9.12 Blogging with Close Master (Market Updates, Neighborhood Guides)

Purpose:

Content marketing through blogging is a powerful strategy for real estate agents to attract organic search traffic (SEO), establish themselves as local market experts, engage their sphere of influence, and provide value to potential clients. Close Master includes integrated blogging functionality.

Setup (One-Time):

  1. Navigate to Sites → Blogs tab.
  2. Click + New Blog (you typically only need one main blog per agency website).
  3. Configure Blog Settings:
    • Enter Blog Title (e.g., "Your Agency Name Real Estate Blog").
    • Write a brief Blog Description.
    • Set the Blog Path (the URL slug, typically /blog).
    • Connect Domain: Select the Domain/Subdomain where your main agency Website (built in Close Master) is hosted. The blog will live under that domain (e.g., youragency.com/blog).
  4. Set Up Categories: In the Blog Settings, create relevant post Categories to organize your content (e.g., "Market Updates," "Selling Tips," "Buying Advice," "Neighborhood Spotlights," "Community Events").
  5. Set Up Authors: Add Authors (typically agent names) with optional bio/photo. These can be assigned to posts.
  6. Design Blog Templates: Close Master uses two main templates for the blog's appearance:
    • Blog Listing Page Template: Controls the layout of the main /blog page showing multiple post previews. Customize this like any other page using the builder, incorporating elements like a headline, intro text, and crucially, the Blog Post List element (which dynamically displays your published posts).
    • Blog Post Page Template: Controls the layout for individual blog post pages. Design this template with elements like Post Title, Post Featured Image, Post Meta Data (Author, Date, Category), the main Post Content element (where the actual article text will appear), Author Box, Comments element, and potentially a sidebar with categories or recent posts.
    • Edit these templates by clicking the relevant edit buttons within the Blog Settings interface.

Creating Blog Posts:

  1. Navigate to Sites → Blogs. Select your blog name.
  2. Click + New Blog Post.
  3. Enter Content:
    • Add a compelling Post Title.
    • Write the main article content in the rich text editor. Use formatting (headings, lists, bold), insert Images and Videos (upload to Media library first). Link to relevant internal pages (your other blog posts, service pages) or external resources.
    • (Optional) Use Content AI: Leverage the built-in AI assistant (See 19.1) to help generate drafts, outlines, or refine your writing.
  4. Configure Post Settings (Sidebar):
    • Set Featured Image: Upload an eye-catching image that represents the post (will appear on the listing page and potentially when shared on social media).
    • Edit URL Slug: Customize the post's specific web address (e.g., /selling-tips/5-mistakes-to-avoid). Keep it short and keyword-rich.
    • Assign Category / Author.
    • Add Keywords/Tags relevant to the post topic.
    • Configure SEO Meta Data: Write a unique, optimized Title and Description specifically for this blog post, just like you would for a regular page (See 9.11).
  5. Publish Options: Choose Publish (make it live immediately), Schedule Post (set a future publish date/time), or Save as Draft.

Using Blog Elements on Your Main Website:

  • Add the Blog Post List element to other pages on your main Close Master Website (e.g., your homepage) to showcase recent blog articles dynamically. Configure the element to show specific categories or number of posts.

RSS Feed:

Your Close Master blog automatically generates an RSS feed. Find the feed URL in the Blog Settings (RSS tab). You can use this URL with Email Campaigns (RSS Campaign type - see 6.3) or the Social Planner (RSS Schedule type - see 15.1) to automatically distribute notifications about your new blog posts via email or social media.

Import/Sharing:

Look for options within Blog settings to potentially Import posts from an external WordPress or HubSpot blog, or to Share your blog setup via Snapshots.