Douglas Ching's Blog

Off to Chase The Next Big Storm AR's V.P of Sales and Blog Trainer Signing Off.

Douglas Ching — Fri, 20 May 2011 18:01:28 -0700

If you ask Jon Washburn he will tell you that he is “not a sales person”, but don’t let this fool you! What began as an innocent lunch back in 2009 resulted in me leaving my successful business behind to join forces with Jon at ActiveRain. The goal was to find a sustainable revenue model for a company that was on the brink of running out of the capital.

ActiveRain was a robust community at the time with a little over 100k members but very little dependable revenue. Jon, in my opinion, had two choices: he could clutter every page of AR with advertising, or we could start charging our new members to take advantage of the reputation (SEO) the community had built. Thus, the Rainmaker concept was born.

A few months later I began noticing that the agents who were upgrading to RainMaker with the hopes of increasing their online presence didn’t have the training required to make that possible. So I turned to my trusted friend Steven Graham, who within two weeks developed SEO strategies for those members of AR who needed it the most, and turned it into a two hour training class for new members. This single class evolved into ActiveRain University, led by Steven, which currently has over 10,000 graduates.

This company was Jon’s vision and legacy. ActiveRain is now at over 200,000 members, and in January alone of this year we signed up just shy of 1,000 new paying RainMakers! We were fortunate enough to be asked to join Jon on his journey to accomplish that vision, and we hope his legacy of ActiveRain-- and now DailyTicket-- will continue to grow and thrive.

Now that Jon’s active role in the network has ended Steven and I have decided to find a new vision. Changing lives, both within the ActiveRain community and at the ActiveRain corporate offices, is the reason we came to ActiveRain and the reason we stayed. Jon gave us the freedom to create a unique culture here that you couldn’t find anywhere else. The community thrived, as did the employees of ActiveRain. Since the changing of hands, we have grown to miss the creativity and challenges that come with building and maintaining this type of culture.

As of today Steven Graham and I will no longer be employed by ActiveRain. The time has come for us to find a new home. We have been invited to help ePropertySites.com develop a social media and SEO blogging platform as their V.P of Sales and SEO Blog Trainer. Imagine every tool you could possibly need to succeed online in one tool box. That is ePropertySites.com, where we will both continue to do the work we love, and although we’ll miss being part of what goes on behind the scenes at ActiveRain, we’re excited to embark on this new adventure.

if you have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact us at:

Doug@epropertymail.com

Steven@epropertymail.com

Used bookstore south lake union

Douglas Ching — Mon, 24 May 2010 13:44:04 -0700

Used bookstore south lake union

If it's been a while since your last visit, now's a good time to rediscover the neighborhood that's situated perfectly between the lake and Downtown Seattle! There are hidden gems popping up left and right amongst the cranes and bulldozers; one of the most exciting newbies is Inner Chapters Bookstore & Cafe. Believe it or not, tucked away in an old brick building on Fairview, there lies an eclectic treasure trove of over 7000 used books (and a few new ones just for fun).

What's better than a quirky used bookstore in Seattle? One that serves delicious coffee from Stumptown Roasters, spicy DragonFly Chai from Portland, and Red Tea Espresso (for you health conscious folks) what is red espresso?!

Unlike a lot of other used bookstores, Inner Chapters has a spacious seating area complete with cozy booths, a sofa in the mural-clad kids section, and a reliable (free) wi-fi connection, for those of us that must be plugged in!

Need lunch? Done. Sandwiches, Salads and Wraps abound--selections cover the entire taste spectrum, from omnivore to strict vegan. Sip your red tea espresso, munch on your sandwich and simply relax and read for hours at this used bookstore. If you ever miss the days of reading the paper actually printed on paper, get your fix of that gratifying crinkle with the current daily edition of the New York Times(or the Seattle Times if you prefer a more local pulse).

On the off chance that you need more motivation to check this south lake union used bookstore out, how about some live music? Every 3rd Thursday, or "Thirdsday" is open mic night--music, poetry, themed storytelling, anythinggoes! During this special day at this used bookstore you may grab the mike and show your creative side or simply sit back and enjoy the wacky tales and mantras of your south lake union locals.

Attention bargain hunters! Books are 25% off EVERY SUNDAY from 10am - 2pm. Mention this blog and we’ll throw in a free coffee. (limit one per customer)

Located at: 419 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA‎ - (206) 262-9297

View a map of this location.

How To Sell A Paper Clip

Douglas Ching — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:15:29 -0800

We are teachers, comunication is the key to sucess. So the question becomes what are we comunicating? Do we teach them what they want and need to know, or confuse them with knowledge and information that they never asked for? How do you fill a need if that question is never asked?

Thank you for this amazing blog.

Via Clint Miller (Real Estate Client Referrals, LLC (RECR)):

If I were to hand you a paper clip and were to ask you to sell it to me, could you? How would you go about it? What features would you mention? What uses would you bring up? What "special" thing about this paper clip would be the key item in your head that would click in your mind as being "the hook" in your sales pitch?

Interesting questions, right??

Honestly, I've sold paper clips before. Well, office supplies in general. And, when I was hired as a sales rep for the company, I was handed a paper clip and asked to do this very thing. More on that in a minute...

First, let's take a look at how the majority of sales people would handle this issue...

Better than 80% of sales people start the exact same way -- they pitch!

Immediately, you are flooded with every possible fact and figure about the paper clip from its length to the type of wire it is made from and how it is bent into its convenient shape to the color to the protective plastic coating they overlay on top of the implant grade surgical steel wire to avoid accidental nicks to the skin, clothing, or worse -- damage to the documents you are securing....blah, blah, blah.

Some sales people can (and do!) talk about a paper clip for the better part of 6 or 7 minutes. As the diatribe continues, you could literally see the attention span of my sales manager waving goodbye and flying right out the window on melancholy wings.....which would cause them to talk even longer and with more animation and conviction. And all of this without ever asking for an order or even asking one simple question!

So, there I am, hoping with every fiber of my being that I get this job and some schmuck hands me a paperclip and tells me to sell him???

I paused for a minute closely examining the paperclip, then I started my pitch by asking several questions.

"How often do you use paperclips during your daily operations?"
"What other locations within your company are these paper clips used frequently?"
"How often do you order new paper clips?"
"When you do order, how many do you usually buy at one time?"
"Besides yourself, who else is involved in buying paper clips?"

Quite the difference in approach, isnt it.

Quite frankly, anyone can look at a paper clip and see what it is and what it is made of and how it works. And, quite frankly, no one cares. What is important, however, is HOW they are used, how OFTEN they are used, WHERE they are used, and how MANY are used. That information is important to both of us because it determines need and gives me information I require to propose a solution to my client's problem. When you start asking questions about WHY this paper clip is so important to the buyer, things change dramatically.

Take a close look at your "pitch". Do you focus on all of the things that you do? Is your elevator speech filled with all of the facts and figures of your previous sales experience and how you are the #2 blogger on ActiveRain in the county and "you've done this"'s and "you do that"'s? Are you merely brow-beating your potential clients into a mind-numbing submission with impressive facts and figures that do nothing but attempt to make you better than everyone else?

