The Wild West of Real Estate: Snake Oil Vendors Hit Portland Agents
Apparently the “sales team” from a company called Inside Real Estate (normally I’d provide a link here, but it’s against my “no links for sleazy companies” policy) is making the rounds in Portland selling their “blogging services” to agents.
For the low price of $75 a month, plus a small $199 “creation and setup fee”, you get a… Drum roll please… WordPress blog. But wait, wait, wait, there’s more…
For an additional $10 per month they’ll set you up with your very own Twitter account, Facebook account and even an RSS feed!
You thought I was done? Oh no my friend, oh no.
Don’t have time to write your own content? No problem, they have a cure for what ails you! For only $27 per month (on top of the $85 you’re already spending), they will provide you with Real Estate related articles for you to publish on your blog. Presumably the same articles they’re providing every other agent in the Nation who is foolish enough to fall for their sales pitch. Think about that for a second…
So what is it that has me so worked up about this?
Is it a bad product? Nope. WordPress is my platform of choice and what we build for our agents at M Realty (examples). It will do pretty much everything they say it will. No issues there.
Is it the price? Yes. $75 a month for a WordPress blog? Come on… The other fees/services are equally ridiculous. Unless you’re getting a top notch IDX home search and contact management system (like HomeQuest) along with that fancy WordPress blog, you should only be paying about $5 a month for hosting. I guess they have to pay their traveling snake oil salesmen somehow, right?
$10 a month for a Twitter/Facebook/RSS feed? Sorry to say, but if you need to pay someone to setup your social media accounts for you, you’re never going to get it. Don’t even try.
$27 for ghost writing? Same deal. This is your blog, you need to create the content that expresses your personality, your attitude, and the way you run your business. Plain and simple.
I think more than anything, I was a little perturbed by the sales tactics these guys were using on the agents. Telling them there are only a limited number of “spaces” available in a market, guaranteeing top placement on Google search results, you know all the usual bullshit sales tactics companies like this would have to use to get people to give up their credit card info and get the sale. When I heard several of the agents in the office fell for it and signed up, all I could do was shake my head.
On behalf of all the honest vendors out there, I apologize that we couldn’t get you more information in time to make a better decision.
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The Wild West of Real Estate: Snake Oil Vendors Hit Portland Agents http://bit.ly/9QHKnB
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RT @JBern: The Wild West of Real Estate: Snake Oil Vendors Hit Portland Agents http://bit.ly/9QHKnB [I think it’s in Seattle too}
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @mortgageporter: RT @JBern: The Wild West of Real Estate: Snake Oil Vendors Hit Portland Agents http://bit.ly/9QHKnB [I think it’s in Seattle too}
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Once again @JBern hits the nail on the head! #snakeoilsalesmen http://is.gd/d1xmr
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
RT @JBern: The Wild West of Real Estate: Snake Oil Vendors Hit Portland Agents http://bit.ly/9QHKnB
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Ah yes, such is the eventual cycle of snake oil fly-by-nights who attempt to capitalize on the latest successful marketing trends. Unfortunately, many in our industry are all to easily swayed by the proverbial ‘Easy Button’ carrots dangled in their faces.
There’s nothing wrong with people paying for ghost writing, but if they do, they have every right to expect solid, original content. I hate seeing people shelling out for stuff that’s (A) totally generic, banal, canned garbage and (B) incredibly poorly written.
Taking advantage of people sucks. Plain and simple.
I’m with Melissa, nothing wrong with Ghost writing. Or better, even giving a by-line to the actual person who wrote the content. There are two issues here: need for content for Google/SEO and need to be perceived as an “expert” at something. Depending on your goal, the tactic of hiring out writing may get you where you need to be faster.
That said, if you’re just buying rehashed non-unique content then that won’t help your SEO much.
Agreed. I don’t really have a problem with ghost writing, when it’s being used strategically, and the content is original. In that case, the $27 is probably a pretty good deal. But, I’m going to make an assumption here that that is not the case with these guys… I could be totally wrong, but I doubt it.
I remember how I felt when I found a blog that I used to read regularly was using a ghost writing service (that didn’t have unique content). I was disappointed to say the least. You don’t want your client feeling that way if they happen to stumble across another agent with the exact same content. It could happen…
Did you see this blogpost from my friend Jeff @jbern This is going on in Seattle also http://ow.ly/25uX1 How about your area?
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Did you see this blogpost from my friend Jeff @jbern This is going on in Seattle also http://ow.ly/25uVF How about your area?
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
I actually use ghost video. Its not really me, just looks like me doing all those videos.
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