Create

Overview

Creating a story (blog post) is straightforward with Panda IDX's built-in editor. This guide walks you through every step from starting a new post to adding images, formatting content, and optimizing for SEO.

Time to Create: 30-60 minutes for a quality post

What You'll Learn:

• How to start a new story
• Using the story editor
• Adding and arranging images
• Formatting content for readability
• SEO optimization
• Preview and publishing

Creating Your First Story

The Story Editor

Editor Layout

Top Bar:

• Title field (large, prominent)
• Save Draft / Publish buttons
• Settings menu (SEO, visibility)
• Preview button
• Close editor

Main Editor Area:

• Rich text editor
• Formatting toolbar
• Content blocks
• Image insertion
• Drag-to-reorder sections

Right Sidebar (optional):

• Story settings
• Category selection
• Tags
• Featured image
• Excerpt
• Publish options

Writing Your Story

Story Title

The title is the most important element:

Best Practices:

• Include your target keyword
• 50-60 characters ideal
• Clear and specific
• Promise value or answer question
• Numbers work well ("5 Tips...", "2024 Guide...")

Good Examples:

• "How to Price Your Miami Home for Quick Sale in 2024"
• "5 Best Neighborhoods for First-Time Buyers in Austin"
• "Coral Gables Real Estate: Complete Buyer's Guide"

Poor Examples:

• "Real Estate" (too vague)
• "Some thoughts about the market" (unprofessional)
• "YOU WON'T BELIEVE THESE HOMES!!!" (clickbait)

Story Content

Opening Paragraph

Start strong - your first paragraph determines if readers continue:

Include:

• Hook that grabs attention
• What the post is about
• Why it matters to them
• What they'll learn

Example Opening:

Thinking about selling your home this spring? You're not alone - spring is
traditionally the busiest selling season in Miami. But 2024's market brings
unique opportunities and challenges. In this guide, I'll share the exact
strategies my seller clients are using to get top dollar in today's market,
including pricing tactics, staging tips, and timing strategies that work right now.

Body Content

Structure Your Content:

1. Use Subheadings (H2, H3):

   • Break up long sections
   • Help readers scan
   • Improve SEO
   • Every 200-300 words

2. Keep Paragraphs Short:

   • 2-3 sentences max
   • One idea per paragraph
   • White space improves readability
   • Mobile-friendly

3. Use Bullet Points:

   • Lists are easy to scan
   • Highlight key points
   • Break up text walls
   • Action items and steps

4. Include Examples:

   • Real scenarios
   • Specific numbers
   • Local references
   • Case studies

5. Add Practical Value:

   • Actionable advice
   • Step-by-step instructions
   • Resources and tools
   • Templates or checklists

Closing Section

End with purpose:

Include:

• Summary of main points
• Clear call-to-action
• Next steps for reader
• How you can help

Example Closing:

Ready to list your home this spring? The strategies above have helped dozens
of my clients sell quickly and for top dollar. But every home and situation
is unique. Let's discuss your specific property and create a custom selling
strategy. Schedule a free consultation today - call me at (555) 123-4567 or
click below to book online.

Formatting Tools

Text Formatting

Toolbar Options:

• Bold: Emphasis on key terms
• Italic: Subtle emphasis, quotes
• Underline: Sparingly (looks like links)
• Strikethrough: Show changes/updates
• Headings (H2, H3, H4)
• Bulleted lists
• Numbered lists
• Blockquotes
• Links
• Text color (use sparingly)

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Bold: Cmd/Ctrl + B
• Italic: Cmd/Ctrl + I
• Link: Cmd/Ctrl + K
• Heading 2: Cmd/Ctrl + Alt + 2
• Heading 3: Cmd/Ctrl + Alt + 3

Headings Hierarchy

Use headings to structure your content:

H1 (Title): Your story title - only one per post H2 (Major Sections): Main topics in your post H3 (Subsections): Points under each major section H4 (Minor Points): Details under subsections

Example Structure:

H1: How to Price Your Home for Quick Sale
  H2: Understanding Current Market Conditions
    H3: Recent Sales Data
    H3: Current Inventory Levels
  H2: Pricing Strategies That Work
    H3: Competitive Market Analysis
    H3: Strategic Pricing Tiers
  H2: Common Pricing Mistakes
    H3: Overpricing Dangers
    H3: Underpricing Risks

Links

Add links to provide additional value:

How to Add a Link:

1. Highlight text to link
2. Click link icon in toolbar (or Cmd/Ctrl + K)
3. Enter URL
4. Choose: Open in new tab (for external links)
5. Click Insert

What to Link To:

• Internal Links: Other blog posts, property pages, your profile
• External Links: Sources, statistics, tools, resources
• Call-to-Action Links: Contact page, scheduling, property search

Link Best Practices:

• Use descriptive anchor text ("see our buyer's guide" not "click here")
• Link to authoritative sources
• Open external links in new tab
• Don't overlink (2-5 links per 500 words)
• Check all links work before publishing

