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Ten Steps to Create an Enthusiastic Community Network around YOU

Breaking News City sites are Twitter-based hyperlocal sites that broadcast real time news and events to the community:

Here are ten steps to create an enthusiastic community network with a Breaking News City site:

By launching a Breaking News City site, you are providing a service to your community.
First, find the best local Twitterers in your city (this takes about 2 hours, and is kind of fun).
When you add a Twitter feed to Breaking News, you are helping that Twitterer get more exposure. They thank you for adding them. Add 50 feeds, gain 50 new friends.
You develop working relationships with the media because you're adding their Twitter feeds. The media follow you because your Breaking News site is, well, a media property.
Local merchants will appreciate, even love having a forum to tweet their daily deals. They will instantly become a part of your network.
Introduce Breaking News as a free advertising / marketing medium to the Chamber of Commerce, and request their participation.
Participate or even start a Tweetup in your city to meet f2f all the Twitterers participating in Breaking News
Offer barter opportunities with Breaking News. Want a hotel to sponsor a Tweetup? Ask them and acknowledge their generosity with a sponsorship badge on Breaking News.
Once you've developed new friends on Twitter, invite them to network on Facebook or LinkedIn and solidify your network.
Consumers will be attracted to Breaking News like a local newspaper, and will see you as a hub for their community.

We've created a simple tutorial to get a Breaking News City site up and running, and I'll be going through this in a special webinar this Thursday at 9:00am PDT. Register through this link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/219107691.

Update: by requests, we added another webinar on Tuesday May 12 9:00am PDT https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/883503707.

Related article: (Slideshow) How to get a Breaking News City site up and running in your city

See our Breaking News City sites:

See variations on Breaking News sites:

Posted by Patrick Kitano on 05/06/2009 01:49 PM

Comments (35)

breaking news, twitter, hyperlocal

35 Comments on Ten Steps to Create an Enthusiastic Community Network around YOU

MAY

Pat - I admit I didn't read word for word about this, but my quick question is, even if you provide the site, how much time would take a person to maintain this?

Hi Steve, very little maintenance, the site runs itself by automatically pulling content from Twitter feeds (and other feeds to be introduced later) and commentary from other Twitterers who use the hashtags to include their tweet within the live Breaking News stream.

Pat, You and Kevin have done a stupendous job creating this and putting all these together. This is a very simple breakdown of how the concept works & what it can mean to the participants. I will try to be at the Webinar on Thurs, but if not Tues is looking good for me.

Pat and Kevin are in the process of assisting me set up BREAKING WALNUT CREEK NEWS. The process is actually very easy. Kevin's instructions are concise and easy to follow. See you on the Internet!

I am still in my "beta" with homescopesva.com. However, I envision it being a very powerful network and business developer once in motion. Best of all is the lack of "human touching" required to keep it going. I dont need another blog to update - this is leveraging the power of all your contributors.

My new Breaking Asheville News site was very easy to set up, and I am very excited about the responses I am receiving, and the new followers. Actually, I wasn't expecting to be found this quickly ... haven't been up even 7 days yet. The Breaking News concept is so exciting to me that I have another site in the works and plan to become more hyper-local once we have more Tweeters here in WNC. The site takes care of itself for the most part once it is set up, aside from adding new Twitter contributers as I discover them. This is a great opportunity to be on the 'cutting edge' and provide a great service to your community. Hyper-local is the buzz out there, and the Breaking News sites are just that, and put the icing on the 'hyper-local cake!'

Hey Pat. That is the best explanation yet about the "Breaking News" sites! I am really getting it now that I am building mine. You and Kevin have been such a BIG help and a pleasure to work with. I can't wait to see what you will think of next!!!!!!

I'm excited to announce the development of a breaking news site for Boulder, CO. I expect to be live with the site by early next week. After the investment of 4-5 hours to establish the site, I plan to spend no more than 1 or 2 hours a week to maintain. Domus Consulting has found a great turnkey solution that enables us to connect with our local communities.

