You’ve probably heard the saying, “There’s no such thing as writer’s block.” Well, that’s true. But there are plenty of other mistakes writers can make when trying to land a gig writing for real estate websites or blogs. Here are the most common mistakes I see rookie writers make on an almost daily basis:
Takeaways |
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1. Avoiding vague and ambiguous language in property descriptions. |
2. Incorporating compelling headlines to capture readers’ attention. |
3. Ensuring accuracy in property details and information. |
4. Steering clear of overused real estate jargon. |
5. Balancing creativity with professionalism in writing style. |
6. Checking for grammatical errors and typos before publishing. |
7. Addressing the target audience’s pain points and interests. |
8. Using visual elements effectively to enhance content. |
9. Providing accurate information about local neighborhoods. |
10. Avoiding excessive use of technical terms for readability. |
11. Engaging readers with storytelling and anecdotes. |
12. Showcasing unique selling points of properties accurately. |
13. Ensuring consistency in tone and voice across content. |
14. Properly citing sources and references when needed. |
15. Avoiding misinformation or misrepresentation of properties. |
16. Incorporating calls to action for reader engagement. |
1. Not Hiring A Real Estate Writer
You may be tempted to do it yourself, but the truth is that if you write your blog posts, they will be significantly less effective at getting people interested in what you’re selling. Why? Because you’re not an expert in writing or marketing.
You don’t know how to attract readers with well-constructed sentences, how to engage them with interest-piquing graphics and headlines, or how to make them feel like they need whatever it is that you’re trying to sell and want more than anything else right now.
All of these things come from years of experience as both a marketer and writer; so hire one instead! They can work faster than you can anyway since they’re used to writing for hours every day; plus their value will become apparent immediately once visitors start clicking through on all those carefully crafted links on your site!
Building a compelling real estate agent bio is crucial for making a strong first impression. Learn the essential steps in our guide on writing a better real estate agent bio, and create a bio that captivates potential clients.
2. Not Being Consistent With Your Blog Posts
If you want to give your blog the best chance at success, consistency is key. If you don’t post regularly, people will quickly forget about you and that means lost readership and engagement. If you’re not posting consistently, then it’s hard for people to keep track of what new content has been added and what’s changed on the site since the last time they visited.
It also makes it difficult for readers to subscribe or follow along with your updates if they don’t know what day/time/month/year (or whatever) it is when a new piece goes up!
So how can you keep things consistent? The easiest way is probably just uploading all of your drafts in one sitting so that they’re ready to go when published.
However, this may take more time than necessary depending on how many drafts there are in total so another option would be using an application like Buffer (which allows users to create custom schedules based on their preferences).
This way each post would automatically appear at regular intervals throughout any given month without having us worry about remembering all those details ourselves – meaning less stress 🙂
3. Writing In An Unoriginal Style
You should always be writing for your audience. If you write about a subject or topic that is too technical, no one will read it. On the other hand, if you write in an overly informal style, it will be hard to take your work seriously. You need to find a balance between these two extremes a style that is both accessible and authoritative.
This doesn’t mean you should use an obvious “wannabe-like-GQ” method of writing either! Your writing should not sound like something from a marketing textbook or dictionary (unless those are the kinds of things that are likely to appeal to your target readers).
Crafting an attention-grabbing headline is the key to drawing readers into your real estate blog. Discover “the only words you need” to create a captivating headline in our article on writing a great headline for your real estate blog.
4. Trying To Sell In Every Post
The fourth most common mistake a real estate writer makes is trying to sell in every post. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be selling. It just means that your content should be valuable, and if you are truly writing what your audience wants to read, they’ll start coming back for more.
If you were selling books on how to write real estate posts, would you expect your readership to grow by telling them how great your book is? Or would it be better if the content was interesting and relevant?
It’s up to each of us as writers how we want our audience to perceive us as someone who knows what they’re talking about or as someone who tries too hard to sell something they don’t have.
If buyers see value from reading our posts or tweets, then chances are good that they’ll return because they know there will be new information worth reading again soon enough (and hopefully sharing with friends).
5. Oversharing Personal Information
There’s a fine line between sharing your story and oversharing personal information. While you may think that sharing personal details about your life will make you seem more relatable it can have the opposite effect. When readers don’t feel a connection with you, they abandon your content and move on to something else.
