Think you know when they will update PageRank? Then, use your crystal ball and give us a hard date you think Google will next export PageRank to the toolbar and win a 1 month long professional backlink building campaign from our professional SEO staff.

Do you have an inside track at Google?  Think you know when they will update PageRank?  Then, use your crystal ball and give us a hard date you think Google will next export PageRank to the toolbar and win a 1 month long professional backlink building campaign from our professional SEO staff. 

What is PageRank

PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual pages value. In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves ˜important weigh more heavily and help to make other pages ˜important.

Read also: Read also: What is PageRank and when does Google update it?

 

What are backlinks?

In simple terms, search engines consider each backlink a ˜vote for your site. It is a way for Google to determine the overall authority and popularity of your site. This is all you have to do to build authority for your blog. Ideally you should have about 1,000 backlinks in Google, however, be careful not to build these links too fast (100 links/week is acceptable).

 

Tool: See how many backlinks your real estate blog has

Read also: Ultimate Guide to Building Backlinks

Read also: Build 30 free, high quality backlinks in 30 days (list included)

 

Helpful Hints

PageRank 5 Club SEO Secret: register your domain for the longest amount of time possible
Real Estate Bloggers: start preparing for a PageRank Update


http://www.rsspieces.com/002E6A

Week of April 21: Real Estate Blog Training Schedule

Week of April 21: Real Estate Blog Training Schedule

LOGIN AS A PANELIST TO TALK

Tuesday 1 PM: SEO Training

Join me for a 45-minute SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Seminar.  Learn how to optimize your real estate blog for better placement in Google.  This seminar focuses on basic on-page and off-page optimization techniques that will help your blog place for prime short tail keywords in 90 days or less.

Register to Attend this Meeting Today:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/en_US/webinar/island/joinAWebinar.tmpl

Webinar ID: 800645241
GoToWebinar Conference Call Service:
United States
Panelist: (641) 715-3399, access code 320-710-364
Attendee: (641) 715-3222, access code 304-380-428
Webinar Password: Not required
 


Wednesday1 PM: Blogging Training

Join me for a 45 minute real estate blog training seminar.  Learn how to write focused scan-able and engaging content that both readers and search engines will come back for.  This course focuses on proven SEO copywriting techniques and provides a system for writing blog posts in 30 minutes or less.

Register to Attend this Meeting Today:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/en_US/webinar/island/joinAWebinar.tmpl

Webinar ID: 899172318
GoToWebinar Conference Call Service:
United States
Panelist: (616) 883-8033, access code 394-973-336
Attendee: (616) 883-8055, access code 208-289-500

Thursday 1 PM: Backlink Building Workshop
Join me for a 45-minute SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Seminar on how to build high quality backlinks. Learn just how many backlinks you need to have to be a PR 5 and what kind of quality backlinks you should spend your time building. This is a workshop where I will take you through the process of building 10-15 very high quality backlinks to your site. Be prepared to work.

Register to Attend this Meeting Today:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/en_US/webinar/island/joinAWebinar.tmpl

Webinar ID: 863339674
GoToWebinar Conference Call Service:
United States
Panelist: (641) 715-3399, access code 549-360-912
Attendee: (641) 715-3222, access code 329-222-250
Webinar Password: Not required


Friday 1PM: RSS Pieces Private Client Workshop
Webinar ID: 377478861
GoToWebinar Conference Call Service:
United States
Panelist: (616) 883-8033, access code 682-299-176
Attendee: (616) 883-8055, access code 149-282-053
Webinar Password: Not required

 

Understand the differences in home buyers/sellers from a demographics and psychographics standpoint and how you can use that data to craft real estate blog posts that resonate with various generations.

 

OK, so you probably won't care a lick about the next couple of pieces I am writing.  But my sociology and marketing muscles need flexing, so here is a resource for those of you that want to understand the differences in home buyers/sellers from a demographics and psychographics standpoint and how you can use that data to craft real estate blog posts that resonate with your market.

Have you ever considered if you would write differently if you knew your primary audience was male?  Have you thought if you would take a different approach to your blog if you knew most of your readership was between the ages of 35 and 49?  No?  Well you should.  Knowing the demographics of your primary audience is essential to sculpting content that converts visitors to leads.  For example, if your primary readership is male between the ages of 25 and 34, you might want to consider writing more aggressively, injecting more humor and using more video whereas if your primary readership is female between the ages of 35 and 49, you might want to do more storytelling and pen more "how to" posts.

