By far, this is my new favorite column. I mean, it’s MY blog, so it’s all things I love to discuss. But this, THIS is the new series I live for every week. It’s like being a kid and going to breakfast with the lady club – i.e. my grams and her best gal pals. Somewhere in every Smalltown, USA there is a group of women sipping coffee and dishing the dirt. These ladies – they were born with the gift of gab. They can chatter, prattle, jabber and jaw better than those gossip girls on tv. They are experts in just about everything, and aren’t afraid to tell you exactly what is going on around town… what the milk maid saw through the keyhole. You know what I mean. So grab your favorite steaming beverage, and get cozy, my friends. You’re about to enter what is my modern nod to those all-knowing ladies and discuss the word around the web as heard by a REALTOR®.
Help after Harvey
NAR sent out an email this week reminding agents of the RRF, REALTORS® Relief Foundation. It’s a 501(c)(3) that’s raised more than $25 million since 2001. They’ve made the donation process simple with an online credit card option or you can mail in a check. Click here to donate right now.
It’s been said that there is no self-less good deed… so it would be remiss of me not to suggest that you parlay your big heart into a marketing opportunity. While “everybody’s doing it” isn’t a phrase I suggest you live by, it does apply to some scenarios, and this might be one. Share the link with your past clients, use this as a reason to reach out and chat with some that you haven’t spoken to in a while. Perhaps offer a “matching” funds opportunity if you can. Maybe start a marketing campaign where you offer a percentage of your commissions to the RRF for all new listings or buyer closings through the end of the year. It’s okay to turn a bad thing into an opportunity to help more people and extend your marketing reach this Fall.
RISMedia also posted an article with info about the various real estate groups across the U.S. that were stepping up to raise funds or offer assistance. I was, however, disappointed to see the mention of so many real estate franchises except the one so near and dear to my heart – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, was no where to be found. Just because RISMedia isn’t mentioning us, doesn’t mean we aren’t out there doing our part. Here’s an action call for all of my BHHS comrades… let’s hit the web hard with lots of fundraising, clothing drives and donations!
Let’s talk about SEO, baby!
Let’s talk about SEO, Baby! Let’s talk about you and me! Better yet, let me introduce you to Meg from Clapping Dog Media. I stumbled across her blog a few months ago and am working my way through as much of her content as I can. It’s a serious SEO gold-mine, folks. No doubt that if you’re a real estate agent in 2017 that you have a website of some sort. I would also not be surprised if you’re managing it yourself. That’s what real estate agents are, after all, jack-of-all-trades… master of none. No worries though, you don’t have to be a master at everything, because experts like Meg are breaking down complex issues for you, i.e. SEO. She sent out an email this week that was all about keywords and understanding the science of picking longer SEO phrases. I have to admit, it was a serious light-bulb moment for me.
In her article, she spoke about adding words to your major keyword phrases to create a niche and less competition for you – because, I mean, seriously… did you think you were the only one using SEO phrases like “(your city) realtor” or “(your city) homes for sale”? Not likely. According to Meg, you need to add words to your key phrases, to make them longer and carve out a niche for you on google. This is where my light bulb went on.
Let me take you back to my bakery days in Florida. When I first started out, I had a WordPress blog as a website. It was as basic as white girls at Starbucks, but it got the job done. I wrote multiple times a week and then hammered the heck out of my SEO keywords. I used things that were unique, but accurate descriptions. Once I started selling allergy-friendly foods (dairy free, gluten free, etc.) I added phrases like “gluten-free Grayton Beach,” and “dairy free in Destin Florida.” My google positioning was absolute top and I was getting multiple emails per week from clients seeking my product. I had somehow just instinctually created a niche on google for myself and it worked. It was so subconscious that it has never occurred to me to do the same thing with my real estate websites – until today. Thanks Meg!
Check out her whole article, and as usual, if it’s too much to handle, just hire a professional. It’s 2017. Time real estate professionals stopped dumping large amounts of cash into print ads, and spent those dollars on their online presence.
Real Estate Innovators Series Launch
Last but not least, HouseCanary launched a new video series on Real Estate Innovators this week and I’m all about keeping tabs on what the innovators are up to. My biggest pet peeve with this industry is the lack of innovation, so I’m curious to see just how innovative these innovators are.
I’m encouraged by Matt Fuller (the association president of San Francisco Association of REALTORS®) in the first video. He touches on the fear by agents that technology will replace us and likens it to a cup of instant coffee. When first invented, instant coffee was technologically advanced. But instead of killing traditional coffee, Matt says “instant coffee has made good, REAL coffee, more valuable.” Translate that to, “technology will make a live real estate agent even more valuable.” Yes, Matt! I couldn’t agree more – plus you just said all my favorite words in once short video… coffee, technology and REALTOR®. Check out the full video here or watch above.
