Blogging And Homebuilding - It's Only A Matter Of Time

Blogging has been a hot topic within the homebuilding industry for several reasons. A few of those reasons include:

Companies are tentative to let employees free in an open and public space.
Blogging is a marketing force multiplier. The more employees blogging, the more Internet exposure that company gets.
Blogging keeps a website fresh. All to often a consumer perception is that 'the lights are on, but no one is home', because the website rarely gets fresh content.
Blogging freshness contributes strongly to the search engine optimization of a home builder's website.

It seems that as an industry, many have acknowledged the benefits of blogging but where do we get the extra resources? It takes extra time and extra people to implement a successful blogging strategy.

But it's only a matter of time before blogging becomes common place within the confines of home builder websites. In February 2010, the Pew Internet and American Life Project reported that Internet users ages 18 - 29 were about one-third more likely to say they blogged than those 30 and older. Check out these graphs from eMarketer.

Blog reader stats - blog writer stats March 2010

The most interesting part comes from the second graph - the reasons for blogging. As home builders, we've got to hone in on the preferences brought on by technology. It's not just that younger people are more technology savvy, it's that technology is playing a large part in shaping consumer preferences. Young people adapt to technology because 1., they aren't set in their ways; and 2. because they have more time to experiment with new technologies.

Younger people tend to like blogging - just look at the image below.

Why bloggers blog

The bottom line is that blogging works in the home building industry and that it is an inevitability of marketing and connection in today's world of commerce. The quicker we can adapt, the better off our companies will be.

Jim Adams - CEO

Successful Blogging Must Haves1. You must have an audience. You must have a current audience or you must have an audience ...Does Blogging Work In The Building Industry?We've heard the social media buzz for a while now. We know the new Gen Y demographic is on...Blogging From 35,000 Feet Here I am, on a Southwest flight that left from Baltimore at 10:15a EST on Friday, March 13, going...

Comments

Posted by: Daniel Levitan | April 27 2010 6:23 AM

Jim:

You are right on.  An integrated, innovative and thorough web presences is essential for success in homebuilding and blogging is one leg of that stool.  Together with a great web site, active regular social media, and a few other "tricks", it is an essential marketing tactic to attract vistors, turn them into prospects, then into sales.

Dan

Posted by: Jayson | April 28 2010 9:24 PM

Blogging is definitely an emerging trend in housing and as you pointed out, it'll only get more popular. I agree that it's only a matter of time before most home builders publish content consistently in some fashion and that resources are probably the greatest obstacle.

I'd love to know more about builders i.e. building processes, material use and I'd also enjoy reading what executives in building think about industry trends and the market. I bet home buyers would too.

Posted by: Carol Flammer | April 30 2010 7:10 PM

Blogging provides home builders with an excellent way to create new online content, educate home buyers and interact with home buyers. Perhaps best of all, a well-built blog is a search engine optimization magnet for the builder. Savvy builders will continue to distance themselves from the pack with the use of Internet marketing and blogs will be a large part of that.