Time-of-year posts are always popular, and with reason. They speak to what is currently happening or already in people’s minds. This makes it very easy for people to connect with the post, whether it is a video, blog, or social media post. And when people connect, they are likely to put in the time it takes to consume the content.
The problem with most time-of-year posts
Just about every business you can think of puts out the same type of content during certain times of the year. Pumpkin spice recipes in the fall, holiday greetings at the end of the year, love posts before Valentine’s day. While there is nothing wrong with these types of posts, they aren’t providing any value to your audience.
Instead of creating posts based solely on the upcoming season or holiday, consider what in your industry is relative to the current time of year. What does YOUR consumer always ask during that season? Focus on how you can help your audience accomplish their goals.
Break it Down
When planning your content, it is helpful to break down the year by seasons that make sense for your industry. In real estate in the Northeast, my team focuses on four parts of the year:
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Late Fall – Early Winter (November – January)
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Late Winter (February – March)
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Spring – Summer (April – July)
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Late Summer – Early Fall (August – October)
Your calendar can be broken down in any way that works for your business. Do you have six different times of the year? List them out, and estimate the calendar dates that they start and end.
Then, consider the concerns of YOUR consumers for each time of year. What do people always ask you in January? What is the biggest fear in September? What information do you find yourself repeating all summer long?
Schedule your posts so that you can address these concerns in a timely way – through your blog, podcast, videos, and social media. Create links so that when you get asked the question you know is coming, you can quickly send clients more in-depth information.
This type of thoughtful time-of-year content is much more helpful than another summer cocktail recipe (unless, of course, you are a mixologist).
25 Timely Content Ideas for Real Estate
Late Fall – Early Winter (November-January)
This is the time of year that people are in full-blown holiday mode. Many people believe that real estate comes to a screeching halt during these months. But, if you are building up your relationships and reaching out to the people who want to buy or sell in the upcoming year, this season is as busy as any other.
Common concerns for sellers this time of year include the fear of no one looking to buy homes or not wanting to move during the holidays. Buyers often want to wait for a larger spring inventory. These are legitimate concerns. This is a great time of year to create posts and build relationships with people regarding:
1. What is Home Exposure in Real Estate?
2. How to Find the Right Listing Agent
3. Find a Buyer’s Agent
4. Market Data this Winter
5. What to Prepare Before you Buy
6. How to Find a Mortgage Lender
7. Get Pre-Qualified
8. Why You Should Buy this Holiday Season
Late Winter (February – March)
The spring market can often start as early as February in many places, and it’s important to make people aware of that. This is the time of year people get ready to buy or sell. You can help them through this process with content focusing on:
9. What to Expect when Selling (full guide)
10. What to Expect when Buying (full guide)
11. Get Your Documents Ready
12. Declutter Your Home
13. Interior Touch-Ups You need to Make for the Spring Market
14. What is my Home Worth?
Spring – Summer (April – July)
The market is in full swing during spring and summer months. You are working with buyers and sellers, negotiating, and closing deals. The process of buying or selling a home can be a long one, and is often confusing to first-timers. Help your clients out by providing them with information that walks them through the process and gives helpful tips this time of year. This may include:
15. Boost Curb Appeal of Your Home
16. Stage your Home to Sell
17. Prepare your Home for an Open House
18. What to Expect at Home Inspections and Appraisals
19. What to Expect at Closings
20. When to Lower Listing Price
21. Moving Checklist
Late Summer – Early Fall (August – October)
As summer ends, kids go back to school, and the real estate market does slow down a bit. Some people do not want to move after the school year has started, while others think they have missed their time during the spring and summer months. Even if people are set on waiting for the next spring market, there is still a lot of valuable information you can share:
22. Schedule Listing Photos Now (to avoid outside pictures of snow and mud)
23. Buyer /Seller Misconceptions (include on list spring is the only time to sell)
24. Best Rooms to Renovate Before Selling
25. My House Didn’t Sell in the Spring Market. Now what?
Your Year in Advance
You know that creating content is essential for any business, and that you can repurpose your content in multiple ways. The next level is creating content that is timely for your consumer. Looking at your calendar for the whole year allows you to prioritize your content so it makes the most sense for the people you are serving, and eliminates the need to scramble for ideas.