Should You Have A Blog or a Website?


This is a common question that I get asked by many who are considering starting up a Blog or a Website. I really don’t know what the right answer is, but I think that Blogs are starting to have a real impact in our Industry. I also don’t think that the websites (especially corporate ones) will ever go away. The Blog is always changing with new and fresh content, topics, and ideas. Comments from others also adds new and fresh text for the search engines to find! Websites are great because many of us already have them, and consumers are used to them. Will Blogs be short lived based on the owners ability to keep coming up with good content? Are Websites more permanent? Listen to what Inman News predicts. Are there really some significant reasons as to why you’d want one or the other…or both?

What’s on a Typical Real Estate Website or Blog?

  • Listing Information
  • Area Statistics
  • Demographic Data
  • Buyer and Seller Reports
  • Why they should choose you
  • Home Valuation Research
  • Website Traffic Reports
  • Email Lead Notification
  • Leads Management
  • Featured Listings
  • Mortgage Calculators
  • Custom Property Searches
  • Buyer’s Hot-list
  • Relocation Tools
  • Lead Generating Tools
  • Local and National Free Reports
  • Local Events and Information
  • Weather Reports
  • School Information and Reviews etc.

 Can’t you do all these things on both a Website or a Blog? So why have Both? In fact, isn’t it easier to do a Blog than it is to try and learn HTML so you can keep up a Website? A Blog gives the user more control over the activities, changes, ideas, upgrades and overall site management. With a well written and professional looking Blog, you can’t tell it’s not a website! Is it easier for clients to interact with you on a Blog or on your Website? Email or phone seems to be the only way to communicate with you from a Website. Hasn’t the Website become just a one-way portal of advertising? Isn’t that why Blogging is called Web 2.0? Website vs Blog!

 One BIG advantage of a Blog is the cost! I know some REALTORS® that pay over $50.00+ per month for their Website, and they have no control of it. They have to contact a webmaster to make any changes, and they have to pay for any additional services and support. Even worse,sometimes their page doesn’t show up on the search engines, even when you type in their domain names. What about leads and referrals? A Blog is FREE and easy, and the support you get from networks like Active Rain and others is priceless. People helping people just because. The downside of the Blog is the time you need to invest. So is it worth the money to just pay a webmaster and have a Website? Should you just hire a writer for your Blog? Wouldn’t they be called a Blog-Master? What’s the difference?

 Google loves Active Rain Blogs, maybe even more than some Real Estate Websites out there. I am not saying that Websites are a waste of time, money and effort, just wondering what advice to give someone who asks this question? What advice would you give another industry professional who might really need your help with this? In a time where money is tight, the market has shifted, and technology in our industry is changing, where do you suggest that marketing dollars are best spent? What’s your thought on having a Website or a Blog? I know some very successful REALTORS® that don’t have either, and some that have both! I wish I had a plain and simple answer for this one!! Do You?


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