You got into real estate to help people buy and sell property, right? You probably didn’t expect to become a blogger when you got your real estate license.
But here we are, in a highly-competitive field where real estate agent blogs are currently transitioning from competitive advantage to marketing necessity.
How are you supposed to find time each week to publish top-quality blog content?
Here’s a little secret: You don’t have to create all your blog content yourself.
Sure, you could hire a professional blogger to ghostwrite your content. But what if you don’t have the budget to hire a writer? Not to worry, you have other options!
Here are five brilliant ways to publish top-quality content on your real estate blog without creating it yourself.
1. Curate listings
Listings are a goldmine for pre-written blog content!
But please don’t just copy and paste your new listing and call it a blog post. You can do better.
Instead of posting a single listing that will only appeal to a small percentage of buyers, curate multiple listings into an engaging, shareable post! Posts like “Best fixer-uppers on the market,” “Historically significant homes you could own” or “Most unique homes for sale.”
All you have to do is choose the listings you want to feature, then copy and paste snippets of the listing verbiage into your post and add an image for each listing.
You might also want to add a call to action at the end of your post to encourage interested buyers to contact you. And to warn them about quick market turnover!
Something like: “Homes are selling quickly! If you’re in the market for a [fixer-upper/historically significant/unique] home, contact me today for an updated list of currently available homes.”
Curated listings posts earn high social media likes and shares among locals who recognize the properties, which brings more people to your blog! And they generate goodwill with other agents because you’re effectively promoting their listings.
There are just a couple downsides:
- You’re not posting any unique content, so the post won’t improve your search engine rank.
- You still need to invest a little time in curating the listings.
2. Outsource to your assistant
If your assistant has a knack for writing, he or she could be an ideal ghostwriter for you. He or she knows your local market and your niche demographic, and he or she can channel your voice into the writing.
It may take your assistant away from some of his or her other responsibilities, but if you have the luxury of having an assistant who can write, this investment in your online presence is a valuable use of their time!
The greatest benefit to having your assistant ghostwrite your posts is that your content will be 100 percent unique. This unique text will be indexed by search engines, which will improve your search engine rank so you can be found easily online. And the knowledge demonstrated in the post will boost your authority as the local expert.
3. Feature written content from other sources
Did you know you can take blog content written by someone else and post it on your own blog?
You just need the original writer’s approval and a link back to the original post.
Most content writers love being featured on other sites. They benefit from the exposure to a new audience, and the links back to their original post improve their search engine rank. Plus, you benefit from the value the content provides to your audience.
Here are a few ideas for featured content sources:
- Lenders
- Your local tourism board
- Home maintenance and renovation experts
- Local HOAs
Once you have reached out and secured permission from the author, all you have to do is write a quick introductory paragraph explaining why you chose to feature that specific content, then copy and paste the content into your post. And be sure to include a link back to the original post.
Similarly, you can curate posts from multiple sources into a single “round-up” post. Round-ups are collections of the best posts you’ve seen on a specific topic. Something like “3 must-read blog posts for future flippers,” for example.
Remember to alert the original author(s) as soon as you publish your post because there’s a good chance they’ll promote the feature across their social media, which will bring more eyeballs to your website!
There are a few downsides to posting featured content:
- It establishes the original author as the authority, instead of building your own authority.
- It will boost the search engine rank for the original post, not for your website.
- You still need to invest some time in finding, vetting and introducing the content.
4. Put a slideshow together
In the same way you can use written content from other sources for your blog posts, you can also use images from other sources.
The same basic rules apply: get permission from the photographer/artist, credit them for the image, and include a link back to their site. Copyright rules apply, so be careful of what you post, and make sure you get permission.
Some of my favorite slideshow post topics are:
- Home renovation projects
- Curb appeal makeovers
- Local events
You can include as much or as little text as you’d like to accompany each image. Keep in mind, the more original text you use, the more likely the post will boost your search engine rank.
5. Accept high-value guest posts
Guest posts, as the name implies, are posts written for a blog by someone other than the primary blogger.
You’ll find that many bloggers are willing to guest post for the same reasons bloggers want to be featured on your site: it introduces them to a new audience and builds on their authority. The same groups you considered for features can be considered for guest posts.
The key difference between featuring and guest posting is that the guest post is exclusive to your site. It will improve your search engine rank instead of the author’s.
The downside is minimal. You’re still missing the opportunity to boost your own perceived authority. And you’ll spend a little time editing the post to make sure it suits your audience and your brand.
Creating your own content
As great as these alternatives are, there is no substitute for writing your own content. To speak to your readers with the authority of your unique knowledge and experience creates engagement that can’t be replicated through any other means.
I recommend creating your own content whenever you can. Then take advantage of these alternatives when you simply don’t have the time to invest in your blog.
Michelle Clardie is a nomadic real estate content writer who’s home base is in Southern California. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter.
