Do you have guest contributors on your blog?
Posted in Real Estate Bloggers By Rogan McGillis, Friday, April 11, 2008.Hello again!
I was just curious how many of you use guest authors on your blog? I try to write every day on my reverse mortgage blog but it's tough. I have been thinking about trying to bring on some guest contributors but wanted to see if anyone had experience doing that or having guests write on your blog. Are there any networks of guest blog writers out there?
Let me know your experiences, i'm interested to see who does what..
Thanks,
Rogan McGillis
Founder, Sr. Editor
ReverseMortgageCity.com Media Center
www.reversemortgagecity.com/blog
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Submitted by Jay Thompson on April 11, 2008 - 9:40pm.
Rogan -
Great question! I've used a couple of guest bloggers on my blog. Chiefly a local mortgage guy and a local home stager. I also "swapped posts" one time with a Minnesota blogger -- I posted on her blog and she posted on mine.
I contribute to a couple of "multi-author" blogs as well as have contributed single guest posts to other blogs.
Guest authors are a nice way to inject new material and voices into a blog (and free you from posting). I use them mainly to provide expertise outside of my specialty.
I don't know of a network of guest bloggers, but I know many blogger will write guest posts if you just ask for them.
We have a large "senior" population in Phoenix. If you are ever interested in guest posting on my blog, let me know!
Jay Thompson
Broker / Owner
Thompson's Realty
Blog: www.PhoenixRealEstateGuy.com
.
Submitted by Diane Aurit on April 12, 2008 - 5:18am.
Diane Aurit
I have had mortgage brokers write periodic updates when I think it would be helpful to my readers but not on a regular basis.
The most fun thing I do is to have a restaurant reviewer. She is a friend/client. I know it is not real estate related but for my target market of buyers relocating to Lake Norman it makes sense and has been very well received.
Diane
Blog: www.BestRealEstateLakeNorman.com
Submitted by Missy Caulk on April 12, 2008 - 5:28am.
I have used them a few times, would like more to keep it updated every other day.
Missy Caulk
Ann Arbor, MI
Missy@MissyCaulk.com
www.AnnArborRealEstateTalk.com
www.SearchAnnArborHouses.com
Submitted by Louis Cammarosano on April 12, 2008 - 7:35pm.
Rogan
We use them. Initially the HomeGain blog was going to be kept fresh with content from HomeGain agents and HomeGain employees.
Then we invited bloggers from outside the Homescape circle and chaos resulted!
http://www.inman.com/news/2008/03/1/homegain-invites-bloggers-controvers...
Submitted by Rogan McGillis on April 14, 2008 - 10:34am.
Thanks everyone for commening!
Jay, I would be interested in writing a blog for you, just let me know. I really like the idea of guest bloggers and think that it helps the experience on a site. All my readers ever get i my opinion and i think it's good to be well rounded
Louis, it definately seems like you stirred up a hornets nest. In my opinion thats a good thing, buzz is something every marketing company tries to generate for clients and it looks like you did that.
Diane, thats a grea idea! I think that works really well for a local broker, maybe not so much for a national site but you could probally tie it in somehow.
Thanks for all the comments. As I build my site i'm going to move towards more authors so if anyone would like to write a post just let me know. I think a blog sharing network would be an interesting idea...
Rogan McGillis
Founder, ReverseMortgageCity.com
www.reversemortgagecity.com
Submitted by Danilo Bogdanovic on April 21, 2008 - 1:43pm.
I co-author my blogs with a fellow Realtor and blogger, but we don't have guest authors. Not that we have anything against doing so, but just doesn't fit our blogs' personality.
Danilo Bogdanovic
Real Estate Consultant, Realtor
http://www.realdiablog.com
Submitted by Danilo Bogdanovic on April 21, 2008 - 1:44pm.
I co-author my blogs with a fellow Realtor and blogger, but we don't have guest authors. Not that we have anything against doing so, but just doesn't fit our blogs' personality.
Danilo Bogdanovic
Real Estate Consultant, Realtor
http://www.realdiablog.com
Submitted by Danilo Bogdanovic on April 21, 2008 - 1:44pm.
I co-author my blogs with a fellow Realtor and blogger, but we don't have guest authors. Not that we have anything against doing so, but just doesn't fit our blogs' personality.
Danilo Bogdanovic
Real Estate Consultant, Realtor
http://www.realdiablog.com
Submitted by Danilo Bogdanovic on April 21, 2008 - 1:45pm.
(not sure why it posted my comment three times - sorry)
Danilo Bogdanovic
Real Estate Consultant, Realtor
http://www.realdiablog.com
Submitted by Phil Sexton on April 22, 2008 - 3:53pm.
