Jon, for about 5-6 years now, I've sent the local media my local market reports. That has evloved into about a dozen interviews each year by local media. In one case, it was a TV interview. I send the reports to the editor of the local paper with the caveat that they can use the data as they see fit. They always have a reporter call me to get my perspective. When I show up at a listing appointment, I frequently hear, "Oh, I saw your article in the paper." The local media has made me their go-to local expert. I love it and it didn't cost a dime. That paper lands on 76,000 doorsteps each day, and they have an online version. 

For a while I wrote an article for our local patch, but then they stopped allowing you to contribute to my knowledge.

Write press releases and the interested reporters will contact you.

My active PR strategy is blogging, my radio show, and my podcasting along with my in-person presence at local events.

My PR 'strategy' is in social media, primarily.

I am often contacted by the local newspaper to contribute to their articles. If I am their first call, I give them the name of an agent who I know lives and primarily works the area to get more insight than just mine. If I don't give them the specialist in the area that they are writing about, they often reach out to others who don't share the best information with the reporter...hence, the reader!

How about a DIY way? Start blogging yourself using some keywords.

Jon,

Social influencers are paid PR who often spout the company blah blah! They are losing credibility these days...It also depends on your marketplace, the size of it, etc.  Keep it local if you are in a big market.  I would find a place in the community especially if your focus is on listings.  A

You have some good advice from Mike Cooper.

Work you compass points and keep it all local...

Take a look at Help A Reporter Out (HARO)

Here's a great blog post on guest blogging.

This is definitely a great strategy, but very time-consuming.

I use my blog to re-post in social.

We have a very local La Jolla paper that still has a massive circulation;

I buy ad space in it occasionally and submit an article instead and try to grab readers and turn them into prospects.

Sounds like a good plan, best of luck. Let us know how it works out.

I write content, posts and videos.  It works.

Sorry, I don't. I might have to do what Mike Cooper, GRI does, but our local media just always goes straight to our association president.

when I had more time, I wrote a monthly real estate article in the newspaper, and that was something that brought us alot of recognition.... 

Consider buying Advertorial space in the local weekly.

Headline like "Sata Fe REALTOR rocking the Galbrith Heights real estate  market using innovative procsess."

Yes, you willl spend money but you won't be practicing accidental real estate.

Not the guy to ask. I have not been diligent about PR over the years

Trends is the last think I will read about.  They change to often

I wrote a post on AR about this topic. :) 

I only blog, and gets enough attention for me.

In the end a lot of it depends on relationships. You will have much more exposure and credibility if you work with local journalists, unless the bloggers or influencers have consumer credibility.

Two sources for building relationships with journalists are:

1. Sometimes they will have local PR events. Attend these and shake hands with the reporters then send a follow up email just to say it was nice to meet them. Then if you have a real PR story (not jsut advertising for your business), reach out to them. Most "PR" does not get published because it is advertising and they can see through that.

2. There is a site called HARO (Help a Reporter Out) and if you subscribe, you will get queries from journalists looking for expert sources and sometimes they will be in your area. Any PR is good PR so don't worry about it not being exclusively in your area.

PR Happens to be one of my "silver bullets" of marketing and something I have incorporated into marketing for most of my career.

I will also leave this resource. It is a book on PR that I had the privilege of contributing to. It's called Media Magnetism and you can find it on Amazon.

Getting backlinks on high authority sites with guest blogging.

Katerina Gasset was just covering something like this on her webinar the other day.

My approach: I use "HARO" (Help A Reporter Out) as well as a couple similar sites.  I've yet to get anything from it.  I like Mike Cooper, GRI's idea too.  But for my area, as you've said, most of the newspapers are now either outsourcing their writers or closed down.

There are a number of excellent press release sites.

No.