Is 2015 the year that you revamp your blog, or get quoted by local media in your area? Kevin Hawkins has a list of ideas to get you started in a post for real estate PR firm, WAV Group Communications.

"It is really not that hard to craft a meaningful story to get pick up in your local newspaper or lead to a local radio or television interview. You just need a road map," Hawkins writes. "Editors rarely grab news releases off the wire and write about them. However, they do search the wires, which leads to calls for quotes and is a great method for creating editorial credibility."

When crafting a story or press release, Hawkins suggests using local data and quoting local experts. If you decide to hire a writer, Hawkins cautions against going cheap, and notes that most professional writers charge between $1 and $2 per word. He also suggests posting releases on a paid wire such as Marketwired, PRNewswire, Globenewswire or PRWeb, which tend to cost $500 or more.

Hawkins included a list of 25 story ideas. Here are a few favorites:

• Top commuter communities
• Update on the housing recovery
• Housing affordability report for [month] in [local market]
• Top local housing trends you need to know
• Secrets of property search for [local market]
• Signs you hired a great real estate agent
• See the most expensive homes for sale
• Hottest neighborhoods in 2015
• Shopping for a home? What’s open this weekend
• Negotiating a low price on a home: What’s the list-to-sell ratio?
• Best bargains in town

For more, check out the full post at WAV Group Communications.

Source: "Your Communications Plan: An Editorial Calendar for 2015," WAV Communications (Dec. 22, 2014).