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So, You're a Lurker...6 Reasons to Become an ActiveRain BLOGGER!

I wrote this back in 2007, and have gottena kick out of seeing how far we've come as a community.

I did leave AR for a while, wound down my blogging and have ventured more into Twitter and Facebook. But in doing so I realized that even though I love those tools, I'm not having quite as much fun as I do when I blog and read what others have to say...and here are the reasons why:

I know you're out there right now....

In fact as I type away there are 422 lurkers on Activerain right now. I wonder what you are thinking? Are you here as a consumer to learn more about real estate? Perhaps. But would be willing to bet that there are quite a few of you who are real estate professionals of some sort, checking us out. You've heard of Activerain, and read some posts. Our posts can be very informative, enlightening, creative, and downright CRAZY! Yes, we are a lively bunch aren't we? We are all different and have come here for different reasons, from all parts of the country and world. Why, What's up with that? I mean, it IS hard, and it takes so much investment. It's why we have joined Groups to study blogging!

I came here originally, to plug my business, and expose the idea of real estate virtual assistance to those I like to work with the most, real estate agents. But, what I got I didn't expect. I received alot more. So as you read this wondering if and when you should take the chance at this blogging thing, I say do it! And here are some reasons that you should consider, reasons that don't jump out at you at first:

1. Blogging Makes us Think

It forces us to organize out thoughts and ideas. It helps us to put meaning into our thoughts and "put it out there" to give it validity. I've received more inspiration in my business, my personal goals, and in life by the supportive comments and posts, and more importantly by the people who share them. Strangely though, I sometimes get more joy in learning about others, and what they think about.

2. Blogging Is a Way for people to Get to Know Our Goals, Skills and Dreams

In some ways, if these parts of us are not written, they can be forgotten. Blogging about my ideas and thoughts gives me a sense of accountability. Hey, I mean, its out there. What if someone is waiting for me to act on my ideas..? What if I'm inspired by someone else's skills, and that makes me better? I wouldn't want to miss out on that. I can always grow and learn.

3. You Are Visible, Not Invisible

Just look at how each post makes us more visible. Our great profile photos, smiling faces, and quality content can make a lasting impression. It also gives us a chance to change as we grow. We can compare ourselves to our peers, and seek to improve upon what is visible.

4. Your Voice, Uninterrupted

Yes, I have a personal life. I have a husband, darling children, a dog, and lovely home. But I have something else. A Voice. (no, not a crazy voice) A voice that isn't always expressed in everyday life, in my normal conversations. This is a chance to say something, uninterrupted. If we take the time to think through a thought, we can present it fully and entirely. There is magic in that.

5. Shameless Self-Promotion

Yep, I said it! Want some honest to goodness promotion? Blog with quality content and convert it to audience attention! With audience attention, comes COMMENTS. If we're lucky enough, those comments will make us think. The comments we receive can also show us how our voices can be interpreted in different ways. That can change you, or give you internal validation once again, and can even set thoughts into motion. Some commenters are even destined to be friends for life, I guarantee it.

6. Create Your Legacy

Talking is forgotten. It floats away. Blogging is forever, or at least until tomorrow. Readers will know us long after we can say anything about it. Search engines can help that happen.

So stop what your doing, think about what you want to say, put those thoughts together, and start blogging! We have comments waiting for you! And so much more...

Join the conversation on our Facebook Fan Page! We'd love to see you there!

Posted by Laura Monroe- Real Estate Virtual Assistant on 08/12/2009 03:55 PM

Comments (60)

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60 Comments on So, You're a Lurker...6 Reasons to Become an ActiveRain BLOGGER!

AUG

Laura, you hit the nail on the head with this one! But the funny thing is (funny, sad - not funny, haha) you're preaching to the choir. I hope this message hits the right target - those who actually ARE lurking, afraid to jump into the murky pit! Actually, the water is quite warm, isn't it?

~Renae

Laura - nicely written my friend. You know the saying, you can lead a horse to water, but can't make em drink? It's so true for many in the real estate field. I've told so many about the benefits, yet none of them truly embrace it.

I personally loved #4 - Being able to express one's thoughts without being constantly interrupted is indeed liberating, and also leaves room to receive more back than one could possibly imagine.

It is a lot of fun... I have been writing now consistently for just over two years... And it is still a lot of fun.

