How We Became a Content Marketing Agency

Joel Conner • November 5, 2019

Our Story may Help You Figure Out How to Leverage Content Marketing for Your Business

How we became a content marketing agency and which type of content marketing is the best fit for your business.
Before I jump into our story, I need to give you this insight, content marketing is a great long-term investment for any business. The extent of certain factors (competition, location, marketing budgets, time constraints…) will determine if you should or could do some content marketing on your own, hire a small content marketing agency, or hire a large digital marketing firm. As you read our story, you should have a clearer understanding about the content marketing path your business should be on.

When I started out as a web designer almost a decade ago, I used simple content marketing to rank my services on google. This included writing an occasional blog post, sharing a few things on Facebook, and listing my business with local directories. Over the years my web design firm grew and we became more of a typical “we do everything under the sun” digital marketing agency. This came about because our client’s pretty websites on a brand-new domain were often lost in vast ocean of the world wide web. 

So, since we care, we began helping our clients grow their web presence. We often provided these services without extra fees. Another reason that we ended up doing this was because of some of the astronomical fees that agencies would quote them for “SEO.” Paying a thousand dollars a month for content marketing make perfect sense if you have product or service that may bring in several thousand dollars a month per new client/sale, but not if your product is $10-$50 and you’re not currently being found online.

So, after learning and testing PPC, Social Media Marketing, SEO, Backlink building, blogging, Video marketing and just about every other element of the digital marketing footprint, I have found that “Content Marketing,” was by far one of the best investments for business when done properly. SEO becomes the complimentary partner when more competitive keywords or locations are involved. 
Don’t get me wrong, all those other pieces have their place, but providing answers to people’s questions and pain-points and understanding what a person is most likely to type into a search box in order to get a relevant answer via blog or video works wonders for getting your business in front of potential clients or buyers. 
On a national or international level, content marketing can really difficult, but for local businesses, it can and does work wonders. This is why our agency made the decision to put our main focus on content marketing. We still provide all of those other marketing services, but they are not the backbone foundational piece.

Making Content Is Hard Work
Here’s the thing about content. It’s really, really hard to get it from business owners. Even larger businesses who could delegate blog writing, don’t, because nobody wants to do the hard work of writing quality original content.
So here are a couple of key points before I lose you…

1. You say you are going write a blog but, most likely, you won’t.

2. A content marketing agency will do a better job because they have insight about content keywords, article structure, plagiarism checking, URL structure, and other factors that will make a difference.

3. Media Agencies have the software to assess your competitors and thus provide a viable strategy to compete. Our agency spends thousands on software that provides us with insight in content development strategies.

4. Agencies have the tools to monitor and make adjustments to blog posts and webpages on your website. 

5. Content marketing companies also know how to layer on other digital marketing factors such as video marketing and social signals to magnify the effects of your original content. 

So, let’s unpack your options for doing content marketing. 
1. Do it yourself.
Pros: Free. Rewarding. More personalized.
Cons: Lots of work. You have to schedule it into your daily life. You must be consistent and patient for it to work.

2. Small Content Marketing Agency
Pros: 
• Happens on Autopilot.  
• Agencies have more insight on what works (target keywords research - word count – SEO) 
• Smaller agencies are much cheaper than large Marketing Agencies because they are typically leaner and have much less overhead and also less likely to outsource operations. 
• More likely to have access to agencies founder or top minds.
Cons:
• Cost
• Content won’t be as personalized.

3. Large Marketing Agency (These may vary from one agency to the next)
Pros: 
• Typically have access to more resources and connections
• May have more experience in multiple industries
• More man-power for monitoring and managing projects. (a smaller agency typically has to do more multi-tasking)

Cons:
• Cost: These larger operations can cost up to double or triple what smaller content agencies charge.
• Outsourcing certain tasks to overseas virtual assistants has become common to offset overhead such as office space, larger staff, and leadership salaries.

• Stability: Many agencies never grow out of start-up mode and borrow insane amounts of money to get up and running. Smaller firms are usually cash-flow positive from the beginning, thus less likely to go out of business due to financial reasons.

• Access: Your support personal are likely not going to be seasoned experts at SEO and content marketing.
Disclaimer: These are general observations from an industry insider, but there are going to be media agencies that break the mold and to which these observations don’t apply. The account that I have given if born of my experiences, conversations, and research in trying to help businesses grow.  

If I had to sum up Content Marketing in one word it would be RELEVANCY. You create the content that delivers relevant answers to what people are looking for. If you do that well, people will stay on your website and devour your content and what’s more they will know you are the “go to” resource when they need help and the goal of search engines is to put the right piece of content in front of the right person.




