How To Start A Real Estate Blog That Generates Business

I started my primary real estate blog in 2012, but I have been dabbling with blogging since 2008. At the time, blogging was the most popular way to get attention online. Since then, social media, YouTube, and AI have taken attention away from blogging. Blogging is still around and can be very effective at generating business for Realtors, especially when combined with social media, YouTube, and AI. People are constantly searching for information, and blogs are a common way for real estate agents to market their business.

In this blog post, I’ll cover how to start a real estate blog and what pitfalls to avoid. I’ll also explain how my blog became the center of my business and why I will continue to invest time and money into it for many years to come.

How to Start a Blog as a Realtor

The most challenging part of blogging is simply getting started. Once your blog is set up, you'll fall into a routine and dedicate many hours to it. The first step is to overcome the challenge of launching your blog.

If you're not technically savvy, consider hiring someone to help set it up. I suggest finding a skilled WordPress website creator online, especially if you're new to the blogging world. I would expect to pay around $500 to $2,000 to get a basic WordPress website setup. Your hosting fees should be around $10 to $50 per month.

WordPress powers 43% of all websites and is the most popular CMS for creating cost-effective, robust websites. A prime example is Inman News, a leading real estate website built on WordPress. Remember, if your blog grows and you need more advanced features, you can migrate to a different platform later.

If you want to be hands-on and build your own website, it’s not very hard. I can build a basic website in less than 4 hours. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Find the Right URL and Blog Title

The first step is determining how you want to brand your website and blog. You need to choose keywords that push your content into the right niches. You don't want a long URL or Blog Title. Make it clear and to the point. To do this, you must choose what you want to be known for. Here are a few topics that you may want to center your blog around:

I own a real estate brokerage in Colorado Springs, CO, so I chose GreatColoradoHomes.com. This URL allowed me to expand outside of Colorado Springs, so it made sense. I title my real estate blog “Great Colorado Homes Real Estate Blog.” This keeps my blog branded to my company name and lets people know it is a real estate-specific blog. You may want to be more creative to get extra attention.

Take extra time to decide on the right URL and blog title. This is essential, as it sets the foundation for everything else you will build.

When you know which direction you want to take, you will need to find an available URL. You can use domain registration sites like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains. Domain names typically cost around $15 per year unless they have high-value keywords.

I don’t recommend starting a blog on someone else's platform, such as LinkedIn, allBusiness.com, or LabCoat Agents. Build your content on your own website so no one can have leverage over your future success.

Step 2: Choose Your Blog Platform

The first question you’ll need to ask yourself is, “Does my website need an IDX feed?” An IDX is a connection to your local MLS that gives users access to homes for sale. If you plan on building a site for users to search for homes, then yes, you do need an IDX feed. However, you may not need one if you are blogging to boost traffic to your YouTube videos and social media channels.

Here is a good blog post explaining how many real estate bloggers do not need an IDX feed: https://www.angieallen.com/blog/do-i-need-idx-on-my-real-estate-website

Pros of Having IDX on Your Website:

Cons of Having IDX on Your Website:

If you build your real estate blog on a website with IDX, I recommend Sierra Interactive, Luxury Presence, or Agent Image. You can also create a WordPress website and integrate an IDX plugin, such as iHomefinder or Showcase IDX.

Step 3: Research Topical Keyword Clusters

To show search engines that you are an authority in a specific niche, you must build topic clusters around your main keywords to demonstrate your expertise. This is easy to do with AI. Take your blog title and ask AI to generate 20 to 50 blog titles that would be good for you to write based on your goals. Research all the blog post titles and decide which ones people are searching for the most.

Once you have a list of blog post titles that provide helpful content around your niche, you can build out each blog post individually. Stay focused on your main topics until you have completely built out your topic clusters. Resources like AnswerThePublic.com can help you determine what questions people are asking based on your topic cluster. Try to answer those questions in clear, concise text at the beginning of your blog posts.

