When we look back on the development of blogging over the last 5 or 10 years we can see that blogs were an important step in the “socializing” of the web. Unlike traditional static websites that were more or less just online brochures, blogs were built as personal publishing platforms with a major dose of interactivity. In other words, they encourage one on one interaction. Bloggers express their opinions, as well as connect to other bloggers and web resources, and readers respond by expressing their opinions in the form of “comments”.
This interaction is what “social networking” is all about – with the most glaring examples being platforms like Facebook and Twitter. They provide you the opportunity to interact with an ever-broadening network of people who share your interests, or are interested in what you have to say.
Those of us interested in using these social networking sites as marketing tools can find it a bit overwhelming. Keeping up with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace, ActiveRain, and many others is difficult and time-consuming. And if there is no comprehensive strategy for our social networking it will eventually become tiresome and of questionable value.
As part of a sensible online social networking strategy, most “experts” agree it is important to have your blog at the centre of things. Your blog is where you can express yourself in greater depth, and without worrying that you are being too pushy or sales-oriented.
Generally speaking, your friends and followers on sites like Facebook or Twitter do not like to be bombarded with a sales pitch whenever they read your entries. But using your tweets and Facebook entries to point them to interesting stories, articles, videos, or special offers is perfectly acceptable. The easiest place to point them is your own blog.
This strategy is no mystery and it has been discussed many times by marketing experts: use your blog to build your online identity, publish your opinions, and present your special products and offers. Use the other social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) to drive traffic to your blog.
In other words, as I said above, your blog should be at the center of your marketing strategy. Looking at it this way may encourage you to reconfigure your whole online marketing strategy. But that is probably a good thing.
Aristides Alves 8:27 am on August 3, 2009 Permalink
You are right, but is too dificult make a Blog the center of the univers; if you aren’t Obama.
I am a broker and a ritired man.I am trying do all the things you sad.
Brazil is a dark land if you haven’t a crowded head.
I have facebook, twitter,ecademy and linkedin and flow all the traffic to my Blog as you sad.
Do you have a special strategy to real estate industry?
Rick 3:36 pm on August 3, 2009 Permalink
Hello Aristides. Thanks for the very important question.
My most recent strategy suggestions are contained in the free report called “Blogs That Work”, available here:
http://www.linknet-promotions.com/reports/blogs-that-work-report.php
The most important point is that you absolutely need a traffic generating strategy, otherwise most of your blogging efforts will be wasted. This strategy has two main parts:
1. Create interesting content in your blog that people want to read, and
2. Promote that content in Facebook, Twitter, etc., to your email list of contacts and clients, or in a regular newsletter as an incentive to get people to go to your blog.
This content should also reinforce something special about you or your service that sets you apart from other agents and that will make your service memorable.
For example, I have recommended to our AgentMapIt members two possibilities for distinguishing themselves from other agents.
1. Publish “green” articles, videos, etc. so you become known as the “green” guy, or
2. Publish material about “relocation” so you become known as a “Relocation Expert”
There are other things you can do to set yourself apart too. Here are some things other agents I am familiar with do:
- Offer a free video or virtual tour with every listing
- Every tenth listing is free (they draw to determine the winner)
- Give away free long distance phone service for a year
- Become the “condo king” for your city – specialize in condos.
These are just a few things among many possibilities.
- Rick