Hi all: Good afternoon! I was thinking about blogging this morning. This was after attending a seminar last night on SEO related stuff. The so-called expert recommended that we not write articles that are displayed on other people's websites ( In this case the site was a local one, Biznik, but it could just as easily apply to Active Rain). His point was that we have no control and its much easier to set up our own blog on Wordpress, etc.. I've heard this argument before.
I love being here on Active Rain. To me, it's about more than blogging; it's about building long-term relationships and learning. That being said, I also love to write. I would imagine most of the prolific bloggers here do as well.
So should a person blog or not? I don't think it's for everyone. Personally, if you don't enjoy writing or can't string two sentences together, it might not be worth it. The information you're putting out there in cyberspace needs to be concise and well written in my opinion. If you're going to blog, take the time to not only spellcheck (there's one here) but make sure it's grammatically correct. I know this sounds pretentious but, again, I think it's important that what you put out there reflects your knowledge. Part of that is being aware of correct sentence structure and spelling. Mind you this can be learned.
Again, I think it's important that we embrace new ideas and technology. I've read so many success stories here about Rainers' blogs working. I encourage you to give it a try if you haven't already. After all, you never know who might be reading! Have a fantastic day!
Paul McFadden
I agree, blogging on Active Rain is a combination of learning, fun and business. I think if you are a great writer (which I am not) publishing articles is a great idea as well.
There's no reason one cannot do both. However, unless one really speaks Google, the synergy of the ActiveRain blog is hard to match. My ActiveRain Localisms and Outside Blogs rank very well on Google. Of course, some of my own WordPress blogs do too. However, my own blogs have not the possibility of networking with others in the real estate industry and ActiveRain is a valuable source of referral agents for me.
Lisa: I'm not sure any of us would refer to ourselves as a great writer. But the opportunity to learn is here. After all, reading and writing are the keys to continued success in my opinion. Thanks for commenting!
Lenn: I appreciate your thoughts. Thank you! As one of the top Active Rain members, I appreciate you chiming in and am glad you see such value. Take care.
Since paraphrasing the great William Shakespeare . . . the line "To be . . . or not to be" is about a man (Prince Hamlet) contemplating suicide. Stretching the witty little parapharsing to indicate that if a person does not blog, it can very well be akin to professional suicide.
Interesting thoughts. You said it, I didn't! I do think it's important that we stay current. If that includes blogging, then so be it. Thanks for commenting, Carla. I appreciate it!
Hi Paul ~ Nothing pretentious whatsoever about good grammar and proper spelling!! I've heard similar things from trainers and SEO gurus - plenty of people don't seem to "get" ActiveRain. It made enormous sense to me the day I first found an AR blog on page one in search results. I've been here every day since.
Liz
I just spent the afternoon with one of my friends getting her set up on Active Rain today! Check out Alma Colburn at www.ActiveRain.com/AlmaColburn
Liz: Thanks for commenting. I appreciate it! I agree with you but have to admit I come from a "snobby" college educated family where we were often corrected if we misspoke or wrote something incorrect. I see nothing wrong with this but realize not everyone had my exposure. I too love Active Rain. I have continued here for a reason and a small part of it is my blog. In fact, I find I comment more than I blog. It's just easier! Take care.
Cheryl: I will do that. Good for you! I'm glad you're sending people AR's way!
What the Blog is that guy talking about? You get way more SEO juice in the rain.
Most (I would venture 95% by observation) of the top agents in our Cleveland area do NOT blog. It's not to say this is the way to go, but once the momentum is there for many top agents, it's self-perpetuating, regardless of a lot of things. The only potential risk could be:
What happened if AR were to go away?
Since you don't mind being corrected, I'll say that you might want to proof your post again and find the two its and change them to it's.
Chris Olsen brings up a good point. What if AR were to go away? AR is a great platform to get up and running quickly and to get instant feedback, but I would want to have other sites that I have total control over. What if AR gets bought out and the new company begins changing the rules or starts charging huge fees? What if Google penalizes AR because it sees too many spammy things going on here?
Hi Paul. Many agents do not blog. I notice that most agents in my area do not have a blog.... ~ Lana
Paul,
One of the great benefits of ActiveRain is the ability to re-blog. I taught a group of real estate agents today about ActiveRain. One of the first points I made was that if you can read and if you can push a button (the re-blog feature) you can blog. In my opinion one of the best benefits of blogging is becoming the information hub for your sphere of influence. Re-blogging gives Rainmakers the ability to quickly disseminate great information to their readers very quickly, and without the effort that writing your own content demands.
Not sure what the percent is that blog. I would bet it's low.
I have never used Wordpress. I guess I need to check it out.
