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reBlogs now require commentary

By
Real Estate Technology with ActiveRain

The reBlog concept is a really good idea, if used properly. When we first launched it, that idea was that users could pass on information from their colleagues to their readers and put their own little spin on the content.

If you reBlogged a post, it was our intention that you would add some commentary to the start of the post so that your readers would be made aware of what it was exactly about the post that you found interesting. You would let your reader know why you chose to share this particular post.

Now you have to share something. Posts can no longer be reBlogged without adding 25 words of commentary to a reBlogged post.

So what do you think? Is 25 words enough? Should we require more feedback in order to reBlog a post? Do you think reBlogging is the dumbest thing of which you've ever heard? Do you have no idea what a reBlog is?

~Bob

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Comments (200)

Mary Sheridan
Keller Willliams - 1033 Hamilton Place,Johnson City TN 37604 - Johnson City, TN
Creative Marketing, Buyer Agency 423-943-7655

On a slightly different topic, I wish comments had to have something more significant to say than "Great post" or "I'll use that idea" in some variation.    Not just this post - I waste a lot of time going through sometimes dozens of variations of those before I finally get to a comment that adds something useful.    This isn't about points - it's about value, to me.    Pardon my grump.  It's been on of those days.

Sep 02, 2010 09:44 AM
ARDELL DellaLoggia
Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA

Roger,

As I said in the comment, it is not "my" definition of "plagiarism"...it is Google's. You can have a different one, but the one I use is Google's, whom I happen to respect as a noted authority as to "web content" and "duplicate" content.

Sep 02, 2010 09:50 AM
Todd Clark - Retired
eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR
Principle Broker Oregon

If you find something interesting enough to re-blog it, I see no reason you shouldn't be able to come up with at least 50 words to explain to your readers why you reblogged it. Most comments on posts that are worth re-blogging are well over 50 comments, so why not just make your comment the intro to your readers.

Sep 03, 2010 10:02 AM
Anne Clark
Metro Referrals - Gainesville, VA

As someone who enjoys a lot of reblogging, I can't understand why this wasn't a requirement before.  Seems they  all need some sort of introduction.

Sep 03, 2010 11:03 AM
Anne Clark
Metro Referrals - Gainesville, VA

As someone who enjoys a lot of reblogging, I can't understand why this wasn't a requirement before.  Seems they  all need some sort of introduction.

Sep 03, 2010 11:03 AM
Anne Clark
Metro Referrals - Gainesville, VA

As someone who enjoys a lot of reblogging, I can't understand why this wasn't a requirement before.  Seems they  all need some sort of introduction.

Sep 03, 2010 11:03 AM
Steven L. Smith
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Kerrie,

That seems like a good idea. They ought to at least state why the blog post meant something.

Sep 03, 2010 11:05 AM
Roger Johnson
Hickory, NC

ARDELL: In your comment, you said, "...reblogging is "plagiarizing with permission"...but still plagiarizing."   The definition of plagiarism is: the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work.

Since you, as the author of the content, have to give permission (the reblog button becomes available) to reblog a post, anybody reblogging your posts HAS permission from you to do so, hence, no plagiarizing.  Plagiarizing with permission is an oxymoron.  It isn't possible.

BIG difference between duplicate content per Google and plagiarism.

Sep 03, 2010 12:50 PM
SarahGray Lamm
Allen Tate Realtors Chapel Hill, NC 919-819-8199 - Chapel Hill, NC
Realtor - 100K Hours of NC Real Estate Experience

Kudos on a righteous change! 25 is quite reasonable! Thanks!

Sep 04, 2010 04:29 AM
Mark Hitz
Keller Williams - The Colony, TX

Hello Bob ~ 

I'm a newer rainmaker so "points matter" however I think I have only re-blogged once possibly twice. I didn't know life before the 25 word intro so it's just part of the process.  In a month it will be a non issue.

25 Minimum. After reading all 195 comments above it's apparent you did something good although there are a few whiners. 25 is a good minimum.  Someone said "but they can cut and paste 25" - Jeez "they" (whoever they are) can cut and paste 100 just as easily - who cares about them there "they".  25 motivates us New Rainers to write.

Disable Edits. I absolutely agree that you need to disable the edit on a reblog.  If someone re-blogs me and edits my content then they are literally putting words in my mouth.  

Regarding comments on the re-blog: No comments allowed. If you want to leave a comment you must go to the original and join in.  You (the comment  leaver) will learn a lot more from all the comments being located in one spot.  Me, the reader of the re-blog will be enticed to go read ALL the comments at the original poster's blog - thus giving the AUTHOR respect for his or her work.

Somebody pondered that if you disable re-blog comments HOW can the original author thank the copier?  Just like you do with anyone who comments on your post - you can comment back on your post.  Also e-mail, text, phone, twitter, facebook, smoke signals, gift cards and singing telegrams are acceptable alternative forms of communication.