I feel it's easier to have guest authors that are already bloggers. I've taught a few people how to post (as guest authors) and I think they become more interested in creating their own blog when they see how simple it can be.
Good Luck!
Phil Sexton - Agent Support
John Hall & Associates - Our blog
Submitted by Jim Duncan on April 22, 2008 - 4:34pm.
I have guest bloggers when it's appropriate - primarily when I have a mortgage question that needs local attention.
A lot depends on who your audience is and what you want to convey with your blog.
The few times I have had guest bloggers, the authors haven't been bloggers. They email me the copy, I edit it, dress it up and post it. If you're going for a multi-author blog, that's a different conversation (IMHO) than guest posters.
Jim Duncan
434-242-7140
http://www.realcentralva.com
Realtor/Blogger
Submitted by Ryan Horne on April 23, 2008 - 9:02am.
I have talked with a local mortgage lender and a lady from our office that does staging and both liked the idea of be guests on my blog. Unfortunately this business is very busy and they have not got around to doing any posting yet.
I definately like the idea of it to create more content for my readers. I have also offered this option to other agents in my office and will be talking to my broker about this also.
If anyone is interested in writing for my Delaware Real Estate blog you can email me at Ryan@4htr.com or call me at 302-381-8438. I welcome any good content that I can get. The link for my website and blog are in my sig file.
Ryan Horne
Delaware REALTOR
http://delrealestateonline.com
http://delrealestateonline.com/blog
Submitted by G Dewald | Union Street Media on April 23, 2008 - 9:22am.
Ryan,
For situations where someone has indicated willingness to blog but just can't find the time try an interview instead. Most people will have time to talk and since you know your audience you can ask good questions.
Still requires effort on your part, but it might get you the content you want.
G. Dewald | Union Street Media | USM Blog
Submitted by Ryan Horne on April 23, 2008 - 9:39am.
G. Dewald,
That is a great idea and I do not know why I didn
t think of it myself. Thanks for the tip. I am actually going to try and do that today. Maybe not as a full interview, but rather I will just email my lender some questions I have and I can put together a post based on his reply. Thanks again.
Ryan Horne
Delaware REALTOR
http://delrealestateonline.com
http://delrealestateonline.com/blog
Submitted by G Dewald | Union Street Media on April 23, 2008 - 9:45am.
No problem, that sort of thing happens to me all the time.
If you're going to email the questions definitely keep it limited. This will increase the likelihood of getting a timely response (sort of like limiting the number of fields people have to fill out to use a website increases the use of the website).
Also, if you keep it short you can do a "numbers" post: "Four Questions Answered by the Mortgage Lender" etc etc.
Good luck!
G. Dewald | Union Street Media | USM Blog
Submitted by Rich Johnson on April 23, 2008 - 9:54am.
We have tried to get affiliates to add content to our blog however it's like pulling teeth. The only person who has consistenly provided content has been a local loan officer.
One thing that we have done that is kind of fun though is this: we have contacted people whose families have lived in Bellingham / Whatcom County for several generations & have asked them to send us posts regarding the history of Bellingham / Whatcom County. There is a post on our blog from Geneil Chevalier where she talks about the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor & her parting good bys to her new husband who she didn't see again for several years - it will bring tears to your eyes. It's blogged under "Whatcom County Remembered"
http://www.johnsonteamrealestate.com/blog/index.php/category/whatcom-cou...
If you'd like to contact me to see where it is that I'm planning to take this, feel free to contact me at Rich@JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com or if you have an idea that I could use let me know as well.
Rich Johnson
The Johnson Team
360-319-3267
http://www.johnsonteamrealestate.com/
http://www.johnsonteamrealestate.com/blog/
Submitted by Gloria de Gaston Boone on April 23, 2008 - 11:01am.
Gloria
No, haven't had any guests....too new at this
Submitted by Gloria de Gaston Boone on April 23, 2008 - 11:02am.
Gloria
No, I'm still too new at this.
Submitted by Bobby Carroll on April 24, 2008 - 6:39pm.
The blogging purest will probably look upon this with disdain but we helped create and develop a marketing campaign around a Creative Writing Contest at a local High School for a C-21 Wyoming client. Take a look at these post http://www.sheridanblog.com/. Fresh content was supplied by three prizing winning high school students. We then wrote a Press Release for the client and added it to their Online Press Room of their website. The client will post about it at AR and we will post about it at our Dakno Blog and our BloggerLounge.net blog. That's serious link power!
To your success,
Bobby Carroll
Dakno Marketing Senior Consultant
The Crystal Coast Blog