5 Ways Maintain Your Blog Without Going Crazy

You’re busy, probably really busy!

Yet you recognize having a real estate blog makes sense for you.

You’ve figured out that posting regularly is really what drives traffic to your blog and that from that traffic comes clients.

But you’re really really busy!

Here are 5 tips that will help you maintain your blog in the midst of feeling like you have no extra time:

Maintain an idea file

Every professional writer and blogger I know maintains an idea file. Some use software like Evernote®. or a word file, or a 3 x 5 card, or even some combination. For example, I use Word® on my desktop and Evernote on my cellphone. I also have a few 3 x 5 cards in my purse just in case.

The goal is to capture every single idea you might have for your blog, even the seemingly bad ones. Every week or so gather them together so you can look at them all. I put them all in my Word idea file.

When you examine them you’ll find some split into two or more. Often the seemingly bad ideas either turn out to be good ones after all, or spark another better idea.

When I either write one idea or move it to my editorial calendar I strike it through so I know I’ve used it, but can still read it. It’s amazing how often a month or so later I’ll suddenly see another way to use one of those ideas.

Your goal is really to have as many decent ideas as possible. Keep in mind that if, for example, you’re going to publish a blog post every week, that means you need 52 of them every year.

Editorial calendar

Magazines and famous bloggers use an editorial calendar to keep track of ideas and make sure posts get made on time.

An editorial calendar let’s you plan your blog postings in advance. It helps you keep track of regular events in your community that you want to blog about

Fortunately it doesn’t have to be complicated – a note on whatever calendar you’re already using will work. Even “blog-farmer’s mkt” on the appropriate date will do it. Putting them in a ‘blog only’ color will help you spot them when you’re ready to write.

Write ahead and drip

Did you know you can write a post today and schedule it to appear a year from now? That’s what bloggers call ‘dripping content.’

You could, in theory, write a month’s worth of blog posts over a weekend and schedule them to appear exactly when you want them too.

Just use the “Publish Date and Time” feature that’s under the window you enter your blog text in right below “Tags.” Note that it requires two figures for the month, even in Jan. (01), Feb (02) etc.

Use guest posts

Guest posts are simply posts someone you invite writes on a topic the two of you agree on. For example, someone from your local Girl Scout troop might want to write an article for you about girl scout cookies when that sale begins. Or your mortgage guy might be willing to write a story about lending.

Be careful about who and what the guests are promoting – otherwise it’s a good way to change up your blog and give you a bit of free time.

Make adding your listings a habit

Putting your listings on your blog as soon as they’re signed is a great addition to your blog. It’s also a place where you can add a bit more personality to the property description than the typical MLS form allows.

Make a habit of adding them just as soon as you can, giving your readers a bit of a head start. They will appreciate it, and when you’re pitching a listing, the seller is apt to be impressed.

Your iHOUSE site makes blogging darn close to easy. You can get started today.

Have you started your real estate blog yet? What’s stopping you? Let’s talk about it in comments.

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