Real Estate Web Marketing Blog

Twitter like You've Never Ever Seen It!

2008-07-21T18:44:13Z

Yes - This Post is All About .Me!

Just call this a gratuitous solicitation of Twitter followers on a grand scale but this is all about .me! I'm not prone to recommend you go out and begin buying up all kinds of .me's but given the right scenario I say go for it especially if it were .me.

BTW - My Twitter username is Realestatecoach and you can Twitter .me!

In our preparation to attend the Inman Connect conference, Brad and .me (bad grammer!) decided to pull out all the stops to make it easy for people to connect with .us. No wait, that's a different extension. Armed with our new iPhones, Brad and I set about creating the following portals to make it easier for our "connected friends" to connect with .us, I mean contact .me.

So whether you are headed out to San Francisco for the Inman Connect or staying back at home doing what you do best, youcanfollow.me!

See .me in SFO!

Bobby

Your Crystal Coast Blogger

8 Reasons Why a Home Buyer or Seller Should Hire a Real Estate Agent Who Blogs

2008-07-20T15:20:56Z

Want to separate the men from the boys and the women from the little girls? Show your potential clients the myriad of reasons why they should hire you, the high-powered real estate blogger instead of an agent who knows nothing of blogging. In my experience training, consulting and building blogs and websites, real estate professionals who blog stand head and shoulders above the crowd for many reasons. It's time you leveraged that fact and differentiated yourself from your peers.

How Are You Different You Ask?

Real estate bloggers possess unique qualifications, knowledge and abilities other agents who don't blog seldom if ever grasp. Below are a few of the many qualities I have observed as we work with real estate agent bloggers:

RE Bloggers have a better understanding of the basic principals of SEO. Why? Because a really good RE blogger reads and devours information in an effort to push the envelop of their on-line identity. That means they are constantly seeking wisdom and implementing discovered SEO best practices.
Most RE bloggers are really good marketers! Besides their AR/Localism blog, and numerous other online social media sites, sharp RE bloggers utilize national sites like Trulia, Zillow, and many other sites to syndicate their listings offering even greater value over their competitors.
Some RE bloggers are even wired into to micro-bloggging at Twitter to gain an "instant" feed of content in hopes of picking up a SEO nugget or pearl of wisdom along the way. This is a prime example that many RE bloggers have an in-depth knowledge of blogging technology and use it to their full advantage.

For the Rest of the Story - Go to the Crystal Coast Blog

Head over to the informational resource for the Crystal Coast now!

Helping you articulate your value to your market with your real estate websites and blogs,

Bobby

Your Emerald Isle Real Estate Resource

Domain Names as We Know Them Will Never Be The Same!

2008-06-27T08:49:02Z

Frustrated by the lack of good .com domain names? What if you could purchase MLS.search or Raleigh.realestate. In a ground shaking move, 1500 members of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) organization meeting in Paris this week annouced a sweeping expansion to the naming convention of domains. This domain extension expansion most likely will radically alter the way users navigate the web.

The Current Standards for Domains

As you know all web addresses currently in use today fall under one of 21 top-level domain names. They are:

.country
.territory domains

And some generic ones in current use include:

.com (the most popular and prefered)
.net
.org
.gov
.edu
.aero

What Could New Domains Look like?

So what would the new extensions look like? Try .realestate as in CrystalCoastBlog.realestate or Raleigh.realestate or DrinkPepsiProducts.Pepsi for your favorite soft drink or DrinkBud.Budweiser or BuyF150.Ford. You get the picture. Of course, ICAAN stated it would consider preserving the integrity of trademarked names through what they call an "objection process". Implementation of the new extensions is slated for the second quarter of 2009.

I Hear the Domain Squatters Coming Out of the Woodwork!

So if this happens, all you domain squatters get your wallets ready. The race will be on for the prized new .RealEstate domains with this possible extension.

Helping you stay informed on the latest happenings in the world of domains,

Bobby

Your Crystal Coast Blogger

More Google Juice for Your Online Presence!

2008-06-18T07:57:54Z

I am always "on the prowl" for new websites, and online social communities to create SEO-rich profiles for our clients so they can take advantage of the "Google Juice" and "Link Endorsement" opportunities these powerful websites provide. Ureaka! I struck the mother load last night. It was all because of a Google Alert I had set up for my keyword "Crystal Coast real estate".

I Feel the Love!

This new one I found last night is the online social community of writers, reporters and photoraphers called NowPublic. Just to make sure this portal passes some serious Google juice, I checked with Brad and he said "I feel the link love!"

Strictly News!

With the NowPublic site, it is purely a news reporting website so anything that smells faintly “spammy” will be red flagged by the moderators. So I strongly urge you to keep your post all about real “news” about your market to the readers and you will be just fine.

The Link Hound

Because I tend to be just as much of a link "hound" as my buddy Kevin Tomlinson (Kev uses a much stronger word for "hound"), I always want to "sample" the love too and make sure the portal is safe for our clients! Here is what I started at Now Public with my profile at NowPublic. Notice I didn't use my name in the username. Instead, I choose to follow Brad's advice for setting up an SEO-rich profile.

Running in Fast Company!

While it's been the subject of a few posts here at AR, no one has actually discussed setting up an SEO keyword-rich profile, and adding your website link at the online social community of Fast Company. Joe Manausa took my advice and created himself a profile plus Joe wrote a post at Fast Company as well. Now Joe enjoys more visibility for his website and it adds another endorsement link to his long list of backlinks to his Tallahassee real estate website and his blog.

Do you want more traffic going to your blogs and your websites? If so, be sure to set up your SEO-rich profiles at Fast Company and at NowPublic and start enjoying the power of the juice - the Google Juice!

UPDATE: Mary makes a valid point in her comment below. These online endorsement sites must be maintained and updated with fresh content on a fairly consistent basis if you're to maximize the link opportunity. When structuring your blogging time, it's important you keep that in mind.

Helping you attract more traffic and more SEO power for your real estate websites and blogs,

Bobby

P.S. BTW - If you found this post interesting, I encourage you to visit the Crystal Coast Blog and read my post on If You Build It Will They Come?

Why I Admire Ray Kinsella - He's a Dream Builder!

2008-06-10T07:54:10Z

And you thought I was going to use - If You Build It They Will Come as my title. More on that later!

The Harmonic Convergence - A Good Movie About Baseball (or just about any other sport for that matter)!

There are two things in this life I really enjoy - baseball and a good movie. When these two elements come together, it's magic. The stars and the planets come into alignment - there is a harmonic convergence!

Personal Favorites!

My personal favorites include sports movie's like beautifully made - Field of Dreams, even zanny Major League, equally zanny A League of Their Own, the heart-warming movie The Rookie with Dennis Quade, the magical movie The Natural starring Robert Redford are many of my all-time favorites. I also love other sports movies including Remember the Titans with Denzel Washington and Will Patton, the inspiring movie Hoosiers with Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper, and many more.

