Real Estate News Blog

[Phoenix]

Hi all,

I just started my very first blog about Central Arizona trends in real estate.

It is named Arizona Real Estate News (is that a good name?)
The URL is: http://PhoenixHomes.BlogSpot.com

I would really like some "do's and don'ts" kind of help from you guys. Since I have never had one, nor participated on one, I am unsure of how best to promote it.

I do update it almost daily, sicne I started it about two weeks ago (I think).

Any tips from any blog pros?

[webmaster]

Honestly if you are able to on advanced access I would host it on your own website, this way you are given credit for the content, links to the pages etc as opposed to blogspot.

[Phoenix]

I kind of thought about all that work to promote BlogSpot.com and all the PR going to them, etc. But, I am quite sure we can not have blogs attached to our sites.

Tell me more...

[consultant]

Matt,
Good job. However, I do think you may want to ditch Blogger as your provider.

Here's why;

Blogger is a good place to start for the newbie at Blogging. Afterall, it's free. But, remember, you get what you pay for as well. In time, if you become consistent and show a good passion for maintaining a real estate blog, then you will, based on my experience with other bloggers, outgrow Blogger as your service provider. There are certain features that Blogger doesn't provide.

I personally like Squarespace and Typepad as a blogger provider.

I've also found that the number one reason that most realtors don't or aren't consistent in their real estate blogging efforts, is that blogging equates to writing. And some people don't like to write. And if you're a realtor, you're most likely out there pounding the pavement, so to speak, rather than at your computer, writing up stuff for your blog. Real Estate Blogs do have potential, if done right. Don't even get me started on the potential of podcasting and videoblogging fo real esate

[Phoenix]

Hi Consultant,

Welcome to the forums!

I sometimes think I type for a living with all the forums I chat in.

Anything you would like to elaborate on would be great. I'm sure there are other new bloggers here.

Thanks.

[kensmith]

I would also like to hear more. What are the best ways to make a real estate blog a usefull source of information? What is podcasting? and anything else of use would be great.

[Phoenix]

While waiting for more advice from the pros...

How about hosting your own blog, seperate from Blogger and seperate from www.PhoenixHomes.com? I own www.ArizonaRealEstateNews.com, maybe I could buy some blog software/skin and start my own. Would that be better than attaching it to my site as in PhoenixHomes.com/blog or http://blog.P...H...com? I am sure either of hte two would be better than pumping up blogger.com (or blogspot.com which is where the free ones are actually located domain wise).

[Phoenix]

My main Q one post up it which is the most beneficial way to go for me, my sites and the future of my blog?

[consultant]

Ken and Matt,
Podcasting is a fancy schmancy term for audio blogging. The term was combined from iPod + Broadcasting. Hence, podcasting. It is the ability to blog via audio. People simply download your mp3 broadcast and listen to it. It's just another form of blogging. Suffice to say, you can make it very personable.

I recommend that you host your blog on your website, assuming you know how to. My reason for recommeding to put your blog on your real estate website is because your blog should be an extension of your website. It shouldn't be a separate part of it.

Look into Typepad or Squarespace for blog hosting. Or you can try Wordpress. It's open source and it's all the raves right now.

Thanks,
Blog Consultant

[Phoenix]

Thanks for your input!

I have some specific questions (all in bold), and I hope more than one perosn will answer because I like to hear different opinions when trying to form my own.

1) What do you think of this software for making my own blog: http://www.b2evolution.net ???

2) Any better, free ones out there?

3) Which is better in your mind, and why?
*** myblog.mysite.com (third level domain)
*** mysite.com/myblog.htm (extension)
*** myblog.com (I own www.ArizonaRealEstateNews.com, which is the name of my current blog at blogger)

4) Two Q's here... Look at http://franandrowena.blogspot.com, I know them both, and they have huge success with their blog. What would be the added benefit to them hosting their own blog: on their site? or on their own?

Thank you Blog Consultant, and anyone else who is willing to give their $0.02