1 Blogs Podcasting Case Study Blogging With a Purpose - PDF document

Blogs Charleston Trident What? Association of Realtors Tech Fair & Trade Show • Web Log • Online journal/diary on a specific topic “Web 2.0: How Realtors Can updated regularly Leverage the New Web Tools” Lyn Mettler President Blogs Blogs Why? How? • Set up an account on Blogger.com or • Establish Yourself as an Expert Wordpress.com for free • Communicate With Your Audience in a • Put it on your own server New Way – Example: www.iknowcharleston.com/blog • Interact With Your Clients • Choose a catchy name that reflects your individual expertise and blog topic and that • Show Customers Your “Voice” works in key words. • Improve Your Site’s Search Engine – Get Real/Keepin’ It Real Visibility – MySquareFeet Blog - http://blog.mysquarefeet.com/ – Living in the Lowcountry • They’re free! Blogs Blogs How? How? • Post items at LEAST once a week, preferably • Promote it! twice a week or more. – Issue a news release • Topics – Be Creative and Conversational: – Submit to major online blog directories – Local real estate news • Technorati.com – Real estate and community stats • Google and Yahoo Blogs – Community news and events – Send an email to your contact list – Tips for home buyers and sellers – Allow people to subscribe via RSS or email. – Your insight on a controversial or timely topics – Post to other related blogs and invite them to visit • Mortgage crisis your blog. – Examples of your approach to buying/selling real – Add to your email signature estate 1

Blogs Podcasting Case Study Blogging With a Purpose • Podcasting Defined Why Podcast? • A projected seven million Americans download and listen to podcasts every week, with an additional 21.4 million listening to a minimum of four podcasts every month . — eMarketer, June 20, 2007 • Easy to listen to “on the go” • Let customers hear your “voice” and get to know your personality • Position yourself as an expert • It’s free! Podcasting Podcasting How? How? • Get a $10 microphone (Logitech) • Be Conversational! • Download WildVoice Software • Record, edit • Choose a Name • Choose a Topic – Provide useful information • Promote it! – One-time – Post to your Web site • Tips for selling a home • Why choose me as your real estate agent – Email your contact list – Regular – at least monthly – Issue a news release • Update the real estate market • Invite a local expert: head of the local realtors association, – Post to online Podcast directories: iTunes, city official, local developer to promote a new community, etc. PodcastAlley.com, etc. • Your insight on a controversial or timely topics Podcasting Podcasting Examples Case Study Charleston Area Events • Open House With Jerry Boutcher • The Real Deal 2

Social Networking Social Networking Why? How? • Social networking site traffic rose 33% to 81 million • Open an account on MySpace, Facebook and unique visitors in August 2007 versus August 2006. LinkedIn — eMarketer, Sept. 25, 2007 • Create a business page for yourself • 1 in 4 adult Internet users regularly visited the most • Invite clients, colleagues, community organizations to popular social networking sites in the past year, be your “friends” on MySpace and your “Connections” including MySpace, YouTube and Amazon.com. on LinkedIn — iProspect, April 10, 2007 • Connect with potential clients in a space where they • Facebook, send an email to your contact list and are going already invite them to be your “fans” • Allows you to communicate with them in a new way • Update these pages regularly with photos of homes (many people are inundated with email) for sale, virtual tours, updates about yourself, status • It’s free! changes, bulletins, wall posts, etc. Social Networking Social Networking Samples How? • Post to others’ walls and boards with birthday well wishes, congratulations on recent news, holiday well wishes, etc. • Create groups – Charleston homebuyers, help answer questions • Share listings with other realtors • Add a link to your pages on your email signature and include links on your Web site. • Post your blog on your pages, as well. • http://groups.myspace.com/MLSonMySpace Social Networking Social Networking Samples Samples 3

Social Networking RSS Samples •Really Simple Syndication •Defined •Readers – IE7, Bloglines, Google Why? •A survey of 475 U.S. Internet users across all demographics in July 2007 found that 60% subscribed to RSS Feeds. -- Avenue A/Razorfish, the digital agency owned by Microsoft •Reduces email and more likely to be read •Pull vs. push •Free! RSS RSS How? How? • Easiest is to set up like a blog or www.make-rss- • Promote it! feeds.com • Post to RSS Feed Directories • Break up your feeds by audience: buyers, sellers, • Publicize on your Web site home cost, zip code, etc. • Add a subscription link to your email signature • Post new home listings, special news, buying and selling tips, status of home changes (under contract) • Tell all clients! • Write short posts and clear and interesting headlines • Include the realty company phone number or link to the website • Include photos • Post regularly (daily or weekly). Case Study Other Tools A Little Bit of Everything Twitter the office ClassifiedFlyerAds.com Panraven – “Stories” 4

The Rules of the Web How to contact me: Authenticity Lyn Mettler Creativity President, Step Ahead Web Strategies Owner, Mettler Public Relations (843) 388-8376 Tone AIM: LynMettler lmettler@stepaheadwebstrategies.com Move fast! www.stepaheadwebstrategies.com www.mettlerpr.com OR Check us out on MySpace or Facebook When in Rome… Blog: www.newworldpr.blogspot.com 5