Or, is your focus more on questioning your potential clients and finding out what it is they need and then trying to find a solution that best fits their needs? Do you make a point in finding out what specifially your client wants of you and then explain how your experience can solve that problem for them?

See, once you do this, you have actively involved the prospective client in the pitch of your product and have related it to them by referencing their specific needs. Also, it shows that you really care about what the prospect wants and that you have the ability, knowledge, and want to make that problem go away for them and are willing to help achieve that goal WITH them.

If you would like more information on RECR and how we can help you get more clients to work with, please contact Clint directly at 800-977-7058. Or, fan us on Facebook! Or, follow Clint on Twitter!

Top 10 Stupid Things Sales People Do...(And How To Avoid Doing Them!)

Douglas Ching — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:23:29 -0800

Read this blog it could change your life.

Via Clint Miller (Real Estate Client Referrals, LLC (RECR)):

I have been in some form of sales since I was 10 years old working in my mom's craft store selling yarn and bobbins to her quilting and knitting friends. And, since that time, I have always tried to establish myself as a leader in any sales position that I have held...and I also have noticed that there are some really good sales people out there.

The kicker is...a good portion of those people aren't good at sales. What they are good at is avoiding the things that cause sales people to falter.

Now, before we get into this...lets establish a quick and simple truth: Knowing what NOT to do is just as important when talking about sales as knowing what TO do. Make sense?

Knowing that, here is a quick "Top 10" of mistakes I have seen sales people make that are guaranteed to derail the very efforts that are being put forth by a salesperson.

1. They refuse to learn. -- I have seen more than one 'newb' burst onto the scene and run huge numbers in a very short period of time...and then just disappear into obscurity. Why is that? It is because they refused to continue to learn. It is vital to be a student of your game. Make sure you are continually learning about your product/service/industry. Read the new books that come out. Go to the seminars that are being held about your industry. Listen to audio, watch video, read blogs (like mine! hint hint) about sales and how to be better at what you do for a living. Reinvigorate yourself.

Did you know that Tiger Woods spends $1 million a year for a swing coach? He is constantly looking to be better at what he does...

2. They stay generalized. -- "Narrowcasting" is the specialization into a specific segment or part of the market. Staying generalized eliminates the ability to be considered an expert in any one specific area. Think about that for a second....Medical specialists get paid more than medical generalists. A specialist has narrowed his/her field of vision to ensure success in mastering that specific part of the market or product. They become known as specialists and people recognize that and come to them when they need that expertise.

3. They dont position themselves properly. -- The way people position themselves is the primary determining factor in how they are seen by prospects and clients. People pay attention to people they THINK are in a position of importance. Blogging, engagement and interaction with prospects and others via social media are all ways to help position yourself accordingly. The best way to sell is not to position yourself as a salesperson...but to position yourself as an expert in your field. And, one of the best ways to do that is to offer up information and assistance to those that are in need. (A Realtor might do a class on being a first time home buyer, for example. A guy that sells referrals to Realtors might write a bunch of blogs that help the agents do their jobs better...) The goal of these sessions isn't to sell anything, but to establish yourself as an expert in the field so that, as the need arises, those seeking your service automatically think of asking you.

4. They dont prospect. -- This is HUGE! The largest cause of failure in a sales position is having a lack of potential customers. You should always have multiple streams of inbound leads to work. You should never be out of people to pitch to even if that means you spend more money to get them. Take advantage of the technology that exists and use it to your advantage. Don't have anyone to pitch? Start thinking about a new career.

5. They pitch the wrong people. -- You cant get rich selling to the wrong people. You had better be in front of people that can make a decision, have a need for your services, and are willing to listen to you. If anyone you are pitching your services to doesn't meet that criteria, you are spinning your wheels. Remember, not everyone is a good prospect. Spend the time required to find good prospects and work with them rather than trying to peddle your wares to those that don't need them, can't decide if the need is there, or are not willing to listen to you.

6. They listen to their peers. -- Listening to your peers usually means you get an earful of negative input. "This isn't the way that you sell houses." "Blogging doesn't bring any clients." "Social media is a huge waste of time." Yeah...You've heard that before, right? And, it goes on and on and on and on...ad infinitum.

Instead, listen to positive, upbeat stuff that makes you feel good and allows you to think clearly. For me, thats music. Some use motivational speech, etc. And remember...most of your peers suck at their job.

7. They don't understand economics. -- Would you sell something you bought for $1.50 for $1?? Painfully obvious, right? Yet, that is what a good portion of sales people do because they don't understand the 'back-end' costs that should be added into the equation. For example, if you spend $750 marketing a home, $300 in gas showing a home, $200 in food wining and dining clients, and then only make $1000 on the sale of a home...what have you gained?? Here is a quick lesson in Economics 101 -- If you are losing money on your deals, you can NEVER make that up regardless of how many deals you complete.

8. They spend money before they make it. -- I had a sales manager who said to me, "Clint...a sale is never done until you are eating the steak that you paid for with the money you got when your commission check cleared the bank." Why think this way??? Look at all the things that can happen that can derail a sale in today's market...if you are out buying a new TV on credit because you have a closing happening on Tuesday, you are going to lose your butt in this business. Just because you have a signed contract doesn't mean you are going to get paid anytime soon.

9. The fail to ask questions. -- More importantly, they fail to ask the RIGHT questions. And, when they do ask them, they fail to actually listen to the answers given. A prospect will always tell you what it is that they need to hear come out of your mouth. Asking the right questions based on their feedback will, more often than not, lead to a sale for you. You have two ears and only one mouth. Use them accordingly.

10. They are hindered digitally. -- "Hindered", in this instance, means they are either digitally compulsive or digitally impaired. Both are a hindrance. You can be so addicted to the technology available (Internet, sales force automation, blackberries, iphones, etc) that they are completely paralyzed when it is not available. Or, the mere thought of being surrounded by that much technology has them so scared, they refuse to adapt to any of it. Both are career-killing impairments. In truth, it is those that have the ability to take on the technology without losing the human aspect of their jobs that will be the ultimate winners. Find your happy medium.

Sales people are a curious breed. "Experts" rarely have the open-mindedness required to accept criticism and adapt to make themselves more successful. Yet, it is exactly that which will set you up for a stellar sales career. Pay attention to the pitfalls that you can fall into that will slow your momentum and focus on those things that will increase it. Do this, and you will be just fine regardless of the market.

Fan us on Facebook! And, follow Clint on Twitter! And, if you would like more information on how Real Estate Client Referrals can help you increase your bottom line, please contact Clint at 800-977-7058.

Coffee Shop in Belltown, Seattle Washington

Douglas Ching — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:51:30 -0800

Coffee shop in Belltown Seattle Washington

(206) 910-2300 2231 Second Avenue Seattle, Washington

When you walk into this quaint coffee shop located in Belltown Seattle the first thing you see is the unique red serving counter. You are greeted not by an employee but by the owners themselves who will then take your order and make your coffee themselves.

