Estate agent marketing on a blog targets the months before the instruction is given: owners google what their house is worth, how a sale works, what tax applies and whether they even need an agent. Answering these seller questions wins instructions; buyer questions bring traffic, but rarely mandates. 20 topics, split between both groups, cover half a year.
A house sale doesn't start with a call to the agent. It starts months earlier with a Google search: "What is my house worth", "how does selling a house work", "tax on selling a house". This is the phase where it's decided which agent gets the instruction later. Whoever shows up there with clear answers gets the call; whoever only lists properties doesn't.
Sellers or buyers: the key decision
An estate agent's blog can write for two groups, and their value differs greatly.
| Sellers | Buyers | |
|---|---|---|
| What they're searching for | Value, process, costs, tax, agent or not | Financing, properties, location, buying process |
| What they bring the agent | The instruction, in other words the fee | Traffic, a list of interested parties, rarely a mandate |
| Share of the blog | Around two thirds of the posts | Around one third |
Buyer topics aren't useless: they bring visitors, fill the list of interested parties and show Google that the site covers property broadly. But the fee is paid by the seller. That's why an estate agent's blog writes for them first.
14 topics for sellers
- What is my house worth? The three valuation methods explained clearly, and why online calculators only give a first rough range.
- Selling a house: the process in eight steps, from valuation to land registry entry, with the duration of each step.
- How long does a house sale take in my area? From your own sales, given as a range.
- Selling with or without an agent: what you can do yourself, what costs time and where mistakes get expensive.
- What does an agent cost? Common commission models, what's included, when the commission is due.
- Property gains tax: what it depends on and why you should have it calculated before the sale. Regulated at cantonal level, no rates given in the post.
- Transfer tax and notary costs: who usually pays what, with a note on cantonal practice.
- Selling an inherited property: what siblings need to clarify before the agent gets involved. With a note on legal advice.
- Sell first or buy first? Both approaches with their risks.
- Renovating a house before selling: what's worth it and what just costs money.
- Sales documents: which papers buyers and banks want to see.
- Selling with an existing mortgage: what happens to a fixed-rate mortgage and what the bank can require.
- Selling a flat under shared ownership: which documents from the owners' association are needed.
- Bidding process or fixed price: when each approach makes sense in your area.
6 topics for buyers
- How much house can I afford? Affordability and own funds explained in general, with reference to the bank.
- Buying process: from the viewing appointment to the handover of keys.
- What to look out for at a viewing: a checklist with twenty points.
- Reservation agreement: what it means and what it doesn't guarantee.
- New build or older property in the region: price level, upkeep, availability.
- Neighbourhoods and municipalities in the catchment area: who lives where, taxes, schools, transport links, as a series.
Tax and law: keeping the blog accurate
Tax topics bring plenty of searches and just as many ways to get things wrong. The property gains tax is regulated at cantonal level, the transfer tax does not exist in every canton, and rates change. So the rule is:
- Explain the mechanics, do not calculate. "The tax depends on the holding period and the profit" is correct and stays correct.
- Link to the canton's tax office instead of keeping your own tables.
- For inheritance, divorce and usufruct, refer to a notary or legal adviser.
- Review posts with a tax angle once a year and update the date.
The same caution applies to statements about financing: the bank decides, the blog only explains the terms.
Distinguishing from property management
Many property firms offer sales and management together. In the blog, the two areas should stay separate, because the readers are different: the seller is making a one-off decision, the owner of a let property is looking for an ongoing relationship, and tenants want everyday answers. One category for "Selling", one for "Managing", each with its own topics. Which topics the management section needs is covered in the post Blog for property management firms.
Region and rhythm
A seller is looking for an agent who knows their municipality. Name the catchment area in the title and add what only you know: typical selling time, price level by neighbourhood, local quirks of the municipality. The municipality series under topic 20 is the strongest regional lever, because every municipality gets its own page. How to use local references without just listing them is shown in Getting found regionally in Switzerland.
One post a week, two seller topics for every buyer topic. If nobody in-house can write, the topic research and writing can go to a blogging system like BlogPilot, which tracks regional search queries; checking tax and legal statements stays with the agent.
What to do with this
Take your last ten initial calls with sellers. Which question came up every time? That is your first post. Add the valuation question, the process question and the commission question. With these four posts, the blog covers the stage where the seller chooses an agent.
Frequently asked questions
Should an agent state their commission in the blog?
Yes, as a typical range, with an explanation of what it covers. Sellers are looking for exactly this, and answering the question on your own website makes you look more transparent than a competitor who avoids it. The exact figure remains a matter for negotiation and is set out in the contract.
Am I allowed to explain the property gains tax in the blog?
In general, yes; specifically, no. Explain that the tax is regulated at cantonal level, depends on the holding period and the profit, and should be calculated before the sale. Amounts, rates or deadlines do not belong in the blog, they belong with the canton's tax office or a trustee.
Is it enough to present my properties in the blog?
No. Property listings expire as soon as the property is sold, and they do not bring sellers to the website. Guidance posts stay relevant for years. Properties belong on the portals and the listings page, not in the blog.
How does an estate agent's blog differ from a property management blog?
The agent writes for a one-off decision, the sale. The management firm writes for an ongoing relationship with owners and tenants. If you offer both, split the topics into two categories, otherwise the blog confuses both groups.