As a real estate agent, you probably already have a website, so creating a blog page is going to be simple. A blog is a great addition to any real estate marketing plan and with a little knowledge, you can have your blog page up and running in under and hour. But what’s the benefit of having your own real estate blog?

Blogging is extremely popular these days and a great way to build your real estate brand and establish yourself as a subject area expert.

Here is a list of the top 5 benefits of starting a real estate blog:

1. Gain Credibility.  Blogging is a great way to show off your expertise.  Post great, informative articles about buying and selling to showcase your knowledge.  It’s also a way to show clients that you are an expert in your specific area.  Post articles relevant to your city or the neighbourhood you specialise in.

2. Build Your Brand.  Use your blog to differentiate yourself from other real estate agents.  What makes you special?  What defines your personal brand?  A blog is a great way to speak in an authentic voice and connect with your clients.

3. Increase Traffic to Your Site.  Every time you post a new blog post, it’s another item that gets indexed in internet search results.  You can optimize your post titles and content so that more potential clients will find your site.  It’s a good idea to make regular updates to your blog to keep the content fresh.

4. Build a Community.  A blog is a great way to connect with your clients.  They can post comments and share your articles on social media sites, which is free promotion for you.  You can encourage people to interact by ending your blog posts with questions to start discussion.  When your clients post a comment on your blog, be sure to respond to keep the conversation going.

5. Get Feedback.  With blogging, you can get feedback almost instantaneously.  You can post ideas and surveys asking clients for their opinions about new business ideas.  This is a great opportunity to test out your ideas before making them official.  No one enjoys the feeling of devoting time to a new idea, only to have it flop when you introduce it to clients.  Getting feedback early on in the process can save you time and money.

Choose to devote a couple hours each week to updating your real estate blog because it’s important to keep it relevant.  Creating a blog can be a bit of a commitment, but it’s worthwhile when you consider the benefits.