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By Joel Conner February 2, 2026
If you’re a real estate agent or broker, you’ve probably heard of Go High Level. You may even know it’s “powerful” and “can run your whole business” — but when you log in, it feels like a cockpit. Dozens of features, endless menus, and no clear roadmap for what you actually need to use. The good news: as a real estate professional, you don’t need everything. You just need a few core pieces set up correctly: A simple pipeline that matches how you work Automated follow-up so no lead slips through the cracks Smart tagging and routing so leads go to the right place Appointment reminders that reduce no‑shows Easy open house and offer follow-ups Basic dashboards so you can see what’s working In this guide, we’ll walk through how to set up Go High Level for a real estate business step by step — and how to use it without getting buried in complexity. Why Go High Level Is a Good Fit for Real Estate Go High Level (often written as GoHighLevel or GHL) is an all‑in‑one platform that can: Capture leads from forms, funnels, and ads Store and organize contacts like a CRM Automate follow‑ups via email, SMS, and even ringless voicemail Track deals in pipelines Book and manage appointments Build simple landing pages and funnels For real estate agents and brokers, that means you can: Respond instantly to new leads Keep track of buyers and sellers by stage and property Follow up after open houses Send appointment reminders automatically Stay on top of which leads came from where You don’t have to use every feature. If you focus on a handful of essentials, you’ll get real value quickly — and you can grow from there. Step 1: Start With a Real Estate Sub‑Account and Snapshot Go High Level lets you create sub accounts — essentially separate spaces for each business. If you’re just getting started: Go to your Agency account. Click Sub accounts in the left menu. Click Create sub account . Search for Real Estate snapshots. You’ll see options like: Real Estate Agent Real Estate Broker Pick the one that matches you best. These snapshots come preloaded with: Real estate pipelines Basic automations Landing page templates Then: Add your business information (address, name, etc.). Click Add sub account . Switch into it with Switch to sub account . This gives you a solid starting point tailored to real estate rather than a blank, generic setup. Step 2: Build a Pipeline That Matches Your Real Estate Workflow Your pipeline is where you visually track deals from “new lead” to “closed.” The real estate snapshot usually includes a default pipeline with stages like: New lead Hot lead New booking Visit attended Deal Left a review You can keep this, or you can create your own so it reflects how you actually work. How to Create a Custom Pipeline Go to Opportunities . Click Pipelines . Click Create pipeline . For a buyer pipeline , for example, you might set stages like: New lead Contacted Appointment set Showing Offer made Closed For a seller pipeline , you could have: New listing Photos taken On market Offer received Sold Name the pipeline and click Create . Then, in the top left, switch to your new pipeline to start using it. Tip: If you work with both buyers and sellers, create separate pipelines. It keeps your view clean and makes follow‑up easier. Step 3: Automate Lead Follow‑Up So You Respond Instantly This is where Go High Level really shines. Most agents lose business not because they don’t get leads — but because they don’t follow up quickly or consistently. With Go High Level, you can create workflows that: Trigger when a new lead comes in Send an immediate SMS and/or email Add the lead to a pipeline Assign it to an agent Continue nurturing over days or weeks Start with a Simple New Lead Workflow Go to Automations → Workflows . Click Create workflow → Start from scratch (or use “New Lead Nurture – Fast 5” as a base). Add a trigger , such as: Form submitted (for website or funnel forms) Facebook lead form submitted TikTok form submitted LinkedIn lead form submitted New contact created Appointment booked If you’re using a standard Go High Level form, choose: Trigger: Form submitted Filter: Form is [Your Buyer/Seller Form] Once you’ve set your trigger, add actions like: Create/Update Contact – to ensure the lead is saved properly Add to Pipeline – put them into the “New lead” stage of your buyer or seller pipeline Send SMS – something friendly and immediate, like: “Hi {{contact.first_name}}, thanks for reaching out about homes in {{location}}. Would you like to schedule a quick call to talk about what you’re looking for?” Send Email – a slightly more detailed introduction and next steps Wait steps and If/Else conditions – for follow‑ups based on whether they reply You can also use the prebuilt New Lead Nurture (Fast 5) workflow in Go High Level. It typically: Triggers when someone submits an offer form or Facebook lead form Creates a new opportunity in the New lead stage Sends a conversational email and SMS Waits for replies Moves leads to Hot lead if they reply Triggers call connect actions This is a great starting point if you don’t want to build from scratch. Step 4: Auto‑Tag and Route Your Leads for Better Organization Once leads are flowing in, you want them automatically: Tagged (e.g., buyer, seller, rental, luxury, open house) Routed to the right pipeline and agent This keeps your database clean and makes it easy to run targeted follow‑ups. Tagging Leads Based on Forms and Sources Say you have different forms: Buyer form Seller form Open house form Free home valuation form You can: Use a trigger like Form submitted or Facebook lead form submitted . Filter by specific form. Add an action: Add contact tag . Useful tags might include: Buyer / Seller Rental Luxury listing Came from Facebook Came from Google Open house – 123 Main St Free home valuation With these tags in place, you can quickly filter contacts, build targeted campaigns, or trigger routing automations. Routing Leads to the Right Agent You can also route leads based on tags. Example: all Buyer leads go to your buyer’s agent. Create a new workflow with trigger Contact tag . Filter: Tag added is Buyer. Add