Blogging is inevitable for any 21st century writer. Today, in a world of rampant technological advances, most writers find themselves cranking out pieces on a wide range of topics through platforms such as Blogger, Tumblr, or WordPress. However, this easy journalistic way of publishing content for personal expression has skyrocketed into a marketing tool that is vastly used among professional industries...including new home sales.
Today, many builder websites are going beyond just previewing floor plans and including a collection of original content. Have you ever heard of such a thing? These blogs are more than just a hopeful attempt at having a cool, up-to-date company website. They are utilized for marketing initiatives, company branding, a resource for prospective buyers and to maximize search engine optimization. Ultimately, blogging can be a great asset in the home building industry.
Many home builders' blogs encompass a huge umbrella of different subject matter, including tips and tricks for home decorating, trends within the home industry, and information about the surrounding area of the builder's community.
Some additional blog ideas for new home sales websites include:
- Trends in the real estate market
- List articles focused on home design (i.e. "6 Ways to Decorate for Fall")
- Community resources (i.e. "How to Stay Fit in the City of Elmhurst")
- Tips for relocating (i.e. "How to Get Involved in Your New Community")
- Special pieces written by a sales associate, builder, or community resident
These topics will not only keep your website updated but will act as a vital marketing tool to increase website traffic. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) allows a company to use keywords or phrases to boost an article's maximization on a search engine, such as Google. If someone is looking up fall decorating ideas, your blog post might lead them to your website. SEO enables a whole new audience to gain awareness of your online presence. This, in turn, will help generate traffic through your doors.
Marketing initiatives are also boosted by blogging. To utilize your blog in the most efficient way, don't let your articles sit on your website for all eternity. Push the already created content live to your company's Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This will generate a lot more views and also bring credibility to your organization's blog and social sites.
Blogs act as a resource for prospective buyers looking to relocate to your area. What competitors in the area may not have is original content about the surrounding community and what it has to offer. Your blog can highlight different activities, shops, organizations, and festivities happening in the surrounding area, limiting prospective buyers' need to visit other websites for external research. Instead, they can research floor plans, amenities, community, area all on one website.
Branding is the last huge advantage of company blogs. Most professional organizations have some type of online presence in the form of a website and social media. Social media, specifically, is great for branding your company. It brings a consistent voice to your followers and is generally a good balance between professional and conversational. A blog is essentially a lengthy social media post. Utilize your brand's unique voice and allow followers and consumers to connect with you in an easy and personable way. If they follow your social media accounts for trivial decorating blog posts, chances are when they look for a home, they'll come to you.