Lessons Learned From Ray Kinsella

If you recall the movie Field of Dreams, the main character Ray Kinsella, played by Kevin Costner (and all the ladies went aaah!), hears voices. People thought he was crazy. I happen to believe Ray was a visionary. Other Kinsella qualities I admire include:

His tenacity
His risk-taker mentality
His zeal and belief in his dream
His refusal to listen to his negative naysayers

Ray followed through with his dream and we know the end of the story.

The Story Continues - Building Field of Dreams Websites and Blogs

Of course, many real estate website developers have blogged the movie title Field of Dreams - If You Build It They Will Come. I've taken a slightly different approach on this theme and recommend you check it out on my Crystal Coast Blog.

Be sure to leave a comment over at my Crystal Coast Blog too!

Helping You Build Your "Field of Dreams" website!

Bobby

10 Ways to Ensure Failure with Your Online Presence!

2008-06-03T08:02:53Z

I realize I'm "preachin to the choir" here at Active Rain, but for a few agents out there, this post outlines the way you will approach your online strategy. Of course failure can be defined in many ways when it comes to creating real estate websites and blogs. For the sake of this post, I'll be discussing fundamental strategies that many real estate professionals experience when building, then launching a website/blog and waiting for the first interaction to appear in your inbox from your website/blog. For many, you're in for a long wait if you use these strategies.

10 Can't Miss Ways to Set Yourself Up for Failure in the Online World

Base your website on some obscure brand new domain name that includes no reference to your target market. Don't forget to use dashes, numbers and cryptic spellings in your domain name to make it a greater challenge for anyone to ever find you on Google, Yahoo or MSN. If all else fails, simply use a vanity domain name especially if no one has ever heard of you in your area!
Launch your website with the same bland content used by thousands of other real estate agents. You won't be penalized, but your site will never receive much attention from the search engines. Why should they? Your website doesn't contribute to the greater good of the WWW.
Never add any new, original keyword-rich content to your website. If you must add content, just add a link to your local chamber of commerce website in your community links page. Just remember, your too busy to write content or have someone else write it for you.
Never create an original, SEO keyword-rich profile on any authority site and link it to your website. Besides, it takes to long to create keyword-rich profiles and links from authority sites like AR, Squidoo, Zillow, Trulia, Inman Wiki and many other authority websites to your website. Always stay away from online social communities to link back to your website or blog. You can always say you're much too busy to do it anyway!
Speaking of blogs, never create a personal blog! If you must create a blog, build it and never write a post there. If you must post, by all means just post your listings and/or rip-off articles from other media outlets and post those to your blog.
Never drive traffic to your website via your email signature by including your web address.
Speaking of driving traffic to your website, never include your website address on any postcard, letterhead, or other marketing material. If you must add your website address on a marketing piece, do your best to hide it or the minimum make it really, really small so no one will ever find it!
Never use a pay-per-click strategy to increase traffic to your site. If you must use PPC, have the link from your poorly written ad go to some page on your website that is devoid of a site interaction opportunity. That way, the lead will simply leave your site to never be seen again.
If by some miracle, a consumer completes a form on your website or leaves a comment on your blog, ignore it. You can always call it a bogus lead or spam.
Launch your blog and/or website and do absolutely nothing with it! Then go back to your web or real estate marketing partner and ask how come your website/blog never generates any business for you. If they ask you what you do to market your website or blog, you can always say you're too busy to do any of that stuff!

There are many other online marketing strategies agents never use to enhance their online presence. What others come to your mind?

Helping you attract, keep and encourage your site visitors to engage with you,

Bobby

P.S. BTW - If you found this post interesting, I encourage you to visit the Crystal Coast Blog and read my post on Real Estate SEO 101!

If the Internet Went Away Could You Still Sell a House?

2008-05-29T23:10:19Z

Years ago before Al Gore invented the Internet, as a Raleigh real estate agent for Merrill Lynch, I rode around with a trunk full of MLS books. When "I found a buyer", I would "ask probing questions" to my home buyers of what they were looking for in their next home. We would cover the "basic stuff" like their budget, the number of bedrooms, baths they needed, and high priority items like location, schools and so forth. From there I would slowly identify their other "needs" (got to have it - can't buy a home without it) as well as their "wants" (I want it but if I can't have it that's ok). If a buyer came to me with their needs and wants list, I was in heaven! In those days that seldom happened. Armed with my answers, I "hit the books" for my clients to find them the home that best fit their needs.

The Age of the Internet

In this age of the Internet, buyers "come to RE professionals" via the agent website with their list of homes they want to see eliminating the need for the agent to "ask the probing questions". So have agents lost the art of looking deep into the needs (and wants) of a prospect and asking all the right questions? I wonder.

Helping you attract, keep and encourage your site visitors to engage with you,

Bobby

P.S. BTW - If you found this post interesting, I encourage you to visit the Crystal Coast Blog and read my post on Real Estate SEO 101!

What does Copywriting Have to do with SEO?

2008-05-28T07:58:44Z

Everything! You've heard it mentioned here at Active Rain before, CONTENT IS KING! If copywriting is so important to SEO why is it the very last thing real estate professionals think about, if they even think about it at all? I know the reason why. It takes time, effort, resources and action for organically sound SEO copy to be written. And that doesn't happen by accident. Yes, there is actually a thought process that should occur when organically sound SEO copy is written for a real estate website (or any website for that matter).

What the Experts Have to Say About Copywriting Skills

Because of the driving need among search engine optimization companies, one of the much sought after skillsets in the world of search engine marketing today is copywriters. Remember, this requires the copywriter understand how to write for search engines and at the same time attract, keep and compell online consumers to take action. Last year in a reader poll conducted by Top Rank Marketing the question was asked "What type of SEO skill is most important?" The #1 response on the reader poll was copywriting at 32% followed by keyword analyst at 14%. For a complete breakdown of the reader's poll, check it out.

So What is the Process to Writing Sound SEO Web Copy?

Remember, writing solid, SEO-rich copy is a tap-dance. It's a delicate balance between pleasing the search engines with proper keyword usage and offering appealing copy that "speaks" to the wants, needs and fears of your target audience all without sounding "spammy". Remember, the goal here is to show value and encourage interaction.

Copywriting with a Purpose!

