Special offer

BLOG SYNDICATION: It Really Works (Thx Renee & Jennifer)

By
Mortgage and Lending with Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA

A couple of months ago, I attended Jennifer Allen's Sell with Soul webinar, What Does it Mean to "Get Business From the Internet?" - the Unanswered Questions

She had several guest bloggers who discussed their blogging strategies on how they have been generating business from the internet.  Because getting business from the internet was the primary reason why I even started blogging in the first place, I attended the webinar in hopes of learning more about how to do that.

Although the webcast was geared for Realtors and I found all the IDX discussion irrelevant to my business, Renee Burrows brought up a topic that I knew absolutely nothing about but was very intrigued with. 

Renee talked about how she increases her blog exposure through blog syndication sites.  Personally, I thought it was some kind of software that those really super savvy bloggers all had and since I didn't fall into that category, I remained clueless. 

After connecting with Renee offline, I got a really good lesson on what blog syndication is and isn't and she informed me that this could possibly be something that could help me increase my internet exposure and subsequently increase my internet production. 

So as the somewhat cautious blogger that I am, I stuck my toe into the blog syndication waters, so to speak, and signed up for a few blog syndication sites (BlogBurst, Zimbio, Top Blogs) that Renee had recommended.  Before jumping into the whole blog syndication thing head first, I just wanted to try it out to see if I liked it and to see if it suited me. 

I set up my profiles, which wasn't hard at all and I linked it back to my blog and from there I just tried to make sure I updated them regularly.  Last week, I got one of those calls, you know those calls, the ones that start out with, "I saw your blog about....."

Because I like to track where my leads and referral sources come from, I asked where he saw my blog, he responded, "I saw it on Zimbio" - I just smiled.  WOW!  Just another example of how blogging is increasing my exposure to my local market and how I'm using the internet to generate more business. 

Now I know all you really savvy bloggers out there already knew about this stuff eons ago but for someone who's still a relative newbie (20 months) and didn't know about all of this, learning about blog syndication was a fantastic learning experience.  I still have a lot to learn about blog syndication, simply signing up for a few syndication sites is just the tip of the iceberg. 

On that note, I want to give a big shout out to fellow rainers Renee and Jennifer for not only teaching this newbie some new ways to blog but also for just being really smart women to know.  Ladies, I remain a dedicated and devoted fan and subscriber.

Posted by

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Donne Knudsen

Realtor® - CalState Realty Services

DRE#: 01364050 / NMLS#: 249822 

 

805.2069123

 

E-mail   My Blog  

Serving low-medium income individuals and families as well as first time buyers with both their real estate as well as their mortgage needs including down payment assistance

Los Angeles County  --  Ventura County

© 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Hmmmm, just when I think I'm "getting this" there's always something new.

May 08, 2010 03:10 PM
Todd Clark - Retired
eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR
Principle Broker Oregon

It is real simple, the more people that see your blog the more business you get. Renee has figured this out and has been doing it very well for years. That is why she is such a great blogger and why she keeps doing it.

May 08, 2010 07:26 PM
Renée Donohue~Home Photography
Savvy Home Pix - Allegan, MI
Western Michigan Real Estate Photographer

Thanks Donne!!  I was one of the few people NOT freaking out when AR was down because of syndication.  I knew my blog was live in over 50 other spots :)  Zimbio is VERY search engine friendly too (as you already figured out!)  Glad the time spent helped at least one person out, LOL!

May 09, 2010 06:32 AM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)

Donne - Interestingly, I hadn't even heard of Zimbio before this moment.  I'm off now to check it out!

May 09, 2010 10:34 AM
Jim Frimmer
HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA
Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

I'll have to check it out. I'm one of those newbies, too, and technology can be so overwhelming that it's good to read things that other Realtors are doing.

May 09, 2010 02:05 PM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Well Donne it looks like I've got another homework assignment.  Thanks for the great info.

May 09, 2010 02:06 PM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Good post and I am book marking this for latter.  Thanks for the post

May 09, 2010 02:56 PM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

Tammy - I have never felt like I'm "getting this" whole blogging thing.  I know there is so much more I need to learn about blogging and generating business from the internet.  When it comes to blogging and building internet presence, I am still a newbie.

Todd - And that is why she is such a good person to know - we could learn so much from her!

Renee - Of course you didn't you smart cookie!  LOL  I'm sure I'm not the only one who has learned a thing or two from you.  Thx again.  :)

May 09, 2010 04:02 PM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

Jason - I had never heard of it either until Renee told me about it.  I strongly suggest you check it out.

