Blogging to Build Business

Steve ShatskyPrudential Texas PropertiesTurtle Creek Office

Why should you BLOG?

• It’s all about Lead Generation!– Search Engine Optimization (SEO)• The 84% Factor

– Building Client Relationships – Passive Touching– Establish “Local Expert” Status– Niche Marketing• Content

– Inexpensive alternative to traditional mailings– Source of Agent Referrals

Google Ranking

What’s a BLOG? (Just so we’re speaking the same language!)

• weB+LOG=BLOG

• A BLOG is like an online journal …– Each entry is called a Post– A collection of Posts is a BLOG

You might be a BLOGGER if…

• Did you ever keep a diary or a journal?• Did you ever write a short essay or a review?– Local or School Newspaper, Church Bulletin, Newsletter…

• Did you create specific content for your website?• Do you know what’s going on in your neighborhood

or “farm area”?• Is there an aspect of Real Estate, a hobby or lifestyle

activity that you have expertise in that you can share?

CONNECT!

Where can you BLOG?

• There are alternatives…– Your New PruTexas Agent Website• It’s there and waiting for you!

– A General Blogging Site• Word Press, Blogger,etc.

– A Community Site• ActiveRain / Localism

– Combinations• Content CAN be replicated

BLOG Your Way!

• How Often?– At least once a week, but more frequent is better.– Keep a regular schedule to maximize readership.

• Length?– 300 Words is considered optimal – Cover your topic, but get too wordy and people

tune out• Use Keywords and Repeat them• Finding Your Blogging “Voice”

Why I Chose ActiveRain…

• GoogleJuice!– The Junior League Holiday Event Story

• “I would have to pay a fortune to get this kind of advertising!”

• “I wrote an article here on Active Rain about a local Holiday event that over 10,000 will attend and within 1 day I was #1, #2 and #6 on Google. The amazing thing is the official website for Junior League is #3 on Google!”

–My Personal Results• 2 - 3 Direct Calls Per Month• 1 - 2 Web lead per week• My largest website referral sources

– Search Engines and my Blog• 6 successfully closed clients in 2009!

Why I Chose ActiveRain, cont.

• Inbound Referrals– Networking– Over 170,000 Members Nationally

• Localism– Consumer Focused– Local Area (Neighborhood Level) Posts

• Outside Blog

Getting started…

• Writing a Post– Topics • Content matters!• Different Topics for Different Audiences

– Text & keywords!– Graphics and Charts– Videos– REMEMBER COPYRIGHT LAWS!

How to get started… Quick & Easy

• Active Rain– Account Options• Basic

– Internal Member Facing ONLY! No indexing!

• Rainmaker– Plans Start at $29/month* – Internal & External Facing– Includes Outside Blog

• Friend of Steve discount– Rainmaker w/ first month for $5.00– Contact me for Sign-up Info and Promo Code