Copywriting for maximized SEO also includes using relational keywords that "attract" the search engines as well. For our industry, it means including traditional industry-related words like listings, buyers, sellers, property, area, attorney, information, homes among many others. So is it a stab in the dark to just "stuff" your copy with these relational keywords or is there some "rhyme or reason" to it? Believe it or not, smart copywriters use a tool I've written about before called Quintura. Quintura tells me the related keywords often used as part of a search. Yes, these relational keywords very from area to area based on the particular search phrase. That way I know I'm giving my client's websites the very best opportunity to attract the search engines. That's copywriting with a purpose! Among the other tools smart SEO-centric copywriters use daily are Wordtracker, Keyword Density tool and last but most important - our two ears. Excellent copywriters must possess superior listening skills and know the right probing questions to ask about you and your market. That way your website gives a flavor of the value you provide to consumers!

Gotcha You Thinking Now!

So the next time you think about building a real estate website, or adding more content to your website, maybe you will give careful consideration to the value of your content. Yes - I'm a firm believer CONTENT IS KING! What about you?

Helping you attract, keep and encourage your site visitors to engage with you,

Bobby

P.S. BTW - If you found this post interesting, I encourage you to visit the Crystal Coast Blog and read my post on Real Estate SEO 101!

Bad Print Ad! Take a Look

2008-05-21T07:14:23Z

Working in the real estate marketing business is tons of fun. However, my wife says I'm way too critical of print ads and web sites. It seems the tables have now turned. Just the other morning while reading the Sunday paper, my wife commented to me how bad a particular newspaper ad was. She's was right! Here's the deal, her thumb was covering the lone reference on the ad to "where" this festival was taking place, plus the reference is really small. Duhhh... that might be critical piece of information to know. Take look... don't blink you might miss the location of the event!

Did You Figure it Out?

Now granted the original print ad is "a little" clearer than the scanned copy I have provided. Trust me, the orginal version with the lone location reference is just as "fuzzy". If you figured out that the event was being held in "Myrtle Beach" congratulations. Granted, I'm not familar with this particular event but appearantly the organizers are operating under the delusion and assumption that everyone else knows where this festival is being held. Get this, I've been to Mrytle Beach on many occassions. It's a pretty big place. Granted I'm not from Myrtle Beach, but the problem is I have "no clue" where to find this Sun Fun Festival once I'm headed to Myrtle Beach. Where should I book my room if I want to be close to the event?

Let's Review the Basics of Print Advertising

Please do you and your readers a big favor when creating a print ad (or any other ad for that matter). Answer these basic questions:

What - Tell your readers "what" the event is all about (in this particular ad they did a good job bulleting this info-bravo!)
Where - Tell your readers "where" the event is being held (as in exact location and maybe directions to the event). If multiple locations are involved, make sure that information is in the ad.
When - Be sure to give dates and event times too. In my example, they missed the boat with this!
Who - Through graphics and copy, suggest who the event is targeted to. In this particular example there is a mixed message. On the one hand, it is easy to recognize the animated characters (Scooby and Mr. Neutron) but then again, who are the people in the photos at the top of the ad. Is that a picture of "Stevie Wonder or Rueben Studdard"? (I think this is a clear indication I don't watch enough TV if I cant' recognize these so-called celebrities - boy I feel really old!) Kids - turn down that music! :>)
Why - Explain why the event is being held. If there are charitable organizations involved be sure to mention it. "To benefit" the Susan G. Komen Foundation... or whatever.
Website references - ALWAYS include your website in the print ad and make sure it occupies at least 30% of the ad space!

Many of You Still Use Print Ads

And the debate of their effectiveness in the world of real estate marketing rages on. For those of you that continue use the medium, be sure you're doing it right. Do you recognize examples of bad ads?

Helping you in your real estate marketing efforts,

Bobby

Your Real Estate Marketing Partner

P.S. Be sure to visit my blog on the Crystal Coast!

Abandoned Real Estate Blogs - Is It a Growing Trend in Our Industry?

2008-05-10T17:16:10Z

It seems a week doesn't go by that a Dakno blogging boot camp student doesn't ask that million dollar question, "What should I blog about?" I like the fact that they are asking the question. New bloggers are so energized and enthusiastic. They still have that sparkle in their eyes. And when they get their new blog, you would think it's Christmas morning all over again. I've heard Christmas arrives each day for 80,000 new blog sites. That's a lot of new blogs hitting the blogosphere. On the flip side, I wonder how many blogs were abandoned today?

The Reasons for Shipwrecked Blogs

Too often I see relics of old blogs left high and dry, abandoned by their owners. What a shame. These valuable online tools going to waste. No doubt, the owners:

Became "to busy" to write post
Maybe lost interest never recognizing the real value in blogging
Maybe even suffered blogger's burnout
Perhaps encountered a terminal case of writers block

Other Reasons for Shipwrecks

Then again, maybe the blog owners had legitimate reasons for putting their blog aside. Could it be they chose another blogging platform and left the old blog for a new one? If you must do this, why not place a static "page" as your landing page on the old blog so it's not so immediately evident the blog has been abandoned.

Either way, as a real estate web marketing consultant and blogging enthusiast, it saddens me to see these portals left behind. Honestly, I can't understand why the blog owner doesn't just put the poor thing out of its misery. Why even pay the hosting fees to keep the poor thing alive? Especially if it doesn't bring you business or help you with your SEO strategy.

Can a Consumer Tell if a Blog Has Been Abandoned?

I think so. With most blogs there are tell-tale signs that a blog has been ignored. It's real easy to see when the last dated post was added. Besides, many blog post contain a "calendar" in the side bar which is a clear indication when the last blog post might have been written.

What Kind of Message Does an Abandon Blog Send

Does it matter that a blog has been abandoned? Again, I have to indicate in the affirmative. So I began to ponder what difference it might make to a consumer.

Do you think it could communicate to the consumer that the blogger was "less than professional" not maintaining their site?
Is it possible consumers might conclude that the owner of the "failed blog" might be a good starter of initiatives but be viewed as a "poor" finisher?
Could an agent simply say, "I became too busy to maintain my blog" and a consumer accept that answer without making any negative judgments?

Maybe. Right or wrong, reality or perception, what message do you think an abandoned blog sends to consumers? Do you think it makes a difference? Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Helping you blog smarter!

Bobby Carroll

Your Real Estate Marketing Partner

P.S. Be sure to visit my blog on the Crystal Coast!

Does Your Real Estate Website Leak?

2008-05-05T09:52:19Z

As a real estate marketing firm, our marketing consultants are called upon occasionally to perform website evaluations. One of the biggest problems we identify on many agent websites today is the problem of website "leakage". Well, it really shouldn't be called "leakage". It's more like "escape by invitation". So does your real estate website provide your site visitors with an easy way to escape. To often many agents are oblivious to what is happening. How you ask?

Do You Need to Plug the Holes in Your Real Estate Website?

In what way do we willingly "send" site visitors away from our real estate websites? For the complete story how your website might be "sending" site visitors to your competition, be sure to read the rest of the story here>

Helping you build a better real estate website,

Bobby

Dakno Real Estate Marketing Senior Consultant

Your Crystal Coast Blogger

Do You Use a 12th Grader to Guest Blog?