What are demographic profiles of real estate blog visitors?

Demographics looks at characteristics of people that include age, income, education, occupation, household size, home ownership and home value, among other factors.

Knowing your site's demographics is Marketing 101.  Fortune 500 companies hire high dollar marketing firms to analyze their demographics so they focus their marketing to appeal to their most viable customers.  Similarly, you should focus the content on your website to appeal to your primary readers.  Luckily for you, you don't have to spend beaucoup bucks to know what your demographics are. MSN's Ad Lab can give you a ball park estimation of what the demographics are for both your prime key terms and your real estate blog.

Tools: Statistics, Demographics and Psychographics Websites

*It may also be useful to compare the online data to the US Census data to understand your market's specific demographic landscape.

Resource: US Census Data

How to use MSN's Ad Lab to determine your current demographics and your target demographics

1.       What is the demographic profile of your site's visitors?

Use the Audience Intelligence Demographics Predictions tool by entering in your domain name and clicking the URL radio button, then press "Go."  This will return the current estimated demographics for your real estate blog.

EXAMPLE: Let's take the Miami Real Estate Blog  as an example: this blog's demographics are:

51% male, 49% female with 60% of traffic above the age of 34.

2.       What is the demographic profile of Internet users searching for your prime key words?

Use the Audience Intelligence Demographics Predictions tool by entering in your primary keyword and clicking the Query radio button, then press "Go."  This will return the current estimated demographics for your prime keyword.

EXAMPLE: Let's take the term "Miami Shores real estate" as an example: this term's demographics are:

57% female, 43% male with 60% of all traffic above the age of 34.

Resource: QuantCast (free): What are the demographics of people visiting similar sites? I love this site and highly recommend using it!

Resource: Geographic segmentation: Prizm (free).

 

What do demographics tell us?

This gives you a general overview of what your traffic demographics are on your site and what the ideal demographics should be based on your primary search terms.  You should see that both sets of demographics are reasonably close to one another.  If you notice that the demographics are substantially different and your site is not ranking on the first page of Google for those prime terms, you might want to consider adjusting your blogging style to fit your demographics.

How to write real estate blog posts to different demographics:

Generation Y Housing Trends

Male 25-34: This demographic responds well to aggressive writing laden with off-beat humor.  They may have an interest in technology enabled or green homes.  They like slick copy and even slicker images/video and may want locations that feel collegiate or near urban resources.

Example of writing that targets this market: Car and Driver, ESPN, Maxim, Rolling Stone

Female 25-34: This demographic responds well to stylistic writing with rich detail.  They are style conscious and may have an interest in the special details of a home like hardwood floors, new appliances and fireplaces. Images that focus heavily on unique details of homes will resonate well with this audience.

Example of writing that targets this market: Cosmopolitan, InStyle

Resource: Tech Savvy, Generation Y Housing Trends

Resource: Generation Y Home Buyers: Do they matter?

Gen X Housing Trends

Male 35-49: This demographic trends towards statistical data and will be interested in market reports, mortgage options and tutorial posts.  This crowd does not want to waste time online but rather get what they need and get out, so write well organized copy that is easy to scan with bulleted or ordered lists and bolded headings and subheadings.

Example of writing that targets this market: Esquire, Men's Health, National Geographic, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, Time Magazine

Female 35-49: This demographic has a greater interest in listing proximity to resources, school systems and the overall appropriateness of a home for family living.  Neighborhood summaries will be important to this demographic.

Example of writing that targets this market: Better Homes and Gardens, Entertainment Weekly, Martha Stewart Living, Oprah Magazine, People, TV Guide, Vogue

Read also: Young Adult Housing Trends

Read also: Generation X Powers New Home Design Trends

Baby Boomer Housing Trends

Male 50+: Marketing to this cohort demands attention to providing more information to back up claims and to calm skeptical concerns. Boomer men prize holding on to their youth but may also plan well into the future, so showing the youthfulness of a home and/or the versatility of home will be important.  Search statistics show that 48% of Baby Boomers phrase search criteria in the form of a question, so writing posts with titles phrased as questions (Will over pricing my San Mateo home get me better offers?) will improve your ability to reach this market on the Internet.

Example of writing that targets this market: The New Yorker, the Atlantic, AARP The Magazine, Reader's Digest

Resource: Marketing to Baby Boomers

Resource: Housing Trends among Baby Boomers

Female 50+: This demographic is characterized by a focus on home life and enjoying free time- whether it be retirement or weekends, so writing rich copy about listings that focuses on the home as a retreat from the world will connect well with this market.  This market may also be most receptive to "how to" type posts.