Adding Images

Inserting Images

Image Carousel

Create an image gallery or slider:

1. Insert first image as normal
2. Click image to select
3. Click "Convert to Carousel" in options
4. Add more images to carousel
5. Readers can swipe/click through images

Best For:

• Property photos
• Neighborhood tours
• Before/after renovations
• Multiple related images

Image Best Practices

Quality:

• High resolution (at least 1200px wide)
• Professional looking
• Well-lit and composed
• Relevant to content

Optimization:

• Compress before uploading (under 500KB)
• Use WebP format when possible
• Let system auto-resize
• Don't upload massive files (no 5MB images)

Frequency:

• At least one image per 300-400 words
• Break up text-heavy sections
• Featured image at top
• Relevant, not decorative

Sources:

• Your own photos (best)
• Licensed stock photos
• MLS images (with permission)
• Community photos (your own)
• Avoid: random internet images (copyright issues)

SEO Optimization

SEO Settings

Access SEO settings from the settings menu:

Meta Title:

• Defaults to your story title
• Edit if title is too long
• Include keyword
• Under 60 characters

Meta Description:

• 150-160 character summary
• Appears in search results
• Include keyword naturally
• Make it compelling
• Call-to-action

Example:

Meta Title: Miami Real Estate Market Update - January 2024
Meta Description: Discover the latest Miami real estate trends, median home
prices, and market predictions for 2024. Local expert analysis and insights
from 20 years in the market.

Keywords

Target Keyword: Choose one primary keyword per post

• What people search for
• Include in title, headings, first paragraph
• Use variations naturally throughout
• Don't stuff keywords

Example Keywords:

• "Miami real estate market"
• "first time home buyer tips"
• "Coral Gables homes for sale"
• "how to sell a house fast"

Related Keywords: Include naturally

• Variations of main keyword
• Related terms
• Long-tail variations

On-Page SEO Checklist

Before publishing, verify:

• Keyword in title
• Keyword in first paragraph
• Keyword in at least one H2 heading
• Meta description includes keyword
• 2-3 internal links to other content
• 1-2 external links to quality sources
• All images have alt text
• Alt text includes location keywords
• URL slug is SEO-friendly
• Content is 500+ words
• Headings structure makes sense
• Mobile preview looks good

Story Settings

Categories

Assign your story to a category:

• Helps organize your blog
• Improves navigation
• Better for SEO
• Can assign multiple categories

Choose Wisely:

• Select most relevant category
• Don't over-categorize (1-2 max)
• Create new if needed

Tags

Optional keywords for organization:

• More flexible than categories
• Good for filtering
• Can use many tags
• Examples: "spring 2024", "seller tips", "miami beach"

When to Use Tags:

• Seasonal content ("spring selling", "holiday market")
• Location-specific ("brickell", "coral gables")
• Topic-specific ("first-time buyers", "investment properties")

Excerpt

Optional summary (different from meta description):

• Shows in blog post lists
• 2-3 sentences
• Entices readers to click
• Auto-generated if blank

Custom Excerpt Example:

Spring is the best time to sell in Miami, but success requires strategic
timing and pricing. Learn the exact strategies top agents use to get
sellers 5-10% above asking price.

Visibility Settings

Public (default):

• Visible to everyone
• Indexed by search engines
• Appears in blog feed

Private:

• Only you can see
• Not indexed
• For internal drafts

Password Protected:

• Requires password to view
• Good for exclusive content
• Can share with select clients

Featured Story

Toggle to feature on homepage:

• Shows in featured stories section
• Gets prime visibility
• Can feature multiple stories
• Great for important content

Feature These:

• Best market updates
• Comprehensive guides
• Time-sensitive announcements
• High-performing content

Media and Embeds

Video Embedding

Add YouTube or Vimeo videos:

1. Copy video URL
2. Click video embed icon
3. Paste URL
4. Video embed appears in editor
5. Resize as needed

Best Practices:

• Keep videos under 5 minutes
• Add transcript below video (SEO)
• Your own videos work best
• Test playback before publishing

Property Embeds

Showcase listings in your story:

1. Click property embed icon
2. Search for property by address
3. Select property
4. Choose display style (card, gallery)
5. Property card inserted

Shows:

• Property photos
• Price and details
• Link to full listing
• Auto-updates if price changes

Social Media Embeds

Embed social posts:

• Instagram posts
• Twitter/X tweets
• Facebook posts
• LinkedIn posts

Simply paste the URL and it auto-converts to embed.