If you are a coffee addict as I am (and a self proclaimed connoisseur and expert) then you know that not all coffee shops are made the same. Lavender and Rose Mocha(free of thorns) are some of the specialty drinks that you may delight in.

The owners of the shop Ben, Jesse and Chris have a secret (don’t they all) roast whose origins they would defend with their lives. The entire inside of this coffee shop is littered by local artists displaying seattle’s diversity. All the art is of course for sale (so buy some they are starving).

Once you grab this home brewed gourmet coffee relax by the window and watch people walk by or get cozy in a comfortable leather couch.

This shop in Belltown also has tables and free wifi for those students that require coffee to complete their overdue homework. Or work on that soon to be famous novel that you will never really finish.

As you close your laptop that you where really just pretending to use anyway, you can grab a board game and be social! Clue, Quelf, game of life and Risk are some of the entertaining games available.

In this most illustrious Belltown Coffee Shop you may grab a cupcake (you can work it off later) and a danish made by locals. Their are many other shops around that you may frequent (ok I mean bars where you can get drunk).

Bedlam is open untill 3:00 in the morning on friday and Saturday for all you drunks that need to sober up before you drive home.

So if your in the area or want to poke your head into some seattle culture then for the love of god stop by Bedlam Coffee Shop located in Belltown Seattle, WA

Social Media Buttons and Icons - Is Someone Pushing Your Buttons?

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:24:42 -0700

Yet another awesome blog from Brad. What makes your blogs different then everybody else? We all know that a colorful button will be clicked on more then a grey box. Companies have spent millions of dollars researching the effect that different colors and icons have on the user. (They did this for a reason)

Spice up your blogs, make them fun, unique and easy to use.

Via Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain):

Social Media Buttons and Icons - Is Someone Pushing Your Buttons?

During these past few weeks, since adding the "Signature" option to ActiveRain posts, I've received so many requests, calls, and emails regarding how to add "Social Media Buttons and Icons" to the footers of Blog Posts. You've probably seen many of the various types and styles other members are using on their Blogs which poses the question, "Where Are They Getting These?" Here's some sites I've found that offer you these custom buttons for FREE. This includes for personal and commercial use according to their terms and guidelines.

Here are some Links to Literally Thousands of Buttons and Icons:

My Social Buttons

Royalty FREE Icons and Clip-art

WebTreats - 2000+ Buttons

Brian Brumpton "RainDrops"

DivaGeekDesigns - An Icon Overdose

The Value of A Twitter Search

Open Source Hunter

Instructions For Adding Buttons and Icons to the Signature or Footer of Posts:

Once you've downloaded the Social Media Buttons or Icons of your choice, you can add them to your AR Signature Page (including the appropriate links) by going to your "My Home" page on AR, then select the "Settings" link on the left hand sidebar. Just upload the button or icon into the "Signature" section of the page, add the appropriate link to your image, then click "update" to save. That's it!

One tip I would suggest is to be careful which Icons you select for some of the Social Networking Sites. If the Icon or Button isn't a familiar looking one, then visitors might be less likely to click on it. For example, the cow face, what Social Network or site does that one belong to? Maybe visitors would click on it just to find out? (LOL~) With all these Buttons and Icon styles available, one thing for certain is that your signature can be unique. So have FUN!!

This should give you plenty of options and creative ways to stand out from the rest of the crowd. :-)

Social Media Buttons and Icons - "The Buttons You Want People To Push!"

"RainMaker" Special - Signup Here and Get New Member Discount

Creating Title Tags And Content To Match It - SEO Tips

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:21:28 -0700

Their are many tips and strategies to increasing your SEO of your blogs/content. We all want that coveted 1st page of Google for our search results, who wants page 5?

In a world where you are competing against others every little bit of SEO help places you further to the top.

This blog teaches you a nice little trick to getting even more SEO power. Read this!!

Via Lisa Udy Realtor Utah Real Estate Specialist (Logan Utah Real Estate Immaculate Homes):

One of the most crucial factors in ranking high for your targeted keywords in search engines is your Title Tag.

What is a title tag?

If you look at the top of your browser when you're on a web page, it's those words that are in the little blue bar at the top. The reason for this post is because of the number of real estate websites I see that don't take advantage of such an easy way to promote your website to search engines.

Did you know your title tags are what's holding you back in the search engines?

I hate to say it, but the reason you aren't showing up in search engines, is because you don't have your title tag optimized. Your title tags should be the first thing you "optimize" to be found in search engines. If you are blogging and generating back links to your website, but your title tags aren't optimized, your making it hard on yourself.

So, how do you optimize your title tags?

This might be complicated, because it all depends on your website, and not every website lets you access the title tags. If you don't know if you can edit your title tags, talk to whoever built your website for you, or you can always Google it. If someone else has a website like yours, chances are you can find out how to optimize your tags by searching Google.

How Should I Optimize My Title Tags?

Now that you know what a title tag is, it's now time to consider what you should change it to. For each page on your website, you need to determine it's purpose, and what the content on the web page is about. For example:

I have webpage dedicated to Logan Utah Real Estate, and if you look at that pages title tags, they define the page as "Logan Utah Real Estate, Logan Real Estate, Utah Real Estate Listing." The reason it has those 3 phrases, is because I know people, when searching for properties, will type phrases like that in the search box. You probably already know this, and that's why it's key to add those phrases to your title tags.

That title tag is "optimized" because the content on the page itself is about what the title tag says it's about. If you read through the content, it's keyword rich with the words: Logan, Utah, Real Estate, Listings, Property, and so on.

Warning: If you add title tags to a web page that don't really represent what the title tag says, it's going to be hard to convince search engines your page is about what your title tag says. Make sure that your title tag is related to the pages content. If you have a page about neighborhoods, your title tag should reflect those neighborhoods.

If you do this with every page of your website, you are going to see your rankings in search engines increase. You will be giving search engines more information about what your pages are about, which is the whole purpose of a search engine. They want to give their searchers the most relevant page to their search query. If you title a page correctly and create relevant content to that title, you're going to help search engines, which in turn, is going to help you rank better.

Title Tag Optimization Tips For Real Estate

When optimizing your title tags, it's a good rule of thumb to use these phrases, as they all relate to real estate.

Listings, Property, Properties, Home, Homes, Homes For Sale, Agent, Agents, REALTOR, MLS.

If you use these phrases with your town included, you will pick up more search engine results placements, and increase the traffic to your website.

Examples:

If I was a real estate agent in Seattle, I would use those same phrases, but I would add the different areas I service.

Seattle WA Homes For Sale, Seattle Real Estate Listings, Real Estate Property and MLS Listings Seattle Washington

With that title tag, I have given myself the chance to show up for broader searches. Say someone searches in Google: Seattle real estate listings for sale - With that search, I have my title tag optimized for all of those keywords, and if I build enough links to that page, I will show up in the searchers results pages.

Now, if you read this, I expect you to update your title tags, and optimize your pages to be better then your competition. I can't stress enough how much an optimized title tag can increase your websites visibility.