2008-04-29T08:42:59Z

No, I'm not talking about having school kids posting frequently on your blog. However - maybe after you read this post you will decide to put this idea to work in your area. Sure - I know there are those "purist" in our community who will shriek in horror at me suggesting that you fork over your prized online communication tool and place it in the hands of some high school kid. (And then again - for some it might not be such a bad idea.) :>)

Are You Smarter than a Caveman?

Before you pick up your stones, listen to this success story. To me this is the real definition of a blog that embraces a community and provides a platform for others to communicate the value of what it means to appreciate where you live. Yes - "it's so easy even a 12th grader can do it"! Or is that "are you smarter than a caveman?"

In Case You Missed this Post

Last week we saw the fruition of a carefully planned marketing campaign and we are still hearing about it. You have got to read this post from our friends at CENTURY 21 BHJ and broker/owner Bruce Garber. Our very own Leslie Vegter recommended Bruce create a Creative Writing Contest at their local Sheridan, WY High School. It was a complete success! We wrote a press release about the event and Bruce added this great content to his Sheridan Blog. Plus it relieves Bruce of the burden to write new content for his blog. You owe it to yourself to go over to his Sheridan, WY blog and read these awesome post by these students!

The Buzz Builds!

So yesterday, we received an email from our contact at Century-21 BHJ in Sheridan, WY and here is what Patty had to say;

"Good Morning to All!

Great news to share with you regarding your latest endeavors on our behalf with the essay contest and the subsequent blogging and on-line press release. It was picked up by CENTURY 21 Corporate. Bruce received and email from Tom Kunz, President of CENTURY 21 and from the VP of Marketing, Janice Hope. The press release is on 21 Online. So a BIG THANK you once again for all of your efforts. You folks make us look so GOOD and it is very much appreciated!

Isn't it wonderful to see an idea take form and then take flight? Again, Thank You So Much!

Best Regards,

Patty Forister
Licensed Assistant
Web/Data Manager"

Now that's What We Like to Hear!

We take great pride in delivering those results to awesome clients like Bruce and his team. Now that Bruce has experienced this success, we recommend you give this Creative blogging contest a try in your area. Be sure to let us know how your event turns out!

Helping you shine!

Bobby

Your Real Estate Marketing Partner

P.S. Be sure to visit my blog on the Crystal Coast!

The Ultimate Closing Gift That is a Constant Reminder of YOU!

2008-04-28T22:01:11Z

As most of you know by now, I have a consumer blog called Crystal Coast Blog and I maintain it just so I can take a trip to your side of the world and interact with home buyers, sellers and families who take vacations on the Southern Outer banks of North Carolina. My blog allows me to better understand how you engage consumers. My wife recently posted a boutique review for a funky little home accessories shop called Flip Flops in Emerald Isle. This whimsical Crystal Coast beach shop offers some really interesting hand-painted home furnishings and accessories. One of the local artist who has some of her pieces on display is from Wilmington, NC and she offers some very interesting commissioned art work.

Color Their World with a Reminder of YOU!

Real estate professionals are always ready for a new and exciting idea for a closing gift. Many excellent post have been written here suggesting endless ways to show your appreciation for your client's business. No doubt, you want your gift to be unique, one that truly demonstrates your appreciation for a buyer or a seller's business. And if it's really memorable, all the better. What if the gift always kept your "brand" in front of your former client at all times (provided the former clients kept the gift "hanging" in a conspicuous place). Mind you, this gift isn't for everyone and some may find it all little extravagant. But for that certain "big sale", I say pull out the big guns and really set yourself apart.

TheHousePortrait.com

Why not send this talented artist a photograph of your client's home and let Deborah transform your photo into a beautiful water color masterpiece. When I spoke to Deborah Cavenaugh this evening, she indicated she would personalize your closing gift by adding your name, tagline and maybe even your logo too. Now that's a closing gift that let's everyone know it's from you! Take it from me, I've seen her work and this gal has the chops. BTW... I make no profit from this recommendation. Deborah is a new-found friend and feel the service and product she offers is both unique and of high quality.

Contact Wilmington Artist Deborah Cavenaugh

Deborah Cavenaugh’s studio is located in Wilmington, North Carolina. Her studio telephone number is 910-297-5383. You can email her at Deborah@DeborahCavenaugh.com.

Until my next post,

Bobby

Your Real Estate Marketing Partner

P.S. Be sure to visit my blog on the Crystal Coast!

Customizing Your AR Blog - 5 Design Mistakes to Avoid

2008-04-13T14:18:16Z

Before any direction is given what design mistakes you should avoid when you customize your Active Rain blog, I must pause and say how proud I am of Brad for his innovative genius. In today's competitive business climate, you need to have a bit of a risk-taker mentality and still calculate the risk/reward factor of every decision. I challenged Brad to sometime soon tell the creative genesis of this enhancement. You're going to really enjoy that story. By the way, he's been stewing on this baby for a long time! More to come later.

The Customization rEvolution

With the ~~revolution~~ evolution of this major upgrade, it is recommended you implement a few smart design principals so your AR blog projects a professional image that is consistent with your total "online brand". So what do you do with your new found freedom to bling-out your AR blog? Do you want your Active Rain Blog to mirror the "look and feel" of your website or do you wish for it to be different. Conventional wisdom would say make it look like the rest of your branding for a consistent "brand identity". Remember, your blog design like your website must convey a positive impression, build trust, and establish your credibility.

Helping You Avoid These Blog Design Mistakes

With that said here are the design mistakes you should avoid when designing your customized Active Rain blog:

Use of garish, loud, obnoxious colors (and bad color combinations)

Remember, more than likely consumers will find you and your customized AR blog sooner or later (hopefully sooner). What image do you want to portray for them. If you're looking to convey a professional image, stay clear of bad color combinations that conflict with one another. Don't forget to try to appeal to your geographic or demographic target market by making your design embrace your consumer. If you need sound advice how to formulate a color scheme to enhance your AR blog, take a look at Heather Chotard's smart post on The Color Business.

Include animated graphics in the header (that is soooo 1990's)

As I stated in an earlier post and my lone AR "rant" to date, any animated graphic or "gizmo" that spins, blinks, or whirls is so unprofessional and communicates a less than serious image. It really makes the information you are presenting less than credible.

Fail to use your logo and tagline in the header

Without your "brand" (logo and tagline) in the header, you're missing a golden opportunity to make another impression on your audience. For some the only brand they have is their "picture" and that's fine if you are a "Celebrity" agent and even then many have a logo and tagline. Otherwise, steer clear of the use of your image. Several surveys have concluded it is detrimental and leads to premature site exits.

