Have you ever wondered what makes a good blog to gain readership? In the beginning I just thought that it would be great to get a bunch of members reading my post. It was a lot of fun and darn if I didn't get a bunch of featured posts. I made friends and boy did we have a lot of fun!
Eventually my writing took a turn and I took everything I wrote to a higher level. I started to think about all the leads I was getting from my ActiveRain blog and what the topics were that they were contacting me about. The consumer /lead wanted to not only get information about real estate but my local area.
I then turned my focus to a variety of topics to write about because after all- Isn't Real Estate about everything and anything in our local community if we're to be classified as local experts?
Gearing toward specifics related to Real Estate to write about lead me to delve into writing about:
- Businesses in my community: I wrote about the restaurants I had dined, the material warehouse where I got TLW some material for scarves and even down to the Aloha Stadium and Kam Swap Meets and Pearlridge Mall.
Local Celebrities: Ron Artis (he passed away yesterday) who painted murals all over buildings here, Eddie Aikau the famous surfer, Braddah Iz (Israel Kamakawiwoʻole) a wonderful musician and more.- Hawaiian Historical Sites and Info: I wrote about the Night Marchers and the Menehune's and historical landmarks and sites to see such as the Hawaiian Heiau's (Ancient Hawaiian Temples), Burial Sites and Laws and the Bishop Museum.
- Hawaiian History of: I researched and found out where Aloha Hawaiian Print Material started, about Hula, King Kamehameha,The History of Father Damien in the Land of the Exiled, the History of Homes and so forth.
- Real Estate: Hawaii Real Estate Contracts and Laws (every state is different.....) Condo Associations, Open Houses, the volcanoes and vog, zoning information, VA Loan Transactions in Hawaii and Relocating to Hawaii. ADD ON: Even about my growing up in the Mililani Community Mililani Town Homes| Mililani Mauka Homes| Growing Up with the Mililani Community!
- Scenery and Visuals: I love taking my camera around the island and snapping shots of anything and everything. Being a great photographer can lead to a visual grasp of the reader for your post. You can always use the photo and build a story on it.
Remember, writing about everything and anything in your community will give you that extra advantage when your client asks you about businesses, history, real estate and your neighborhood.
Be that local expert.
You can make it fun and......
Being prepared with information past your real estate knowledge.
Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate® and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocations, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents, Home Buyers and Sellers.
© 2007-2012 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog.
All rights reserved.
Sally, I couldn't agree with you more. Hyper local and market stats sure do help me loads. Then of course area facts, historical info, and real estate basics are important too. And photos of local scenes. Yep, you got it covered!
Sally,
I'd say if a person has a good personalty, if a person is not afraid of having their thoughts known, if a person has friends, if they like talking about where they're at, then they can be a good blogger!
It's not you English, it's not your spelling (Thank God!) it's allowing, making yourself vurnable.
Bill
Andrea: YAY! I love variety :)
Bill: Yup....transparent indeed...look at me in the pic lol
Hello Sally and some great tips and a wonderful post, thanks for the information and keep them coming ...
Vegas Bob ;-)
PS - If you had posted this to any of my groups I would have featured it ...
Great tips. Thanks so much for sharing with a <3 month blogger who was born in Oahu. I appreciate it!!!!
Sally you certainly are the "local expert" for anything Hawaiian! I do love the posts and cannot wait to come back to the islands for another vaca.
Sally I followed you blog for a little bit now, and I have taken some of that journey with you. There are several members that would do well to read this blog, because there are waaaaaaaaay to many members on here that are simply blogging to accumulate points, and then they are surprised that no one comments on their blog, and that they never get featured.
Sally - as always you present sound advice and suggestions for us all. George is right - there are many folks, not just new writers, who could learn a bit from your post. Let's hope they read it. I have been following you since you started writiing (scary to think how long ago that was) and your articles jsut get better and better. I have learned more about HI than I ever thought possible.
Jeff
WooHoo! I had fun with this one too!
Thanks Renee
Jeff: Aww...that was really sweet. I hope they all read it because it's not just about having fun, getting points and/or features. It's about writing that quality content that makes up this network ....the people behind the words.
George: You have been one of my most regular commenters for YEARS. Bottom line, we all needed to get a life (actually work) instead of hang on here 24/7 to just get points.
Larry...I try :)
Wonderful Belinda! Do you have stories to share?
Bob: Thanks...
Celeste - that is awesome that you are getting leads from AR! And yes, being the local authority seems to be the logical step. Thanks for putting me on the track of thinking more "locally". My ADHD needs a little kick now and then! :-)
I write about what I know... and I know what's happening in our area!!
I want to live in Hawaii and learn enough to be a local expert!! ;)
Great advice, Sally. I hope to follow in your footsteps. Leave some Mililani info for me will ya?? LOL
Localism is where we work, live, play and where our friends and clients do too. It's good for our business and our community to foster a healthy economy in our own backyard. Localism can help.
Sally, i really like doing local posts best...i need to say that & you do wonderful ones so consumers really get the feeling of the state...great post to get us all thinking about a variety of ideas..best
Great post and very glad its working for you! i too am trying hyper local to see how well t works.
