Real Estate Agent, Brokerage and Mortgage Blogs

Nothing, she is bat crap crazy and totally Toxic. And I don't recommend taking advice from the certifiably insane. But that's one heck of a headline, isn't it? Don't you have a need to know what Britney Spears could teach you about blogging if she could? That's the point. Writing headlines is what blogging is all about. The number one rule of copywriting is: every single sentence is designed to make you read the next one. So, if you can engage the reader in your headline, they will be more likely to read that first sentence of your blog post.

"On average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. This is the secret to the power of the headline, and why it so highly determines the effectiveness of the entire piece.

The better the headline, the better your odds of beating the averages and getting what you've written read by a larger percentage of people. The Magnetic Headlines series will provide you with concrete guidance that will have you writing better headlines in no time."

-Brian Clark of CopyBlogger.

How to write a great headline

1. Use your keywords

Can I write a post without mentioning keywords? Probably not. Try to use your keywords in your post title. In most blog platforms, your post title is an H2, the second most important piece of on-page content, so wouldn't it be nice to tell Google which words you want to be indexed by - by including them in the VP of tags?

Read also: Find your most important keywords

2. Give specific benefits

People are lazy- we don't want to waste our time reading something that may not be useful to us, so no matter how clever a title you think it is- always ask yourself does it express specific benefits to the reader. So, don't be cryptic in your post titles- spell it out- what will the reader get out of reading the post.

Read also: How to write catchy real estate blog titles

3. Shock and awe/emotionally engage readers

If you can make someone laugh, cry, angry, etc, you are more likely to keep them coming back for more on your blog. People are emotional junkies. Yes, I said it, we are addicted to feelings and the more you can make people "feel" when they visit your blogs, the better. That means, make a lighthearted joke in your post title or post, cover something controversial, tell the tale of a foreclosure or short sale gone bad and what happened to the homeowner (interest people with a image link a tissue box). It's like passing out crack in the ghetto, people love to be emotional. Subscribers will line up in droves just to get their taste.

Read also: How to emotionally engage your readers

4. Ask a question

45% of people over the age of 45 type queries into Google in the form of a question. And since Google pulls back the most relevant data in order, you will get more Baby Boomer traffic if you write your post titles as questions. Think about it- you can actually demographically target your readers through search simply by writing your post titles in the form of questions.

So, what kinds of titles create headlines for real estate sites?

These are just examples of the types of titles you can use. I am not suggesting these titles, just showing you how to implement the ideas.

The Fear Factor:

Create a little fear. Make people feel like if they don't read this their entire buying, selling, investing future is in jeopardy. Sounds crazy but the fear of loss is a compelling reason to dig deeper into some topic.

• 5 Things that will ruin your closing

• Are you preventing your home from selling?

• Will your open house be a flop?

The List:

People love lists. Think about People Magazine's Most Beautiful People issue. It is historically one of their best selling issues each year. Simple lists catch people's attention. It gives them knowledge in bite sized pieces.

• Top 10 things to do in Palm Beach when you retire

• The 20 most important things to do when staging you Palm Beach home for sale

• Top 10 ways to get more for your money when buying a Palm Beach home

The Call to Action:

Strangely, people like to be told what to do. They like to be guided through processes. So, writing "How-to" and "Ultimate Guide" type titles always make for a popular post. FYI: These types of titles and posts are called "tutorial marketing."

• How to get an offer at your next Palm Beach open house

• Ultimate guide to closing in 30 days

• What to do when a seller refuses your offer

The Myth

There wouldn't be a show called Mythbusters if people didn't like their myths busted. So, bust those myths.

• Myth: you can't get home owner's insurance in Florida

• Myth: I'll get the best deal on the house if I call the agent listed on the For Sale sign

• Myth: Our new kitchen is a great improvement and will improve our home value

The Secret

As Realtors, I know you know things that average home buyers like myself are just in the dark about... Share them. People like to think they are getting "exclusive" or "secret" information. Doesn't a secret peak your interest?

• Secrets of painless closings

• The secrets of zero down investing

• A Realtor's secrets to buying homes for less

The Gossip

Please, we all can't get enough of Star Magazine in the grocery line. I may not buy it, but I read every juicy little nugget I can while the husband unpacks the cart! It's an unfortunate fact, people love sensational gossipy news. If your area is predisposed to having celebrities in town or you have a local scandal, blog all about it. It will drive traffic in droves to your site and possibly get you syndicated!

• Councilman Harry puts your home sale in jeopardy with higher taxes

• Johnny Damon sells Fort Myers home, take the virtual tour and see how a World Series winner lives

• Why Rod Stewart makes a bad neighbor

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