Blair Callahan

Blair Callahan

While doing a search on the Internet the other day I bumped into the New Homes & Ideas website. The first thing I noticed is that there is a ton of fresh, helpful content going onto the site on a consistent basis. Then I realized that the creator of this content is Blair Callahan, who I am connected with on LinkedIn. I reached out to Blair to see if she would do a content interview and she said yes. New Homes & Ideas aims to be the “Go To” resource for new homes and home decorating ideas in and around the Raleigh area.

Content interview:

Has content helped New Homes & Ideas get exposure in search?

Absolutely, I try and write new content every day. And yes, the website is very new and we are seeing a surge in visitors due to the original content that highlights our expertise in the area. We’re seeing a jump in visitors for a variety of search terms (many of them very competitive) and are trying to expand our reach so that we reach as wide an audience as possible in the real estate/new home market.

Are most homebuyers looking for new homes using the Internet for their search?

Yes, most home buyers are using the Internet in their new home search; it’s often their first stop. Online reviews are increasingly important and unfortunately, many builders, even the big ones, haven’t caught on to that yet. Pictures, videos of walk-throughs, reviews, floor plans…all can be found online on either websites or social media and are extremely important for the home buyer seeking to make the biggest decision of their lives.

Where is the magazine distributed? And is the ultimate goal to sell more of those (or get more advertisers)?

The magazine is distributed in public racks (outside grocery stores, convenience stores, libraries, etc), included in new employee packages for many employers in the Triangle, and many other locations. The ultimate goal is a combination of those two – we already have a 98% pickup rate, and the difference between our magazine and subscription magazines is that we know our magazine is wanted, and will be read. People choose to take a copy, and they make that decision to take it home with them to read, whereas if it’s delivered to their home every three months, they might not read it. The more readers we have, the bigger we become, and the more advertisers that will be looking our way for both online and print.

A lot of home builders and real estate agents seem to be lacking content on their websites these days. Do you have any tips for them?

I’d suggest that they really stay on top of what’s trending and fresh in their market – their market does not lack for good content. Every day, new trends are popping up and there’s a huge interest in real estate, so there’s definitely an audience for their content. I’d suggest that they try and stay current with social media and to keep pushing their content out to the world – we want to see it!

Len
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On March 25, 2015   /   Content Creation   /   1 Comment
1 Comment
  1. Len
    11:58 am on March 25, 2015

    Thank you again for doing the interview! It is a great point that people WANT this content. Keep up the great work!

    Reply

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