Sally - you sure do a fine job of portraying and explaining your local community and traditions. One of these days I will make it to Hawaii :)
Sally:
Of course being featured is always fun. But the local posts get the phone calls and that is really what it's all about.
Great points, Sally. There is no doubt that when I look at my statistics, my hyper-local posts blow everything else out of the water!
Hi Celeste,
Thanks for the post today, I enjoyed the read....I agree being the local expert is worth a lot.
Enjoy your weekend.
Patricia/Seacoast NH & ME
Oh, Sally, I'm going to snitch your idea about history. I'd enjoy it and I bet the locals will too. Thanks!
Sally this is a reaffirmation of what took me a while to figure out. Letting people know about the towns they live in is a great way to get exposure and to also accumulate friends and followers. As for George, #7, leave me alone.
Sally I had no idea that bull fighting was something done in Hawaii as well. How do you say Ole, in Hawaiian?
Sally, I've started down this road and am encouraged by your post !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sally, great advice for taking your blogging to the next level. Thanks.
Sally, Thank You for a great post! I am taking my blog more Local as well! Have a Great Weekend!
Sally, good stuff thank you. I appreciate the thought provoking ideas you mentioned.
Hey Maureen! Got plenty of Mililani...even my childhood growing up watching the homes being built! Mililani Town Homes| Mililani Mauka Homes| Growing Up with the Mililani Community
Sally: Thanks for the excellent tips. Maybe this will get me jump started and my motor running for local expert posts.
Sally - another one of your wonderful posts! You are right on target with this one, nothing beats being the local expert!
Hi Sally: I have been posting locally - and I am really getting into it.... I loved your post. Best, Gay
Ed my friend, you were not one of the people I had in mind when I made the comment. In fact I have hit the suggest button on a number of your blogs for a feature :)
Really great advice Sally !! Thanks ever so much.
I'm new at the Social Media thing, and am slowly learning, so I appreciate all the ideas and tips.
Blogging about a variety of things not only makes you more of a resource, but also paints a comprehensive picture of who you are to your audience. It makes you more approachable and human. I think people are hungry for more personal contact with others - especially in the business world where everything that is technical or automated is place on a pedestal as the holy grail.
Tod Hunt, Broker The Atlas Group, Medford, OR
Celeste - I personally have been trying to break through the mybarriers and garner my own writing potential. I have even started developing a Wordpress blog to accommodate my ActiveRain blog. Great blog- thank you!
Sally -
Congratulations on the well deserved feature!
You really practice what you preach... You have one of the best "hyper local" blogs out there!
I wish you continued success...
Sally,
Very sound advice indeed...
-Brent
All great ideas. When people in your community see you as the "go to" person, you've won the battle. Great post, Sally!
I agree - great post
I agree so much with you! I try to write local content about my neighborhoods here in the DC area - and there are so many that I will be busy for a while! From Spring Valley to River Falls, there are lots of great articles to be written here too! Thanks for the encouragement to all of us!
Sally, you've highlighted the most important features that we should write about in order to be considered the local expert. It was one of my focal points for blog improvement, but somehow, I got away from it this past year. Hopefully, I'll do a better, much better, job of writing about local attractions and businesses this year.
William: I get sidetracked too...but writing about the topic..or doing Bob's hyper local challenges and such keep me on track.
Sally: Great clues. I've been getting lots of great advise about how to be more successful with my Blogging. This one fits right into my new bad of tricks. I've bookmarked it. Thanks ~Rita.
Thank you for the tips.I enjoy reading your posts. You are the local expert.
Very good advice for ActiveRain members. Thanks for sharing.
Sally- I always love reading your blogs!
Hi Sally.
I am just starting with blogging and wasn't quite sure what to blog about. Your advice helps me tremendously - it gave me some great ideas.
These are great ideas to blog about. A blog can serve so many purposes within a community and it seems you have found your niche. Congrats on all the leads. That is quite an accomplishment.
Tni: It's been almost four years on ActiveRain come March....and it did take time to find that niche. When I did...everything took off. I've not only gotten leads from AR but everything I learned here I took to my other sites as well.
Good deal Christine! I had hoped that if one person got something out of this it was well worthwhile! :)
Wonderful post, and love your examples of your own local content. I'm looking forward to celebrating my own community through my blog posts, just as you are celebrating yours. :)
Sally,
This was just what I needed to read. I was sitting in front of the computer last night wondering, "am I doing this right"? It sounds like I'm on the right track and just need to keep at it. Thanks for sharing.
Love your ideas ...
The best RainMaker's Ambassadors are those that help others to learn. Thanks for sharing as you have.
Great Post! As a newbie blogger I certainly appreciate your tips and ideas! Thanks for sharing! We all appreciate it!
Good points and thoughts. I'll say you certainly have an advantage for beautiful pictures being from Hawaii.
Rhonda: It's a big celebration when you start getting those leads.....THEN...we know we're doing the right thing :)
Kate (Re/MAX Diamond) You're very welcome! Hoping the best for you in blogging and wishing you well through the Holiday Season!