Improper sized images that are distorted and stretched to fit the header

For those of us who can't manipulate images, secure the services of the design professionals. To often unskilled individuals venture into areas they are not qualified to "play" in. My recommendation is take the simple method to your AR blog design if you don't know how to handle images properly. Again, distorted, exaggerated images make you look less than professional.

UPDATE: For excellent help with adding images to your customized blog, take a look at Jeff's post on the subject.

Does Your Customized AR Blog Have Curb Appeal?

In conclusion, every website, property flyer, newsletter, post card, email, phone call is an opportunity to build your brand and portray superior "Curb Appeal" for your medium. Remember, brand consistency from media to media develops brand equity which builds trust.

Have fun with your new found creative design freedom. If you need some design inspiration, be sure to checkout our Active Rain Customized Blog gallery. Just remember to do it right and you will come out a winner every time. The image to the right is an example from our design gallery and a perfect compliment to Betty's website.

BTW - here is another super example I found of an Active Rain Customized Blog matching a website. Way to go Cyndee Haydon!

Helping you design smarter,

Bobby

Be sure to visit the Crystal Coast Blog!

P.S. If you have technical questions regarding manipulation of your header images, unfortunately, I can't address those. It is my understanding simple technical support is available from AR.

WARNING! Blogging Could Be Hazzardous to Your Health!

2008-04-06T20:20:52Z

No joke. I was reading an article on the Drudge Report today about numerous pro bloggers who have died recently. The article discussed the many hazzards bloggers face in today's highly competitive blogosphere. Some of the mental and physical issues pro bloggers face included:

Poor diet
Weight gain/weight lose
Stressed out due pressure to produce time-sensitive post
Mental fatigue and burnout
Sedentary lifestyle
Extended work hours with little or no breaks
Lack of sleep from extended work hours
Inability to sleep due to stress-induced pressure to perform

Do You Sometimes Feel The Pressure to Perform!

I do. As a Dakno copy writer and blogger, I have experienced moments of stress to perform, had restless nights, felt the shadow of pending deadlines to be met and pressure to have another post loaded and ready to be fired. The key for me is to back away when those moments of stress begin to build. Plus, possessing a balanced life with proper priorities is the key as well.

How about you?

Have you experienced these feelings that your blogging life is beginning to get the better of you? What do you do to maintain a balanced life?

Until my next post,

Bobby

Your Real Estate Marketing Partner

P.S. Be sure to visit my blog on the Crystal Coast!

P.S.S. If you would like to customize your AR blog, go to the Dakno site for help!

Cary Realtor a Big Hit at Southern Ideal Home Show

2008-04-06T18:54:42Z

I always enjoy attending the Southern Ideal Home Show held each year at the Jim Graham Building and the Dorton Arena in Raleigh. While you will see the run of the mill vendors like the hot tub dealers, the gutter guys and the window replacement pros, each year it seems more real estate agents purchase space at the event. While attending this year's event I had the pleasure of meeting Active Rain member and Cary real estate agent Mike Jaquish. What a neat guy! Mike is so down to earth and such an easy person to talk with in every way. No wonder he is so successful!

What's the Buzz at AR?

We chatted for a moment about recent events in the Rain like Brad's Redesign post that created such a stir. We both agreed Brad's innovative idea was a breathe of fresh air in the community and offered real estate professionals the unique opportunity to spice up their blogs with their branding. Now that would be killer!

The next time Triangle Active Rain members plan another meet-up, I'll be there to reconnect with Mike and the many other quality people in our industry!

Until my next post,

Bobby

Your Real Estate Marketing Partner

P.S. Be sure to visit my blog on the Crystal Coast!

P.S.S. If you would like to customize your AR blog, go to the Dakno site for help!

Use Your Mouse to Drive BUY a House!

2008-04-03T19:02:19Z

So can you really use your mouse to buy a house? I wouldn't recommend it but you can drive by homes and decide if the neighborhood is to your liking. Thanks to Google's new Street View API, your real estate consumers can remain in the comfort of their home or office and use their desktop or laptop to cruise the streets of 40 cities mapped out by Google with their 360 degree camera. Now your real estate consumers can gain a totally unique perspective on the lay of the land in your area.

Junk Cars on Cinder Blocks?

Besides, isn't driving around town so old fashion. Now you can use the power of your computer mouse to checkout potential neighborhoods for junk cars on cinder blocks or how close a property is to your grocery store and other conveniences. With this tool even out of town buyers can test drive your area to determine if it is acceptable. Just keep in mind the map may be dated. Here in the greater Raleigh area, our streets were photographed about 6 to 8 months ago.

Dakno Clients Among the Nation's First!

As one of the first real estate web design companies to offer this revolutionary technology, we released this mapping tool to Kevin Tomlinson's South Beach real estate website first, next to Linda Craft's Raleigh real estate website, followed by Jim and Meg Zoller's website in Houston, TX. To those special Dakno clients who are located in the 40 cities in the US that offers Street View, this update will be “pushed” to all those existing Dakno client sites soon. Our Google Neighborhood maps are offered on all Dakno Custom Websites as well as the more economical SwiftSites. Because of the FutureProof Agent BackDoor site editor, technology upgrades like the Google Street View API are provided as a standard component of all Dakno Agent Backdoor websites.

In an effort of full disclosure, Realbird first offered the Google Street Mapping technology in single-property websites and IDX provider Diverse Solutions included this technology in their IDX products on Monday of this week as well.

Go For a Test Drive

So click on Kevin, Linda or Meg's link, take a test drive and tell us what you think!

Helping you create great websites,

Bobby

Your Real Estate Marketing Partner

P.S. Be sure to visit my blog on the Crystal Coast!

7 Steps to a Great Website!

2008-03-28T09:17:57Z

Ever since the April issue of REALTOR® Magazine came out, our phones here at Dakno Marketing have been ringing off the hook and our website has been churning out inquiry after inquiry. In its article entitled “5 Cool Things Real Estate Pros Are Doing on Web Sites”, this industry-leading publication highlighted three custom web sites we designed and developed. The writer of this article, Michael Russer (a.k.a. Mr. Internet®), identifies three websites including a website designed and developed for Sapphire, NC real estate brokerage WhiteWater Realty, CENTURY 21 First Realty of Tallahassee, Florida and Raleigh, NC based brokerage Linda Craft & Team as prime examples of websites that offer technology-leading innovation for site visitors.

One of the first questions real estate professionals always ask when they call is... "how do we get started?"

So how do we get started and what are the 7 steps to a great website?