Step 4: Start Writing Blog Posts

Now that you have a list of blog posts, you'll need to schedule time to write as much as possible. When you start your blog, consistency will be a contributing factor in your success. Many Realtors will write five or six blog posts and be done. You'll need to grind for at least six months before you start seeing traffic coming to your blog.

Use custom graphics for your blog to help it stand out. Create a unique format for a header image and use it for each blog so that all your posts are branded to your website's design. If you look at my blog, you'll notice that I start every post with a 1200px X 630px image, with a border and company logo. This keeps uniformity across my blog and website.

Step 5: Promote Your Blog

A blog needs attention to stay alive. You must develop a strategy to get your blog post in front of people. Focus on platforms where your target audience is most active. For a real estate blog, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest are highly effective due to their visual and community-oriented nature. Adapt the content to suit the platform. For example, use eye-catching images and videos for Instagram, detailed articles for LinkedIn, and engaging posts for Facebook.

Study YouTube videos to promote your blog posts to a broader audience. Be patient and understand that this is an ever-evolving science. The internet changes every year, so getting attention from it will also change.

Bonus: Add Custom YouTube Videos to Your Blog Posts

Google and YouTube are the #1 and #2 most used search engines. Adding a YouTube video to your blog increases your chance of being found on both platforms. This is one of the most powerful SEO strategies for 2024.

You can do this by first creating your blog post and then asking AI to turn it into a 2—to 5-minute video script. Use that script to create a YouTube video and then embed the video into your blog post. You can also link to your blog post from your YouTube video.

Here’s an example of a blog post I made last week: https://greatcoloradohomes.com/blog/how-to-write-great-real-estate-ads-and-property-descriptions.html

I first created the blog post and then the YouTube video and added them to my blog. Now, people can find the topic in search results on both platforms.

Things That Can Hurt Your Real Estate Blog Success

Unfortunately, you can do all of the things above and experience no business growth if you miss a few key components to your blog. Here are some essential tips to keep from damaging your efforts as you build your website.

Webpage Load Times

In 2024, people will not wait more than a second for your pages to load. They want information now. If your blog is slow to load, it will affect your search rankings and user experience. People will bounce off of the page before ever seeing your work. No matter how fantastic your website is, it must load fast.

When you choose your blogging platform, test the page load times on Google PageSpeed Insights. This will help you determine which platforms have the fastest page loads. The newer platforms typically load faster. WordPress allows you to download plugins to help your website load faster.

Poor Topical Authority

If you write on too many topics, it’s hard for search engines to decide your authority niche. I would avoid writing on topics that veer away from real estate, your local area, and your brand. Stay focused on building your content around the key issues you want to be known for.

Poor Content Quality

Thin content is worse than no content at all. Building content in 2024 needs to be well-researched, eye-catching, and straight to the point. The internet is filled with old content bloated with keywords for search engines. The days of posting weak content that is SEO-optimized are over. People are evolving to click off of old word-heavy content in search of quick answers and helpful information.

Inconsistent Posting

If you work on your blog for a year and then stop for six months, your traffic will drop over time. Search engines reward websites that constantly post new content and update old posts. Make a content calendar schedule and stick to it for the best results. Consistency is a key to your real estate blogging success.

Are Real Estate Blogs Worth It for Realtors?

The short answer is yes; they are worth the time and money - if you do it right. If you use AI to write everything without proofreading and build a blog with thin content and no personality, then it is a waste of time. This article is only designed to get you started. You must study and learn ways to improve your blogging efforts and become more creative over time. You need to commit to it for six months to a year before determining the value of your efforts.

I have been operating my real estate blog for 12 years. Sometimes, I walked away from it to run my real estate brokerage, and I regret every time I did that. My blog sends thousands of people to my website every day, helping my website grow and generating leads for my business. I spend most of my time learning, researching, and building content to maintain a steady flow of business. Blogging is not for everyone, but it is for me. I am built for this type of work and appreciate the ability to create an entire company from my computer.

If you have questions about your real estate blog or need general advice, please email me at andrew@greatcoloradohomes.com. I am passionate about this subject and always look for other real estate bloggers to connect with.