According to the Realtor Technology Report, around January 4, (26%) of realtors surveyed post to their own blog for real estate purposes. Since blogging is growing in popularity, and since a lot of terms are thrown about relating to blogs, we thought we’d focus a post on one term in particular that seems to come up pretty often: the widget.

Most likely some of you are well versed in the widget and already make good use of them on your blog. But also likely is that there are a few people who read “widget” and immediately feel lost. For those who already have mastered widget basics, feel free to skip ahead to the bottom of the article, where we link to a few places that have compiled great lists of widgets for real estate use. For those who are in the lost category, read on.

What is a widget?

The best definition we found came from Wordpress: “Widget is a fancy word for tools or content that you can add, arrange, and remove from the sidebars of your blog.” For the most part, widgets pull information from another source, so you simply need to add the widget to your site and it displays the information and keeps it updated for your readers. You may have seen blogs that, in the sidebar, display local weather (pulled from weather.com or other weather site), news, or a Twitter feed.

How do I add widgets?

Widgets are created in code, by programmers. Most widgets will provide instructions on how to add them to your blog. Once you find a widget you think will be useful to your readers, simply follow the instructions.

Tips for real estate blog widgets

• The first rule with widgets is, less is more. Many people get carried away once they see how widgets work and suddenly the site is overcome with flashy, distracting info. Unfortunately, too many widgets draw attention away from the posts you create, which is exactly the opposite reaction you’re looking to get.  So decide what Widgets will be most helpful to your readers, and stick with the few that stand out as best.
• Think about your audience. What do readers of your blog want to know? If your blog focuses on a particular town, perhaps a weather widget is appropriate. If your area is larger, skip the weather. Do you believe your readers are home shoppers? If so, perhaps a mortgage calculator in the sidebar will be helpful.
• Use marketing tools. Some widgets will really work hard for you. Think about using a widget that displays your listings or photos of current properties you’re selling. Also think about using a widget that allows people to subscribe to your blog so they are emailed when you post. If it’s helpful to your readers and promotes your work, everyone’s happy.
• Stay away from news widgets. Most likely, news widgets will display anything going on in the area, including crime reports and other turn-offs to potential buyers. Unless you can customize what news is pulled into your blog, stay away from news widgets.
• Integrate your social marketing. Some widgets will automatically pull your Twitter feed, LinkedIn profile, or Facebook status updates. If you are using these for business purposes as well, by all means have them load directly to your blog. These widgets will save you time, since you will no longer have to post in all locations.

What are the best real estate blog widgets available?

Several bloggers have compiled great lists and reviews of helpful real estate widgets, including those that display listings, social media tools. Check out the following links:

“Does Your Real Estate Blog Need a Side of Widget?”, MyTechOpinion.com

“Real Estate Blog and Website Widgets: An Overview”, RealEstateBlogsites.com

“Must Have Free Real Estate Blog Widgets for Your Blog,” Megan Faust of Virtu-Assist

Do you have experience using widgets on your blog? Which have you found to be most useful?

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