I recommend you think about some of these concepts if you're thinking about a new website:

Identify your target audience for your website. What demographic do you really enjoy working with? Consider first-time buyers and sellers as an example. Think about the emotions experienced by first-timers… identify their “wants, needs and fears”. Make sure your website addresses these elements on an intellectual level but also on an emotionally level too. Address emotional issues like.. "Do I have enough money to buy a home?" Don't forget to address their fears..There is the fear of the unknown - "Will I experience “buyer’s remorse?”… consider concepts like these and don’t forget to include these elements in your web copy.
Think about your marketing brand… logo, tagline… begin to crystallize your digital image… hmmm sounds like a good topic for a future blog post! :>)
Begin to develop a global site design theme…. Consider the foundational colors that engage the targeted audience, site texture, imagery your site will have in the header or the top portion of your website (local landscapes, typical home architecture of your area, images of your target audience, local icons or landmarks to connect you to your area via the web) and remember all of these should embrace the target audience. You’re encouraged to seek out other sites and create a “favorites” list of websites you like. Be ready to explain why you like them! You can even review our custom site design gallery for ideas... www.rewebgallery.com
Make sure your new website is dialed into the right radio station… “WIIFM”. For today’s real estate consumer, they are always asking this question: What’s In It For Me!
Use royalty-free images found at iStock Photo. If you don’t possess your own imagery,why not go to iStock and a create a “Lightbox” to save your favorite photos
Don’t forget to purchase several solid domain names that ”fit” your target audience. For the first time crowd, why not use something like MyFirstCityNameHome.com. Don't wait...go buy it! Always strive to include a geographical along with maybe a demographic reference in the domain for better “searchability”. A couple of domain rules to remember… make sure the domain is short, easy to remember, free of ambiguity, free of numeric references (it confuses the consumer) and the spelling is simple.
Last but certainly not least - Consider using the pros to make all of this happen!

These tips should have you thinking and allow you to move quicker once you are prepared to move forward with your new website. BTW - what other tips would you add to this list?

Helping you create great websites,

Bobby

Your Real Estate Marketing Partner

P.S. Be sure to visit my blog on the Crystal Coast!

Blog Comment For Business? What Say You There Fuzzy Britches?

2008-03-20T09:28:50Z

It's a known fact those who invest time in their blogs, whether it is on Localism/Active Rain or their stand alone blog, can derive business from their blogging activities. Members here post about it often. I say hooray! My question to you is this, do you comment for business too? If you aren't posting comments on other blogs where your prospects are, you might be missing an opportunity to generate yourself more business.

The Ying & The Yang of Blogging!

I have learned that if you are going to be an effective writer/blogger, you have to be a serious reader too. I call it "the Ying & the Yang of blogging". To often real estate professionals will prioritize time to post while forgetting to invest an equal amount of time reading other blogs and submitting "comments". For me, it's missed opportunity. Ok, I know.... I just heard a collective moan from the peanut gallery. That old nemesis of time management just reared it's ugly head and everyone just cried out in unison, "Where do I find the time to read and write?" I say without sacrifice, blogging success will be an elusive prize!

A Real Life Example!

Just this past weekend I was surfing the web and stumbled upon a local blog by a Raleigh-based real estate development company. The co-owner of the company had been blogging on the process of building this huge PUD just a stones-throw from my home here in Eastern Wake County. Mercury Development is investing heavily in new roads (an exit off Highway #264), a dedicated commercial I&O site, deeded land for schools and parks, a new YMCA, a hospital branch, EMS/Fire station and much more. Just to give you an idea of the scope of this project, this new development is larger than the existing town of Wendell, NC (Population of 4,000+). I made several comments on the Wendell Falls blog about how excited I was to see this new development come to our area and offered some encouraging words for the author to keep doing what he was doing. I even offered some advice to help Greg be even more effective in his blogging pursuits. Greg responded positively on his post comments.

A Non-threatening Email

I then followed up a short time later with a "by the way email stating we are real estate blogging consultants and we are offering a Blogging Boot Camp if he was interested in participating." Notice I never talked business on his blog. I elected to be a subject matter expert and not a salesman. Blog Comment Rule #1: Never intrude on someone's blog by asking for business or leaving your link in the comment box to your site. It's a bad move and will leave a less favorable taste with the owner of the blog.

BTW - Today we laid out a game plan for blog consultation over the next two months with Greg and we are thrilled to be partnering with his company.

What Say You There Fuzzy Britches? Feel Like Talkin?

Sorry - I occasionally like to use quotes from my top 10 favorite movies (Movie-The Shawshank Redemption-The Warden Norton speaking to the poster on the wall in Andy Dufresne's vacant prison cell). So do you blog comment to demonstrate your area of expertise?

I suggest you give it a try on sites like Fodor's Travel, Yahoo Answers, Trulia Voices or other appropriate sites. Position yourself as the local Subject Matter Expert (SME). You never know what results you might achieve.

To Your Blogging Success!

Bobby

Your Crystal Coast Blogging Expert

Lessons Learned From 6 Weeks of Blogging on My Crystal Coast Blog

2008-03-17T21:30:58Z

Thus far, my personal Crystal Coast blogging project has been both satisfying and a revelation on many levels. One of the reasons I began this project was to be able to better relate to all those in the real estate industry who make it their mission to support a blog here at Active Rain/Localism plus write for an outside blog too. While most of the blogging responsibility has been shouldered by yours truly, it has been a breathe of fresh air to have my wife contribute to the Crystal Coast blog. Pam has been a tremendous help and I appreciate her efforts. If you take a look at her topics, you can readily see she offers an emotional side of blogging I am unable to capture. So much for pulling from my feminine side. :>) That's one of those revelations I spoke about earlier. A female blogging partner is a tremendous help!

The Southern Outer Banks Design Theme Comes Together!

With Brad's help, he pulled together a really nice WordPress blog design theme. I think the design captures the essence of the North Carolina coast and specifically the Crystal Coast area we target. Having handsome grandsons as models sure helps too! All in all, I think Brad's design theme clearly speaks of family vacation fun and tips to help enjoy the Bogue Banks of North Carolina.

Revelation #2 - Effective, Consistent Blogging Takes Discipline!

While it's easy to do as I say (I train agents how to blog effectively in our Blogging Boot Camp), I prefer to be able to teach from experience. I can truthfully say blogging consistently on multiple platforms takes more discipline than I realized. I've noticed that I tend to treat my Active Rain blog like the ugly step sister. Ignoring her is not smart. Active Rain/Localism offers tremendous SEO power and I still need lots of that to help my outside blog increase in search engine visibility.

Revelation #3 - I Need the Help of the Experts Too!

In this DIY/FSBO world, there are some things even I prefer to leave to our experts here at Dakno Real Estate Marketing. They help design my blog, get my blog noticed by Technorati, MyBlogLog, add code to my site for Google Analytics and other Google Webmaster tools. These details are handled by our team of experts who perform these blog task everyday. That way I can focus on my task and leave the rest in the capable hands of those who are far more efficient and qualified than I. You might consider doing the same.

Revelation #4 - Accumulating Information for a Blog Takes Time!