Hi Laura, I agree with all your points about blogging, vs. micro-blogging vs. putting a page and walls up about yourself. Blogging seems to be the more brainy of the three, and not so mindless. Although what people blog about at times can be pretty mindless LOL.

HAHA Gary ;)

Where'd you get the 422 lurkers number? Is there a way to see who is online?

Hi Laura ~ This is certainly a really fresh way to consider the reasons why you should stop lurking and become and active blogger here on ActiveRain!

Lots of good reasons to become an AR blogger instead of just a lurker.

I really enjoy the outlet for writing that it gives me so much more than 140 characters on Twitter.

Hi Renae~ Yes..I have been hangin around other sites, but miss the continued conversation I have here too..so its awesome to get back to something you miss:)

Hi Kim~ I know what you mean, there are some that I can't get to join in for a while either, but it really does open up opportunites that can really spark new energy..they just have to try!

Hi William~ You said it perfectly "leaves room to receive more back than one could possibly imagine" I have learned so much here from others I could never put a price on it, and then to share makes it even better.

Hi Gary~ LOL, I agree..it can be mindless for sure, but for some reason it does make me fell more accountable than tweeting:)

Hi Candace~ You know, there USED to be a "whose online now" thing above the dashboard on the homepage that allowed us to see how many were online, and you had the option of showing your presence from the setting page, and there you could see the difference between them:) I can't seem to find it now..I think then there were only about 12,000 members!

It's a great way to get your name out there and show potential clients you have a voice and you know your area.

Great post, thanks for bringing it back.

Laura: all of the above are indeed true. Active Rain is a great network

I like the sense of community here the most. Things are too busy during the day to talk to everyone at the office and find out what they're thinking. Plus AR gives me a national perspective.

AUG

Lauren,

I don't think there is any question that Twitter and Facebook are awesome networking tools. That being said, I like to think of them as methods of distribution. You can reach many many people using FB and Twitter. However, what message are you sending them? Sometimes 140 characters is enough, or the length of a FB update is enough......but using those mediums to get the message in your blog posts out to your audience has real power.....which means of course, you have to have a blog :-)

Great post. Thank you for brining it back. Makes me long for the days when we used to be able to see how many members were online.......

Really great post! I'd like to see more agents from Utah on here as well... there are a few, but only a few. I just put a shout out on Twitter and Facebook linking to your post, so hopefully a few 'lurkers' come by for a peak, and than a long hard look, and then click on the "sign up" button! :)

I'm not a real estate agent, and I haven't signed up as a 'rainmaker,' but I love the community here, and if I get some sales out of it, great! If not, I still know what's going on in the real estate market (and can better serve my clients) AND I make some friends along the way... you can't beat that!

As long as social media time is kept short, it really is a great way to increase your business, and ActiveRain is nice because of the community nature of it all!

Thanks Lauren!

Lauren: You are correct. It requires time and dedication but the visibility is a worthwhile dividend.

While we are happy to review statistics that indicate clicks and views...comments from all the folks who are reading give those comment folks a voice as well....blog, comment....be there or be...

Laura - I suppose I've been more consistent with AR than any other form of social networking or marketing. I've learned so much here and the relationships have also proved invaluable. You've "voiced" some wonderful reasons to blog our little hearts away. Very good reminder, my dear:)

Hi Laura -- You bring up some interesting points on the other benefits of blogging that don't come to top of mind, great post.

My Wordpress blog has been a great source of income and exposure, and since I started to actively blog here my views are very large. I post the AR blogs to Facebook and linkedin, and I get comments and clients there so the reach is extended. I did one blog here about a short sale property in an Oklahoma City suburb that when you put in Moore Oklahoma short sales it went to the number two spot and in eight minutes from the post. Very powerful.

Hi Laura -- a very enjoyable post with great tips about why blogging is valuable and fun, especially in a community like ActiveRain. I love your comments about the chance to have a "normal conversation" and say something "uninterrupted". I guess that makes blogging, along with hot baths, a real luxury for working moms!

Laura - Thanks for adding to my bookmarked posts one more post pointing out the importance of jumping into the blogosphere.... In fact, this morning I have a workshop to introduce agents to AR and your post will br required reading! Thanks again!