I use active rain and wordpress. Love both platforms. The internet has opened up a whole new world of opportunities for networking. I love the networking and education Active rain provides. Its great reading other blogs from people in the industry and what's going on everywhere else. AR has a lot of valuable content and they make it so easy to bookmark and read later. I love AR and can't believe more people are not on it. Keep blogging everyone
Yes, you can start your own blog and it may be a good thing but to blog on activerain with over 164,000 member is a great thing. The key is to get the messages, thoughts, ideas, comments etc out there where people can read, comment etc. I takes money and time to get traffic your way on a blog. So, Keep the blogging on activerain and I will keep reading them. Good Luck....
blogging works and does help you spread good info to the public. It is a good thing as Martha would say.
Paul, congrats on your featured post! As usual, Lenn beat me to the comment and said it better than I could have. People can do both. It's a matter of time and discipline. But AR is definitely a very powerful tool, if used correctly!
Paul - Yes, it's possible to do both, but boy is Colleen right, it takes enormous discipline to keep all blogs running smoothly with new posts and updates.
Blogging is not for everyone. Some agents hate holding open house, and some will feel the same about blogging, and that's okay.
Blogging on Active Rain is fun to me and I have met some wonderful people!
I have learned so much on AR, I cannot imagine not being a part of it. I took some time off, earlier this year, and believe me, it has been a challenge to catch up. Blogging on AR and other outside blog is just fine. I do it .
Chris and Tim both bring up good points. I love blogging but if anything would happen here I would still keep blogging away elsewhere. ~Rita
Hi Paul - Don't be so quick to discount the expert. I can think of several bloggers who do very well outside of the Rain. Each approach has its benefits, and they both have a lot of similarities. Either way, the answer is "yes ... blog!"
John: Thanks for your comments. I agree with you. I think blogging is all good. It shows a person is willing to try something new and potentially uncomfortable. I also believe this is the key to continued success. We cannot afford to stand still!
Rita: I agree with you. I'm probably going to launch a wordpress blog as well that will dually function as my personal website.
Lloyd: I think that's the key. The most important thing is for us to consistently deliver our message. Blogging is a great way to do that. Thanks!
Sybil: I couldn't agree with you more. Thanks for commenting!
Norma: Thank you! You are right. The self-discipline needed to run our business is time consuming sometimes. Again, I feel the message needs to be consistent.
Colleen: Thank you! I have to say I didn't expect a featured post at all. I'm starting to wonder if it was my catchy title! I'm still learning about AR so I'm not even close to you experienced souls! Enjoy your evening! Thanks again!
Russ: Thanks for stoppping by. I always enjoy reading your posts and wish you well!
Dionne: Thank you. You raise some great points. I wish you well too!
Kim: Thanks for commenting. I appreciate it. I'm glad that blogging works for you. I'm a big believer in Active Rain as well.
Mark: You can set up a blog/website for free by going to Wordpress.org. I haven't done this yet and may enlist someone to help me. If you're somewhat savvy, I understand it can be very effective. Take care.
Phil: That's a good point. I tend to re-blog the ones I really like. Thanks!
Lana: It's always tough to try something new. In my case, I took the advice of someone who was already here and have never looked back. We all should be trying new things!
Tim: Thanks for picking up the two errors I missed-I appreciate it. Your point about if the rules changed is a valid one. I'm not a huge control freak but I think people should always have a back up plan. Things can change without much notice. Thanks!
Chris: I imagine if AR went away most of us here would adjust. A good case in point is what is happening at Zillow Mortgage Marketplace. They have decided to monetize their site where it will now cost the loan officer money if a borrower contacts them to do business. I fell by the wayside as I never did any business there anyway. I would bet a lot of other loan officers will bail now that it's no longer free. But we will adjust and move on to something else; even if AR changes! Thanks for stopping by!
Kyle: I appreciate your sentiments. It is true that AR generates a high Google ranking. I personally like that. Take care.
Thanks for offering bringing this question to light. I am here to learn and I so much appreciate the insights of others.
Paul- I'm not a great speller and sometimes spell words write, I just use them incorrectly. ;)
I agree that the written blog is not for everyone. That doesn't mean that they can't do podcasts, if they love to speak. Or do Video Blogs if they have a big personality and are fun to watch on camera.
There's lots of different platforms out there. People should choose the one that fits them and then put out great content.
Active Rain has been the best learining tool I've seen in real estate. I wish I had found the value in it before now I so enjoy reading everyone's blogs. Thank you for your blog.