I have learned in the blogging world, inch by inch it's a cinch. Blogging is like eating an elephant, you have to do it in small bites. Each night I devote a few minutes to gathering information, post writing, making updates and adding new post. Sometimes I publish a post, other days I publish a new page. One thing is for sure, I think the WordPress content management system is super and I love it!

That's Revelation #5 - WordPress is Awesome!

So if you ask me, I'll gladly sing the praises of the WordPress platform. It's super user-friendly and one awesome content management system with more plugins than you can imagine.

Blogging on two platforms has been challenging, fun and hard work. In the end it will be a great experience and help develop my talents too.

Do you blog on two (or more) different platforms? If so, what has blogging on two platforms taught you?

I look forward to your feedback!

Keep on Blogging!

Bobby

Your Crystal Coast Blogger

Twittering the Birth of Megan Paige Carroll

2008-03-09T14:35:54Z

Many of you knew my son Brad Carroll, his wife Stephanie and son Ethan were expecting the birth of daughter Megan Paige Carroll. Well the big day arrived and Megan was born at 4:49am this morning. Weighing in at 8lbs 6oz, beautiful Megan measured 21 inches in length. Mom, baby Megan, Dad and big brother Ethan are all doing great! So are both sets of grandparents! Oh joy - another grand baby to spoil.

Using Twitter & Flickr to Keep Us "Posted"

Ever the resourceful tech geek, Brad put Twitter to use and added it to Megan's brand new blog site sidebar. He also pulls in Flickr photos he sends from his iPhone too. That way, those of us who can't be at the hospital can stay informed and see great photos too. Isn't technology cool?

Updated 3-9-08: Brad posted on Active Rain Too!

Be sure to head over to Brad's blog for Megan and leave a comment there. I know he would love to hear from you.

A Proud Papa,

Bobby

Is Your Crystal Coast Home Show Ready?

2008-03-08T16:33:16Z

Unless you have never listed your Crystal Coast home for sale, you're probably not familiar with the rush of excitement that overwhelms you when the phone rings and your Crystal Coast real estate agency is calling. Every seller longs to hear the listing agent say "buyers are on their way to preview your home". Quick honey, help me with these 45 minute quick showing cleanup to dos.

Quick Crystal Coast Home Pre-showing To Dos

So as your prospects are in route to your Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach, Pine Knoll Shores or Salter Path home or condo, pay close attention to these areas of your Crystal Coast home to ensure it sparkles and POPS!

Lights -Camera-Action:Turn on all the lights!
Let the sun shine in! Open those window treatments. (Hopefully - the windows are spotless!)
Tune your radio or CD player to a selection of soft jazz or classical music to set the right mood!
Kennel up time! Remove your pets from the home while it is on the market by boarding your pet(s). If that option isn't practical, take them to a neighbor’s home during the showing.
Dress the beds
Empty your trash cans and recycling bins
Perform a quick de-clutter job on your desk and kitchen/bath counter tops
Wipe down your bathroom vanities and toilet bowl
Store small kitchen appliances in your cupboards
Wipe down your kitchen appliances

If practical, have a bouquet of flowers placed on the dining room/kitchen table. Start baking some cookies.

I look forward to your comments.

Helping you sale your Crystal Coast real estate,

Bobby
The Crystal Coast Blog

Crystal Coast Rental Property Owners - Listen Up!

2008-02-24T09:25:23Z

Crystal Coast Vacation Properties Need to be Wired

In today’s hectic go-go 24/7 society, even those on vacation on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina (or anywhere else for that matter) need to be “wired” to access their email and the Internet. Here are the facts; the conclusion of a study commissioned for the Intel Corporation, 40 % of the respondents indicated that they (or members of their family) took a laptop computer on their last vacation. The survey also indicated that 53% of those polled indicated that they would take a laptop on their next vacation. As a Crystal Coast property owner, are your beach rental properties wired for these prospects? If not, you could be missing revenue and rental opportunities for your Crystal Coast rental properties.

Get Wired!

With this overwhelming evidence, what is preventing you from offering this amenity to your Crystal Coast vacation renters? Sure there is a hard-dollar cost to providing this so-called “perk”, but don’t you simply pass the cost on to the renter? One more thing - why doesn’t every Crystal Coast vacation rental property offer cable TV too? Crystal Coast vacationers expect this amenity too. Again, Crystal Coast vacation property owners are missing potential rental opportunities and revenue by not offering these highly sought-after amenities.

Smart Crystal Coast Rental Tip

If you as Crystal Coast rental property owner happen to disconnect the Internet access/cable TV in your Crystal Coast vacation property during the off-season, be sure to advise your rental management partner. Even more important, if you continue to rent your property during the off-season but disconnect the Internet access, again you must advise the rental management company so this information will be communicated to any potential rental prospect. These details are often missed on Crystal Coast vacation rental websites. Be sure to verify this information is correctly indicated for the given season.

Other Intelligent Crystal Coast Rental Tips

For more informative Crystal Coast rental property tips and maximized real estate marketing strategies, go to the CrystalCoastBlog.com. This new and exciting blog portal offers consumers the opportunity to make your next vacation more enjoyable and more memorable. Providing you exclusive area information about the communities of the Southern Outer Banks of NC, including Atlantic Beach, Indian Beach and Emerald Isle, you’ll read about great dining opportunities and fun things to do on the Crystal Coast. Make sure you get your next Crystal Coast vacation off on the right foot by visiting the CrystalCoastBlog.com.

As a Crystal Coast vacation rental prospect, do you require Internet access while you are on vacation? If the Crystal Coast property you desire to rent does not include Internet access, do you eliminate those properties and search for ones that do offer it?

I look forward to your comments.

Helping you get the most out of your Crystal Coast vacation,

Bobby
The Crystal Coast Blog

Blogging Memories

2008-02-21T13:38:21Z

Many of you conduct business in your hometown. Others, bring a different perspective having relocated to your area. Either way, why not share your perspective in your blog to capitalize on your viewpoint. Having a lot of history in your area or possessing a little both have their advantages. The idea is to share your memories (emotional connections) to your area via your blog. This can be accomplished in many meaningful ways. Providing an interesting perspective of history and the resulting change an area has experienced often helps people view you as the local authority. So how can you pull this off from a practical perspective and even add some personality to your blog? Great question!

Be Human - Connecting Emotionally to Site Visitors

While each of you know where you should draw the line with personal memories, be comfortable with what you write about (some folks are private people and others are out there). It may not be for everyone, but used correctly personal experiences can connect with many people and let your site visitors know you are emotionally vested in your area.

