A lot of agents attempt to position themselves as a neighborhood expert just by claiming to be one. To fill this real estate niche effectively, however, requires more than a statement on your business card or a line of text on your website.

Let's take a look at some of what goes into becoming a true neighborhood expert.

Online Presence

Your online presence is made up of a combination of all of the places you promote your real estate business: blog, website and social media platforms. It is through this combination that, hopefully, potential clients find you and get to know you.

Strategy number one is to focus your online presence to brand yourself as the neighborhood expert. Start with your website. If you don't have a blog, it's time to start one – a hyper-local blog that is full of interesting, useful neighborhood information. Beef up the blog with the following types of content:

• Videos – Interview local experts, do community tours and preview hot new listings.
• Photos – Even a snapshot of a neighborhood restaurant is considered hyper-local content, especially if you include a written review. Don't neglect including photos of interesting local architecture with a story about a building's history, photos of historic homes, local sports teams and merchants.