Preview and Save

Saving Drafts

Auto-Save: Saves every 30 seconds automatically

Manual Save: Click "Save Draft" button

• Saves current version
• Doesn't publish
• Can close and return later

Save Reminder: Yellow bar if unsaved changes exist

Preview

Preview before publishing:

Desktop Preview:

1. Click Preview button
2. Opens in new tab
3. See exactly how it will look
4. Test all links and images

Mobile Preview:

1. Click mobile icon in preview
2. See mobile version
3. Check readability
4. Verify images resize properly

What to Check:

• All images display correctly
• Links work
• Formatting looks good
• No typos or errors
• Mobile version readable
• Call-to-action clear

Publishing Your Story

Publishing Checklist

Before clicking Publish, verify:

Content:

• Title is compelling and has keyword
• Opening paragraph hooks reader
• Content provides real value
• Closing has clear call-to-action
• No spelling/grammar errors
• Facts are accurate

Formatting:

• Headings structure content
• Paragraphs are short (2-3 sentences)
• Bullet points used for lists
• Images break up text
• Links work

SEO:

• Meta title and description set
• Keyword in title and first paragraph
• All images have alt text
• Internal links included
• URL slug is clean

Settings:

• Category assigned
• Featured image uploaded
• Visibility set correctly
• Featured toggle set (if applicable)

Publish Options

Publish Now:

• Goes live immediately
• Appears in blog feed
• Notifies subscribers (if enabled)
• Indexed by search engines

Schedule for Later:

1. Click schedule option
2. Choose date and time
3. Story publishes automatically
4. Great for batch writing

Save as Draft:

• Keep working on it
• Not visible to public
• No URL assigned yet
• Publish when ready

After Publishing

Immediate Actions:

1. Share on Social Media:

   • Use built-in share buttons
   • Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram
   • Create custom graphics with quotes
   • Post to relevant groups

2. Email Your List:

   • Send to contacts
   • Include excerpt and link
   • Personalize subject line
   • Segment by interest if possible

3. Feature on Homepage (if warranted):

   • Toggle featured status
   • Shows prominently on site
   • Drives more traffic

4. Internal Linking:

   • Link to new post from older related posts
   • Helps SEO and reader discovery
   • Builds content network

Editing Published Stories

You can edit stories after publishing:

To Edit:

1. Go to Stories dashboard
2. Find published story
3. Click Edit
4. Make changes
5. Click Update

Best Practices:

• Fix errors immediately
• Update statistics regularly (quarterly)
• Refresh old content to keep current
• Add updates at top if significant changes
• Don't completely rewrite (better to create new post)

Updates Note: Add at top if making major changes:

*Updated January 2024: Statistics and market data refreshed to reflect
current conditions.*

Content Ideas and Templates

Quick-Start Templates

Market Update Template:

[Month] [Year] Real Estate Market Update

Intro: Brief overview of month's trends

Market Statistics:
- Median home price: $XXX,XXX
- Average days on market: XX days
- Total sales: XXX homes
- Inventory levels: XXX active listings

What This Means for Buyers: [2-3 paragraphs]

What This Means for Sellers: [2-3 paragraphs]

Looking Ahead: Predictions for next month

Questions? Contact me for personalized market analysis.

Neighborhood Spotlight Template:

Discover [Neighborhood Name]: [Tagline]

Intro: Why this neighborhood is special

Overview:
- Location and boundaries
- Architecture style
- Home types and prices

Lifestyle:
- Dining and entertainment
- Parks and recreation
- Community vibe

Schools:
- Top-rated schools
- Private school options

Market Data:
- Current listings
- Recent sales
- Price trends

Why Buyers Love It: [Key selling points]

View homes for sale in [Neighborhood]: [Link]

Buyer/Seller Tips Template:

[Number] [Tips/Strategies] for [Buyers/Sellers] in [Location]

Intro: Why this matters now

Tip #1: [Heading]
- Explanation
- Why it works
- How to implement

Tip #2: [Heading]
- Explanation
- Why it works
- How to implement

[Continue for all tips]

Conclusion: Summary and next steps

Ready to [buy/sell]? Let's talk: [Contact CTA]

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Writing Mistakes:

• All caps or excessive exclamation points!!!
• Too much industry jargon
• Writing for yourself, not readers
• No clear takeaway or value
• Overly promotional (sell, sell, sell)

Technical Mistakes:

• No featured image
• Forgetting alt text on images
• Broken links
• Missing meta description
• Unoptimized huge images
• No mobile preview check

Strategy Mistakes:

• Inconsistent posting
• Not promoting published posts
• No call-to-action
• Ignoring analytics
• Not updating old content

Writing Tips for Real Estate

Use Local Knowledge:

• Specific neighborhood names
• Local landmarks and businesses
• Recent area developments
• Hyperlocal statistics

Include Numbers:

• Market statistics
• Price data
• Days on market
• Specific addresses (recent sales)

Tell Stories:

• Client success stories (with permission)
• Your experience in the market
• Transaction case studies
• Community spotlights

Be Helpful, Not Salesy:

• Focus on educating
• Provide genuine value
• Build trust first
• Soft calls-to-action

Write Conversationally:

• Use "you" and "your"
• Write like you talk
• Ask questions
• Use contractions (it's, you're, I'll)

Quick Reference