What happens when points are ill gotten
by Michael Mapes
We all know by now how to achieve points on AR. Active Rain is a point based blogging system and if the most part it works. You write bolgs for consumers to read and you score 200 points, more if people actually like what you wrote. You also score points for making comments to other blogs, Invite other to join Active Rain and you can build yourself residual points. The point system is alive an well on Active Rain.
Other Points
Until friday I did not know that you can post photos to Localism and score points. In fact post two photos and you can score 150 points and then 25 points for each additional photo. Here in lies a potential problem. When you have reached your 10 blog max and you have exhausted you comment limit for the day, what is a person to do to maintain ranking and point advantage. Answer post photos that may or may not be ones you have taken of you area.
Many members of Active Rain and I suspect that number is in the high 90% range post blogs and comments that they feel are of value to not only the author but also to the general public. But the other percentage of people have nothing of value to say or go through the motions in order to gain points.
Posting photos on localism is a great way for consumers to gain some valuable information about your area. Posting photos from other websites that are not of your own creation is FRAUD and prohibits free and open competition. If you have nothing of value to say, for petes sake do not blog just to add points. Sharpen you skills and open your mind and learn what the public wants. If you find your self behind in the points do not commit fraud by posting photos that do not belong to you. I know of one person who has posted over 40 photos to localism and judging by the quality of the photo this person ought to be a professional photographer and not in the Real Estate Business. Accumulating over 3,000 points in the process.
Cheating hurts everyone
Once I learned of this point accumulation I almost through in the towel and quit AR. I blog to provide information for people. Help them avoid the pitfalls in Mortgage financing and expose predatory lenders. I have over 111 posts and over 150 comments to other blogs. I believe I am playing with in the rules. This persons actions has caused me to rethink the work I am doing here and possible look for another way to add value to people.
Blog to help people and not for the points. If you are simply in this for the points then you are in it for the wrong reasons.
Michael Mapes can be reached for comment at 757.599.1810 ext 225
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I don't think it is a reason to quit. I have over 200 photos posted on Localism and I don't spend the time doing this for the points. I have CLOSED business because of localism. Other's can write copy and pasted articles about an area or spew out little factoids BUT when a consumer goes into a community and sees pictures, a picture says a thousand words. A picture says an agent "has been there" and "knows" the area.
I do it because it is a search engine rich tool and for prospecting reasons. I don't think everyone does it from a point standpoint. Also, we no longer get points for adding communities, like we used to. I am still adding communities every week, I don't get points for it. Why would I do that? People like to see their communities in lights.
It's psychological prospecting.