Publishing

Overview

Publishing your stories effectively means more than just clicking a button. Learn how to prepare content for publication, optimize timing, promote across channels, and maintain a consistent publishing schedule that drives results.

What You'll Learn:

• Pre-publishing checklist
• Publishing vs scheduling
• Post-publication promotion
• Content calendar management
• Updating published content
• Measuring success

Pre-Publishing Checklist

Before clicking publish, verify:

Content Quality

• Title is compelling: Under 60 characters, includes keyword
• Strong opening: First paragraph hooks reader
• Value provided: Readers learn something actionable
• Clear structure: Headings break up content
• Short paragraphs: 2-3 sentences max
• Call-to-action: Tells reader what to do next
• Proofread: No typos or grammar errors
• Facts verified: All claims are accurate

SEO Optimization

• Meta title set: 50-60 characters with keyword
• Meta description: 150-160 characters, compelling
• Keyword in title: Primary keyword included
• Keyword in first paragraph: Natural placement
• Keyword in one H2: Heading includes keyword
• Alt text on images: Descriptive, includes location
• Internal links: 2-3 links to other content
• External links: 1-2 links to quality sources
• URL slug clean: No weird characters

Media and Formatting

• Featured image: High quality, 1200x630px min
• In-content images: At least one per 300-400 words
• Images optimized: Under 500KB each
• Links work: Click every link to verify
• Mobile preview: Looks good on phone
• Headings hierarchy: H2 → H3 → H4 structure makes sense

Settings and Metadata

• Category assigned: Primary category selected
• Tags added (optional): Relevant keywords
• Excerpt written (optional): Custom summary
• Author correct: If team blog
• Publish date set: Now or scheduled
• Visibility right: Public, private, or password

Publishing Options

Choose how and when your story goes live:

Publish Now

Immediately publish to your website:

Use When:

• Time-sensitive content (market updates, news)
• You've thoroughly prepared and reviewed
• Publishing during optimal hours
• Content is completely ready

Schedule for Later

Set exact date and time for automatic publishing:

Use When:

• Batch writing multiple posts
• Publishing outside business hours
• Planning content weeks/months ahead
• Coordinating with campaigns or events

Best Practice: Schedule posts for 9-11am Tuesday-Thursday for maximum visibility

Save as Draft

Keep working without publishing:

Auto-Saves: Every 30 seconds while editing

Manual Save: Click "Save Draft" button

Resume Later: Access from Drafts tab anytime

Use When:

• Story not ready yet
• Waiting for information/approval
• Breaking work into sessions
• Need review from colleague

Preview Before Publishing

Always preview before going live:

Desktop Preview:

1. Click Preview button
2. Opens in new tab
3. See exactly how it appears
4. Test all functionality

Mobile Preview:

1. Click mobile icon
2. See phone version
3. Verify readability
4. Check image sizing

What to Check:

• Images display correctly
• All links work
• Formatting looks good
• No typos visible
• Mobile version readable
• Call-to-action prominent

Post Status Types

Draft

• Visibility: Not visible to public
• Access: Only you (and team)
• URL: Not assigned yet
• Editable: Yes, anytime
• Searchable: No

When to Use:

• Starting new post
• Work in progress
• Awaiting approval
• Collecting ideas

Scheduled

• Visibility: Not public yet, queued for future
• Access: Only you can see
• URL: Assigned but not live
• Editable: Yes, until publish time
• Publishes: Automatically at scheduled time

When to Use:

• Batch content creation
• Optimal timing for audience
• Coordinated launches
• Holiday/event content

Published

• Visibility: Live on your website
• Access: Public (unless password protected)
• URL: Active and shareable
• Editable: Yes, you can update anytime
• Searchable: Yes, indexed by Google

After Publishing:

• Appears in blog feed
• Shows on category pages
• Shareable on social media
• Email notifications sent (if enabled)
• Search engines begin indexing

Featured

• Everything from Published, PLUS:
• Homepage Display: Shows in featured section
• Priority Placement: Top of blog page
• More Visibility: Prime real estate
• Multiple: Can feature several stories

Feature These:

• Best market updates
• Comprehensive guides
• Important announcements
• High-performing content
• Seasonal/timely content

How to Feature:

1. Open published story
2. Toggle "Featured" switch
3. Save changes
4. Appears on homepage immediately

Private

• Visibility: Only you can see
• Access: Must be logged in as admin
• URL: Exists but requires authentication
• Editable: Yes
• Searchable: No

When to Use:

• Internal documentation
• Client-specific content
• Testing before going public
• Exclusive team resources

Password Protected

• Visibility: Anyone with password
• Access: Enter password to view
• URL: Public but content gated
• Editable: Yes
• Searchable: No (protected)

When to Use:

• Premium content for subscribers
• Client-exclusive resources
• Controlled access sharing
• Pre-launch previews

Optimal Publishing Times

Best Days to Publish

Highest Engagement:

• Tuesday: Best overall day
• Wednesday: Second best
• Thursday: Still strong engagement

Moderate Engagement:

• Monday: People catching up
• Friday: Winding down for weekend

Lowest Engagement:

• Saturday: Low readership
• Sunday: Very low engagement

Exception: Real estate market updates work well on Sunday evenings (people planning week ahead)

Best Times of Day

Optimal Hours (local time):

• 9-11am: Peak engagement window
  • People arrive at work
  • Check emails and news
  • Browse while drinking coffee

Good Hours:

• 2-3pm: Post-lunch browsing
  • Afternoon break time
  • Energy dip, people browse

Avoid:

• Before 7am: Too early, people sleeping
• 12-1pm: Lunch hour, not checking email
• After 5pm: Evening hours, family time
• Late night: Minimal readership

Your Market: Test and track what works for YOUR audience

After Publishing

Immediate Actions (First Hour)

Subject: Just Published: Miami Market Update for January

Hi [FirstName],

I just published this month's market analysis and the trends might
surprise you. Median home prices [increased/decreased] by X%, and
here's what it means for you...

[Read the full update →]

- [Your Name]

Ongoing Promotion (First Week)

Days 1-2:

• Monitor initial engagement
• Respond to all comments immediately
• Share user comments/feedback
• Fix any errors found

Day 3-4:

• Reshare on social media (different angle)
• Post to additional groups/communities
• Email to specific segments
• Reach out to mentioned businesses

Day 5-7:

• Create quote graphics from post
• Share snippets as social posts
• Submit to real estate content aggregators
• Consider paid promotion if performing well

Long-Term Promotion

Monthly:

• Reshare top posts on social
• Update statistics if relevant
• Add to email sequences
• Feature in newsletter roundups

Quarterly:

• Review analytics
• Update old posts with new data
• Refresh images if needed
• Improve SEO based on performance

Annually:

• Major update for evergreen content
• Republish with "Updated 2024" note
• Refresh all statistics
• Re-promote as "new"

Monitoring and Analytics

Key Metrics to Track

Traffic Metrics:

• Page Views: Total number of visits
• Unique Visitors: Individual readers
• Traffic Sources: Where readers came from
• Bounce Rate: % who leave immediately
• Time on Page: How long they read

Engagement Metrics:

• Comments: Reader interactions
• Social Shares: How many times shared
• Email Opens: If sent via newsletter
• Click-Through Rate: On CTAs

Conversion Metrics:

• Lead Forms: Submissions from post
• Contact Clicks: Clicked to contact you
• Property Views: Visited listings from post
• Downloads: If offering resources

Using Analytics

Identify Top Performers:

• Which topics resonate most?
• What headlines get clicks?
• Which CTAs convert best?
• What length works best?

Optimize Future Content:

• Write more of what works
• Use successful headline formulas
• Replicate high-performing structure
• Double down on popular topics

Improve Underperformers:

• Update title/description
• Add more images
• Improve SEO optimization
• Add stronger CTA
• Reshare with different angle

Updating Published Content

When to Update

Fix Errors Immediately:

• Typos or grammar mistakes
• Broken links
• Incorrect information
• Missing images

Quarterly Updates (evergreen content):

• Refresh statistics
• Update market data
• Add new examples
• Improve SEO based on performance

Annual Refresh (comprehensive guides):

• Major content overhaul
• All new statistics
• Fresh images
• Updated for current year

As Needed:

• Laws/regulations change
• Market conditions shift dramatically
• New information emerges
• Reader feedback suggests improvements

How to Update

*Updated January 2024: Market statistics and data refreshed to
reflect current conditions.*

Content Calendar Strategy

Planning Your Publishing Schedule

Monthly Planning:

• Schedule one month ahead
• Plan topics and keywords
• Align with market seasons
• Batch write when possible

Example Calendar:

Week 1 (1st of month): Market Update
Week 2: Buyer/Seller Tip
Week 3: Neighborhood Spotlight
Week 4: How-To Guide

Repeat monthly with variations

Batch Content Creation

Create multiple posts in one session:

Benefits:

• More efficient use of time
• Consistent quality and voice
• Reduced decision fatigue
• Maintain schedule during busy periods

How to Batch:

1. Pick a Day: Sunday afternoon, for example
2. Write 4 Posts: One per week for the month
3. Schedule All: Queue them for publishing
4. Done for Month: Automatic publishing

Batch Tips:

• Outline all posts first
• Write in similar topic clusters
• Use templates for consistency
• Schedule social promotion too

Seasonal Content Planning

Plan ahead for seasons and events:

Spring (March-May):

• Spring selling tips
• Curb appeal ideas
• Market predictions for summer
• Graduation moves guide

Summer (June-August):

• Summer market updates
• Family-friendly neighborhoods
• Pool home guides
• Vacation property tips

Fall (September-November):

• Back-to-school moves
• Fall market trends
• Holiday seller tips
• Year-end market wrap-up

Winter (December-February):

• Winter buying advantages
• Holiday market slowdown
• New year buying goals
• Tax preparation for homeowners

Social Media Promotion Strategies

Facebook Strategy

Your Business Page:

• Share post with excerpt
• Create custom graphic with quote
• Pin top posts to page
• Boost high-performers ($20-50)

Local Groups:

• Share in community groups (follow rules)
• Answer questions and link to relevant posts
• Build relationships, not just spam links
• Provide value first

Facebook Live:

• Go live to discuss post topic
• Drive traffic to full article
• Engage with viewers in real-time
• Save and share replay

Instagram Tactics

Feed Posts:

• Create carousel with key points
• Use branded graphics
• Include link in bio
• Strong call-to-action in caption

Stories:

• Share blog graphics to Stories
• Use link sticker (if available)
• Create highlights organized by topic
• Poll/quiz to drive engagement

Reels:

• Quick video summary of post
• Behind-the-scenes of creating content
• "3 Tips from My Latest Post"
• Trending audio for reach

LinkedIn Publishing

Company Page:

• Share full posts or summaries
• Position as industry thought leadership
• Tag relevant connections
• Engage with comments professionally

Personal Profile:

• Share with your network
• Add personal context in comment
• Tag colleagues and businesses
• Participate in discussions

LinkedIn Articles:

• Cross-post (with canonical tag)
• Reach different audience
• Build professional authority
• Network effect

Email Marketing

Newsletter Integration:

• Feature new posts in weekly digest
• Segment by interest and relevance
• Personalize subject lines
• Track clicks to measure interest

Automated Sequences:

• Add best posts to drip campaigns
• Welcome sequence for new subscribers
• Educational series by topic
• Nurture sequences for leads

One-Off Campaigns:

• Major posts deserve dedicated email
• Time-sensitive market updates
• Comprehensive guides
• Important announcements

Publishing Schedule

Finding Your Frequency

Consistency > Frequency: Better to publish weekly without fail than sporadically

Recommended Schedules:

New Blog (building foundation):

• Frequency: 1 post per week
• Commitment: 4 posts per month
• Time Investment: 4-6 hours/month
• SEO Impact: Medium-High (if sustained)
• Realistic For: Most agents

Established Blog (growth mode):

• Frequency: 2-3 posts per week
• Commitment: 8-12 posts per month
• Time Investment: 12-18 hours/month
• SEO Impact: High
• Realistic For: Dedicated content creators or teams

Minimum Viable (maintenance):

• Frequency: 2 posts per month
• Commitment: 2 posts minimum
• Time Investment: 2-3 hours/month
• SEO Impact: Low-Medium
• Realistic For: Very busy agents

Aggressive (maximum growth):

• Frequency: Daily or 5x per week
• Commitment: 20+ posts per month
• Time Investment: 30+ hours/month
• SEO Impact: Very High (if quality maintained)
• Realistic For: Full-time content teams

Weekly Schedule Example

Tuesday: Market Update Post

• Publish at 9am
• Share immediately on social
• Email to full list

Thursday: Educational Post

• Publish at 10am
• Share on social throughout day
• Target specific segment via email

Weekend: Batch Writing

• Sunday afternoon
• Write next week's posts
• Schedule for auto-publish
• Create social graphics

Monthly Content Mix

Balanced Monthly Calendar (4 posts/month):

• Week 1: Market update or statistics
• Week 2: Buyer or seller guide
• Week 3: Neighborhood spotlight
• Week 4: How-to or tips article

Variations:

• Swap neighborhood spotlight for investment content
• Replace how-to with client success story
• Add luxury focus or first-time buyer content
• Seasonal adjustments (holiday tips, tax season, etc.)

Quick Reference

Common Publishing Mistakes

Avoid These Pitfalls

Publishing Without Promotion:

• ❌ Publish and hope people find it
• ✅ Actively promote every post across channels

Inconsistent Schedule:

• ❌ Four posts one month, zero the next
• ✅ One post weekly, every week

No Pre-Publish Review:

• ❌ Publish immediately after writing
• ✅ Preview, proofread, check mobile version

Ignoring Analytics:

• ❌ Never check what works
• ✅ Monthly review of top/bottom performers

Set and Forget:

• ❌ Publish once, never update
• ✅ Refresh content quarterly

No Call-to-Action:

• ❌ End post abruptly
• ✅ Clear next step for readers