{"id":1009,"date":"2007-08-26T17:45:27","date_gmt":"2007-08-27T00:45:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/26\/week-one-judging\/"},"modified":"2007-08-26T17:45:27","modified_gmt":"2007-08-27T00:45:27","slug":"week-one-judging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/?p=1009","title":{"rendered":"Week 1 Judging Results"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span>To be able to write a good <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bold; line-height: 15pt\">single listing post<\/span><span> you must first identify the purpose for doing it.  Is it for the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bold; line-height: 15pt\">Search engines<\/span><span> to find the post? Is it to send a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bold; line-height: 15pt\">great presentation to your sellers<\/span><span>? Is it to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bold; line-height: 15pt\">entice buyers<\/span><span> into asking for more and ultimately contact you?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"line-height: 15pt; text-decoration: none\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"line-height: 15pt\">I looked at your articles as if the purpose was all 3.  With that in mind, you must include as much information as possible in that post:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u2022 your <strong>personal contact information<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"line-height: 15pt\">\u2022  tons of <strong>photographs<\/strong> (bigger photos are better and use good quality ones)<\/p>\n<p> \u2022  virtual tours and\/or other <strong>marketing material <\/strong>you may have on the listing (Real Estate Shows, listing videos \u2013 hint: you can embed Real Estate Shows into a blog and they look fabulous)<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  <strong>Links<\/strong> (to relevant information including city, schools, blog posts on the area of the listing, etc) \u2013 make sure to double check that links work.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  Keywords \u2013 <strong>BOLD KEYWORDS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u2022  <strong>Bullet points<\/strong> \u2013 they are easy to read and scan<\/p>\n<p>\u2022  <strong>Your personal information<\/strong> (I can\u2019t say this enough \u2013 but you want the reader to contact you for your post, not just any agent).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>I know a lot of you are doing this for the first time and are learning a new system \u2013 but to get an idea of great single listing blogs, you need to look at a <a href=\"http:\/\/activerain.com\/blogsview\/156618\/Winning-Blogs-for-Carnival\">recent competition in Active Rain<\/a> hosted by Gena Riede from Sacramento, California. Here are the top three, but make sure you look at the other entries as well for great ideas:<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 3.1pt; line-height: 15pt; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 15pt; opacity: 1; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 3.1pt; line-height: 15pt; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 15pt; opacity: 1; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none\">1.  <a href=\"http:\/\/activerain.com\/blogsview\/153430\/Abbey-at-Highland-Woods\">Abbey at Highland Woods &#8211; Bundled Golf in Bonita Springs, Florida<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 15pt; opacity: 1; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none\"> 2.  <a href=\"http:\/\/activerain.com\/blogsview\/152630\/Contemporary-Gem-in-Miami\">Contemporary Gem in Miami&#8217;s Upper East Side<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 15pt; opacity: 1; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none\">3. <a href=\"http:\/\/activerain.com\/blogsview\/131528\/Nature-is-Your-Neighbor\"> Nature is Your Neighbor<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 3.1pt; line-height: 15pt; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Things to AVOID:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p> \u2022  <strong>wall of text<\/strong> (when you write whole paragraphs and include no spacing or bolding) \u2013 most readers will scan a page and skip walls of text)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p> \u2022  <strong>bad pictures<\/strong>! (make sure you ask your sellers to move their car from in front of their property before taking the picture \u2013 this will definitely show your attention to detail and please don\u2019t include blurry photos)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p> \u2022  <strong>bland and boring descriptions<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 3.1pt; line-height: 15pt; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt\">\u2022 <strong> photos that take too long<\/strong> to upload (ask what size and resolution photos are recommended for your system to avoid having readers pass your post because it took too long to upload).<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 3.1pt; line-height: 15pt; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Lastly \u2013 present listings as if you were <strong>talking directly to a buyer <\/strong>\u2013 that way when reading, a person will feel as if you were talking to them. Tell the prospect why the property would be perfect for \u201cYOU\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Before I tell you what the top five entries were \u2013 I\u2019d like to point out different things that popped out at me that I thought were creative and caught my attention:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u2022  Robert Bishopric \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/24\/6615-nervia-st-builder-special-byob\/\">\u201cbring your own bulldozer\u201d<\/a><br \/>\n\u2022  Evelyn Segall \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/24\/meet-cheesy-the-realtor-mouse\/\">\u201cMeet Cheesy, The Realtor\u201d<\/a><br \/>\n\u2022  Christopher Zoller \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/23\/swim-naked-in-pinecrest\/\">\u201cSwim naked in Pinecrest\u201d<\/a><br \/>\n\u2022  Martin Smetanka \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/23\/stop-the-boat-661-lake-blvd-weston-florida\/\">&#8220;Stop the Boat&#8221;<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The <strong>top five listing posts<\/strong> for this week are (note that there were some close calls but there were minor issues with the post, like links not working or contact information not included) listed in order:<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"line-height: 15pt; text-decoration: none\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"line-height: 15pt\"><span> <\/span><img src=\"http:\/\/img.ewm.com\/associates\/3154277_S.jpg\" \/><span>  <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/23\/theres-no-place-like-home-501-nw-86-av-pembroke-pines\/\" title=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/23\/theres-no-place-like-home-501-nw-86-av-pembroke-pines\/\" class=\"Hyperlink\">\u201cThere\u2019s No Place Like Home\u201d 501 NW 86 Av, Pembroke Pines<\/a><span> by Joan Donnelly Ochoa \u2013 Joan\u2019s candor on this post made me want to go see the property and feel right at home. She included neighborhood and school information \u2013 all she needs for perfection is bigger photos and to<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bold; line-height: 15pt\"> bold keywords<\/span><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"line-height: 15pt; text-decoration: none\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img src=\"http:\/\/img.ewm.com\/associates\/nelson_gonzalez_s.jpg\" \/><span>  <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/23\/150-south-hibiscus-drive-miami-beach\/\" title=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/23\/150-south-hibiscus-drive-miami-beach\/\" class=\"Hyperlink\">150 South Hibiscus Drive, Miami Beach<\/a><span> by Nelson Gonzalez \u2013 great photo, used bullets and included link to website.  This post entices you to click over to Nelson\u2019s website \u2013 I would probably separate the description a bit, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bold; line-height: 15pt\">bold keywords<\/span><span> to make it more \u201cscannable\u201d (is that a word?)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"line-height: 15pt; text-decoration: none\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img src=\"http:\/\/img.ewm.com\/associates\/201803_S.jpg\" \/><span> <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/22\/opulent-estate-in-1201-nw-115-ave-plantation-acres\/\" title=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/22\/opulent-estate-in-1201-nw-115-ave-plantation-acres\/\" class=\"Hyperlink\">Opulent Estate in 1201 NW 115 Ave, Plantation Acres<\/a><span> by Maxine Hagey \u2013 Maxine makes this house sound amazing and she only has one photo, all the necessary information is there, including link to virtual tour \u2013 I would <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bold; line-height: 15pt\">bold keywords<\/span><span> (Are you guys starting to notice a theme here?) and definitely include more photos.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 3.1pt; padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt; color: #000000; font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; line-height: 15pt; opacity: 1; text-transform: none; text-decoration: none\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img src=\"http:\/\/img.ewm.com\/associates\/default.png\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/22\/would-jimmy-buffet-drink-a-margarita-from-this-balcolny-at-the-atlantic\/\" title=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/22\/would-jimmy-buffet-drink-a-margarita-from-this-balcolny-at-the-atlantic\/\" class=\"Hyperlink\">Would Jimmy Buffet Drink a Margarita From This Balcony at the Atlantic?<\/a><span>  By Gregory Lynn Horton, Jr. \u2013 the title of this one grabbed me from the start and the post made me think and took me there.  \u2013 This one would have been perfect with contact information and links\u2026\u2026and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bold; line-height: 15pt\">bold keywords!<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"line-height: 15pt; text-decoration: none\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img src=\"http:\/\/img.ewm.com\/associates\/3143941_S.jpg\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/22\/1639-passion-vine-circle-weston-florida-33326-not-your-typical-townhome\/\" title=\"http:\/\/blog.ewm.com\/2007\/08\/22\/1639-passion-vine-circle-weston-florida-33326-not-your-typical-townhome\/\" class=\"Hyperlink\">1639 Passion Vine Circle, Weston Florida 33326-Not Your Typical Townhome<\/a><span> by Bob and Susan Reiter \u2013 Great use of photos and link to website.  All this post needs is easy to read bullet points and\u2026say it with me\u2026..<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bold; line-height: 15pt\">bold keywords!<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"line-height: 15pt; text-decoration: none\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"line-height: 15pt; text-decoration: none\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph Normal\" style=\"line-height: 15pt; padding-bottom: 0pt\"><span>I want to thank Beth for letting me be a part of your big launch, it really is amazing the amount of positive energy that radiates out of the new EWM blog and I wish everyone the best of luck and hope to  run into each other soon.  Now go sell those listings and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: bold; line-height: 15pt\">BLOG ON!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To be able to write a good single listing post you must first identify the purpose for doing it. Is it for the Search engines to find the post? Is it to send a great presentation to your sellers? Is it to entice buyers into asking for more and ultimately contact you? &nbsp; I looked [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_expiration-date-status":"","_expiration-date":0,"_expiration-date-type":"","_expiration-date-categories":[],"_expiration-date-options":[]},"categories":[59],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1009"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}