If you have any questions about this, leave me a comment, and I will do the best I can to help you out. :)

Ambassador Series - What is Localism?

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:19:09 -0700

Localism! The power of Localism is absolutely unbelievable. Want yet another spot on the first page of Google? What if (all) your blogs could be linked together and pulled up under all the other searches that each blog generates in Google? Sounds to good to be true?

If you do not understand how Localism can double your online exposure (yes I said double) then read this blog, ask for help and get addicted to the power of LOCALISM!

Via Donna Bigda, REALTOR®, CDPE, e-PRO Branford Connecticut Homes and Condos (RE/MAX Alliance):

Are you new to Active Rain? Not sure of what Localism is and how it can be beneficial to you? When you're brand new to blogging it's often very difficult to come up with ideas for topics to write about on a consistent basis. I've been writing posts over almost 2 years and have had those days when I just can't think of anything to post.

One of the ways to overcome that problem is to write about your communities. The sister site and consumer facing side of Active Rain is Localism where members can display consumer oriented content about their local communities.

Posting to Localism allows you to interact and create connections with the public by providing them with local information and promotes you as the knowledgable local expert in your area,

I don't leave my house without my digital camera and flip video. You just never know when the opportunity will arise to take a picture of something of interest in your neighborhood. I also make sure I carry with me a small note pad too and jot down places of interest or upcoming events that I want to focus on at a later date to write a post about.

You're all familiary with Wikipedia, the free internet portal where there are millions of written articles on any topic you can think of many of which include links to guide its users to additional information on related pages.

Think of Localism as your local Wikipedia or as the tagline for Localism states "The World's Most Complete Neighborpedia."

Posts written to Localism consisting of hyper-local content and photos will attract consumers who want to learn more about a specific area. Write about upcoming events, local news, libraries, places of interest, schools, school activiites/sports, local businesses, parks, fund raising events....Think like a consumer and what they would be looking for that is engaging and interesting.

DON'T write content to your peers!!.....DO write content to the consumer!!

Your posts are sent to Localism by checking the box as shown and then choosing the state, county, city and neighborhood that you're writing your content for.

**If you are a free member any posts you've written are "Members Only." You will have to upgrade to a Rainmaker account to post to Localism**

As an Active Rain Ambassador, I would be more than happy to offer any assistance and help to any new members who are ready to get started.

I've included a few other member's posts that will provide additional information about the many benefits and ways that Localism can help to brand you as the local expert in your community.

10 steps to Localism success

by Jonathan Washburn

How To Maximize Indexing (RAINdexing) on your Outside Blogs

by Brad Andersohn

Localism - How to Add Photos & Why Quality is Essential

by Brad Andersohn

Get Noticed With Localism Comments!

by Katerina Gasset

What is 'Suitable' Content for Localism? - Blog Tips for Rain Drips

by Rich Jacobson

What's the point of Localism?

by Maureen McCabe

Localism - "Your Blogging Sucks"

by Maureen McCabe

How to "PhotoShop" Your Pics for Your Blog (For Free)

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:15:22 -0700

Why do children's books all have pictures? Why does every major company have a "symbol", when you order pizza do you want to see a block of text about pizza or do you want to see a perfectly baked pizza when you land on that site?

PICTURE PICTURES PICTURES!! I would say this is easily as important as your content. If your blog does not look good enough to be interesting then nobody will read your awesome content.

Via Steve Kappre, Gloucester County, NJ Loan Officer/Mortgage Planner - 856.419.3561 (Treasury Mortgage):

How to "PhotoShop" Your Pics for Your Blog (For Free)

Pictures really are worth a thousand words - at least they are when they are placed in your blog. Pictures placed in your blog will keep readers there much longer. You may be an award winning author, but most likely people aren't going to your blog to read a novel. They are showing up for fast, accurate info. Let's make it as easy as possible on their eyes.

Your blog will also rank better with Google when pictures and photos are used. You can label your pics with relevant terms (keywords), and you can also link your pictures to other locations, such as your website or a property search engine.

How To Create Award Winning Pictures and Photos for FREE

Ok, so I never won any awards, but here's how I do it. Two pictures are shown below; the one on the left is unedited from its original format. The one on the right was edited using Picnik.com, a free photo editing website that is powerful and very user friendly. So in this tutorial we will learn to

Upload a photo

Crop it (re-size and take out "extra" space)

Add text to make it more original

Add a drop shadow frame (or border) so it isn't so stagnant and "just sitting there.



*

STEP ONE: To begin, open a new window and go to www.picnik.com (check spelling!) and click on the button that says "Get started now!" (If you want to use my original unedited photo above, right-click on it and pick "Save as").

STEP TWO: To select a picture to work on, locate the "Upload a photo" button near the left-hand side of your screen (see below). You will need to know where your picture(s) are saved on your computer to select it.

STEP THREE: Now that we have uploaded the picture of your choice, we are ready to edit it. At this point you should see a page that has the picture you selected in the middle of the screen, and a tool bar that looks like the one below. If you need to, click on the "Edit" TAB

STEP FOUR: Choose the "CROP" function, third from the left on the menu buttons (see above pic). A "grid" will now appear on top of your photo (see below). Drag each corner to where you want the edges of your photo to be. After dragging the corners, "OK" it by clicking the "OK" button as shown below.

.

STEP FIVE: Your picture should now have been re-sized to only show the contents within the grid you just adjusted. Next we are going to add some text. From the menu above the picture, choose the fourth TAB labeled "CREATE". Once this is selected a new menu list should appear that looks like the one below. Once this appears select the "Text" button as shown below.

STEP SIX: Once you have clicked on the "Text" button, the top left-hand side of your screen should show a text box (See below, at left). Type in whatever you like and then hit the "Add" button. This will place your text onto of your picture. You can change the color, size, font, and even the angle of the text. I chose black text, the "Daniel" font, and dragged the text to the bottom of the picture. (See below at right)





STEP SEVEN: Finally we are going to add a "Drop Shadow" to the picture. This will make it appear to be 3-dimensional and pop off the page a bit. In Picnik, this is considered a frame. From the same menu across the top (5th from the left) choose the "Frames" button. Once you have clicked on "Frames", a column will appear on the left hand side, and you will see several pictures of a frog, which will give you an example of what each option will do. Scroll down this left hand column about 7 spots or so, and choose "Drop Shadow". A box will appear in this same column for editing the drop shadow options (below, left). Play with the adjustments until you get the desired effect. Once the picture looks the way you want, hit the "Apply" button (Just below the adjustment sliders). My photo is below at right after I added the drop shadow.





LAST AND MOST IMPORTANTLY !!!!

Lest we shoot ourselves in the foot, DON'T FORGET TO SAVE the photo by clicking on the TAB pictured below.

PHEW - - - YOU DID IT!!

Now throw your new picture down below in the comments for all to see!!!



UPDATE:

Check this great article by Donna Brigda on using Picnik to create a header for your blog. Thanks DONNA!!

