How To Publish Blogs
HawaiiLife.com and the Blog see about 3 million visitors each year, and are proven to attract buyers and sellers. Use the Hawaii Life blog to promote your listings and demonstrate your expertise. Here’s how to get started.
Note: Once your blog is published to HawaiiLife.com, our Support Team will syndicate the post to your Agent Website.
Step 1) Login to WordPress
Login to your HawaiiLife.com WordPress account: https://about.hawaiilife.com/wp-admin/
Note: Your login and password will be the same username and password you've used previously to publish blogs on HawaiiLife.com. If you are having problems accessing your WordPress account, reach us on Live Chat below or email help@hawaiilife.com.
Step 2) Create a New Post
Hover your mouse over "Posts" thumbtack icon in top left menu, then click "Add New."
Note: You can also add a new post by clicking "+ New" option in top center menu.
Step 3) Write Your Blog Post
1) Enter the title of your post at the top of the page. Note: For SEO purposes, choose a unique title that hasn't been used before.
2) Enter the body of your post in the main box below the title.
Important Notes:
When deciding what you want to blog about, don't feel limited to writing only about real estate.
While your seller expects you to blog about your new listing, you can also write about anything pertinent to life in Hawaii. Our blog informs the general public about what it’s like to live here, and about real property. Generally, the more “life” that a subject holds for you, the more your blog will draw the reader’s attention.
The first line of your post should reflect the title of your blog. Web writing is different from academic or book writing. On the web, we don’t waste time; we get to the point, quickly. Your title should state your main message, and your first sentence should back up that message.
We recommend a ratio of 4:1 (Real Estate:Lifestyle). For every 4 real estate blogs you write, publish 1 about the Hawaii lifestyle.
For tips, topics and tools on the process of blog writing, please visit the Blog Center for inspiration!
3) Click "Save Draft" button to save your post.
Step 4) Insert Photos
1) Save a photo to your computer. You must have ownership of the photos published on the Blog, or alternatively, you must have obtained written permission from the person who took the pictures. Simply captioning an image with “Photo Credit: Bob Smith” constitutes potential copyright infringement. For more this, please read the section Copyright Law under Blogging Guidelines.
2) Choose an image from your computer that is exactly 800 pixels wide, OR, you can use the image editor in Wordpress to help you resize images, after you have uploaded them.
3) Click "Add Media" button.
4) Click "Upload Files" button.
5) Click "Select Files" button.
Important Note: Be sure to use the “Select Files” button to insert photos. Do not use the “Insert From URL” tab or copy and paste files directly from the web (these links may change).
6) Locate and select the photo you have saved on your computer, then click "Choose."
Tip: Hold down the “Command” key on your keyboard when clicking photos to upload several images at once.
7) DO NOT insert a caption. You will do this later.
8) Scroll to “Alt Text” field and objectively describe what is in the photo. This is for blind users. Ex: “Exterior of Wailua home” or “View of ocean from lanai of Wailua home.”
9) Scroll to "Alignment" field and "Link To" field, then select "None."
Your screen should look something like this:
10) Click "Insert into Post" button.
11) Add your caption beneath the photo, in the text of the blog itself, in italics.
Step 5) Size Your Photos
1) To resize your photos to 800 pixels wide (the standard size for ALL images in the body of blogs on our site), simply select your uploaded image from the Media Gallery by clicking on it, until a blue checkmark appears next to it.
2) Click on "Edit Image” in the top right of the Wordpress panel.
3) Enter new image dimensions in the “Scale Image” panel at the top right. Images in the body of your blog post should be 800 pixels wide, and can be any height.
4) Click “Scale” then “Save” then “Back”.
5) Ensure your image is still checked with a blue checkmark, and the dimensions are as correct. Click “Insert into Post”.
Step 6) Add Featured Image
1) To add a featured image or a banner image that spans the entire screen at the top of your blog post (your “hero” image), simply size your image to 1600 pixels wide by 900 pixels high (as in Step 5, above).
2) From within your blog in Wordpress, click on “Set Featured Image” at the bottom of the right-hand navigation panel.
3) Choose your properly sized image from the Media Gallery.
4) Click “Set Featured Image”
Step 7) Add Videos - YouTube
1) Login to your YouTube account. Grab the video’s HTML “Embed” code located under the YouTube video you wish to insert. Click "Share" and then “Embed.”
2) Copy the HTML text located below the “Embed” button.
3) Toggle back to your WordPress account. In your blog, click "Text" in the upper right of the screen (this will change you from the default mode of “Visual,” which is not recommended).
4) Scroll to the section you wish to insert the video. Paste (copy) the YouTube HTML text into the desired section.
5) Return to “Visual” mode to confirm your video was inserted. You can also click on “Preview” to watch your video.Your screen should appear something like this:
Step 8) Add Videos - Vimeo
1) Login to your Vimeo account. Grab the video’s HTML “Embed” code located to the right of the Vimeo video you wish to insert. Click the paper airplane icon (the “Share” button).
2) To customize your video, click "Customize this Embed" option.
3) Copy the HTML code.
4) Toggle back to your WordPress account. In your blog, on the upper right-hand side, click “Text” (this will change you from the default mode of “Visual”).
5) Paste the HTML text. Scroll to section you wish to insert the video. Paste the Vimeo HTML text into desired section.
6) Return to “Visual” mode to confirm your video was inserted. You can also click on “Preview” to watch your video.
Step 9) Insert Links to PDF Files
1) In your blog, click "Add Media" button, then click "Upload Files" tab. Upload your PDF file. On the “Upload Files” screen, click "Select Files," then search your computer for the PDF file you wish to insert. Click “Open" to insert PDF.
2) Enter the words to which your PDF will link. For the “Title” field, enter the words you would like to appear in your post, to which your PDF will be linked.
3) Leave the Caption and Description fields blank. The “Link To” field will contain the link to your PDF. Do not delete this.
4) When complete, click “Insert into Post,” and voila! The link to your PDF will appear.
Important Notes: On the right-hand side of the page, you’ll notice the “Categories” and “Tags” sections.
Categories: Think of categories as the table of contents.Select your island. Only select “Hawaii” if your blog pertains to Hawaii-wide news. Select all categories that apply to your post, and be sure these accurately reflect the content. Choose a primary category by clicking on “Make Primary”. Please do not use “Press” as it is for company-wide initiatives, and use “Latest News” judiciously.
Tags: Think of tags as the website’s (and your blog’s) more detailed index. Only include relevant keywords. (Ex. Condos, For Sale, Maui, Pets, etc.). Use tags to provide context to your blog post. Tags are clickable to search for other relevant content, so be sure the tags you choose accurately reflect the content of your blog. Don’t overdo it.
Tip: Begin typing in the “Tags” box and wait for the drop-down menu with the most frequently used tags to appear. Use these. You shouldn’t have to create your own tags very often; maybe for a new development. The blog editor can help you with this.
Step 10) Finalize Your Post
When you are done writing and reviewing your blog post, click the “Submit for Review” button located on the top right portion of your screen. This will send your blog to the editing team for review before publishing.
Important Note: Once you submit your blog for review, you can make no further edits to your post unless you write to the blog editing team and request it be returned to “draft” form.