GOOD MORNING PAUL! I even spell check my comments before clicking submit! I didn't like writing when I started blogging - and am not a good writer to start with (that wasn't a correct sentence was it??!!) Being here on Active Rain has taught me alot - especially to try something out of my "ability zone". Although it might not be for everyone - I do think everyone should at least try it. Congratulations on the feature! -- Gabrielle
I agree it is all about what you get out of it. If it is a chore then for sure what you write will convey that, in which case, waste of time. There is also nothing wrong with just being here to read and learn. I am getting better at writing and I love blogging, I also have a Wordpress site for a different blog. What I rarely do is Tweet or Faebook, does not hold any fascination for me.
Paul:
I think it is a good example above that Gabrielle said that did not like writing when she started blogging. She certainly writes some terrific posts now. That is a good lesson to someone to just try it and see what happens.
And, yes, thank goodness for the spell checker. I use it constantly.
Great post. We need to embrace the change.
Joyce: Thank you. I like your attitude and wish you well!
Claudette: I agree with you. I honestly haven't written this much in years. Hopefully my skills have improved because of it. Thanks for commenting-I appreciate it!
Corinne: Thanks for your input. I think it's important to find something that works and stick with it. Experimentation is ok as long as the person consistently gets the message out there. Thanks again!
Gabrielle: Thank you. Being featured was totally unexpected and a blessing! Keep up your efforts. Reading and writing are still important in everyone's book!
Nancy: You're welcome! I'm glad you see so much value in Active Rain. I do as well. Take care.
Darin: Thank you. That's a great tip. Again, a person should find what works and then stick to it like glue! Have a great day!
Robert: You're welcome! Enjoy your time here-it's been rewarding for so many of us. Take care.
I do not understand why agents do not join the Rain-I have sent out invitations and they ignore them. Well it is a great avenue for us members!
Pam: Trying something new is always uncomfortable. I have to admit I used to not embrace change as well. I don't know what happened! Lol!
Paul, good point about it not being for everyone. Many very successful REALTORS do not blog. Some also very successful REALTORS who do blog. Enjoying it is the key.
Hi Paul - yeah - we never know who might be reading or searching Google for help only to end up an an Active Rain blog post that triggers a call .... it beats door knocking (lol)
Hi Paul,
I'm guessing that the SEO person you spoke to was trying to encourage you to build an authoritative blog site of your own. I'm very impressed with the activity and camaraderie that ActiveRain offers and so are the search engines (at least with lots of dynamic, quality content). ActiveRain is a resource where you can leverage your time very effectively and borrow a bit of the authority (Google love) that the site has developed with the search engines. Putting the time and effort into building your own authoritative blog site is certainly not time wasted though. But even if you had this, the search engines still recognize and reward websites that have links coming in from many different sources so regardless of whether you develop your own blog site, ActiveRain will likely continue to have great value for social connections, education and quality link-building.
I'm also in the camp that says blogging isn't for everyone. I'm guessing that I'm one of maybe 5 in my market who blogs on a regular basis and there are definitely others who do far better than I in terms of sales.
And I also agree that you can do both. I post almost identical content to AR and wordpress. AR usually outranks WP on google for the same keywords. So why not do both? Doesn't really take any longer, a couple of minutes to cut and paste, possibly reformat.
Paul,
Thanks for the post. We wrote one quite a while back with the same title. Great minds run on similar tracks.
We have advise some clients NOT TO BLOG, because they do not want to do it, Period. Blogging is a wonderful tool, but it is not for everybody and is NOT the ONLY SOLUTION!
To blog you need to say something of value, not worry about keywords, etc. You need to develop a REAL voice and not just repeating someone else's stuff!
All the best
Alexandra
In this era of new technology, we have to be willing to step outside of our comfort zone, and reach people in new ways.
I have both a blogspot blog and an AR blog. The benefits of AR are that I can get me direct feedback from the community that I just don't have with my outside blog.
I love active rain....I too am surprised how few agents I know and work with are involved. Oh welll......their loss!
Patricia/Seacoast NH
Nicely written Paul. I think you are right in that it is not for everyone, just like calling on fsbos, open houses, etc... You have to do what inspires you and generates leads and income.
Barb: Thank you! I appreciate your praise and agree with you about people finding what works and sticking with it.
Patricia: Good for you! I do as well but I guess it's not for everyone.
I agree with you: I like being part of the AR community!
Robert: Thanks! An open mind never hurt anyone!
Alexandra: You are most welcome! Anything done that shows time was invested is worthwhile in my opinion! Thanks for your thoughts!
Julia: Good for you. Thanks for stopping by. I wish you well with your blogging!
Anita: Thanks for your great thoughts. To be candid, this is all new to me. If you would have asked me five years ago if I would be blogging, I'm pretty sure the answer would have been no. But it's important to embrace change whatever form that takes. Have a great day! I wish you well!
