To WORDPRESS or NOT To WORDPRESS

Bring More Leads to You

NSDCAR Webinar 9/16/10Jeff Dowler

Some Goals…

WHY have a Real Estate Blog

WHY Wordpress

HOW to Create a Wordpress Blog

Wordpress.com VS. a Self-Hosted Blog

Setting up a Self-Hosted Blog

Lead Generation

Resources

What About Those Clients?

Where do you find them?

How do you find them?

Where is your next one coming from?

The Old Way: The New WayMeeting face to face, events, telephone calls,

referrals, cold calling, postcards, print ads

Social networking – what we have always done and are doing, but now can do in a new way

Why a Real Estate Blog?

Branding

Communication

Build meaningful relationships

Demonstrate your expertise

Niche marketing – Sellers, Buyers, Community

Search engine optimization (SEO) and web positioning

Competitive edge – Not many are blogging (NAR says 4% of REALTORS®)

More Reasons Why…

Build self-awareness

Build critical thinking

Develop your reputation

Establish credibility

Improve your writing skills

Acquire information as you research

Lead Generation

Have fun

Why WORDPRESS?

Popular

Most Highly Recommended

Google Loves It

Functionality

FREE

Self-hosting Option with Low Cost

Setting Up a Wordpress Blog

Go to Wordpress.com

Sign up for a free account

Give your blog a name (mybestblog.wordpress.com)

Complete the information about yourself

Decide on your settings (can be changed)

Pick your template

Wordpress.com

Sign Up for an Account

Next Steps

GoDaddy.com

Select a URL to use for marketing (MyBestBlog.com)

Purchase the URL (2 year minimum)

Forward NEW URL to your Wordress.com site (MyBlog.Wordpress.com)

I Have a Blog…Now What??

Write compelling content

Add photos

Add video

Schedule your posts

Be interesting and informative

Write regularly

Setting Up a Listing Blog

Go to Wordpress.com and sign in to your account

Create a new blog

Give your blog a name (123mainstreet.wordpress.com)

Purchase your marketing URL (123MainStreet.com)

Start writing your posts – stagger the publishing dates

Add photos and video

Disadvantages of Wordpress.com

You are limited to their templates (with some flexibility of the look and widgets you can add)

You don’t control nor own your blog

You can’t have an IDX on your blog

Advantages of a Self-Hosted Blog

You control the content

Thousands of themes to personalize

Numerous widgets and plug-ins to enhance functionality and make it YOURS

Can add an IDX (e.g., Diverse Solutions, 1 Park Place, Wolfnet, IDX Broker)

You don’t need to know HTML to easily update your site

Good SEO

What’s Needed for Self Hosting

Domain (e.g., from GoDaddy.com)

Hosting site

Wordpress files downloaded from Wordpress

Ideas for your blog – look, title, focus/niche, functionality, pages, categories

Comments – how will you handle them?

Web Developer (unless you are pretty technical yourself and have time)

Self-Hosting - Domain

GoDaddy.com probably least expensive

Buy for at least 2 years (NOT spam)

Think of your keywords for your niche – geographic, demographic – what will consumers look for??

Consider buying variations of your URL

Self-Hosting – Server

Pick a server to host your blog

BlueHost is $6.95.month

www.WebHostingGeeks.com for a review of the 10 top hosting sites (from about $2/month to almost $13/month)

Final Thoughts

Make a Wordpress Blog part of your on-line marketing and lead generation

Create a plan – THINK about what you want to do

Consider your audience/niche and who you are trying to reach

Reach out to the many resources that are available to you – people, tutorials, websites, webinars, books

Don’t stay behind the computer

LEAD GENERATIONRemain top-of-mind ~ Write regularly

Meaningful contentIssues affecting buyers and sellers

Focus on a nicheKnowledge and expertise

Make it interesting and usefulCall to action

Contact informationMarket it ~ Don’t Keep Your Blog a Secret

Resources

ActiveRain – I can invite you

E-books

RE Bar Camps (http://www.facebook.com/REBarCampCAR.EXPO)

YouTube.com tutorials

Tech Tuesday (C.A.R. in Anaheim)

Send me an email – JDowler@remax.net – for a list of great articles and some e-books