Picnik Tutorial To Customize Your Active Rain Or Outside Blog Header

Steve Kappre is a Mortgage Planner with Treasury Mortgage. Steve specializes in;

• All areas concerning First-Time Home Buyer Mortgages, grants, down payment assistance, police and fire loans, rehab loans, and more.

• Reverse Mortgages

• Equity Management strategies for high-end homes and high net worth individuals.

Contact Steve Kappre directly at 856-419-3561 or at www.stevekappre.com

Inserting Video onto Your Active Rain Blog

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:12:06 -0700

Video has dominated every aspect of our lives. From television to your computer screen we are "programed" to be receptive to video. From entertainment, ordering pizza to finding a home, if you want to have a powerful online presence then having video is simply a must.

Via Jeremy Blanton ActiveRain Corp. (ActiveRain Corp.):

I just finished reading Erin Golding's post: How on Earth Do You Blog So Much and in there, she made the following statement:

(I can't figure out how to embed videos into my ActiveRain blog so if anyone can help, that would be great).

I wanted to make sure she got the answer, so the first thing I did was read through the 80 comments thinking for sure someone had left a link to a post on how to do this. To my surprise there was none. To my even bigger surprise, when I searched ActiveRain for an post I couldn't seem to come across an updated blog post with information on how to do it. So, Erin, this tutorial is for you!

If the video is too small to view, try watching in HD.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Creating & Uploading a Custom Header to ActiveRain and Your Outside Blog~ A Video Tutorial

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:58:09 -0700

We have many different choices for Headers for your Outside Blog. But for those that want to be unique this blog will explain and give you a tutorial of how to customize your own header.

Via Jeremy Blanton ActiveRain Corp. (ActiveRain Corp.):

I get asked often how I created my custom header for both my ActiveRain Blog and also my Outside Blog. The process of creating one is actually pretty simple to do. Instead of doing a tutorial with screen shots, I thought it might be easier to see how I created my header & uploaded it in a video format. So, I made a generic header for my blogs today & taped it as I made them.

The entire process from beginning to end only took me about 5 minutes. I actually spent more time locating the photograph I wanted to use & enhancing that. So, if you are unsure about how to design your own header, watch these two videos below and you will be on your way to creating a great looking new header for your blog in no time!

This first video walks you through the process of actually designing the header. It shows you how to re-size, crop, and also add text to your photograph. I used a free online photo editing software called picnik.com to create mine. If you have photo editing software that you are familiar with, you can use that & have the same results by following the steps.

Now that we have created an awesome looking header, it is now time to insert it onto both our ActiveRain profile & also our Outside Blog. This video will walk you through uploading the picture to both places.

As always, if you run into any problems, do not hesitate to contact me. Now go off & add Jazz Up Your ActiveRain & Outside Blog with a Custom Header!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you would like to be a part of one of my upcoming Webinars, click here for more information.

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How To Add Authors, Editors, and Contributors on Outside Blogs

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:56:20 -0700

ActiveRain is a social network. Use your friends and the connections you have made to help build each others business! Most members do not use this function but it is one of the most powerful features here at AR.

Each member who is a Rainmaker has a Outside Blog and the Grandfathered rainmakers (should) have a updated outside blog. The power of having your own Outside blog gives you ownership of your own website/domain name.

With contributors you can quickly build content and SEO power 10X faster then you can yourself by simply having a group of good agents all contributing to each others Outside Blogs. If your not doing this now....you need to!

Via Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain):

How To Add & Understand Authors, Editors, and Contributors Roles on Outside Blogs

Any member of ActiveRain with an Outside Blog or "ActiveBlog" can invite others to contribute. Whether you are a Broker inviting your Agents, an Agent inviting your TEAM and Affiliates, or just a member inviting another member, here's the differences between setting up an Author, an Editor, or a Contributor. When you invite others to write and contribute to your Outside Blog, it's important to understand these three categories and the rights and privileges they offer. There are different levels of privileges for each category.

Inviting Others To Contribute

To invite someone to contribute to your Outside Blog, go to your "My Home" page on ActiveRain. On the left hand sidebar, you'll see the link to your outside Blog referred to commonly as your "ActiveBlog." Click on the link and you'll be ready to invite others to contribute. They'll need to be a RainMaker Member in order to contribute posts to your Outside Blogs.

On your Outside Blog you will see a Black toolbar located across the top of your Blog. Select the "Members" link to invite and manage your contributors. When inviting others, you only need to use their AR Profile user name. Example: activebrad or arbob. Typing anything other than their correct user name will result in an error and no invitation will be sent. Be sure to visit the members profile to make sure you have their correct user name.

Once you click on the members link, the menu option will open allowing you to "Invite" a contributor. This is also where you can manage the "roles" of each contributor. To change the role of any contributor, click on the "Down Arrow" and select Author, Editor, or Contributor for that member. You can also delete a contributor from this screen by clicking on the red "delete" link located next to their name.

If you are invited to contribute to another members Outside Blog, you will have a link on your "My Home" page to either accept or decline their offer. Click on the link to "Accept" you can now add your posts to their Blog.

You will also be notified by email of their request, but you cannot "accept" or "decline" from the email.

To add your posts to an Outside Blog, put a check in the box(s) when creating your Blog posts on AR.

Outside Blog Contributor Roles

Author: Selecting the "Author Role" allows the contributor full access and rights to post entries without your moderation or approval. They can also assist you with Moderating other contributors posts. Author is the highest level role with the least amount of restriction.

Editor: Selecting the "Editor Role" allows that contributor to create and add posts to your Blog without your moderation or approval. They cannot assist you with the moderation process, they can only post to your Group or Team Outside Blog. Editor is the next level of role with the least amount of restriction.

Contributor: Selecting the "Contributor Role" gives the contributor the authority to create and add posts to your Blog but you need to review or moderate them first, then either accept or decline their entry. Contributor is a role with the least amount of priviledges and the most restriction.

Managing Posts from "Contributors"

If you select the "Contributor Role" for a member, be sure to check your "Review Pending Outside Blog Posts" link on your "My Home" page. The link is located at the very bottom of the page on the left hand sidebar. This is where you can accept or decline your contributors posts. Don't do as I did and forget to check it once in a while, otherwise your entries will get backed up.

To accept a "Contributors" post, just click on the green check mark. To decline, click the red dash mark.

One of the great benefits of the Outside Blog is that each one allows members the ability to add multiple authors and contributors. In my honest opinion, this brings a greater value to your Outside Blog. You can have multiple voices and opportunities to share and collaborate content which in turn results in more information, faster growth, and a variety of topics focused to your targeted readers. Especially for the niche markets that many of you have, this is a great way to saturate them with hyper-local content quickly and efficiently. I believe that one day very soon, every Brokerage, Real Estate Company and REALTOR team in the Country will have a Group, Team or Multi-Authored Blog.

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How to Insert Photos into your blog & Placing Properly to Make Them Pop!

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:52:12 -0700

If you started out like me and got frustrated with trying to get your pictures to go where you want them too this blog is for you! This teaches you how to move those pictures where you want them!

