Q. What is a blog?

A Weblog (or ‘blog’ for short) is a frequently updated Web site where entries, or ‘posts’ – often no longer than a paragraph – are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order. A real estate blog, unlike an online forum, is ‘owned’ by an industry professional. This means that if you’re an agent, the blog is branded with your agent identity and you control the discussion topics and provide the main posts. These posts are then commented upon by visitors to the blog, and you have the option of approving all reader responses before they are posted to your blog. Blogs are as easy to use as email. They require no technical expertise or support staff. All you have to do is write and post your entry.
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Q. Why do I need a blog? How will it help me be more successful?

There are many benefits of using a blog, all of which involve helping you to provide better service, expand your client base and increase your sales. Blogs can enable you to:

• Build a community resource Website that becomes a prospect magnet
• Expand your sphere of influence online by creating a dialogue between willing participants
• Foster trust and cultivate warm prospects who are much easier to convert into clients and referral sources
• Develop an online professional network that can provide answers for every kind of real estate related question or need
• Demonstrate your professional expertise, local market knowledge and community involvement, as well as create a unique personal brand
• Improve your search engine placement and drive free traffic to your Web site(s)
• Reinforce all of your drip marketing campaigns

In short, blogs are an easy and inexpensive way for you to communicate with prospects and clients in a direct, informal and genuine tone that will encourage interaction and build trust, all via a medium they’re comfortable using.
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Q. Will my blog increase the likelihood that search engines will find my web site? How?

Yes, blogs are very search engine friendly. Our blogs have Search Engine Optimization (SEO) features that increase the odds that your blog posting will not only get picked up by the major search engines such as Google and Yahoo!, but also get a high ranking.

Blogging provides fresh content and fresh content raises your profile in search engine rankings. Done effectively, this can result in better results then if you bought your way to the top! Linking is another component to Blogging.
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Q. How will prospective buyers and sellers find my blog?

There are four main ways that consumers will find your blog:

1. Our blogs have Search Engine Optimization (SEO) features that enable search engines to more easily find your blog, the result being that it may get higher placement and a likelihood of more traffic.
2. Due to our relationship with REALTOR.com selected posts on popular topics may be syndicated to REALTOR.com, thereby giving you huge marketing exposure at no charge. These highlighted posts at REALTOR.com will also link back to your blog
3. You can drive traffic to your blog by advertising it as a valuable service and source of information in all your other Internet-based and print marketing collateral.
4. If you develop an excellent blog that serves your readers’ needs, they will act as your ambassadors, spreading the word both in person and over the Internet.

Q. What are best practices in blogging?

Blogging will drive consumers to your site; keeping them there by creating a ‘sticky site’ and providing regular commentaries through your Blog.

• Create a virtual community with your contacts and clients
• Become the “ask Bob” person through your online touch-points
• Relate to people you are in contact with – like in community
• Put “a face on the machine”

Here are some examples of blog content that does work well:

• Stories
• Data (Charts, Tables, Maps)
• Book Reviews
• Current Events
• Neighborhood Descriptions
• Local Events (fun stuff!)
• Links
• Interviews
• Advice for Buyers & Sellers
• Advice for Other Agents

For additional information on blogging best practices, you’ll find a list of influential real estate blogs at: realestatemarketing101.topproducerblogs.com.
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Q. What are poor practices in blogging?

Blogs form part of your personal brand so you need to make sure that your posts project the professional image of integrity, credibility, trustworthiness, and industry know-how that will attract readers. So any content that detracts from this professional image should be avoided. Additionally, although blogs are marketing vehicles as well as sources of real estate information, it is best to avoid giving yours posts a sales and marketing tone. Here are some examples of blog content that does not work well:

• Bubble Articles
• Attacks
• Cut-and-Paste from some other source
• Automated Content
• Obvious Self-Promotion
• Questions
• Link-less content (diminishes search engine optimization possibilities)
• Listings
• “Brochure” Type Information
• Incoherent Rambles

Q. Who can request a blog?

Any Realtor® can request a blog.
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Q. How much does a blog cost?

There is no charge for a blog.
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Q. Can I link my blog to my Top Producer® Website?

You can add a blog to your Top Producer® Website using the "Add a Blog Page". This special page type available only with Top Producer® Website supports the permalinks in your blog. This means readers of your syndicated posts can be directed back to your website when they click on your post. You can also show your blog as an RSS feed webbox on you Website.
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Q. How do add my blog to my Top Producer® Website?

Simply add a blog page type. If you have a username and password already, enter it on the configuration screen. Otherwise, click on the request link and an account will be created for you. You will then receive a welcome email containing your username and password.
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Q. How do I use the blog (e.g. how do I add content, how do I respond to comments, can I turn comments feature on/off--how)?

Our blogs support both ‘pages’ and ‘posts’. Pages typically contain static content – for instance, a description of your services or the communities you serve. Posts, on the other hand, are more dynamic in that you can add to them any time you like, be it moment-to-moment, daily or a few times a week.

Once you publish a post that you have written, it becomes visible on your blog. In contrast, visitor responses to your posts will not, by default, be visible on your blog until you review, approve and publish them. You also have the option of setting up your blog so that the responses of trusted visitors will automatically be published.
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Q. Can I customize the look of my blog?

The look of your standalone blog can be customized. You can upload your own banner image or pick from the available stock images. You can change the side-bar widgets as desired and decide whether the side-bar is presented on the left or right. The framed-in look is less customizable as it has been designed to work with Top Producer® Website.
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Q. How long can content stay on my blog?Is there a file size limit like my email account?

Content will stay on your blog as long as your blog account is active. The limit for attachments is 10MB, excluding 2MB for a banner and 2MB for an agent photo. Posts, comments and pages do not count in the limit.
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Q. Can other people post to my blog?

Yes, if you invite others to be contributors to your blog, they can write posts on your blog. As the blog owner, you must approve every post written by a contributor before the post is displayed on your blog.
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Q. Can I add listings to my blog?

The blog is not intended to be a website so there is no facility to explicitly support listings. You can add listings as a blog post and in fact, when integrated with Top Producer® Website, auto-posting new listings, sold listings, and open houses is an option. However, experience shows that blogs are most effective and popular when used as an information source, not as an overt marketing vehicle.
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