The New Crystal Coast Blog Project

As some of you know having read my last post here on Active Rain, we recently launched a new project and our new blog for the Crystal Coast is off to a great start. The site is humming along as we add content on schedule and we have even had a couple of comments made on the new blog albeit from family members. One of the recent post was written by my wife Pam and it really conveys her strong feelings and memories of the Crystal Coast. Be sure to checkout Pam's post "The Crystal Coast - Where a Lifetime of Vacation Memories are Made." You'll even see a 1971 photograph of yours truly skiing on the ICW with the brand new Cameron Langston Bridge in the background. I even remember traveling from Cedar Point (the mainland) over to Emerald Isle on the ferry before the state had built the bridge in 1971. What great memories of those ferry rides. (See, I just proved my point!)

Identify Long-standing Landmarks

Like memories provide landmarks in our lives, so to do legacy family-run businesses to a community. In her post, Pam lets her readers know of a few of the old landmark businesses that have existed for many years on the Crystal Coast and even provides some link-love to those businesses so we are viewed as networking partners in the community. If you have ever visited Morehead City, there really is no better example of a legacy family-run business than that of the Sanitary Fish Market Restaurant. Once the word is out about our blog, I'm sure those who own these businesses will come to our site to checkout what Pam had to say in the post (hmmm.... even more eyeballs!)

Creative Blogging Ideas

So the next time you hit the wall with writers block, think about writing a post about how you remember when... and don't forget to include your own "emotional seasoning" to add some flavor to your blog. Pam and I are eager to hear your feedback. And don't forget to head over to the Crystal Coast Blog and read Pam's post. I know she would like your feedback there too!

Helping you blog smarter,

Bobby

Sometimes You Just Have to Do It Yourself

2008-02-18T09:55:21Z

Giving It All Away (Well Almost)

By now everyone knows Brad and I are forever giving away creative marketing ideas and SEO tips here at Active Rain to help you create more interesting and more productive offline marketing strategies, websites and blogs. We offer similar advice on our Real Estate Marketing Blog Site too. As example of this philosophy, I recently emailed someone I know who is "in the business" on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina providing them a prospect from TripAdvisor who was looking to rent a beach property. Both parties were appreciative for me connecting them to each other.

"The Follow up Email"

After sending my "this person from TripAdvisor is seeking help with a beach rental" email, the thought came to my mind to checkout the blog landscape on the coast of NC. After some research on my part, I sent a "follow up email":

"It seems the ”blogging phenomenon” has yet to hit (your area). If I were you I would purchase all the superior domain names available in your area. I did a quick check at Go Daddy and (YourAreaRealEstateBlog.com is available along with YourAreaBlog.com. Of course, it would make sense to purchase the YourAreaNC iterations of both as well. Blog sites are a major part of Web 2.0 and many real estate agencies and agents are jumping on board. Frankly, I ‘m surprised some web-savvy agents haven’t started a blog on your end of the beach. Several agents have blogs in another area nearby. If you’re interested in talking about developing a blog site for your area, I’d love to discuss a partnership with you."

I was shocked I never heard back from this individual "in the business".

Note To All Real Estate Practitioners

There are many, many really good blog domain names out there and smart, forward-thinking business people are buying them. If I were you, I would run to GoDaddy and start buying domains for your area NOW! If only 5% of Realtors have a blog (and less probably maintain them adequately), the opportunity for free-standing blogs in your area are limitless. You never know who will buy those great domains first!

Taking Things Into Your Own Hands

After thinking about this opportunity, I choose to take matters into my own hands. I went to GoDaddy and purchased "all" the iterations I had recommended and even a few more just for good measure. Next, I quickly went about setting up my little blog site for the Crystal Coast. Why? Because there was a need for a resource in that area and I really love the Crystal Coast.

This Blog is all About the Consumer

With more than 30+ years experience visiting the Crystal Coast area, the focus of the Crystal Coast Blog will be to tell anyone and everyone how beautiful the Southern Outer Banks of North Carolina really is and all the terrific things you can do and great places to eat on the Crystal Coast. There will be many aspects of Crystal Coast real estate and the vacation rental market this blog will address and a few topics we will never address. Of course first we clearly communicate we are NOT real estate agents - we are consumers and real estate marketing experts. So here is a list of topics we will never discuss:

We will never offer advice or guidance on the negotiation of any Crystal Coast rental or real estate transaction.
We will never offer any advice or guidance on establishing the value of any real property. We are not property appraisers nor are we real estate agents.
We will never discuss nor offer advice on commissions or compensation for any real estate practitioner.
We will never discuss nor offer any legal advice regarding the elements to conducting a specific Crystal Coast real estate transaction. We are not real estate attorneys!

Allow me to restate - the Crystal Coast Blog consistently communicates that we are first consumers who love the Crystal Coast and second real estate marketing experts. If consumers wish to select a Crystal Coast Real Estate agent or agency, we provide a list of Crystal Coast real estate agencies for their convenience.

What You Will See on the Crystal Coast Blog

Here is a sample what you will see on the Crystal Coast Blog. We will cover topics and media like:

All the fun things to do. Especially for the kids!
All the great places to eat. Can you say restaurant reviews? Yummy!
My wife is a "fashionesta", so you know we will highlight all the shopping opportunities on the Crystal Coast
Great tips to saving money on your next Crystal Coast beach rental
Marketing your Crystal Coast real estate for maximum profit.
Great Photography. There's tons of eye candy on the Crystal Coast
Video tours of the beaches and more
And the list goes on and on....

Can We Power-up the Crystal Coast Blog? Hmmm...

Being a "Real Estate Marketing Firm", I think we have that part pretty well covered. But just in case you need to be convinced, here is small sample of the strategies I have implemented lately to get my "pet project" jump-started:

Wrote a post on a local authority site announcing the launch of the Crystal Coast Blog
Created a press release announcing the launch of my Crystal Coast Blog
Wrote a Squidoo Lens about the Crystal Coast Blog
Created a Flickr profile SEO optimized for my Crystal Coast Blog
Set up Google Alerts to stay abreast of all the news about the Crystal Coast
Wrote an SEO optimized Active Rain post on the Crystal Coast Blog!

Last but not least, the Crystal Coast Blog site clearly communicates that it is consumer-friendly. The blog emphasizes that we will never share, rent nor sell anyone's private information. That means we will NEVER sell leads from this site to a real estate practitioner. In fact, we receive no compensation for writing Crystal Coast restaurant reviews, retail shop reviews, or any other post. It is a complete labor of love!

Take the Nickel Tour

We are working feverishly during the evenings gathering local Crystal Coast information and writing post. My wife is now a blog writing machine and I love it! In the coming days you will see the presentation radically change to capture and reflect the essence and charm of our Crystal Coast, so check back often and see what we have added. I look forward to your feedback!

Helping you recognize blogging opportunities,

Bobby

P.S. Your probably asking what is the ultimate reason for this pet project? Who knows maybe someday when we are Page #1 for the Crystal Coast Real Estate, I might consider selling my pet project.