December 6th - 2005

What the Blog is that?

“Blogs,” short for Weblogs, are the hot new trend in Internet technology.

“Blogs,” short for Weblogs, are the hot new trend in Internet technology. Blogs are like interactive online newsletters or personal journals made up of short bits of information or commentary. They need to be updated regularly–either weekly, daily or even hourly–with the information arranged chronologically so the most recent entries are at the top of the page.

Most Weblogs are written by an individual, and usually focus on the writer's own interests, ranging from one theme or topic to several specific topics. Each entry might include links to material the writer found while navigating the Web, links to other Weblogs, commentary on news items, reviews of books the writer recently read–pretty much anything the writer finds interesting. Frequently blogs will also have some sort of forum where readers can leave their own comments or discuss ideas.

How REALTORS can use blogs
For REALTORS, blogs can be a powerful marketing tool for attracting new clients and communicating with current ones. Many REALTORS already send out regular newsletters to their customer bases and blogs can be easily adapted into online versions of the same newsletters.

As a REALTOR, your Weblog might provide tips to homebuyers and sellers, information on market conditions and links to articles on housing trends or other industry news. Another option is to create a Weblog highlighting your local community, updating readers on events, linking to news stories about the area and so on. In this way, a Weblog can help you show how knowledgeable you are about your community and how committed you are to your profession.

Because blogs often attract readers interested in narrowly focused subjects, they can be ideal tools for REALTORS who specialize in niche markets. Blogs can be created that focus on the housing needs of first-time homebuyers, retirees, cottagers or pet owners for example. These Weblogs could help show potential clients the REALTOR's expertise in working with specific types of properties and transactions.

What’s it take to get blogging?
Two essentials for a blog to be successful are good writing skills and regular attention. Although they are easy to set up and maintain, actually starting a Weblog can be hard. Some blogging guides recommend compiling a few days' worth of entries before making the blog available publicly for the first time.

Blogs need to be kept fresh and interesting and they need to keep the intended audience in mind. They also require time, and must be updated regularly if they want to keep people coming back regularly. Readers of Weblogs often scan the recent entries quickly before moving on, meaning that the blog has only a few seconds to capture their attention.

Once you’ve started a Weblog you can link your blog page to your Web site’s listings search so that blog readers can view available properties. You’ll also want a link to a form on your site where prospects can provide contact information and send you questions. Finally, you will need to publicize your blog. Announce the creation of your blog to your local newspaper, to real estate trade publications, and to other blogs.

Learn how to blog
If blogging sounds like something you’d like to know more about, visit http://www.blogger.com/. This Web site offers tips and information on how to get a Weblog started and even allows you to go ahead and give it a try.

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For more information contact

Ontario Real Estate Association

Jean-Adrien Delicano

Manager, Media Relations

JeanAdrienD@orea.com

416-445-9910 ext. 246

Ontario Real Estate Association
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The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. The trademarks MLS®, Multiple Listing Service® and the associated logos are owned by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify the quality of services provided by real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.

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