For me, I see longbeachbreakingnews.com as a vehicle to build relationships within my community. I never understood how twitter would play a roll in my business model but I am starting to realize it's all about cultivating relationships over time. While I tweet with others across the world, longbeachbreakingbreakingnews.com will accelerate the process and provide me the opportunity to meet individuals within the neighborhoods I service.

I don't want to turn this into a testimonial but I must say the guys at Domus Consulting Group.com have really opened my eyes to where our industry is headed. I want to be on the forefront so when social media becomes main stream I will be way ahead of my competition.

Pat,

Here's an article I wrote, which might further assist & was recently published in several trade magazines:

Expanding the Realtor Reach - Five (Free) Building Blocks to Fast Forward Future Sales

Realtors don't need to be reminded how competitive it is to gain new clients, nor do they need to be reminded how the recent economic turmoil affects local transaction activity. Instead, well-healed Realtors are better served focusing on the future and how they can progressively promote their skill sets to attract and retain new clients. Below are five free building blocks to expand the Realtor's reach and gain new clients:

Website - Okay, this may be a bit obvious, but let this be your core - your foundation for the building blocks that follow. Make sure it presents well, personifies your abilities, showcases your listings, and conveys confidence.

Blog - Consider the website your formal business card and your blog is the less formal conversation you have as you exchange business cards. Make sure you have something good to say. Chronicle a unique experience. Feature timely information about the local market that only you know best. Feel free to provide tasteful links to your listings, but don't dilute your blog with that (admittedly important) content. Instead, let that content reside on your website. If your reader likes what you share in your blog, then they will find you and your listings on your website.

Facebook - A nifty profile with lots of friends just isn't enough. Instead, create a fan page and encourage all your friends and past clients to "fan" you. Using this platform, broadcast recent listings (with links, of course), sales, recent blog posts, open houses, and all other meaningful activity.

Twitter - Twitter is now the medium where news breaks first. Think of it as your personal news room. Create an account, follow only those who interest you most (not the whole planet), and encourage your clients and prospective clients to follow you. After all, this is the platform you will use to broadcast the latest listings - in most cases before they surface anywhere else. This is your chance to get a leg-up on the competition. Do not underestimate the power of this free resource!

Village Voyage- The Internet is an abyss of information and you've worked hard to build your brand. Tie it all together with Village Voyage. Similar to Wikipedia, Village Voyage is a wiki and anyone can participate. Think of it as your on-line cocktail party with many different conversations all centered around your community, your target audience, your clients. Create a Village Voyage page to further expand your online presence, while at the same time, taking advantage of the opportunity to add valuable back-links to your website, blog, and other online pages. Beyond that, be bold. Use Village Voyage to meet new clients, build credibility, and differentiate yourself by demonstrating your local market knowledge and expertise. (See the State index to locate the market(s) that interest you most: http://www.villagevoyage.com/wiki/Category:States )

Patrick ~ Breaking News seems to be a great way to become involved in your community and a way to get to know what is happening as it is happening. It is very similar to blogging for Localism but you are getting live feeds about events as they are happening. As long as people are tweeting about events and not just tweeting about what they are eating at the moment, right?

Breaking news is an exchange of information and a new way to pass information along to others. They say newspaper subscriptioins are down because so many people are using the internet to get information, why not start a Breaking news site in your area and be the first place people go to find out the latest?

I personally think it is a great concept!

Patrick, this is a very interesting concept. I think that I will try subscribing before I actually expose my network to this new idea. Thanks for sharing.

I have been working on ChicoBreakingNews.com. So far it has been easy enough to put it together. I am excited about getting our news media to start tweeting. So far they have not found a need, but with this site it all makes sense.

Pat, thanks for taking the time to review our initiatives in our hometown. I think this concept has already revolutionized how we get our news but you have found a way for groups to capitalize on this trend. I feel like the pioneers who staked their claim on their piece of California!

Pat - got my URLS and just need to make some decisions about which to use. Looking forward to getting one going for the SoCalCRS folks too.

Jeff

I'm super-excited about the Miami Breaking News. The whole process is actually very easy---and Pat and Kevin have always been on the top of my "people you MUST know in the re.net" list.

