How to Custom Build a Blog

So, how do you go about acquiring viewers? We have found that one of the best ways to get traffic to your website is through blogging.  A HubSpot study revealed that companies that actively blog receive seven times more traffic than those that did not blog, and that blogging leads to 55 percent more website visitors.

Developing a solid content strategy – a purpose and direction for your business – will lead to higher search engine rankings. Identifying your target audience and your voice profile while strengthening your marketing strategy also makes for a better outcome of your company’s objectives and goals.

Why does Google send more traffic to websites with blogs?

Like it or not, Google gives more importance to websites that provide fresh material for its users and updates their content regularly. A static website or one that contains web pages with fixed content will decay over time as the content becomes less relevant. That’s not to say that the current content on your site is no longer useful to your business - it just means that Google’s crawlers no longer see the site as new.

To increase your website’s rankings on Google, you must increase interest in your topics.

That’s why posting blogs that are regularly updated on your website will improve your website’s ranking on Google. If the copy is relevant to your industry and popular with your audience, Google will reward you - it’s that easy!

How do you develop engaging topic ideas for your blog?

You may be super creative or know someone who is that can generate content ideas for your blog. However, coming up with great ideas on a consistent basis can be challenging. We’re here to help. We have put together a list of 101 blog ideas for home builders that can be used as is or tweaked to your specific needs. For instance, you may want to blog about the nuts and bolts of home ownership and select, “Get It Sold: Tips for Selling Your Old Home Faster” from our list of titles. However, you may want to dig deeper into the subject, so you fine-tune the title just a bit to meet your needs. This then becomes “Get It Sold: 15 Words to Use in Your Listing to Sell Your Home Fast!”

Keep a swipe file as you come across interesting topics

You never know when you’ll need a great blog title for discussing floor plans or designing the interior of a home on a budget. That’s why keeping a swipe file – a collection of headlines, blog post openings, landing page copy, words, and sales emails – can be a valuable tool to come back to over and over again when you’re out of ideas and too busy to spend time constructing a different and up-to-date topic for your blog. Creating a file is easy and can consist of a pad of paper with scribbled ideas in the margins or a Word document on your computer.

Follow other interesting blogs

One way to stay current is to follow other relevant builders’ blogs. They may touch on a subject that you find interesting or relevant to your geographical area. Following, however, means just that. It doesn’t give you a license to plagiarize their copy. Sometimes, though, if you link to another builder’s blog, they will reciprocate and link back to yours (which is called link building), - a process that Google loves. Link building can drive traffic to your website and also help set you apart as an expert in your field.

Writing a blog post that demonstrates homebuilding expertise

You may be an expert when it comes to homebuilding, but how do you get that across to your audience? Writing blogs in your area of expertise will give your readers a way to evaluate your skills and knowledge. You don’t need to be an skilled writer to get your point across. People skim articles and blogs to gain understanding quickly. Starting with an engaging title, writing a short summary or hook in the first paragraph, using bullets and subheads to make your blog scannable, and asking other experts to guest write for you, are all ways to set yourself apart from other homebuilders and add credibility and validity to your blog. It's important for you -as a builder - to do whatever you can to gain buyer trust and display your knowledge.

For other great tips and marketing ideas to connect you with your audience, contact our BDX experts. Our turn-key websites include blogging features, making it easier to roll out your blog and extend the reach of your message. We also offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services to help you build your online presence.