Resource: Trendsettting Baby Boomers Ready for 'Me Time' in Homes

Example of writing that targets this market: Family Circle, AARP The Magazine, Good Housekeeping, House and Garden, Ladies Home Journal, Woman's Day

Resource: Media Info Center

Resource: MRI Magazine Estimates Fall 2007

*NOTE: the above characterizations of demographics are broad reaching based solely on age and do not account for income levels which can affect the overall attitude and interests of the demographic.

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Week of April 14: Real Estate Blog Training Schedule

Week of April 14: Real Estate Blog Training Schedule

LOGIN AS A PANELIST TO TALK

Monday 1 PM: SEO Training

Join me for a 45-minute SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Seminar.  Learn how to optimize your real estate blog for better placement in Google.  This seminar focuses on basic on-page and off-page optimization techniques that will help your blog place for prime short tail keywords in 90 days or less.

Register to Attend this Meeting Today:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/en_US/webinar/island/joinAWebinar.tmpl

Webinar ID: 614048179
GoToWebinar Conference Call Service:
United States
Panelist: (616) 883-8033, access code 282-710-506
Attendee: (616) 883-8055, access code 423-888-445
Webinar Password: Not required
 


Tuesday1 PM: Blogging Training

Join me for a 45 minute real estate blog training seminar.  Learn how to write focused scan-able and engaging content that both readers and search engines will come back for.  This course focuses on proven SEO copywriting techniques and provides a system for writing blog posts in 30 minutes or less.

Register to Attend this Meeting Today:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/en_US/webinar/island/joinAWebinar.tmpl

Webinar ID: 610058190
GoToWebinar Conference Call Service:
United States
Panelist: (641) 715-3399, access code 509-966-613
Attendee: (641) 715-3222, access code 188-485-639
Webinar Password: Not required





Wednesday 1 PM: Backlink Building Workshop
Join me for a 45-minute SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Seminar on how to build high quality backlinks. Learn just how many backlinks you need to have to be a PR 5 and what kind of quality backlinks you should spend your time building. This is a workshop where I will take you through the process of building 10-15 very high quality backlinks to your site. Be prepared to work.

Register to Attend this Meeting Today:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/en_US/webinar/island/joinAWebinar.tmpl

Webinar ID: 641641278
GoToWebinar Conference Call Service:
United States
Panelist: (641) 715-3399, access code 675-426-628
Attendee: (641) 715-3222, access code 445-024-573
Webinar Password: Not required


Thursday 1 PM: PageRank 5 Club

By invitation only


Friday 1PM: RSS Pieces Private Client Workshop
Webinar ID: 482442821
GoToWebinar Conference Call Service:
United States
Panelist: (616) 883-8033, access code 531-645-385
Attendee: (616) 883-8055, access code 649-218-717
Webinar Password: Sent on Thursday

 

The first month of your real estate blog's life is actually the most important. So, I thought I would put together a fail safe way to construct content that is hyper local, rich in information and will form the foundation of a successful blog.

 

The first month of your real estate blog's life is actually the most important.  What you do during this period of time can affect the way Google will see your blog for the next year, so it is vitally important that you build hyper local, keyword rich content in a structured and cohesive way. So, the following is a step by step guide to building your first month's worth of blog content.  So, I thought I would put together a fail safe way to construct content that is hyper local, rich in information and will form the foundation of a successful blog.

How to use this guide:

I basically provided 31 exact blog titles for you and where I felt my intention might be unclear- I detailed how the post should be constructed. To use this guide, you want to start posting between 3-5 times a week.  Select 1 topic from the first section (About Me) on Day 1.  On day 2, select one topic from the second section (Neighborhood Information) and so on, until you get back to the top About Me section again. Work your way down the list on each of the sections and by the end you will have a full blog of hyper local real estate content that WILL get you found on the search engines.

* FYI: when I type FARM AREA, that means you insert the town, city, neighborhood where you sell.

Read also: Formula for a Successful Blog Post

This post is a MUST READ that will give you a proven formula that uses proven SEOed copyrighting techniques to help you build a perfectly structured blog post that will get the attention of both Google and readers.

Read also: 365 ¼ ideas for real estate blogging

Running out of ideas?  Here are a whole year's worth.