Hi Laura,

I'm guilty--I signed up in March 2008, and until last week, was a lurker on ActiveRain! I have my own blog at www.realtown.com and was not comfortable with multiple blogs then. Meanwhile, reading and enjoying the AR blogs and comments. I finally decided to join the AR game. There truly is a lot of technology out there, and it can be overwhelming until you are comfortable with it--which is why I chose to lurk for a while.

Thanks for the post and excellent reminders, though! Not only are the blogs here great, the feeling of community, and comments posted are valuable as well.

...a previous lurker...

Hi Laura,

Thanks for a great post. I love Active Rain for many reasons but the best one is the sharing of information. Whenever I am thinking of trying something new in my business, I go to Active Rain to see what others have experienced.

Just yesterday, I wanted to run the absorption rate for my area and my mind went blank as to how to do it. Active Rain to the rescue !

Your post is full of encouragement to get others to share..

Thanks again.

I love creating Legacies but that's not why I blog even though it seems like that's what's left behind after all said and done.

Laura,

I found Activerain in 2007 but was blogging for about 3 years before finding Activerain. This is the wave of the future that has already arrived.

Laura, totally unrelated to the post right now (or maybe not) - but I wanted to tell you that you are even more beautiful in person than on line - it was so awesome to meet you at REBarCamp San Francisco F2F :)

Blogging is great for all the reasons you stated. But, there is no better social media for getting results on Google, bar none. With so many benefits you mention and the marketing edge we get on AR, please, all, make it a habit to post at least once a week. Thank you for the post.

I am still a lurker. I have been following ActiveRain almost daily recently and commenting. I have not started blogging as I feel there are so many others that blog and say most all that needs to be said. I am perfectly comfortable jumping in a conversation and giving my 2cents as a comment.

I do have a blog www.ChicagoRealEstatePlus.com which I started about a month ago. I had thought about posting it here but unless I make it public I can see no reason to do so. I also must say that I spend considerable time blogging now and following ActiveRain. Often time that should be spent on income producing activities. How do you all do it?

Laura,

I have never considered myself a writer although I have always admired those that have great penmanship. However, blogging has allowed me to try my hand at writing and although I am still learning I am so enjoying the experience.

Thank you for a great post and well deserved feature.

Sharon

Wow! Thank you for the awesome feedback and comments! This is what I love!

Sandra~ I consider AR my one stop shopping real estate extravaganza..Social Networking, Blogging, Learning & Friends, which is ALL business building! I look at it like these are income producing activities, but the biggest leasson I've learned is not to quit and be consistent.

There really is no better way to find your "voice" than by starting on AR among friends, and carrying it over to an outside blog or your own self hosted blog. I find that a conversation like this one can be way more satisfying than updates and tweet stats. One blog a week like David mentioned is a great start, and follow up with comments on others to keep the conversation going:)

Ines~ awww..you know you are as beautiful I had imagined these past few years..even better. I just need to get my party on with you next time!

I find blogging to be my favorite part of the job. I am getting better at it too.

Hello Laura,

But Its comfortable here in the gallery with the other 422 Looky Loo's

If you have someone relocating to Toronto I would love to hear from you.

David Pylyp

Living in Toronto

Thanks for your comments,Laura. Once a week sounds like a great way to start.

Regarding Facebook and Twitter...I am on Facebook but not Twitter. I spent over an hour last night trying to find an available username and then finally gave up. Perhaps Twitter could be an item for a blog post. Will make a goal to post something next week.

The more often that your name is out there, the more likely it is to be discovered. AR is a great tool to get that accomplished.

Your shameless self promotion is right on! We can promote without being so self centered. The writing for audience attention is what blogging is all about. Otherwise there are ad spaces all over the net :) Great points, great topic :)

One of the things I like best about AR blogging and commenting is learning from people who 'get it'. It can be tough sometimes to bounce ideas off of people who aren't in the business of real estate, or when I'd like to tell a friend the details of my day, but I know that 100% of what I would say would go right over their head, and they would nod their head and look at me quizzically...it's great to be among professionals who have so much in common, and who have 'been there and done that'.

Laura,

sooner or later, the others will post something. It's the first onme that's difficult.

Brian

Laura... All your points are well-made, and I believe all of them apply. But, probably what I like best is that blogging does make me think... about the subjects and the comments, and what I'm going to blog about next. It seems that the more ideas I have, the more they spin off additional ideas and topics. And that's thinking...