When writing content for the real estate industry, especially since this is an industry where sellers are often competing against one another, it’s important not to give away too much about yourself or even worse make it appear like you’re bragging about how great your life is compared to others.
Here are some things NOT to disclose:
Your exact location includes both city names as well as state names unless required by law or if specifically asked for by your audience (i.e., “I live in Atlanta”)
Specific details about any purchases or sales that have taken place within a certain time frame; instead focus on broader topics like trends happening now among potential buyers/sellers and why those trends might be occurring (“We’re seeing lots of people looking for homes from $250k-$300k but fewer doing so in areas outside the city limits due to traffic concerns.”).
Effective copywriting can significantly impact your real estate marketing efforts. Explore 15 ways to improve your real estate copywriting and enhance your ability to convey property value and engage potential buyers.
6. Forgetting To Proofread/Editing Incorrectly
Proofreading is the final step in the writing process. If you don’t proofread your real estate content, you’ll probably find mistakes after it has been published.
When proofreading and editing your work, it’s important to use a strong, reliable grammar tool like Grammarly or Ginger (which we use here at The Real Estate Review). Grammarly is free, so definitely go with that if you want something free!
This is where I would normally say something about how important editing is, but I’m going to let Wikipedia take over: “Editing is often described as “the last chance” because once material has been published it can be difficult or impossible to make corrections.” Good luck guys!
7. Not Using Eye-Catching Headlines
This is a biggie! A headline is the most important part of your blog post. It should be short and to the point but written in a way that will make people want to read the rest of your content. When you’re creating headlines, think about how they’ll look on social media and search engines; try using long-tail keywords in them where possible (see mistake #9).
Headlines also need to stand out from one another so that readers can easily scan through all their options before deciding which ones are worth reading more fully. If you’re having trouble coming up with catchy headlines for each post, try these steps:
- Think about what problem your post solves or question it answers for potential clients
- Use this problem or question as inspiration for an attention-grabbing title
8. Creating Lengthy Paragraphs
Long paragraphs tend to have a lot of information, so they can be intimidating. If readers feel like you’re trying to impose on their time, they might get upset and stop reading your content altogether. By keeping your paragraphs short and sweet (read: concise), you’ll make sure that each one is easy for readers to digest in one sitting.
This will also help improve the flow of your writing overall by making each sentence stand out from the next and help keep the reader’s interest piqued!
9. Failing To Include A Cta
A Call-to-Action (CTA) is a way to get the reader to take an action. The CTA should be specific, direct, and focused on the reader’s needs.
A specific CTA will help you achieve your goals. If you have a goal of getting more people in your agency business or increasing sales in your real estate business, then include a specific call-to-action that tells them what to do next.
For example: “If you are looking for more information about buying investment properties or would like me to show you homes that meet your criteria fill out this form.”
Finding your first gig as a real estate writer can be challenging, but with the right tips, you can jumpstart your career. Check out our comprehensive list of 15 tips on how to find your first real estate writing gig and start your journey towards becoming a successful writer in the industry.
10. Not Value Aligning Your Content
The principle of value-alignment is simple: your content should provide as much value to the reader as it does for you.
If you write an article that’s only helpful to you, but not the reader, it will be ignored and forgotten. If you write an article that provides a lot of value for your readers but doesn’t help you at all (and doesn’t earn any money), then no one will want to read what comes next. You need both elements to build trust with readers and attract them back again.
So how do writers ensure they’re creating valuable content? By doing their research on what their target audience wants most!
Make sure there’s plenty of data available about who your audience is and how they feel about certain topics before diving into writing anything else. You should also try testing some different strategies until one clicks with users this can include things like using surveys or asking friends what they think might work best for people like them.
11. Publishing Poorly Researched Content
You should never publish content that is poorly researched, not well thought out, or not well written. You also shouldn’t publish content that isn’t edited or proofread.
It’s tempting to skip over steps like researching and proofreading when you’re working on a tight deadline but if you don’t do these things, your readers will be able to tell. You’ll lose credibility and readership in one fell swoop!
12. Lacking A Sense Of Humor (Especially When It’s Appropriate)
A lot of people think that real estate is a serious field and that you need to take yourself seriously if you want to be taken seriously.
That’s true, but only up to a point. As an agent, your job is to connect with buyers and sellers to help them buy or sell their homes. You do this by showing them how much you care about their needs and wants and humor is an excellent way of doing just that!