Serial Rebloggers. Being newer, I am oblivious to these Horrible People called Serial Rebloggers. Let's say they exist. If you do the 25 word min plus Disabled Editing & Disabled Commenting as suggested above, wouldn't these people ease up? Then you would only have the Serial serial re-bloggers to attend to.

About Points. It appears All Points are Rewards except those for Re-blogging. Rewards. Thanks. Attaboy. Kudos.    I write a blog - thanks for the work, here are points. I take the time to read and comment on somone else's post - thanks 25 points.  Someone else Re-blogs my post - Attaboy for writing something good - 25 points.  So Bob, why are you rewarding people for copying someone else's work?  They didn't do anything for the reward.  If active rain is going to continue to give out points for copying (aka re-blogging) then you should have a new bucket in the person's Point Summary.  Down below Blog Points and Comment Points there should be a line Re-Blogging Other People Points. Then anyone can verify who these Cereal Rebloggers are.  "Hey would you look at that - this guy has 25,000 Reblogging Points - somebody get me a calcalater and a shotgun."  Right now what bucket do these 25 re-blogging points get mixed into?

Anyway - Thanks for asking my 2 cents.   Enjoy - Mark

  

Sep 04, 2010 10:43 AM
Letitia Stevenson
BHHS Fox & Roach | www.DelawareValleyRE.com - Greenville, DE
Listing Agent DE/PA/MD, Digital Marketer & Coach

Hi Bob,

My suggestions/thoughts:

1 | I agree, reblogging is great if used properly

2 | 25 (at minimum) or 50 word commentary requirement is reasonable

3 | Keep COMMENTS ENABLED on reblogged post to allow collegues to communicate with their readers/audience

4 | All COMMENT POINTS credited to Original blogger/post

Thanks for your consideration.

Sep 04, 2010 12:58 PM
"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.
President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

Wow...

I like this Mark Hitz Dude. A fresh perspective is always a good thing.

Now don't go getting me started on shotguns :)

TLW...ROAR!

Sep 05, 2010 02:49 AM
ARDELL DellaLoggia
Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA

I second that loving the Mark Hitz dude, TLW! Awesome comment and perspective.

Sep 05, 2010 06:08 AM
"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.
President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

Ardell...

Sometimes it really takes a new member to help us with our secret mission to shut down reBlogging. Lol. I got an email from someone that said just that. We are single handedly trying to destroy it. Yeah. Okay. We're trying to shut down a way to game the system. Geesh. I think the person that sent me the email doth protest a bit too much :)

TLW...ROAR!

Sep 05, 2010 10:59 AM
ARDELL DellaLoggia
Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA

TLW,

To me it's kinda like teaching your kids how to copy the answers off of someone else's test paper before sending them to school...and also how to sit next to the right person to copy from! LOL! It might be a "successful strategy"...but there's something not quite "right" about it.

Sep 05, 2010 11:09 AM
Roger Johnson
Hickory, NC

I second (or third?) kudos to Mark Hitz bringing a fresh perspective to the subject.  I really did not like the idea of disabling comments on reblogs, but Mark's take on it has changed my mind on that as well.

Good job! :)

Sep 06, 2010 01:36 PM
Bill Gassett
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA
Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

Hey Bob how about fixing the re-blog link as well!!! The credit used to go the the bloggers outside blog account on a re-blog and it now stays with the AR blog. I would love to see the credit go back to the outside blog if the owner has one.

Sep 07, 2010 12:59 AM
Margaret C. Taylor
Century 21 New Millennium MD - Mechanicsville, MD
St Marys/Calvert/Charles MD Real Estate Agent

I had to come back to this and forgive me I did not read all the comments again.

After just seeing someone reblog 10 posts and put the same comment on each, (basically:  'I enjoyed this and thought you might like it too....), I think points should only go to the original blogger. 

Any of us that reblog should do it just because we want to share good information that we have just read.  When I first started with AR I was guilty of reblogging for points, sorry.  Now I reblog if the information is worth spreading. 

Sep 15, 2010 03:37 PM
Eric Kodner
Madeline Island Realty - La Pointe, WI
CRS, Madeline Island Realty, LaPointe, WI 54850 -

Twenty-five words should be enough for anyone to express why they feel a post is worthy of re-blogging. 

I've often thought that a member should not receive points for reblogging a post that they never commented on in the first place.  Just my opinion..

Sep 16, 2010 12:14 PM
Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089
Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI
Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

Interestingly enough - when I imported my blog to posterous there were some glitches, one of which was the attribution part doesn't always translate well.  There was no link to the original blogger.  That's something to think about.

Oct 06, 2010 09:19 PM