I cannot say enough about how helpful Kevin and Pat have been during this process. The site has been relatively easy to set-up with the help of the tutorials. My site is almost complete and I feel like I am sitting on a gold mine. Think about this concept- you own the site, others contribute to the site, everyone benefits from the site. My goal is to make this part of my market's daily to do list and be top of mind when they think of real estate. Can't wait!

That sounds like fun & you can put it on auto-pilot after you get it set up. The only challenge I see are the Twits who tweet non-newsworthy stuff -- like their personal business -- or even borderline stuff like inappropriate content. That could affect you negatively.

I'm going to sign up for your webinar!

I agree with Regina - all the non newsworthy stuff could be as bad as getting hit with spam.

@Regina @Wanda our Breaking News System allows you to filter Twitter and other feeds easily... just select the best local feeds. It's easy to block spammers from participating in your Breaking News City site. The site will broadcast value, not junk...

@Marc, @Sam @Dennis @Susis @Susan @Grant @Scott @Terrie @Mark @Debbie @EJO @Jeff @Kevin @ Doug thanks!

And http://www.villagevoyage.com/wiki/Category:States is a great hyperlocal wiki...

Patrick, breaking news with twitter feeds is the latest connections in social media. Thanks for highlighting this.

Wow, really cool. I had no idea that this even existed.

Is there a meaningful real estate aspect to it though?

It sounds like a great way to get people to read your blobs and come to your website

Pat great concept, and a great job with the tutorial. My site is half way there, however I am thinking I need a name change.

You and Kevin are so forward thinking, and have certainly helped many to get on board the social media bandwagon in such a way that their business will be enhanced.

Pat,

the concept is awesome and the instructions to set up the site very easy to follow. I am working on mine!!!

Thanks,

Ines

greetings--- pat,

Have loved your weekly webinar's on social media--101 -- it is overwhelming -and so enlighting.!! The concept and where it all leads-!!- Also as you know I am on board with you for creating a breaking news site in my community -- and will be attending the web on thurs. -- You & kevin are there on the next paradign shift.

So glad -- i found you -- so I can be there when the shift happens-- in the beginning-- not the end.

With Pat and Kevin who are always forward thinkers this should prove to be an explosion...lots of possibilities and easy to set-up. Twitter is where it's at and Pat and Kevin grabbed right on to it!

Sounds very interesting.. would love to get more information on this

MAY

@Roland, please register for the webinar on setting up Breaking News City sites at the links above.

@Gena @Andrea @ines @Jennifer thx!

@Mark Breaking News City sites are best used as a community service that will help you develop an intimate local network quickly. For real estate, we have developed a powerful Breaking News housing market application that will create a dominant presence for brokerages and their agents in any given city. Our clients will be the first introduced to this application when we roll it out...

Hi Pat, I wish I was as good of a student as I am a fan of all this, and I continue to work at assimilating these concepts. That day we spent some time during the webinar, searching for local twitter feeds, I came up with nothing. But I am seeing, now, the local newspaper with an rss feed, and the University is haphazardly beginning to make an appearance online... hope to get this figured out in the next few months and come up with something for my local area! I did go ahead and get a domain name, so I am hopeful! I'm so appreciative of your (& Kevin's) remarkable development and teaching style of the Breaking News concept and associated applications. It's ingenious!

@Mara thanks Mara! Some smaller cities don't have a strong Twitter community yet... but they will. Turn your Chamber of Commerce onto Twitter!

Pat,

Just attended the webinar today. Susie Blackmon referred the link to me. Enjoyed it very much and learned a lot.

Richard

Oh, Pat-

Just left a comment on the other post, regarding spam and I see you've answered it here. Thanks.

MAY

I am so happy I have taken the webinars with Domus. I am so far ahead of the curve that it's amazing and I'm very excited about the opportunity you have afforded me to get involved with the Break News sites. It makes so much sense! thanks!

MAY

Pat and Kevin's instructions for getting a breaking news site uup and running are clear and easy to follow. I set mine up over a weekend. I'll be adding new Twitterers as I go. If you want to it out, go to http://www.delmarbreakingnews.com

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