Nicholas~ It can be a great way to get your name out there..but I would rather see who the person is behind the name. Blogging can do that for you :)

Sally~ Right, and I've learned so much about what works in my blogging and what doesn't. A little sprinkle of shameless self promotion is ok I think:)

Amy~ It is..its always fun to hang with likeminded individuals that you can grow with and bounce new ideas off of.

Brian~ Yes, the first one is the hardest. If we all went back to our first attempts I'm sure we would have some good critisism. Keeping it up is the best thing to do.

Hi Bill~ "what I like best is that blogging does make me think... about the subjects and the comments, and what I'm going to blog about next. It seems that the more ideas I have, the more they spin off additional ideas and topics."

You are SO right! It keeps that spark of energy and thought going..I'm very much inspired by that.

I am also one of the "lurkers" out there. I have been on AR for some time now, and I read a few blogs every day, but only posted one myself. I love all the information that I get, but I have a hard time finding a worthy subject to blog about. Also, I would like to post public, but for some reason it only works "members only".

Hi Barbara~ Here are some great ideas for blogs from a blog post that Mariana Wagner did a long while back. One you get comfortable and think you can blog consistently, you can upgrade to a Rainmaker account, and then your posts could be public as well as members only. The public one get the Google Juice..so I would HIGHLY recommend it..its so worth it!

Thanks Laura for taking the time to respond and for your good advise.

I'm a lurker for sure. I like to relax at the beginning or the end of the day and read a few posts, post a few comments, earn a few points. Thanks for your post.

I have been back for several weeks and I am determined not to leave again. I do enjoy the blogging, I just don't know what to blog about that is of interest.

I was a lurker:) It was hard to dive in, but so glad for it now!

I signed up over a year ago but it is only recently that I started to actually do something with my blogging here. It does work and I am getting google juice. How do you know how many lurkers there are out there on your blog?

Barbara~ You're welcome, anytime:)

Julie~ When you are ready to give your blog a try, I'll be reading and commenting:) Just go for it!

Damon~ You and me both:) AR keeps my spirit and energy up..and always keeps me thinking..

Courtney~ And we are so glad you did! :-)

Carol~ That is so awesome. I'm looking forward to reading your blogs. There was a way to check that out way back in 07, but not a feature anymore..we're too big!

Property of TLW and Roar Productions. Get off my images :)

Whoa...

Did I break your stat counter or was it broken before I lurked on you? :)

TLW...ROAR!

TLW~ OMG..you broke ANOTHER ONE OF MY Widgets!!! Now I know what to do after you lurk..clean up the pieces. (sigh) :)LOL

Oh--I forgot that we used to be able to see how many / who was online!

I just attened a very informative workshop today hosted by Triple Play on Social Media. The speaker was Ricardo Bueno (www.ricardobueno.com) and he gave a great presentation. Two days ago I started a blog http://adriennemarkes.wordpress.com and frankly, I have no idea what I'm doing. BUT I was very inspired by the people I met today and what they are doing with their blogs. So I'm determined to focus on the type of content I'd like to include and figuring out how to do it and hope that as I perfect my blogging skills there will be someone out there who likes what I have to say.

Happy Blogging!

TLW has a point there! That online counter hasn't been there for quite some time - you have to dust off your AR screen and get reacquainted! Good post though. I'll think of something witty to say for tomorrow!

Hi Laura, yes I love this active rain network. I learn so very much, and get to talk to so many wonderful people. I am just goin to jump right in! thanks for sharing

AUG

My husband asked me the other day why I'm spending so much time on AR when it hasn't generated any business for me yet. I explained to him that reading the posts and occasionally writing one myself was sometimes the best part of my day. Next time I'll just print off your list and hand it to him!

AUG

Hi Laura, good post. I think I even remember this one. AND you changed your photo!! Looks good, and it seems 2009 is the year to update our photos. ;-)

AUG

Very insightful blog Laura. It made me think. I need to blog WAY more often

Thanks Laura. This is just as relevant today as it was in 2007. Blogging makes us think and organize our thoughts and through this process we become better communicators - in writing and verbal skills. I have found that I am more careful in my daily speech now than I have ever been, taking more time to carefully craft what I want to say.

You do such a good job at writing your posts. I look forward to reading them in the morning with my cup of coffee. This journey here at AR has been a wonderful experience for me!

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