SAD DAY today when I was looking for one of my favorite real estate blogs (FOREM), and it was nowhere to be found.

Where have the bloggers gone?

I suspect  two things: mother companies like Inman or Zillow want to go in a different direction.  Or blogger cannot be sustained by the current business model.  My hunch is it’s usually the second one.  Bless you Drew, for trudging forward (and successfully.)

I have been blogging for five years and I’ve stopped twice, for a combined 1 year.  It cost me a lot in lost opportunities but I had to go back to the profound vision when I first started in ’07 — I need to blog or I will go hungry.

I’m still not in the Teresa Boardman or Jay Thompson league, (no offense to the author, but I just don’t think I have “it”.) They’re the best to emulate because of their market-reinforcing popularity and, in effect, a continual trickle of links.  What’s popular becomes more popular.  They deserve it.

But I’m doing alright myself.  My site has generated 35% of my business last year.  It’ll be a few points higher this year. And frankly as much as I love to blog, those numbers are the only real reason why I can still blog after five years.  It’s my business model.  It’s built-in me now.  And yes, I’ve grown to liking it as well.

How do we build our blog to support us? The answer is easy.  The question is, are you willing to follow-through? I hope you do. Because we need you to continue; out-of-state home buyers need local real estate bloggers for the juiciest information. You do make a difference even if your site traffic is on heart-breakingly double digits day in, day out.  Who cares? That’s ten people a week who is getting golden information on the biggest investment of their lives.

So, how to support it:

  • If you are licensed agent, you get leads. Commission based business model.
  • If you are licensed but don’t have the appetite for sales.  Refer it to an agent or broker for a 35% commission.  Lead-gen business model.
  • If you want a consistent cash flow…do an ad-based model. Now, don’t be scared.  It’s not hard as you may think.  The best advise I can give is copy another industry blog who has an ad-based business.  I suggest copying domain bloggers.  If they can make it, you sure can.  My buddy Domain Shane makes high five figures a year!  Pick up the phone and call local businesses/real estate specifically.  Call 100 people.  If you get 10, you’re in business.  While waiting to fill the spots, put ads there for free, so you look successful and you look “legit”

(*Many will say you cannot have advertisers or leads with puny traffic.  Baloney. Pick up the phone.)

I really want you to make it, PM me if you need any more information.