The buyer’s journey has changed forever. Now that technology is a ubiquitous part of everyday life, prospects have access to vast quantities of information. Most customers complete 60% of the purchasing process before they even talk to a salesperson—they do research before buying nearly everything. This stat is so important to real estate agents because, if they are out their grinding, then they are the subject of hundreds of internet searches every month.

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Publishing to different web forums will help you expand your ever valuable web presence. Here are three sites that every REALTOR® should contribute to at least once a month.

Inman – This is a great site that publishes articles by in-house writers and everyday real estate agents. Being featured on this site is a sure fire way to add some gravitas to your professional persona, and the site provides a ton of great information on the latest trends within the industry.

Active Rain – This site has got one of the best communities of any forum I’ve ever published on. So many of the daily users are incredible examples of how to interact socially online. So whether you’re writing a hyper-local piece, or just want to ask a general question, you are sure to get an enthusiastic response from a ton of talented agents, many of which actively exchange referrals.

Zillow – This platform has grown into a total necessity for all agents, so no matter what your feelings about the site are, you need to keep your listings current and make sure you are leveraging the site for exposure so as to best serve your clients.

When you reach out to a prospect, the first thing they are going to do after talking is search for you on the internet. Hopefully you have a decent web presence already (website, social media, etc.). But if you want to set yourself apart and stand out as an industry expert, then you should start posting on these three forums to drive engagement, network further, and reach your full potential as the industry synonymous agent in your community.

Did we miss a site you love? Do use frequent any of these sites? If so, how do you leverage the exposure? Share this post and let us know in the comments!