Some of my previous posts looked at blogging at a high level.  But what about actual content?  Here are some ideas shared by panelists at Real Estate Connect: 

1. Write about specific neighborhoods, not just "San Diego real estate."
2. Don't be clever with your titles.  Make them direct and keyword rich.
3. Use questions as titles and in blog posts, because most people search Google by entering a question.
4. Think about your readers and their interests.  One REALTOR® noticed a big spike in traffic when she listed places to watch fireworks in her community on the Fourth of July.
5. Post your Web site and blog URL everywhere -- business cards, e-mail signatures, letterhead, etc.

What are you writing about on your blog?  Which of your articles attract the most attention?

You may have noticed that the "it" topic at Inman's Real Estate Connect was blogging.  Just about every session focused on blogs or at least mentioned them as an important tool.

During the "Show Me the Leads" session, bloggers like Jim Cronin of the Real Estate Tomato and Noah Rosenblatt of UrbanDigs.com shared some of their secrets to blog success.

1. Determine a focus before you get started.  Based on the goals you have for your blog, choose 4-5 core topics. 
2. Don't use your name as your blog's title.  Use something like "real estate in town."
3. Build relationships.  By starting a dialog and helping you build relationships, blogs can be more effective than brochure-style Web sites.
4. Clearly display your lead generators.  Make sure there is a clear call to action (i.e. view my listings or contact me).
5. Make it easy for visitors to search for listings from your blog.
6. Include links to your company Web site.
7. Give people something they can learn from.  Educate, teach and keep them coming back for more.
8. Make it easy for different audiences to find what they are looking for.  For example, have "Buyer Must Reads" and "Seller Must Reads" sections.
9. Look at what people are searching for to get to your site.
10. Use those search terms -- and other key words -- in your URL, titles and postings.
11. Make it good.  All of the panelists agreed that people decide immediately upon seeing your blog whether they want to do business with you or not. 
12. Be careful!  The same rules and regulations (e.g. fair housing) that apply to your business, apply to your blog.  

I just want to emphasize the importance of that last point.  Read through your comments before you post anything to your blog.  You can be controversial but don't cross the line.  Once it's online, it's there to stay.  You can't take it back.  Be respectful of your own personal brand and of the Assist-2-Sell brand.

What can I say?  Glenn Kelman, president and CEO of Redfin, had a lot of good tips.  Here are some more keys to blogging success (according to Glenn):

1. Link to other blogs.
2. Respond to your comments... but remember, don't try to win any arguments.
3. Comment on other blogs.
4. Ask to be a guest on other blogs, and invite other bloggers to be a guest on your blog.
5. Don't use too many widgets.
6. Use FeedBurner, FeedBlitz, del.icio.us, Technorati and Digg.  These are all tools to make your blog more visible and more interactive.
7. Be consistent.  But remember quality is more important than quantity.
8. If you have a happy customer, ask them to blog about you.  Redfin has made it onto internal blogs at Amazon.com, Microsoft and Intuit because they asked -- and it made a difference in traffic.
9. Have a no delete policy.  Don't censor comments unless they blatantly promote another service.
10. Disallow anonymity.  In this type of environment, it's best if people identify themselves.  (That goes for you too.)
11. Keep at it!  It takes time -- think six months -- to build up an audience. 

Glenn Kelman, president and CEO of Redfin, was a fixture at this year's Real Estate Connect, sponsored by Inman News.  For some reason -- maybe because of my competitive streak -- I thought I wouldn't like him.  I actually found him to be quite charming and funny, in a self-deprecating kind of way. 

Glenn was the keynote speaker at one of my first sessions at Connect.  He spoke briefly about Redfin's stint on 60 Minutes, but he spent most of the time sharing his lessons about blogging.  (He spends a lot of time writing for the Redfin Corporate Blog.)    Here are some of his tips:

1. Have a goal when you start blogging.  Who are you trying to reach?  What are you trying to accomplish?
2. Find a niche and write what you know (i.e. be hyper-local).
3. Write for the audience you want.  If you want to appeal to homebuyers and sellers, focus on consumers in your community, and not on the real estate industry.
4. Be candid.
5. Don't try to sell anything but simply provide information.  Make sure you're not marketing.
6. Ask yourself, "who cares?"
7. Think of it as a blog, not a diary.  Your personality and voice are interesting.  You're not.
8. Don't talk about blogging on your blog.
9. Avoid being self-congratulatory.
10. Present your point of view but don't try to win arguments.
11. Write short posts that have fewer than 500 words.
12. Include hard data like statistical analysis of your market.  People like stats.
13. Use newspaper-like headlines.  Present the gist of the post in an eye-catching way, and avoid being vague.
14. Find an interesting picture to go along with your post.  People like pictures.  (Glenn didn't mention this but you should be careful of copyright infringement.)
15. Include bonus links to sites that interest you, articles that tie into your post, etc. 
16. Learn from your posts.  Which of your posts are most popular?  Often times, they aren't the ones you are most proud of.
17. Save your best stuff for Mondays because that's when people are reading. 

There is a lot of information here, but hopefully reviewing these tips will help you get started.

If you've already started blogging, what tips do you have?