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5 Principles to Creating an Effective Blog Post

By
Education & Training with Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp Non-Licensed

 


Before you post on your Blog, here's five principles that may help you get more views, readers and comments, and (no promises), featured on Active Rain!

First off, put some thought and effort into your posts.  There are so many things you can write about IE: your business, events, personal experiences, travel, technology, other members, the Market etc.

If you invest a small amount of time "thinking" about your post and your readers, their perceptions and what you are trying to get across, the better your posts will be. 

Don't knock yourself out, and remember, you'll never know what kind of response you'll get until you just "Go For It!"  This is how you will learn, grow, and improve your Blogging Skills.


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  1.  This is very important!  Look at it like the HEADLINES of your newspaper, or like the subject line of your email,  it will determine if your readers are going to open it and read it or not.  Coming up with a good title, is often times over-looked and under-estimated.  Put some time into creating a title that "GRABS" the readers attention, but is also on course with your subject!  If readers like your title, they will at least breeze through your post. 

  2.  Make sure you DON'T create posts that are 1000 or more words, all clumped together on one page!  Very few will read it!  Your post needs to be pleasing to the eye, and easy to read!  Follow this rule of thumb (in my humble opinion),  never have more than 3-5 lines of text before you have a paragraph break.  I know this isn't what we learned in our grammar school English class, but for Blogging, it 's acceptable.

  3.  It's unlikely that you'll get any value from your posts that are only 25 words or less.  You need to be able to engage your readers without teasing them in a short post, or boring them with a long one.  You'll find your way, it does take time.  Understand that other readers, viewers and members can tell a lot about you by your posts.  Your intelligence, your intentions, and your personality.  I would also use the spell-check on AR, we all make typos, but there's a tool here to help you minimize them in your posts. 

  4.  This is essential in creating a good post and more importantly, creating returning viewers.  This is more important than points, comments, or any other compulsive things that may cause you to Blog on Active Rain.  Content must look, feel, and flow smoothly, but also take your readers to a final ultimatum.  They'll either just read it, or read it and comment.  Ultimately, you want them to also subscribe to your Blog and add you as an associate!!   


  5.  These are items to help enhance the view and attract-ability to your post.  Photos and graphics tend to set a mood and often times can engage a reader even more.  BE CAREFUL, you don't want to over do it here.  Also the size of your photos and graphics should be proportionate to your text and content.  Use Links to other members, topic related materials, and any other useful articles or websites to increase your "Exchange In Value" on your post.  Same with bolding, underlining and italicizing text, important, but use in moderation. 

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TIP:  Make your profile page your "BEST POST OF ALL!"  When someone reads one of your post for the first time, often they will go to your profile page to read and learn a little more about you.  I suggest making it like a website!  Detailed information, links, testimonies, useful bookmarks, and photos or multimedia.  You want to have "stickiness" on your profile, just as you would your web-page.  Make it better than a webpage.

In closing, Blog safely, wisely, and often, but more importantly, BE REAL, follow your instincts and intuitions, and maximize your potential and possibilities here!  :-))

All Content Copyright Protected © 2007       

Comments (218)

Larry Wilcox
Bozeman Broker Group - Bozeman, MT

Hi Brad, Thank you for all the great info...so helpful!

Best to you!!

Bozeman Broker Group

Apr 22, 2009 05:44 AM
Joe Roy
HomeBased Realty - Palmdale, CA

Hi Brad,

This is going to sound like a dumb question.  How do I get my picture to appear in my blog responses?

Apr 25, 2009 10:06 AM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Hi Joe - your picture will appear in comments once you either reach 10,000 points or upgrade your current account to a rainmaker account.  Here's a link for the upgrade if you're interested.  :-)

Apr 27, 2009 06:03 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Brad, I know this must be around somewhere but i've done several searches on it.  When I write a blog, I know I'm limited to postings to 5 groups, but does that include any Localism or channels?  Thanks. 

Also, I know I now have my picture included as well as a "Rainmaker" symbol (Yea!!!) but do I need to pay the monthly fee for an outside blog?  Thanks.

