sellers: Ready to sell your home? Get started by finding out what your home is worth by clicking here.
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Read also: Formula for a successful real estate blog post

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