Posting Valuable Content For Your Followers

July 15 2019

By Steven Reichenberg

I love my LinkedIn news feed. It allows me to follow what's happening in the real estate industry, read about what people in my sphere are interested in, and find new professionals to connect with.

However, I've been noticing a spike in a specific kind of post that doesn't make much sense to me, and perhaps someone can shed some light on this in the comments.

If you're a real estate professional, you're probably posting on social media to build your brand awareness, find new clients, keep in touch with your sphere, and network with other professionals. That's always been my understanding of social media from a professional aspect.

Here's where the confusion comes in. Why are so many real estate professionals promoting other people's businesses instead of their own?

The example on the left links back to an agent website, which has related articles that are targeted specifically to potential sellers or buyers in Menlo Park and contains "Call to Actions" to help convert them from visitors to clients. While the example on the right links to a competitor's website, which actively decreases your chances of your visitors converting to clients.

I understand the occasional sharing of someone else's article or linking to someone else's website. Maybe they posted something that you know your followers are interested in so you want to share it, and that's fine. However, when this starts to make up a noticeable percentage of your posts, you need to realize that you're essentially promoting someone else's business, not your own.

If you want to grow your business using social media, post relevant and unique content. I know that it can be a daunting task, and you might be opening yourself up to criticism because other people may not like or connect with your writing style, but it's the best way to stand out without promoting someone else or paying a fortune.

Here are some social media tips...

Step 1: Pick a Topic

A great way to pick a topic to blog about is to make a list of the most common questions your clients ask you and choose one to answer in depth. If you have multiple clients asking you the same questions over and over, it's probably because they aren't finding the answers they need elsewhere. This could mean there is a lack of information about this topic, and blogging about it may lead other individuals with the same questions to find you.

Quick Story: I recently asked a Mortgage Advisor about the closing costs commonly associated with an FHA loan. They offer low down payments for first time home buyers, but what many people don't know is that you typically have to put down additional deposits for property taxes, home insurance, and mortgage insurance. Being the type of person that likes to figure things out on my own, I searched online trying to find examples of typical closing costs associated with an FHA, and I couldn't find a decent answer. If you're a Mortgage Advisor that specializes in FHA loans, please blog about this. There are people online searching for the same thing I was, and if you blog about this, they will find you.

Step 2: Write Your Blog Post

Writing your first blog post is a daunting task, but you can do it. Start by taking the answer you gave your client and writing it down (and be sure to remove any personal information). Now elaborate on your answer, add more detail so it's crystal clear. If you feel like you can, try to turn it into a story with a beginning, middle, and end.

Step 3: Consult a Friend

Call up a friend and ask them to read through your blog post. Ideally, they don't already know the nuances of what you're writing about, so they'll be able to give you feedback on whether or not it makes sense to them. This is the most critical step; it has to make sense to someone unfamiliar with what you're writing about.

Step 4: Create a Funnel

Create a Lead Funnel

You have your blog post written and ready to go, but you haven't shared it online yet. This is the step where you need to create your funnel to capture leads. In most cases, I recommend uploading the blog to your website and using that as your base of operations.

Once the blog is uploaded to your website, there are a few things you need to do:

1. Add a generic "Call to Action" - This can be as simple as a "Click to Subscribe" button on your website so you can collect their contact information and send them more relevant content (without spamming them).

2. Add a targeted "Call to Action" - After your reader finishes your blog post, they may have more questions or want to learn more about the topic. An example of a targeted "Call to Action" could be, "Still have questions about XYZ? Click here to chat with someone."

3. Setup Retargeting Ads - Here's a truth bomb... Most of the people that read your blog are going to leave without ever contacting you, and that's normal, even for successful websites. Retargeting Ads allow your website to reappear in your visitors' feed after they leave your website, giving you a second chance to earn their business. However, this topic is more nuanced than I make it sound and it deserves its own post, so I'll expand upon this in a separate blog. For now, I'll leave you with a link to the Wikipedia explanation.

Step 5: Promote Your Blog Post on Social Media

Promote Your Blog Post on Social Media and Connect

You're finally ready to promote your blog on social media! Take a compelling excerpt from your blog, ideally something that can stand on its own and still makes sense, and add that as the text in your post. Then include a link to the full blog on your website. Throw in a relevant photo to grab the public's attention, and you're ready to post.

End Result: You're promoting your business, not someone else's.

Comments:

2022 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2021 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2020 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2019 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2018 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2017 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2016 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2015 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2014 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2013 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2012 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2011 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2010 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2009 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

2008 Archives

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr
May	Jun	Jul	Aug
Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Full Archives

Name*
Email
Website
Comment*		Characters Remaining: 5000

WARNING: Archival Site

Gutensite