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Happy New Year 2012: Blogging is so 2006

By
Real Estate Agent with HER Realtors

Happy New Year 2012

2012

Happy New Year!  Weren't you glad that there are so many opportunities in the real estate industry to engage with consumers in 2011?  As 2011 was ending I was thinking about how things have changed over the years and how things have stayed the same in many ways. 

OK I started thinking about it in August or September 2011.... so perhaps that really was NOT the end of 2011...

Blogging is so 2006

There are now Facebook pages and profiles, Twitter and Google+ so who needs "a blog" to "blog?"  You can engage with consumers on your Facebook page or profile.  You can tweet.  You can blog directly on Google+ so who needs "a blog" in 2012?

Five years ago in 2006 Time said "You" were the person of the year (2011, Time's Person of the Year was The Protester), TIME Magazine has had a person of the year from 1927 to 2011. 

"TIME 
Person of the Year
You.

Yes, you.
You control the Information Age.
Welcome to your world."

In the December 25, 2006 publication TIME said of "You"

"Who are these people? Seriously, who actually sits down after a long day at work and says, I'm not going to watch Lost tonight. I'm going to turn on my computer and make a movie starring my pet iguana? I'm going to mash up 50 Cent's vocals with Queen's instrumentals? I'm going to blog about my state of mind or the state of the nation or the steak-frites at the new bistro down the street? Who has that time and that energy and that passion?"

Gee I miss LOST. 

The Time Person of the Year article talks about Facebook.  Mark Zuckerburg was Times Person of the Year a few years ago. The 2006 Time Article says:

"We made Facebook profiles and Second Life avatars and reviewed books at Amazon and recorded podcasts." 

I doubt I joined Facebook in 2006... I am guessing I joined in 2007.  I am guessing I started using it in 2011, maybe 2010.  You?

2012

You can share cool stuff in hundreds of different ways online now.  So why have a blog?   Do you think "blogging" still has merit in 2012?  You probably do if you are an active ActiveRain member, but maybe not.  Or maybe not here. 

In the real estate industry and not blogging yet?  Jump in, the water is fine.

When did you start blogging?  Where did you start blogging?  Can you see yourself doing away with "a blog" and just engaging with others via Facebook or Google+ or something else? 

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Image Credit:  Time Flies by pierre bedat. This photo was shared with a Creative Commons license which allows commercial use.  He wrote "Happy new Year to All of you. May the light be with you…"

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Information is deemed to be accurate but should be verified to your satisfaction.  Information provided herein is supplied by several sources and is subject to change without notice.  Opinions expressed are solely those of Maureen McCabe.

 


 

Show All Comments
Marcia Kramarz
Re/Max Executive Realty - Medway, MA
CDPE,LMC,CBR

I was more into 24 than Lost - Although either would win over making an iquana movie!  Thnx for the chuckles!   Geez I hope blogging isn't dead - I hope I'm not 6 years late as I just created a fairly complex strategy that involves blogs AND facebook and twitter - Maybe you're right - would be just my luck! :) 

Jan 02, 2012 04:57 AM
Melissa Zavala
Broadpoint Properties - Escondido, CA
Broker, Escondido Real Estate, San Diego County

Thought-provoking post. I started blogging in 2008, and then joined AR in 2009. Then, I really got my feet wet, started a few Wordpress sites and cannot imagine what I did with all my free time before that. Happy New Year to you.

Jan 02, 2012 04:57 AM
Maureen McCabe
HER Realtors - Columbus, OH
Columbus Ohio Real Estate

Marcia wrote: Maybe you're right - would be just my luck!

I don't think I am trying to convince anyone blogging is not still a good thing... I think it might be more valuable than ever in 2012.  I still think AR is a great place for those in the RE industry to get their feet wet.  Even those who are participating in Facebook I think should have their own blog, but maybe some people never will.  Is an ActiveRain blog your own blog?  Some say no....  I think

Melissa I would have guessed you were here earlier than 2009.

Jan 02, 2012 05:24 AM
Ken Brandon
Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage (Jacksonville, NC) - Jacksonville, NC
Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, NC

I just started blogging a few months ago. Just started a business fan page in Facebook a few weeks ago. The reasons I didn't get involved before this was simply because I didn't understand the power that is in both places IF USED EFFECTIVELY. I had plenty of business and still do...I have just decided to add these two tools to the my toolbox, and have already had enough results to make these a part of my daily lead generating activities now.

Jan 02, 2012 05:25 AM
Monika McGillicuddy
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty - Hampstead, NH
Southern NH & the Seacoast Area

Happy New Year Maureen... blogging is still the number one money maker for me. I blog mostly on my own site and use Twitter and Facebook to promote that site.  Wishing you an awesome 2012!

Jan 02, 2012 07:08 AM
Cheryl Johnson
Highland Park, CA

The times they are a-changin'

I'm feeling I need to reduce the amount of blogs/social/etc... I have out there.  Maybe keep it down to FaceBook, ActiveRain, a couple misc personal blogs, Carlos' YouTube and thats all.  There really is a point where one can get spread a bit thin....  

Altho thin would be a good thing if we were talking about my figure  :-)

Jan 02, 2012 09:12 AM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease

Maureen, 

Great point in that a blog is one avenue to communicate, but not the only one.  It only gets a lot more confusing to me, as Facebook and Twitter are nice, but not how I enjoy getting my info!

All the best, Michelle

Jan 02, 2012 11:00 AM
Mike Jaquish
Realty Arts - Cary, NC
919-880-2769 Cary, NC, Real Estate

Is the Medium the Massage?