Read also: Real Estate Blog Content

Think writing real estate blog content is like pulling teeth?  Then check out this post on the 6 steps to building fail proof real esate blog content that generates leads and search traffic.

Category Recommendations:

I suggest creating the following categories if you don't already have them.  These are probably the most standard and universal categories on real estate blogs and the following content will fit nicely into one or more of them.

About Buyers Sellers Mortgages Neighborhoods                 List Neighborhood, Suburb, Condo Complex, etc Names as sub categories- don't get carried away- select your top 5-8 and if you have more just say "other" Featured Homes/Listings New Home Builders Relocation Resources Market Reports

I. About Content

Build the necessary About Content first since you want it show up last on your blog.

1.       About Me/Us

Read also: How to write a killer real estate blog about page

2.       About Our Team (if applicable)

3.       How to choose the best FARM AREA Realtor for your next home purchase or sale

Most consumers, especially first time home buyers don't know the first thing about how to select a Realtor, so get down and dirty in a specific how to post that details what to look for in a Realtor, why a buyer/seller needs one and what to do if they find themselves in the wrong Realtor relationship!

4.       Testimonials

Read: Generate leads from testimonials on your real estate blog in 5 simple steps

5.       Boast posts: this is my favorite way to let you boast about your talents while couching it in an example and expert advice.  As a Realtor, you have the unique ability to solve problems most people feel are overwhelming. Talk about your past experiences. People like to know that not only do you understand their problem, but that you have solved the very same problem for other clients. Example marketing helps you to establish your position as an expert and problem solver while also emotionally connecting with potential clients that share a similar problem. 

The topic may vary but here are a few ideas:

a.       How I helped a FARM AREA seller out of foreclosure

b.      Sure fire ways to overcome a low FARM AREA appraisal

Appraisals are a part of the real estate business and every now and again an appraisal comes in that threatens to kill a deal.  Talk about it.  By covering a topic like this in depth you establish yourself as an expert and often can help work a buyer or seller through how to overcome a bad appraisal to salvage the deal.  A post like this can be a beacon of hope to a nervous client.

c.       How your FARM AREA Realtor can sweeten up a sour seller

II. Neighborhood, Subdivision, Community, Suburb Information

6.       Neighborhood profiles

Profile each and every neighborhood you serve, be sure to include a photo, a brief description of the neighborhood and some general demographics like median age, income, etc.  Average or median home price is also valuable.  It might even be a good idea to list what types of homes can be found in this neighborhood, subdivision or suburb. These make great spider posts.

Read also: Spider Posts: How to write efficiently on your real estate blog: make one blog post last for a week

Example: Dayton Ohio Real Estate Blog

7.       FARM AREA New Home Builder Profiles: (spider post candidate)

8.       FARM AREA Condo Profiles (spider post candidate)

Example: San Diego Condo Blog

III. Cornerstone Buyer/Seller/Investor Content

Flagship/Cornerstone content should actually make a readers life better, richer, easier, faster... Something that they search for in Google to find you by or something that directly benefits them. According to CopyBlogger, Cornerstone content is "something that is basic, essential, indispensable, and the chief foundation upon which something is constructed or developed. It's what people need to know to make use of your website and do business with you." 

Read also: How to write cornerstone and flagship content

For Investors

9.       The secrets of zero down investing in FARM AREA (people love those commercials - so capitalize on them by generating traffic from people searching for zero down investing)

For Buyers

TIP: Buyers tend to only spend an average of 15 seconds on a single post before they click on your call to action to go search properties, so it is not necessary to post long, voluminous articles for them.  Easy to read, scanable text like list or tutorial posts are best when targeting buyers.  That said, you do want to have a few (around 5, built over time) longer ultimate guide type posts for Google to latch onto.

10.   FARM AREA Home Buyer Resource Guide

You can publish this as an eBook (pdf) and create a little linkbait.   Every state has different housing, taxation and mortgage regulations.  By creating a very specific, step by step guide to buying and selling in your home state, you can build instant credibility and become a referenced resource.

11.   How to compare two FARM AREA homes/condos to determine the best bang for your buck

12.   How to buy a home in FARM AREA for $x under market value.

13.   Ultimate guide to closing on your FARM AREA home in 30 days

TIP: Realtors, I know you know things that average home buyers like myself are just in the dark about... Share them. People like to think they are getting "exclusive" or "secret" information. Doesn't a secret peak your interest?