Humor allows you to build rapport with your audience while also demonstrating your personality (and not just being “that boring agent who doesn’t know how to have fun”). It can also break up the monotony in the content itself after all, who wants more than 30 pages of dry information?
13. Underestimating The Power Of Social Media Sites Like Facebook And Twitter To Drive Traffic To Your Site
Social media can be an excellent way to get your content in front of your audience. Not only does social media help you increase traffic to your site, but it also helps you build relationships with other bloggers and websites, who might be interested in republishing or linking to your article.
Social media can also be used as a promotional tool by including a link at the end of every blog post that readers can click on if they want more information about the topic at hand. When someone clicks through this link, they will either be taken directly back to your website or redirected somewhere else (such as another site’s homepage).
The goal here is simply getting people from one website onto another one whether that means driving them back toward yours or getting them excited enough about what you’ve written so that they’ll share it with others themselves!
14. Neglecting Unconventional Outlets For Getting The Word Out About Your Blog Posts, Such As Pinterest, Stumbleupon, And Reddit
You’ve been blogging for a while, and you’re ready to start sharing your blog posts with the world. But where?
Let’s be honest: most people don’t know about your blog unless they already follow it or find it by Googling something specific. So how do you get more readers?
Pinterest, StumbleUpon, and Reddit are all great places to share your posts. Pinterest is especially good for image-based content like homes for sale blogs or real estate agent bios because the site is so visual people love looking at pretty houses!
15. Writing In A Tone That Is Too Technical Or Too Informal For Your Audience
You need to know the tone of your audience. This is something that you can’t just guess at because the wrong tone will make them uncomfortable and they’ll quickly stop reading.
If your audience is made up of people who are familiar with real estate jargon, then you should write in a way that uses those terms. If on the other hand, most of your readers are beginning investors or people new to the industry, then you should avoid using too much jargon and explain concepts as simply as possible.
Succeeding as a real estate writer requires a blend of skills and strategies. Uncover the 10 secrets to succeed as a real estate writer and position yourself for excellence in producing engaging and informative real estate content.
16. Not Knowing Your Audience Well Enough To Cater To Their Needs
Know your audience. It’s a cliché, but it’s also true. When you write for the web, you should know your audience so well that you can write what they want to read before they even know they need it.
When writing for an online audience, writers have to think about three things: subject matter (what the article is about), product (the article itself), and service (how the article is delivered).
The fourth thing the brand isn’t as important when writing for websites as compared to writing for print magazines or newspapers because there aren’t many visual cues on which to base trust in an author or organization’s authority.
However, if you’re selling products and services through eCommerce sites like Amazon or eBay, then knowing how customers use those sites helps inform how well-designed your web pages should be.
Conclusion
There are many ways to make your writing stand out and be successful, but the best way is to identify the mistakes you’re making and correct them. You could even turn what you’ve learned in this article into a blog post of its own! We hope that you found this information helpful in your journey toward becoming a better real estate blogger.
Further Reading
Explore more resources to avoid common mistakes in real estate:
Wealth Builders – Common Real Estate Mistakes Short Description: Learn about the pitfalls to avoid when navigating the world of real estate, and discover expert insights on making informed decisions.
Omaha Real Estate Group – Top 5 Mistakes Real Estate Agents Make Short Description: Get valuable insights into the most common missteps real estate agents can make and how to ensure a successful career in the industry.
Investopedia – Real Estate Mistakes to Avoid Short Description: Discover essential tips on avoiding critical real estate mistakes, ensuring your investments and transactions are well-informed.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about avoiding common real estate mistakes:
What are the typical mistakes real estate agents make?
Real estate agents often fall into traps like inadequate communication, neglecting market research, and not staying updated on industry trends.
How can I avoid making mistakes when investing in real estate?
To minimize mistakes, ensure thorough research before investing, work with experienced professionals, and have a well-defined investment strategy.
What are the consequences of making mistakes in real estate transactions?
Mistakes in real estate transactions can lead to financial loss, legal complications, and damaged relationships with clients or partners.
How can I make informed decisions when purchasing a property?
Prioritize due diligence, hire a qualified home inspector, review all documents carefully, and consult with knowledgeable real estate professionals.
What are some common mistakes when negotiating real estate deals?
Common negotiation mistakes include not setting clear goals, being inflexible, and failing to consider the other party’s perspective and priorities.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.