Celeste, You make a very good point. I live on what I call "The Other Big Island", Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Lots to write about here as well. I will be making a more conscientious effort to do so. Do you get a lot of good business leads from this yourself?
Thank you for the great post. I have been to Hawaii three times. The beauty is priceless.
Jerry Gray CRB,CRS,GRI,SFR / Allen Tate Realtors / Winston Salem, NC / 336-918-2433
I know this first-hand as I felt right at home when going to Hawaii, just knowing that you'd be there to answer any questions we had.
It's not surprising that I only think of one name when Hawaii comes to mind ...
and who is Ed Silva? ;)
Sally, since you've got the basics of living in Hawai'i covered, that means I only have to do the Big Island. Actually, I can't even do justice to the Big Island, I stick closer to home (North and South Kohala). A big mahalo to you for answering some of my questions when I first joined Active Rain. Even with minimal attention to my blogging I get a steady stream of clients from it.
Malama pono
Beth
Good advice. Bloggings should be about building your business.
I get lots of hits on local subjects. I am not sure if it translates into business leads. I am focusing more and more on real estate issues in my posts.
I'm with Gene- I do get hits on the local stuff but can't confirm it is translating into business. I think writing more about real estate is really necessary in a market as large as mine.
All:
Do you believe local area topics have any significance in real estate? The consumer reads all posts from one author. How will they get a piece of you through your writing? How will they know that you actually know specific neighborhoods and how will you answer if they ask about your opinion on the best steakhouse in town? History? Transparency is the best way I can describe writing....because Real Estate is not just reciting laws and contracts .....it's about your knowledge about your community, the market, the neighborhood, the businesses.
Do you believe that you can turn a phone call about the history of xx that you wrote about and turn it into a lead? It's the people you know that can turn into a referral...a friend you made through writing about their restaurant....that will consider using you in the future after thanking you for the compliment.
The business I have actually received from blogging was due to the nature and 'feel' of my blog and my clients 'getting to know me' and the surrounding neighborhoods in my niche market through my writing. I choose to give variety through my blogs because real estate information is abundant here and we all choose how to set ourselves apart from our competition. Even while writing about real estate topics and issues..... there will always be the following or prior posts that a reader will want to peruse...to see if there is something about me that will be reason to pick up the phone or email me about.
Needless to say...like I said...we all have to find our way in blogging and whatever works for you is what you will write about. I stepped outside of that comfort zone to try something new....and it worked.
Jenny: I took a look at your blog...and you do some great Local area posts as well. This, in my opinion, variety... and will surely give the reader a little more than just 'real estate' talk :)
Here's a classic example of statistics for two posts. One real estate topic related and one fabric mart local business post.
Fabric Mart got more clicks than the top ten attibutes... go figure :) It's like meeting people at the grocery store.....this online blogging.... a bizarre way to meet peers, clients, get leads and of course make MANY friends!
Most of my early blogs were about our local area too and looking at the stitistics for them that is really where I have gotten the most hits. Getting the comments though and feedback feels good and it rarely comes from the localism posts. Thanks Sally, for the ideas!!!!
Dear Sally,
Looks like you have refined the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Wonderful advice - and that orchid is soooo gorgeous. Makes me want to reach out and touch it.
Sally - Read your posts often. They always have a sense of energy that is inspiring. I am sure that is why people respond so well to them. Mele Kalikimaka!
Great informative post, you've given me more ideas on what to blog about!
Excellent Post Sally! Thank you for the ideas.
Sally ~ thanks for the list of ideas. I often struggle with blog post ideas. Your list will certainly help me in the future.
Bookmarking! I want to be a local expert!!
Sally - You are one of the first AR authors I discovered when I came here....I fell in love with your beautiful pictures of Hawaii! They definitely bring me to a place of peace and serenity. Your knowledge of all things FHA helped me close a deal this summer....and for that I will be forever grateful! :)
To be successful in our markets, we need to write (and take pictures of) what we know. And then we need to push against our little envelope and branch out, going to find out about things we don't know....local events and landmarks that we've never heard of....and share that information with our readers through pictures and videos and blogs.
Hyper-local posts bring readers, and our readers can easily become our next customers.
Thanks for sharing your gorgeous corner of the world with us! :)
Coleen.... Actually, it was a VA transaction right? I've learned so much (even though I've lived her most my life) by researching and opening that door to LEARN. That's what we do...continuuing our education not just in real estate....but everything related to real estate like our local areas. Thanks for the support!
A love of the area you sell always helps.
I have been witness to your evolution to blogging phenom! Love your replies to comments as they add a lot to the post~
Thanks Gary...hoping they would :)
Hi Sally - You're right, it WAS a VA transaction....I need to learn to step away from the computer when I'm slipping into unconsciousness. :) Thanks again!
Thank you for sharing the types of blogs you create and the results that you have received. I have just started to do more of this and appreciate the encouragement you gave me through your blog. Thank you. Margaret C.
lol @ Coleen...
Margaret: You're most welcome...if one person likes what I've put out here...it was worth writing!
Thanks for the ideas. I guess I need to get out of the house more. :>)
Blogs are good for attracting attention. Localism is a great idea.