Via Jeremy Blanton ActiveRain Corp. (ActiveRain Corp.):

The number 1 question that I get asked each week by new members is how to insert photos into your blog and move them around. I would guess this question comes up anywhere from 3-5 times each week. Adding photographs to your ordinary blocks of text in a blog post can take your boring posts to another level.

However, many are confused on how to insert photos, or use the different components of ActiveRain's photo editor, so I am going to break this down into several components.

The first part I am going to show you is how to insert photos either from your computers Hard Drive, or from a link to the photo on a web hosting service like Flickr. (Remember to read the TOS of the web hosting site before uploading photographs for commercial use.)

The one advantage to loading your picture to a web hosting site first is that it gives you another link in your blog that helps to build your SEO & Google juice by linking from the photo site to your blog. You will notice that since I uploaded the picture of the Lilly Pads from my photo account, I have the ability to go back & place a link on it as well back to the photo album. Since the picture on the left came straight from my hard drive, there isn't a way to link back to another area. The other nice thing by linking this photograph is that if someone wants to see it much larger, they can click on the picture and will be directed straight to where the photo is available in full size.

This first video will just show the 2 different ways to insert a picture onto your blog. I broke this tutorial into two parts to keep the videos from becoming too long. When you are actually inserting the picture into your blog, you would do both processes of both tutorials before clicking the update button.

This second video shows you how to align the photo in your post, re-size it & also place some white-space around your picture so that the words of your post do not run into your picture.

Here are a few final reminders for inserting photos onto your blog:

Do not use any photo that is not yours without written permission from the owner. Using a photo without permission can result in an instant lawsuit and cost you thousands of dollars!

Remember the importance of labeling your photos!

Keep your photos on your ActiveRain blog under 550 pixels in width. Any wider than that and you can run into major layout issues on your Outside Blog.

Turn off Pop-Up Blockers. The number #1 issue that people run into when trying to insert a picture is that they have a pop-up blocker that is prohibiting them from loading a photo. Sometimes even after changing the settings they run into issues. If this is the case, hold in the CTRL button on your keyboard when clicking the links and it should allow the boxes to load properly.

Give Credit to the Photographer. Some places have a creative commons license which allows you to use another persons photo, but you must give them credit for taking the picture.

The photos I used for this demonstration were taken from my Flickr Set that were taken on my recent trip to Atlanta & our journey to the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

I hope this tutorial answers any questions you may have on how to insert an image into your blog. If you have any other, do not hesitate to contact me.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Add a "Call Me Now" Button to Your ActiveRain Blog - Google Voice Widget

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:49:04 -0700

Fast food is popular for a reason. The easier it is to contact you the more contacts you will receive. This explains how to create a button that can be placed on your blogs allowing a reader to instantly connect with you.

Via Sam DeBord - Seattle Real Estate Broker- Agent-Realtor http://SeattleHome.com (RE/MAX Seattle Real Estate):

Last week I wrote a post on Google Voice for real estate professionals, how to sign up, and its features/uses. I recently added the Google Voice widget to my ActiveRain blog, and it's easy to set up once you have an account (thanks to Bob Southard in GA for the inspiration). There's one permanently on my sidebar (to the right) and one in this post (below).

**If you can't see the widgets, they sometimes load slowly. For reliability, I'd recommend placing them in your sidebar over directly in a post**

You need a Google Voice account first, apply for an invitation at voice.google.com. Set up your name, phone numbers, and forwarding phones. After your account has been full set up:

1. Log into Google Voice and Click on "Settings" on the upper right.

2. Select the "Call Widgets" tab.

3. Select "Add a new Call Widget", fill out the forms for your appropriate phone, and Save.

4. Copy the "Embed" Code from the box shown above.

Move over to ActiveRain.

1. Click on "My Home" in the upper right corner.

2. Click on "Settings" on the left sidebar.

3. Paste the code into the "Blog Description" box.

4. Don't forget to press the "Update" button below the box to save the code.

(Option 2 - To insert directly into post - only for those comfortable editing the HTML of your posts)
At the top of your post window, click on the "HTML" tab instead of the "WYSIWIG" Tab.
Paste Google Voice code directly into HTML code and save.
The reliability of this has been quirky, if you go back and edit with WYSIWIG.

Now you have a functional, web-calling feature on your Active Rain blog. So, why wouldn't people just call you directly? Isn't a phone number easier? Does it even makes sense for a person to click on a web button, have Google locate and ring your phone, calling the customer back, and then connecting the two of you?

Of course it is doesn't make sense, but people are curious. Someone who may not want to call an agent directly might just want to know how Google Voice works. They may click on the button, call you, and just say:

"Hi, I'm Tony in Ballard, I was on your blog and just thought I'd click on the Call Button to see how it works."

You may have never spoken with Tony otherwise. Every contact counts.

Sam DeBord and Brian Wiegand
Seattle Homes and Seattle Condos for sale on SeattleHome.com
Seattle Waterfront Homes - RE/MAX Real Estate Brokers

How To Track and Monitor Your Blog Statistics and Traffic

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:45:10 -0700

Want to know how much traffic that blog you wrote is getting? We have all the Statistics with the click of a button learn how many people are reading your information.

Via Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain):

5 Tools and Resources for Tracking and Monitoring Your Blog or sites Traffic and Statistics

Now that you are getting more traffic and results from your Blog posts, it's helpful and very informative to see where that traffic is coming from and what articles are getting you a variety of results. I've put together this list of some tracking tools that are available on the web that will help you monitor your statistics and traffic results. Hopefully these tools and resources will allow you to see what areas, topics, and Blog posts you can improve on based on the results of the information you can capture.

Your "RainMaking" Stats

#1 - ActiveRain Statistics - Your Basic ActiveRain Traffic stats for Comments, Views & Clicks. This is located on your ActiveRain "My Home" page and can be found in the lower left hand sidebar. You can just click on "Statistics" to get your Blogs results.

The Global Overview

#2 - ClusterMaps - See where your traffic and visitors are coming from geographically. Their Widget allows you to share with others on your site or Blog. The interesting thing about ClusterMaps is that you'll see how many thousands of people are reading your stuff from all over the world. Sharing this information with others somehow seems to generate even more traffic and more visitors from other locations.

A FREE Parking Meter

#3 - SiteMeter - This one offers various reports and information regarding traffic and visitors to your Blog or website. With their detailed reporting methods and tools, you'll have a clearer picture of who is visiting your site, how they found you, where they came from, and what interests them plus a ton more. This was the first tracker I ever installed on my ActiveRain Blog.

An Active Measure of Results

#4 - ActiveMeter - Similar to Sitemeter, it works well on the ActiveRain network and offers some tools the others don't. It is coincidentally called ActiveMeter but is NOT a product of ActiveRain. Most web site analytics measure the number of web visits, unique visitors, pages viewed and returning visitors. So does ActiveMeter, but with one difference; they do it in a "web visitor-centric manner", which means in many cases, you'll know who visited, and exactly where from.