action: Assign to user . Choose the agent responsible for buyer leads. You can set up similar workflows for sellers, rentals, or specific property types or locations. This way: Facebook buyer leads go straight into your buyer pipeline Seller leads go to your listing pipeline Agents see only the leads they’re responsible for No manual sorting. Less confusion. Faster response times. Step 5: Set Up Appointment Reminders to Reduce No‑Shows Once you’re booking showings and consultation calls, appointment reminders can dramatically reduce no‑shows. Create a Calendar in Go High Level Go to Calendars → Calendar settings . Click New calendar . Choose the calendar type: Personal booking – for one agent Round robin – for multiple team members Class booking – useful if you want a “group” appointment (e.g., open house time slots) Name the calendar (e.g., “Buyer Consultation,” “Listing Appointment,” “Property Showing”). Add team members if using round robin. Set: Meeting duration Bookable times Buffer times between appointments Then, connect it to your personal calendar: Go to Connections Click Add new Connect Google Calendar, Outlook, iCloud, or Calendly Now, when someone books through this calendar, it automatically shows up in your personal calendar. Use Automated Confirmation and Reminder Workflows Go High Level usually includes a workflow like “Appointment Confirmation and Reminders.” This can: Trigger when an appointment is confirmed Update the opportunity stage to something like Appointment set Send a confirmation email: “Hi {{contact.first_name}}, your appointment has been confirmed for {{appointment.start_date}} at {{appointment.start_time}} {{appointment.time_zone}}.” Send reminder emails: 24 hours before 1 hour before Send SMS reminders (e.g., 1 hour before) If someone doesn’t show, another workflow can trigger on Appointment status: No show and: Send a link to reschedule Follow up again after a day This combination keeps your calendar fuller and minimizes missed opportunities. Step 6: Automate Open House Follow‑Ups Open houses are great for collecting warm leads — but those leads often go cold if you don’t follow up quickly and consistently. Go High Level makes it easy to: Capture visitor info Tag them based on the specific open house Send personalized follow-ups with similar listings or next steps Create a Simple Open House Form Go to Sites → Forms → Form builder . Build a form that collects: Name Email Phone What they’re looking for (beds, baths, budget, area) You can use this: On a tablet at the open house As a QR code link (visitors scan and fill it out on their phone) Embedded on your website As part of your Facebook lead ad form that’s integrated into Go High Level Automate the Follow-Up Use a Form submitted trigger for your open house form. Add an action to Add contact tag , e.g.: Open house – 123 Main St. Add actions to: Send an immediate “Thanks for stopping by” email or SMS Include links to similar listings or next steps Add them to a Warm leads pipeline Set reminders for follow‑up calls or texts Example SMS: “Hi {{contact.first_name}}, thanks for visiting the open house at 123 Main St today. I’ve got a few similar properties you might like — want me to send them over?” This simple automation helps you stay top‑of‑mind and turn casual open house visitors into real opportunities. Step 7: Use Dashboards to See What’s Working (and Fix What Isn’t) Once everything is up and running, you don’t want to guess how it’s performing. Check your Dashboard or Reports in Go High Level regularly (weekly works well). You can see: How many leads are coming in Which sources (Facebook, Google, website, open houses) are performing best How many leads are moving from stage to stage in your pipeline Where deals tend to get stuck From there, make small tweaks like: Adjusting the delay between follow‑up messages Refining your SMS and email templates Changing which tags trigger which workflows Fine‑tuning your pipelines or reminders Often, small improvements in timing or messaging can significantly boost your response rates and conversions. Bonus: Simple Funnels and Offers for Real Estate You don’t need complex funnels to generate leads. Go High Level snapshots for real estate often come with ready‑made pages like: Free home valuation offer Home buying consultation Seller consultation For example, you could: Run Facebook ads to a free home valuation landing page Collect details through a form Tag those leads as Free home valuation Trigger an automation that: Reminds you to prepare the valuation Sends a follow‑up message to schedule a consultation Adds them to a seller pipeline This turns a simple offer into a structured system that consistently feeds your business. Keep It Simple, Then Grow Go High Level has dozens of features — social planners, reputation management, and more — but you don’t need all of them on day one. If you’re a real estate agent or broker, start with: A buyer and/or seller pipeline New lead follow‑up workflows (email + SMS) Tagging and routing rules Appointment calendars and reminders Open house follow‑up Basic dashboard checks Once those are in place and working, you can gradually add: Social media scheduling Review generation (reputation management) More advanced campaigns and funnels The goal isn’t to use every feature — it’s to build a system that quietly saves you hours each week and helps you close more deals.  Need Help Setting This Up? If you’d like to use Go High Level (or any CRM/automation system) but don’t have the time or desire to configure it yourself, Blue Swing Media can help. We work with small businesses and local service providers — including real estate professionals — to: Set up practical, easy‑to‑use pipelines Build automated follow‑ups that feel personal, not spammy Connect your website, ads, and forms so every lead is tracked Create landing pages and offers that actually convert If you want a real estate system that runs smoothly in the background while you focus on serving clients, reach out to Blue Swing Media. We’ll help you implement the strategies in this guide and tailor them to your business, your market, and your goals.
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