My Blog, My Business, Overgrown Asters and Stunted Fuschias
Leslie said it and she said it well. I whole-heartedly agree with this post. As long as someone is not breaking any of the Active Rain guidelines, no one else should be telling them what they should and should not post.
Time to go dig up those Cannas, they are not exactly the color that I want in that spot.. even though my neighbr likes that color.. my garden. :)
The blog police have been out recently, writing long and even argumentative posts about what other people should or shouldn't be writing or publishing in their posts. Last week there was a dust-up over whether market reports were suitably entertaining for AR readers.
Some bloggers feel duty-bound to make sure they are the one-and-only voice on certain subjects (SEO, inspections, staging). Today Barbara Tordaro has a post Are Your Listings Spam.... in which she refutes a post called OMG Stop Spamming Active Rain.
Each of us tends his or her own little plot of virtual land here on Active Rain. Within the Terms of Service (no hate speech, porn, copyright violations), each of us gets to write or publish what we please.
Each of us has his or her own goals for a blog. I can't believe that the Drapery Dude of Long Island gets business with what he posts, but maybe he does. It's none of my business. It's his little virtual plot and if he wants to plant it with valances, that's his right.
My blog is like my property and gardens, a little messy and unpredictable, but I like it that way. If you walk around my neighborhood circle there are about 60 houses, all with mature gardens. Most yards have plantings easy for a landscaper to put in and maintain. Some homeowners, like me, are always changing things. I want a unique look with a variety of plants, and new interest from March to Christmas. I don't want my yard to look like the front of my dentist's office.
As anyone who gardens knows, what you plant today won't really show itself for two to three years. The results are unpredictable. The plants grow to the wrong size, or are too crowded, or flower at the wrong time. If I'd known those asters would grow to 4' tall, I wouldn't have put them in the second row! And the dogs always do their fair share of damage, but that's a small price to pay for their love and loyalty.
My front pots were not great this year, those expensive orange fuchsias were overwhelmed by a new variety of impatiens. (I was happy to see the gerberas bloom all season).
"There is always something to look at in your yard" says one lady who walks her dog by my house twice a day. Her yard is balanced, pristine, and in my opinion, boring. But we're each happy with how her own property looks.
My blog is the same way. I'm always trying new content, throwing out old styles, or changing up the themes and the messages. One goal for my AR blog is to drive traffic to my website. One month I might not put in market reports, or another I might do a lot of listings. I try to evaluate how these changes affect traffic and consumer interest.
It's my little plot of virtual land to tend, and while I welcome constructive input from my peers, this blog supports my business and my goals for running that business.
Now about those asters...
I'm a Realtor® in St. Charles, IL in the western suburbs of Chicago. If you are thinking about buying or selling a home and want a Realtor® who likes to plant outside the lines, give me a call at (630) 945-7935.
This post was written by Leslie Ebersole of Baird & Warner Real Estate.
Use or reproduction of the material published on this site is expressly prohibited without the express written permission of the author.
My Website FoxValleyRealEstate.net
My Email leslie.ebersole@bairdwarner.com
My Mobile (630)945-7935
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