The Best Part of a "Click"

#5 - Get Clicky - A great tracker and real-time stat recorder for any Blog or website. The Free version is limited but works well. Get Clicky gives real-time statistics to fine tune your Blog posts, sites and marketing campaigns to help you gain optimal performance. This tracker tells you what is happening on your site right now. It may be one of the easiest and fastest ways to keep a pulse on your Blog or websites activity.

Note: Google Analytics is another great tool but currently only works on ActiveRain Outside Blogs.

All of these tools are FREE and available on the web. It's a matter of preference as to which ones (or all) will work best for you. I have tried each of them and currently run all 5 on my ActiveRain Blog. Each one offers different information, stats, and reports that I have found useful at one time or another. The key is knowing how to use them to better your Blog.

The better your Blog and posts, the better your traffic and results will be. These reports and analytics help you see your Blog posts and sites differently, more from a visitor or readers perspective. Knowing what works and what may be falling short will help you to make quicker and more decisive decisions about changes, and the necessary improvements needed to your Blog posts. They've helped me.

How do you install these trackers and widgets on your Blog? Just Follow these instructions.

The "Building Better Blogs" Series

How To Create A Blog Post for Customers and Search Engines

Create Stickiness, Increase Traffic, Get Visitors Coming Back

How To Find Popular Search Terms, Keywords, Topics and Phrases

Google's SEO Starter Guide - Tips to Know about SEO

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Share your knowledge and the secrets of your hometown!

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:43:41 -0700

This is a good example of how video can be used to not only promote a listing but to introduce and share your community to future buyers.

Via Fred Light - Real Estate Video Tours for MA and NH (| Nashua Video Tours):

When most buyers and sellers are searching online - especially early in their search - the last thing they are interested in is a house salesperson!
What they are looking for is education, information, listings, and generally learning the process of home buying or selling as they casually sift through and absorb the seemingly endless amounts of information available online.

If you want to learn about cities such as Boston or Chicago or any other major city, it's very easy to find plenty of that online. But if you're interested in a small, residential community or a small neighborhood in a major city, it can be very difficult to find out ANYTHING about these small communities. (generally it's a short paragraph that came from the Chamber of Commerce site that every Realtor lifted for their site!)

One of the single best ways to make your website "sticky", to showcase a small neighborhood and it's quirky shops, neighborhoods and residents is to do a community video tour! Not only that, at the same time you are selling yourself... your knowledge of the community. Inotherwords, you're giving people what they want (information on the community) and at the same time, giving them an opportunity to meet and see you (what they don't want!).

The shelf life of a community video is essentially - forever! Over time, building a library of community videos can provide a rich addition to your website, separate you from virtually all of your competitors and at the same time showcase you as the community "expert".

It's a "win-win"!

How to Create a Blog Post for Customers and Search Engines

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:41:31 -0700

This blog is basic training on what we here at AR cover on how to get your blogs to the top of Google. This is a good start for new bloggers that want to be successful in getting in front of consumers.

Via Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain):

How to Create a Blog Post for Customers and Search Engines.

There are three important audiences to be writing for: 1. Other members and friends of your Social Networks. 2. Consumers, Subscribers, and a Target Audience of readers. 3. Search Engines. I'm sure this is preaching to the choir, but this is important information to be shared if you want to get maximum exposure and results from your Blog posts with consumers, visitors, and with Google. Google Juice? I'll drink to that! :-)

Blogging for Customers and Search Engines correctly is a key component to a successful Blog.

Using these effective strategies and time tested methods when creating your post can make a huge difference. The first thing when writing a post is to determine the audience you are writing for, the product or concept you're promoting, and the geographic market you are targeting. In this scenario, we are creating a Blog post to drive readers, consumers, and search engines to your Blog which is All About Your Area. Things like "Vacant Land", "Open Houses", "Loan Modifications", "Tax Credit", "Pest Control", "Relocation", "Market Statistics", "Short Sales", "Condos" etc.

1. How to title a blog post: Use a title that a customer would type into Google. example: "Open Houses in Mesquite Nevada" Targeting Neighborhoods and focusing on Communities are best, but you can also use City/State. Most searches by consumers always include a geographic area. example: "Vacant Land For Sale in Bend, Oregon" Don't just title your post "Vacant Land For Sale" as it probably won't get indexed to a specific location and will likely get lost in the Search Engine Abyss. (SEO abyss = page 24 of Google)

2. Repeat the title in BOLD in the first sentence of your blog post. example: "Vacant Land For Sale in Bend, Oregon" and now priced better than ever! Build your dream home in Bend, Oregon!" By creating the first sentence of your post to include the title and BOLD key search words, terms, or phrases, you'll increase the potential of being found and then read. That first sentence is typically the first sentence that shows up under your TITLE within the Google search results. It's an important part of getting the search engines to recognize your topic and see it's relative content. It's also what will help a consumer decide if they want to click on your link or NOT!

3. Write your blog posts to the title...then add in good content that a customer would want to know about. It takes a bit more time to think this strategy through, but the results and rewards will be tremendous. This in NOT the only way to gain SEO and more exposure, but it's a great place to start if you're new to Blogging and are wanting quicker results from your time and efforts here.

Creating posts and Understanding Long tail and Short tail search terms: Short tail searches are just that, very short keyword searches. example: "Homes for sale" or "Homes For Sale Austin, Texas". This is where most searches begin during the early stages of research by consumers. The Long tail search comes into play the closer consumers get to making a final purchase decision. example: "Gated Community Homes For Sale With a Pool in Austin Texas" Justin Smith explains more about Long tail/ Short tail searches in his post. You can also find more details by searching Google for "Long tail and Short tail searches." Here's a video that might help make heads or "tails" about this.

4. Go through your blog post and make sure that the words of your title are repeated a minimum of at least three or four times. At least one time every other paragraph or so. You should also bold those keywords so they stand out to the reader and to the search engines. You need to be somewhat creative in doing this and remember, don't over do it.

5. Tag your blog posts with other keywords and phrases the customer may type into Google. These should be topic related and relevant to your post. Do not try to game the search engines by packing in keywords that have nothing to do with the post, this will do more harm than good in most if not all cases. Also make sure to include images and links to relative sites, this will create more stickiness and add value to your posts.

Creating a Blog Post for Customers and Search engines is not that difficult once you understand some of these basic concepts and then practice and apply them on a regular basis. This is not to say you shouldn't write about other topics both personal and business, even those can be tailored to get you better results with customers and search engines. We tested this theory on the Fourth of July Weekend and you should see some of the results ActiveRain members experienced. It really does work.

I hope you can use these tips on "How to Create a Blog Post for Customers and Search Engines."
VERY IMPORTANT: If your post on ActiveRain is (MEMBERS ONLY) then none of the above applies.

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Finding Popular Search Terms, Keywords, Topics and Phrases

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:39:50 -0700

Simple and very effective way to find search titles using Google. This will also show you the number of people per month that type in a given search term, this allows you to strategically chose the most effective blog titles for your target audience.

