I have to confess that ever since I became a Realtor, I was missing the “creative” aspect of being an architect and I have finally found it with marketing. To think that my static website just 2 years ago was visually appealing but had none of the requisites of a good site is mind boggling. To know that ever since I started blogging this whole marketing world has opened up in front of me with endless possibilities. But I have to give credit where credit is due.
A lot of you know that I am a follower of Mary McKnight not only because she is a walking brain when it comes to SEO, but also because she is a down to earth beautiful person. (Doesn’t hurt that she is married to a genius……..I can only imagine how smart their kids will be).
Mary is constantly giving away incredible advice at RSS Pieces but this last post she did on Demographics and how to use these to craft your real estate blogs to target your readers goes right along all the discussions we’ve been having here at Agent Genius about generational studies.
From Mariana’s The Secret Life of a “Generation X” Consumer … My Story
To Benn’s Why?
One of the best pieces of advice I received from Paul Chaney and Realty Blogging was to know who your audience is. We can all agree that it is easier said than done. I may have a target market in mind, but is that target market really who is buying and selling real estate in my market? And furthermore, is that target audience who is reading my real estate blog?
Now here is where it gets genius – after studying our target market and assessing our own businesses and websites, we have all come up with keywords that we use throughout our blog (at least a lot of us do) – now you can study those keywords for demographic information and further design your blog to reach a very specific target market that searches your specific keywords.
By using tools available to us including demographics, census data, geographic segmentation and generational studies, we can zoom into our business in a way I would have never imagined. Take a look at Mary’s post and all the tools she provides – they are truly priceless:
How to use demographics to craft real estate blog posts that target your readers
KayeThomas
April 11, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Ines,
This is a fascinating subject. I have used SEO to reach my general audience for a long time. I love the idea of breaking it down even further to target specific markets that are within my general audience. Major companies have been using demographics for years to target specific group needs and desires.
ines
April 11, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Hi Kaye! What’s amazing to me is that as Realtors, we are supposed to know the ins and outs of marketing, not only of our services but also of the properties we sell. To think that many don’t even hit the surface when it comes to marketing potential is unbelievable. What I have learned in the last year with blogging is truly amazing. Now off to study those demographics!
Ann Cummings
April 11, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Hi Ines – I thought Mary’s post was terrific and was loaded with great advice for those of us always looking to do things better. Learning the demographics and then targetting them is a very interesting topic, and I’m going to be doing some studying as well.
ines
April 11, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Ann – it never ends does it?? and here we thought our learning curve was slowing down. 🙂
BawldGuy Talking
April 11, 2008 at 1:28 pm
I’ve never been able to figure out why some folks don’t at least read a little of what Mary has to say. It’s become obvious, at least to this follicly challenged broker, that she gets results — a commodity which these days seems to be on the endangered list.
ines
April 11, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Jeff – I don’t understand it either – although I can speak for myself when I tell you that Mary’s stuff used to overwhelm me, but if you just grab a small nugget at a time, it can make a real difference.
Kathy Drewien
April 11, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Interesting… I appeal to the <18 and 50+ group.
Mary McKnight
April 11, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Thanks Ines. I love looking at demographics and highly recommend http://www.quantcast.com. It is a great resource for finding your own and competitor’s demographics. I can’t wait to finish the psychographics post! Couple demographics with psychographics and you have a sure fire formula for reeling in more leads from the internet.
Bawld Guy,
I know there are people who love to hate me/refuse to read me out there in the real estate and entertainment blogospheres, but the truth is, all I care about is helping bloggers get results. And results are; getting on the first page of Google, staying there and generating leads. I take solace in the fact that most of my competition has been reduced to attacking me on my ideas or restating them as their own.
ines
April 11, 2008 at 8:00 pm
LOL @ Kathy – I don’t think the <18 group will be buying real estate anytime time soon – but keep them in mind 🙂
Laurie Manny
April 11, 2008 at 8:41 pm
This is a great series that Mary is putting up, glad to see her stretching.
BawldGuy Talking
April 11, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Mary — It’s time for you to just smile and point to the scoreboard.
ines
April 11, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Mary – you are a class act and have many happy customers to prove it. This series of yours is what I call “out of the box” and creative marketing that kicks! You will always have your loyal followers Mother Superior! 🙂
Laurie ……and so am I
Jeff – she is and so are all of us standing right next to her.
Missy Caulk
April 12, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Ines, I remember Marina’s post. I agree every generation is different, I live with a Gen X’er on my TEAM and I can’t tell you how well she connects with that age group. Most of them become friends, I try to hook my buyer agents up with people I feel they will connect with and become friends with forever. The average age in Ann Arbor is 34 so lots of young people looking for homes and condo’s.
Bob
April 12, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Quantcast is hardly accurate. I know my demographics and that of my market. if my competitors are relying on Quantcast, then their picture is out of focus.
ines
April 12, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Missy – the understanding of those connections can definitely become powerful tools – good for you that you can identify it and benefit your business because of it.
Bob – as with any tool, I would hope you use these as guidelines – I would be interested to know how they can identify those demographics.
Eric Bouler
April 13, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Sounds like you are on target and having fun with your blog at the same time. My blog market is more targeted than most but so is my most successful site. Not many subprime buyers will come from my site or blog. Most of the people are nice and very likable which has really suprised me. keep up the learning curve.
ines
April 14, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Hey Eric – the learning process is never ending, I think that’s the academic in me that loves blogging. You have to agree that a lot of bloggers today start out blind-folded and later target an audience. I’m glad to hear you have achieved it.