14.   Secrets of painless closings for FARM AREA real estate

15.   A FARM AREA Realtor's secrets to buying homes for less

16.         The secrets to negotiating like a FARM AREA Realtor

17.   What to do when a FARM AREA home seller refuses your offer

TIP: There wouldn't be a show called Mythbusters if people didn't like their myths busted. So, bust those myths.  It makes for a fun, informative post.

18.   Myth: I'll get the best deal on the FARM AREA house if I call the agent listed on the For Sale sign

For Sellers

19.   FARM AREA Home Seller Resource Guide

Just create an ultimate guide that will help your fist time seller go through the process.  This is an excellent place to plug yourself, tell the seller what you will be doing to market their home, what they can expect when you show the home, how to handle and open house and what to do when an offer comes in and finish it up with explaining the closing process.

20.   Considering a FARM AREA short sale?  What you should know before you dive in head first in the deep end

In a tough market like this, there are plenty of people facing foreclosure that could greatly benefit from a well executed short sale.  Explain how a short sale works and what a seller can expect from their lender when entertaining a short sale to avoid foreclosure.

21.   How to stage your FARM AREA home for sale

22.  TIP: Nothing engages people more than the fear that we might lose something. So, from time to time, create a little fear when blogging to sellers. Make people feel like if they don't read this their entire buying, selling, investing future is in jeopardy. Sounds crazy but the fear of loss is a compelling reason to dig deeper into some topic.  Consider that sellers spend more time on your posts than buyers, so you may want to spend more time engaging them and showing your expertise. 

23.   EXAMPLE: Check out Aaron Dickinson's post chronicling how a bad seller almost ruined a closing or this post by Jay Burnham on avoiding the 5 pricing pitfalls.

24.   Top 10 things you might be doing that prevent your FARM AREA home from selling

25.   5 Things that will ruin you're FARM AREA closing

26.   Are you preventing your FARM AREA home from selling?

27.   Myth: Our new FARM AREA kitchen is a great improvement and will improve our home value

Build Mortgage and loan Information

28.   What are your FARM AREA mortgage options?

This is such an easy post to put together.  Just list out and profile the various mortgage options for buyers.  This makes a great spider post as you can break out the various options and turn them into posts of their own later and link back to the large compendium post.

29.   FARM AREA Mortgage Rates Report, Month Year

TIP: Instead of doing this yourself -  Brian Brady syndicates his content and he does monthly mortgage reports and if you ask him nicely, I'll bet he'd be happy to lend you his content for a slice of your blog.

Build Real Estate Market Information and Listings

30.   Blog your listings!

TIP: That's right, post your listings right in your blog.  Your blog gives you the opportunity to give additional information, pictures, video, etc. about a listing and link out to other local resources.  It's a good way to how sellers you are marketing their home while it can also offer buyers more info than the MLS.  Be sure to turn comments off on a listing post as you certainly don't want disgruntled neighbors telling the world about the sewer problem or a jilted agent talking trash about the seller.

See how this New Hampshire Real Estate Blog handles listings.

31.   FARM AREA Real Estate Market Report, Month Year

TIP: Market reports are HOT.  They give a bunch of info for both buyers and sellers.  Provide market reports for each neighborhood by using your MLS data.  Show how many homes are on the market, how many have sold, what the average home sales prices are and how long they sat on the market.  This makes a great spider post and can often be used in your seller presentations to give them an accurate representation of the market so they know what to expect and how to price their home.

ORDER YOUR FREE GUIDE TO STARTING A REAL ESTATE BLOG TODAY

Thinking about starting a real estate blog, but not sure how to do it?  RSS Pieces put together this 58 page document on how to start a real estate blog, so you can have a step by step guide to starting a real estate blog the right way.  Learn the proven techniques that have helped us to put our real estate blogging clients on the first page in Google within 4-6 months and generate between 5-30 leads each day.  In this guide you will find out how to select a search engine friendly domain name, implement lead generation, use SEOed copywriting techniques to get to the top of the engines, build all important backlinks to your blog and even learn what to write about.  Simply click the link below, fill out the form and we will send you the complete guide in a Microsoft Word Document.

 

Would you replace the listings in your real estate office's front window with the town's event calendar, restaurant reviews and local business profile? No. So why would you do that on your blog?

