By Amy Steele

Amy Steele

I have been remiss. I readily admit it. I used to blog about the Crestline and Lake Arrowhead area in California on the ActiveRain platform regularly. The best part about ActiveRain is that you get to learn from other real estate professionals from all across the country, reading their stories and experiences, and what to do and what not to do in today’s real estate market.

I am also a chosen YPN Lounge blogger, and my duties to my colleagues for being chosen as such should definitely take precedence.

I am on ActiveRain daily, reading what others post, but lately I haven’t been posting my own content. Why? I suppose it’s because I end up reading a lot of other blogs, and by the time I should write my own, I end up doing paperwork, going through the nearly 400 e-mails I get daily, cleaning my desk, watering my plant, or watching a movie on Netflix (gasp! For the record, that only happened once on a Sunday doing floor time in the spring on a REALLY foggy day).

Once you get into this mode of self-defeatism, it is hard to break back out of it.

It’s kind of like exercising on a regular basis. If you don’t workout on a regular basis, your body tends to push that snooze button in the morning when you’re feeling sluggish. After all, sleep is required more than physical activity. But then you start gaining all of the weight that you may have worked off and it’s a cycle of self-defeatism.

The same is true for blogging and your business. If you are consistent with blogging and you do it on a daily basis, you will reap the rewards of Google juice and Web site traffic!

I was consistently blogging about the different neighborhoods in response to a contest ActiveRain was putting on, and I got increased Web traffic immediately. If you put a Google alert on your blog posts, or other terms that would lead to you, you will be e-mailed when someone clicks on those terms.

I had hits on my blog posts instantly and even the next day too. As soon as I posted those hyper-local content blogs regarding Crestline and Lake Arrowhead, I was on page one of Google within the first 1-5 spots. That is huge, and that is where you want to be!

If you fall into a blogging rut, however, and don’t post regularly, you run the risk of losing your following of loyal readers and your standing on Google.

I am getting back on the job and making sure I do a blog every day so I stay on top of my market. It will only help my business!

Amy Steele is a full-time REALTOR® with Bibby Realty in Crestline, Calif. Visit her Web site: www.CrestlineHomeForSale.com.