Via Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain):

How To Find the Most Popular Search Terms, Specific Keywords, Hot Topics, and Phrases for your Blog.

In a previous post "How To Create A Blog Post for Customers and Search Engines" I made the comment about picking your title (something someone would search for in the search engines) and then writing your post to match the title. Much like a song writer picks a topic or title, and writes the song or music around that title or subject. Knowing what topics are "HOT" and which keywords and phrases are most used in the search engines could be a valuable and powerful piece to the Blogging puzzle.

The best rule-of-thumb is to always write compelling content that attracts the attention and interest of readers. it makes a significant difference and impact when you know what key phrases and search terms people are searching for. If you can figure out what consumers are typing (the exact keywords or phrases) then writing your Blog posts to match those searches should bring you even greater success.

Here's some Google tools and ways to find out what searches and keywords are being used.
(Be sure you take a moment and setup your FREE Google account in order to utilize these tools)

1. Google Trends

Google Trends allows you to see what's "HOT" in terms of searches currently being made on Google. You can enter your own search terms to see how they rank and rate in different geographic areas. Another link to visit is the Google TOP HOT TRENDS, which are the top 100 searches. This page is updated hourly.

2. Google Insights

Google has some great tools, but they require spending some time understanding "How They Work" in order for you to maximize their power and potential. Google Insights For Search (in simple terms) allows you to "See what the world is searching for" with the ability to filter by content, geographic location, time frames, and categories.

3. Google Search-Based Keywords

Signing up for Google Adwords does not mean you have to use the pay per click or incorporate them into your site, but it does allow you to use some of these tools like "Google Search-based Keyword Tool" which enables you to search sites and filter keywords and terms. I used Google.com and the term Real Estate to see what the most common searches were on Google. This is a great tool and will really be an eye opener.

4. Google AdWords Keyword

Need more ideas for Keywords or phrases? This is one of my favorites. Just when you think you have covered every possible keyword or search worthy term or phrase, Google Adwords Keyword Tool suggests even more. You can use this "keyword tool" to get new ideas by using the filters provided. Also use synonyms to enhance your creative ideas for suggested phrases or terms.

5. Google Auto-Suggest

Google.com/WebHp looks like a regular Google search engine with one unique and hidden difference. It has the "Google Auto Suggest" tool. As you begin to type in your "keywords" or "Search Terms and Phrases" Google pulls up the most searched terms and phrases around your search terms. As you begin to type in the search box, a list of common terms and keywords most searched automatically populates below your search terms. These are some keywords and terms you might want to consider using in future Blog posts.

6. Beyond The Google Tool Box

Beyond the Google Tool Box, there are other sites like WordTracker, SEOTools, and CopyBlogger that offer some pretty simple and nifty solutions to finding and discovering what your "customers are searching" for. WordTracker even offers a FREE Keyword Research Guide. Take your time learning and understanding some of these tools, they will save you time in the long run and make you more profitable once you apply what you have learned.

Using the Best Search Terms, Keywords, Topics, and Phrases will boost your SEO, traffic, and business.

How To Create A Blog Post for Consumers and Search Engines

Create Stickiness, Increase Traffic and Get Visitors Coming Back

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The Little Blog That Could - Rainmaker!

Douglas Ching — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:36:14 -0700

A beautiful testimonial from a Rainmaker that found a way to make more then just a living with the right tools and education.

Via Virginia Hepp - Mesquite NV MLS - Sun City Mesquite - Buyer Representative (ERA - Mesquite NV Homes For Sale):

This is a success story of a little blog that convinced me that being a Rainmaker is the best thing I have going for me in my real estate business - how the power of one blog post written by an amateur could make the difference between looking for a job and looking for an assistant.

My daughter, Annie, is a virtual assistant and does my website - she signed me up for Active Rain and mentioned it about 6 months later. She didn't know anything about real estate, but recognized that Active Rain is a powerful real estate site, even then. (Are your kids smarter than you, too?) I didn't know what a blog was or that it could propel my little website to the first page of Google for a whole lot of keywords.

I didn’t even know what a url was, keyword, link - I didn’t even know how to text! I was 55 years old - old dogs can’t learn new tricks, right? Hey - was I ever wrong about that!

A few months later, I was exploring the blogs on Active Rain, and thought, “I can do this.”

Hey - I was right about that! I started reading blogs on how to blog - I learned it right here on Active Rain. Soon, this old dog was using and getting business from those new tricks. My daughter is now my virtual assistant and webmaster - she built my Mesquite NV Homes and Condos website herself - her first website. ($4.95 a month plus $7.00 per year for the url) It moved from page 88 to page 1 of Google for many keywords since I joined AR and started blogging. It only took about 5 posts.

All of my business is coming from my AR blog and the links to my website from it. I don't mail stuff, I don't do floor time, I don't cold call. I blog on Active Rain. My website traffic increased dramatically when I added Hit Router, too. It goes right to my Mesquite Nevada MLS signup page that my daughter created for me - we don’t have IDX here, yet - but it is working well because of my AR blog links to it.

I wrote this post about Sun City Mesquite before I had learned how to use keywords, add pictures and links. I went back later and added them - the page views and clicks increased immediately and have been going up ever since - now 6595 page views and 5654 clicks on that one blog post and still going. I didn’t know it then, but that is HUGE. People were finding my blog from keyword searches.

Anyway - one Friday, I got a phone call from an out of state buyer who said they were coming to town to buy a house in Sun City Mesquite.

I said, “Who referred you to me?”

“Oh, we have been reading your blog for awhile and decided to call you when we are ready.”

Well, they were ready - they bought a new spec home in Sun City Monday morning with cash and it closed 2 weeks later.

I still didn’t get it. I thought I just got lucky.

Same week, I got another call from the same old post. They bought a new house on the next street.

Then I got it. So I wrote a few more posts about the same hot neighborhood and put them on my AR outside blog - everything about real estate goes there now - I don’t want to share my page views, the only face on my outside blog is mine. The only links on my outside blog are mine. All mine.

End of story of that one blog post?

No. It is still working for me. When sellers google their neighborhood, they are looking for someone who knows something about it. And they are looking for a real estate agent that will provide lots of visibility for their property - they want it on the internet, not just on Realtor.com and other bulk sites.

I have 2 current listings from that post, one of which closes escrow next week - the buyer‘s agent sent my blog post about it to the out of state buyer. :)

My other Sun City Mesquite resale home for sale will sell soon - no doubt about that - My AR Google juice is working on that one.

EDIT - SOLD - from a call on the above blog!

Another in escrow with a buyer who lives in Saudi Arabia and called on my blog. She is building a new Sun City home, will be done in September.

And one more in escrow from it - I am not sure which post in the series this buyer saw first - same subdivision - closes in August. Number 5!

Last week Annie added a page to my website just for Sun City Mesquite Resales. Of course, it is ranked already and comes right up in searches - because I link to it from my blogs.

I am a Rainmaker - my blog is viral!

Any questions about why you should be a Rainmaker, too?

I believe in paying it forward. Call me if you need any help with your AR blog. 702.622.1177