I'm going to say this up front, so there is no misunderstanding. The entire point of this post is to get you to understand that if your business is about real estate and you want to attract customers that have a real estate need you MUST write about real estate not skateboards and restaurants. Why? Because a home is not a whim purchase, it is typically a well planned decision. There are very few of us that pass by the local real estate office and say, "hey honey, I know we set out to buy a skateboard for Timmy, but let's buy a house instead, this store has pretty ones." Therefore, it is inconceivable to me that by driving people into your blog with an article about local skate parks, you will snag a home buyer. Seriously, find me one person that ever set out in the morning to buy a skateboard and came back with a house.

Read also: What Google's own leaked document says about writing about real estate if you are a real estate site.

Your real estate blog is a store, not a newspaper.

What do I mean by this? A newspaper is something that usually gets read every day. Your real estate blog won't. Let's take our skate shop example again: if you are looking for a skateboard today, you will go down and buy one at the local skate shop. Once you have that skateboard, are you going to go visit that skate shop every day? NO. Why? Because you had a need and you filled it. When you have another need that requires you go to the skate shop, you will. Similarly, real estate visitors will only be surfing your site while they have a real estate need to fill. So, it is simply a waste of your time to cover anything that isn't real estate related.

Read also: Driving qualified traffic to your site through the search engines will increase your traffic to lead conversion ratio

Mary's Illustrated Guide to Real Estate Blog Traffic:

• People that searched for real estate and end up on you blog are transactional visitors you can easily convert into leads with the right tools

When you chase down local real estate terms and are searchable by them, you get people who are interested in visiting a real estate site because they more than likely have a real estate related need. And last I checked, you are like the Doctor of real estate that can cure any ill with your house peddling pill. So, when someone searches for real estate and ends up at your blog :: you have the internet version of the couple that walks into your brokerage to deal with the agent on duty in put their home on the market.

• People that search for skateboards and end up at your real estate blog, still want a skateboard at the end of the day, not a house.

Let's flip that coin. Let's say you are sitting in your cushy real estate office, behind your desk. The door chimes and you get up to greet the couple entering, you shake hands and ask how you can help them and they proceed to ask you where the local skate shop is because they want to buy a new skateboard for their little Timmy. Would that annoy you? Maybe you are nicer than I am (OK, no maybe involved- you probably are...) but that would annoy me. The point is- your business is not being the local business directory or restaurant reviewer or cruise ship director. Your business is real estate. You want people contacting you that have a real estate need. Not people that want a skateboard. It is a lot easier to convert someone that came to your site looking for a house than the one than came in expecting to spend $40 on a skateboard. You see, someone looking for a house is a qualified visitor to your site that you should have no problem converting into a lead, whereas it's going to one hell of a sell to get the skateboard guy to buy a house. This is what we call "bounce" traffic. Traffic that comes in on one article, possibly reads that post, but then leaves the site before reading other posts because the overall content on the site wasn't relevant to their search.

Read also: Driving qualified traffic to your site through the search engines will increase your traffic to lead conversion ratio

Chasing the long tail with off topic community pieces, doesn't get you any closer to generating qualified buyer and seller leads

It makes me laugh when I tour the real estate blogosphere and read post after post about where to buy the best skateboard or the bid to save the town's old oak tree or when the next PTA meeting is or where the best places to eat are, yadda yadda. It makes me belly laugh when I read other pundits or vendors touting the value of the real estate blog as a community network and how the Realtor should become a journalist covering local shindigs, cool eats and political shananigans so they can "connect with the community." Are you kidding me? How the heck is driving in blog visitors interested in skateboards, restaurants, politics and the hours of the local library going to bring ANY real estate business? Trust me when I say this, it AIN'T.

And if anyone brings up the long tail of keywords, I will slap you silly. Only losers chase the long tail. Why? Because successful bloggers know something you long tail chasers don't - if you chase the short tail (i.e. valuable keywords that are harder to rank for but have hundreds or thousands of searches per day) the long tail comes with it. It's a side effect of the short tail. And in the indominable words of The Artist Formerly or Possibly Once Again Known as Prince, "You can be the president, I'd rather be the pope/You can be the side effect, I'd rather be the dope."

Read also: There is no money in the long tail of the blogosphere

Read also: Long tail, short tail and coat tail searches

What happens when you blog about community events, businesses and basically become the town's newspaper?

Read the case study and comments in this post where readers commiserate about what happened when they wrote off topic pieces: Spider Posts: How to write efficiently on your real estate blog: make one blog post last for a week

If you blog about off topic community stuff, your phone will ring and you will get traffic. The problem is it won't be qualified traffic, so you will spend your time answering phone calls and emails that want to knwo when the next Red Bull Air Show is or when soes the water park open. Not exactly your best use of time.