Jim - Definitely check it out.  It's just another way to increase exposure for your blog.

Charita - You're welcome.  This is one of the best things I love about AR - learning from each other.

Gene - I hope you do check it out.  We could use as much exposure for our blogs as we can.

Thx for stopping by everyone; I really appreciate it.

May 09, 2010 04:07 PM
Jane Peters
Home Jane Realty - Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles real estate concierge services

Thanks for posting about this.  I am not sure where I should and shouldn't be and I am always worried about duplicating content, which is supposed to be a no no.  I guess I will start joining the sites you mention above.  Again thanks and I am bookmarking.

May 10, 2010 06:30 AM
Cari Anderson
Danville, CA

Donne: my husband and I were on that same call and we too contacted Renee about the syndication info. Thanks for the links too. We are planning on implementing the same strategy. Best wishes!

May 10, 2010 09:47 AM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

Jane - I know how you feel about knowing what I should and shouldn't be doing about my blog.  There is some much info on what we should be doing, it's really confusing determining what we do and don't want to be doing - like duplicating content.

Cari - It was a pretty good webinar and I am glad I got a chance to be a part of it.  Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming learning about all the stuff we should be doing in order to promote our blog and increase our interenet exposure.  For me, it's all about baby steps and learning as I go.

May 10, 2010 10:06 AM
Stanton Homes
Stanton Homes - New Home Builder - Raleigh, NC
Design/Build Custom Home Builder in North Carolina

Looks like I need to add syndication to my list!  Even after several years on AR, I learn something new all the time...

May 10, 2010 11:12 PM
Paul McFadden
Responsive Pest Control - Seattle, WA
Pest Control, Seattle, WA.

Donne: Thanks for this. Keep us all posted on what you're seeing by doing this. Have a great day!

May 11, 2010 03:07 AM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

Penny - That the way I felt when I first heard about this.  Just another thing to learn about.  This is actually one of the best things that I've enjoyed about AR - learning new stuff.  Don't get me wrong, I love all the exposure I'm getting from my local market (that's actually why I joined AR) and the business I've done in the 20 months since I've been here.  However, there is so much more to learn about all this stuff and when I'm ready to learn something new, there's always someone here on the rain that will teach it to me.

Paul - I guess I shouldn't have been surprised but I was and it was a great surprise.

Thx for stopping by folks; I really appreciate it.

May 11, 2010 04:52 AM
Brenda Mullen
RE/MAX Associates - San Antonio, TX
Your San Antonio TX Real Estate Agent!!

Hi Donne, Well, decided to subscribe to your blog because I am impressed with your honest and to the point.  I honestly didn't expect to find some great information!  I have never heard of that little gem called blog sydication and will now be checking it out!  Thank you so much!

May 11, 2010 01:23 PM
Sidney Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula
Realty Works Temecula - Temecula, CA
Realty Works Temecula

Thank you Donne:  Great and through explanation...I will do this tomorrow!

May 11, 2010 03:49 PM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

Brenda - Thank you for the interest in my blog, I'm flattered and honored that you like my posts.  I work hard on them and it's nice to know that people like them and are reading them.  :)

Up until a couple of months ago, I too hadn't heard of blog syndication.  It wasn't until other AR members that I liked and had been following that taught me about it.  That's actually one of the best things I like about AR, all the things I can learn from the other members.

There's some really incredibly smart and savvy people here on AR.  Anything you want to know about social media, blogging, generating business or anything else industry related, someone here knows all about it and you can learn from them.

Jane - Just another opportunity for us to increase the exposure for our blogs.  Good luck.

Thx for stopping by ladies; I really appreciate it.  :)

May 11, 2010 06:32 PM
Lisa Udy
Platinum Real Estate Group - Logan, UT
Logan Utah Realtor

Hi Donne! 

I didn't know anything about blog syndication, but I went ahead and signed up on these three sites. Thank you for the information, I hope it will make my phone ring like yours did! :)

May 20, 2010 05:30 AM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

Lisa - Glad you liked the info.  I too didn't know anything about blog syndication until I connected with Renee offline.  She is a wealth of info.  I did exactly that, trying a few sites first, and the first time I got a prospect from it (less than 60days later) I went and fully committed to several other sites. 

It's a little more work to manage these sites and do some basic maintenance on a regular basis but it's worth it.  Just another opportunity to get more eyes on your blog and more traffic to your site.

May 21, 2010 06:17 AM