May 14, 2009 06:21 AM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Hi Kathy - 5 groups, Localism, Your Outside Blog , and 1 Channel are your options.  With the paid rainmaker membership, an outside blog is included.  As a rainmaker grandfathered in or by points, outside blogs are 19.00.  Let me know if you need any assistance.

May 15, 2009 09:02 AM
Marian Pierre-Louis
Fieldstone Historic Research - Medway, MA
Metrowest Boston

The biggest issue I am having with my blog is figuring out how to use graphics.  Can you suggest an ActiveRain tutorial link that will give me the low down on adding graphics to my blog?  Thanks!

May 30, 2009 04:03 AM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Marian - you can add graphics and images to your Blogs by clicking on the "tree image" in your toolbar and then uploading them from either your computer or the Internet.  If you need additional help, just let me know and I can walk you through it. :-)

May 31, 2009 04:58 PM
Marian Pierre-Louis
Fieldstone Historic Research - Medway, MA
Metrowest Boston

Brad,

I should have been more specific.  I can upload images I just can't control them! LOL.  I can't seem to get the text to wrap around them nicely the way every else has them.  Mine seem to push to the bottom under the text.  Do I need to use HTML or something?  I would like to have images within my text so it is visually appearing and breaks up the big text blocks.  Have there been any tutorials on that? 

As an extra bonus, I would like to know what program some agents are using to make those highly graphic intense, slick, posts of their listings.

Thanks! Marian

 

Jun 01, 2009 10:46 PM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Marian - I'll see what I can find for you. 

There is an "appearence" tab when you upload new images to a blog post, if you click on that tab, you'll have the ability to resize, add borders, create spacing between images and text both vertically and horizontally, and you can justify the images ie: Left, Center, Right, etc.  I'm sure there's a tutorial out there somewhere, but once you click on "appearence" you'll probably find that you won't need one anymore. 

If I can't find one, I may just have to create one for you.  :-))

Jun 02, 2009 06:48 AM
Eddie Reynolds
Land Mortgage - Austin, TX

This is very good info! New to the blog world I will defiantly have to refer back to this pretty often until it becomes 2nd nature!

Eddie

Jun 16, 2009 10:51 AM
Tony Anderson
Century 21 Community Realty - Clarkesville, GA
Serving Habersham Banks White & Stephens Counties

Great tips. Now all I have to do is apply them.

Jan 21, 2010 01:20 PM
Ron T. Weems Jr.
Weems Property Group | KW North Sound - Bothell, WA
Managing the details one home at a time.

Very informative. Now let me see, if I can remember it all and get my blog off on the right track.

Jan 22, 2010 05:33 PM
Jenn & Phil Beck
www.utahspot.com, Salt Lake Real Estate, Coldwell Banker - Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City Homes For Sale

Great, concise information that is useful with most business writing, not just posts. Will put it to use in our first post later today, I hope! 

Jan 28, 2010 10:33 AM
John Sweeney
Crye-Leike Elite Realtors - Jackson, TN

The 5 principles will be helpul to me.  I appreciate that you have taken the time to write this down for those of use who will struggle with our first few or more posts.

Jul 05, 2010 04:04 PM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Thanks John - you need not struggle here, there are too many great folks around this community willing to help. Enjoy my friend. :-)

Jul 06, 2010 04:18 AM
Marsha Cash
RE/MAX Advantage - Stockbridge, GA

I am still learning about AR, so this was greatly helpful!

Aug 04, 2010 08:59 AM
Mike Kozlow
Mike Kozlow Real Estate - Lakewood Ranch, FL
Broker

Thank you for the advice. Every little bit helps

Apr 28, 2011 04:39 AM
Brivity Software
Bellingham, WA

Thanks again for another helpful blog for newcomers! 

Apr 26, 2013 09:39 AM
Shelly Pousson
Lafayette, LA
Lafayette, LA

Thanks! This will help me write my first blog!

Jan 13, 2014 04:10 AM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Shelly - that's great, looking forward to reading your first post. :-)

Jan 13, 2014 06:56 AM