Kathleen: Very true. When I started in the mortgage business in 2006 I was handed a list and told to cold call it. I did it but didn't enjoy it. I enjoy blogging and working my database so much more. Is it for everyone? No. The key is to find what you're good at and consistently deliver your message! Thanks again!
Gary: I agree with you. Whatever it is that we do, we should enjoy it. If we don't we need to look elsewhere! Take care.
blogging has been the best thing for my business... so..yes, you should blog
Konnie: Good for you. To me, Active Rain fulfills so many needs! Take care.
I've been holding off paying for a decent website. I have one but it doesn't help with lead generation which is the whole point of blogging, etc. I have been blogging, pinging and joining every community in sight to get my name on the web and I don't feel like I'm going anywhere? Is it time for me to pay for a website to get this maximum return? ANy suggestions?
I enjoy blogging. I think it is different strokes for different folks. Blogging is a great tool if you are working with a demographic that tends to be Internet shoppers. If you have a large church/social gathering that you have as a following, blogging will only enhance that group if you get them involved with it. As always, real estate goes back to the relationships that you have developed along the way. And, yes, on the grammar.
I've come to enjoy blogging. I'm actually surprised how often my sphere reads what I write. I never find out online but when they see me in person they always mention something that I had written.
I used to consider my selp pretty technoligically savvy....until I came to AR that is! I am satisfied with my blog here and I feel the only thing limiting me on AR is my blog writing skills.
Gerat blog give nice information. Admitting that there is a problem is normally considered a good first step. Asking for help is a close second. Money-matters makes us do strange things. You are probably not the only one facing this situation. Therefore, take heart there is help out there. Even before getting to the how to steps for your own budget, work on your state of mind, immediate needs, concerns, dues and crisis. For new and more great ideas visit http://thecreditcure.com
Blogging doesn't come easy for me. I really do have to work at it. I agree that whatever we post should be our best. The goal should be quality not quantity.
I like it better that the competition does not blog. Let's keep it a secret.
Ok. I will. Again, blogging isn't for everyone so your secret is safe! Lol!
Tammie: I agree. I never blog just to blog. In fact, for me it's easier to comment. I don't always have something worthwhile to blog about. Thanks for stopping by!
Creditcure: Thank you!
Damon: Keep working at it if you're interested. Rome wasn't build in a day!
David: It's interesting how things have shifted, huh? I do this stuff because I think we need to stay up with current trends. I wish you well!
Jane: Thanks for your comments. I appreciate them. You raise some good points. The way I look at it is it doesn't hurt. And we all should be open to new ideas! Thanks again!
Marylou: Colleen Fischesser, who is here on Active Rain, swears by her website. You can go to www.wordpress.org and set one up for free or I know a lady you can pay $65 to and she'll help you get started. I think a website is one of many things we can do. We just never want to forget the human side. Frankly, my business has been build through my database and face-to-face interaction. I wish you well. You are welcome to contact me if I can be of further assistance! Take care.
Ok. I will. Again, blogging isn't for everyone so your secret is safe! Lol!
Tammie: I agree. I never blog just to blog. In fact, for me it's easier to comment. I don't always have something worthwhile to blog about. Thanks for stopping by!
Creditcure: Thank you!
Damon: Keep working at it if you're interested. Rome wasn't build in a day!
David: It's interesting how things have shifted, huh? I do this stuff because I think we need to stay up with current trends. I wish you well!
Jane: Thanks for your comments. I appreciate them. You raise some good points. The way I look at it is it doesn't hurt. And we all should be open to new ideas! Thanks again!
Marylou: Colleen Fischesser, who is here on Active Rain, swears by her website. You can go to www.wordpress.org and set one up for free or I know a lady you can pay $65 to and she'll help you get started. I think a website is one of many things we can do. We just never want to forget the human side. Frankly, my business has been build through my database and face-to-face interaction. I wish you well. You are welcome to contact me if I can be of further assistance! Take care.
Congratulations on the feature Paul... Where to blog is becoming an age old question... I agree with Lenn, if you are going to blog do it in a few places. To paraphrase what Stephen King said, "you know you are a writer when you simply have to sit down and write." You skip the list of reasons.
Nice post and a good catalyst for conversation. After all, we are a community here on Active Rain and communities have conversations... and conversations are opportunity.
Rene: Thanks. Are you working a new gig these days?
Paul,
Blogging has really opened the door for lots of people to express themselves, talk about their passions and services and opinions on everything. AR is providing a terrific platform for mortgage and real estate pros, so take advantage of it. By the way, congrats on your feature.
Esko: Thank you. Those are great thoughts. Have a great day today. Who knows what's in store!