Jan 02, 2012 11:16 AM
Leslie Ebersole
Swanepoel T3 Group - Saint Charles, IL
I help brokers build businesses they love.

Maureen, I was thinking about this today while I messed around on Pinterest. It's one more way of communicating with people. 

We've been segmenting people into generations....and communicating with them that way: postcards and print newsletters to some, blogs to others, and FB to the youngsters (still not sure what Twitter is for).

I'm starting to think that we should be thinking about what platform is best for the type of information we're putting out. I can tell one story in a market report in blog, another story in a video hung off a syndicated listing, and yet another story on my shiny new Pinterest board. But they are all targeted at the buyer who I want to chose St. Charles IL for their home, me as their agent, and maybe even one of my listings. 

In any case, sorry for the long comment....Happy New Year.

Jan 02, 2012 04:03 PM
Maureen McCabe
HER Realtors - Columbus, OH
Columbus Ohio Real Estate

Ken welcome to blogging.  Welcome to ActiveRain.  Hope blogging is a positive experience for you.  Hope AR is a positive experience for you.  Both are what you make of it.

Leslie  Thanks for your long comment.

Mike Thanks for your enigmatic comment.  I was not aware of the book... I am barely aware of McLuhan.

Michelle Facebook is so hard for me.  I often just wish it would go away. Then every once in awhile I have fun. 

Monika  I blog a lot more (volume) on AR.  I get more traffic on my WP blog but it is not all real estate.  Or maybe I do not get more traffic on the WP site than I do on all three of my AR Outside blogs and AR itself and Localism.  I think blogging is still important and will be.  I don't think everyone has what it takes but I think some who do have just spent 5 or 6 years hoping bogging would go away.  Our industry can share content created by NAR, Inman, newspapers, their brokerage, real estate gurus, etc. their friends, contacts, fans, followers but all of those lead consumers away from them.  Bloggers have an opportunity to use Twitter, Facebook, Google+, whatever comes next back to themselves, their blog, their IDX, etc. 

I still need to do that video thing you do so well.  I have been hoping it would go away.  It won't.

Jan 03, 2012 12:54 AM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

There are lots of ways to connect. Blogging has been primary but for me learning to use the others is more important this year. Good luck in 2012!

Jan 03, 2012 12:56 AM
Maureen McCabe
HER Realtors - Columbus, OH
Columbus Ohio Real Estate

don't lose sight of the fact that while there is value in sharing the work of others...curating content on Facebook, Google+, etc.  you create content in blogging (ActiveRain, Blogger.com, etc.) that is uniquely Gary L Waters.  2009 or 2010? was the year of curation,  I think there was a correction to that in 2011 and those who have created content over the years are the real winners.  Blogging is dead, long live "the blog." 

I hate the word "blog." 

Jan 03, 2012 01:28 AM
Mike Jaquish
Realty Arts - Cary, NC
919-880-2769 Cary, NC, Real Estate

Maureen,

"Enigmatic" indeed.  May I use an emoticon?  :D

McLuhan proposed that the quality of content may be secondary to the perception of style and context.

I.e., FaceBook!

I don't use the words "blog" or "blogging" much any more.  The connotations are not great for many people, mostly real estate agents.  I tend to refer to posting "content."

Yet, my for WP, I have blog.MikeJaquish.  And I'm sticking with it.

Jan 03, 2012 02:08 AM
Maureen McCabe
HER Realtors - Columbus, OH
Columbus Ohio Real Estate

If I could go back to 2006 and change my WP blog's  site's  name I would...  What a dummy I am.

Content... I am thinking of dropping a company service I pay for.... moving that domain to my company website...  using MaureenMcCabe.com on my WP.org blog along with the name I hate on the site I love.  Or perhaps doing something even more drastic...  I have been thinking about jockeying things around for a long time.

Slap me if I use the b word again.

I watched a little intro on YouTube to a DVD of the 1967 book...  Retro.  Hard for me to understand.

I was at a friend's house the other night (former client too) and he went on a tear about "blogs" (don't slap me I am just quoting here) tweeting and Facebook.  Another friend threw in LinkedIn.... only he calls LinkedIn something else, perhaps he says "Link-id-in"  but I do not remember for sure.  He is recently retired, so I am not sure why he would worry about anyone using LinkedIn, but I wonder...  I wonder if he is considering doing consulting and someone mentioned LinkedIn to him and it scares him.    Neither of these men is a very strong reader so I think some of it is frustration.    They both like playing online games, one on his smart phone.   I think they probably both read some content and are oblivious to reading it on dreaded sites that allow content creation easily (that would the dreaded "b" word again.)  

The one who started the discussion about the downfall of society because of "blogs" (quoting him again so don't slap me), Facebook and tweeting shared a few YouTube videos with us on Sunday.  He was not emailing us those videos, we were at his house and I am not sure if it was on another friend's iPad or on her laptop but he loved that content.     

A big part of their concern with not creating content but with others creating content is  "keeping up."  I just don't get that.  I guess to me creating content and especially content that is words  for me is just like breathing.

I was watching your videos for a long time and trying to make myself do videos but for me, that is just NOT like breathing. I got busy over the holidays and I have been sick so I kind of stopped watching them... or did you get busy and stop and that's why I am NOT watching them anymore?   Need to get back in the groove.  

   

Jan 03, 2012 03:46 AM
Rich Cederberg
eXp Realty - Albuquerque, NM
eXp Realty Agent Albuquerque

Blogs are more relevant than ever.  Content is still king and everchanging content is the best kind.  Google+ may have something but it might still be too soon to know for sure. 

Jan 03, 2012 12:02 PM
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