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"How to Balance Your Blog" - Blog Tips for Rain Drips

As I roam the Rainscape these days, I'm noticing a lot more property listings being posted to our Network. And I mean, A lot!

That's not necessarily a bad thing. As a professional real estate agent myself, it's nice having one more viable domain to promote my listings. But I think if you asked the founders of this community, they would tell you that it was never their intention for ActiveRain to become a Listing Aggregation site. There's enough of those already!

Nonetheless, published listings have become only one of many valuable features that can be utilized 'FOR FREE' by our members.

That said, I simply want to encourage all of you to post a greater VARIETY to your blogs. For some of you (you will remain nameless!), listings are ALL you publish. For others, your blog archive reads like a series of self-promoting ads in a Single's Classified! Blogging IS NOT ad space! It's a means of making meaningful connections with your readers!

You need to MIX things up a bit!

Create some good, quality 'Consumer-Oriented' articles that you can categorize and post to Localism.

Share some golden nuggets of sage, professional advice or experience with your Fellow Rainers.

Generate eye-catching and informative monthly market reports for your region.

Reveal something of your unique personality, and passions/interests outside of real estate.

And then, every once in a while, toss in a listing or two.

By Balancing Your Blog, you'll attract more readers, and increase Your connections with potential clients!

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

social-media-is-a-conversation

Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, SOUNDBITEBLOG and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail: kitsapagent@gmail.com

Posted by Rich Jacobson Your Kitsap County WA Real Estate Broker on 01/18/2008 04:23 PM

Comments (42)

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42 Comments on "How to Balance Your Blog" - Blog Tips for Rain Drips

JAN

2008

Rich,

Your blog has always been a good example of what we should all strive for.

Thanks for the great advice! I like to mix it up... keeps me from getting bored with ny own blog!

Rich: Being from Iowa, listing posts from variously, Georgia, Tennesse, North Carolina and even from my MLS Des Moines, are a total snoozer. I go through the MLS daily, and have folks on auto-prospecting. Save the time folks, Rich is right!

Hi Rich!

I've noticed that I've been blogging listings almost exclusively, I miss my old mixed-up blog. Things are getting boring, but it seems that the listings are getting nice engine placement.

"Blogging IS NOT ad space!" has been needed to be said for a while now. Thank you for posting a reminder!

Rich,

Why do I feel like a pupil...in blogging class...yes, Mr. Jacobson...no, Mr Jacobson...Thanks for the blogging tips! Thanks, Fran

Fran - where's the apple, buddy????

Love this post! I checked out a blogger who I was going to refer a beloved moving-out-of-state client to, and all I saw on his blog were listing posts for gazillion dollar houses. And when I went into our MLS, they turned out to be a colleagues listings! When I'm seeking out my Rookie of the Week, I skip over the posts with mostly listings or even with a lot of the market reports that are set up in boiler-plate, fill-in-the-blanks formats. Love your suggestions.

Rich,
I agree with you. I see a lot of property listings and I also see a lot of people taking a WSJ or CNN report and putting into a blog withoug giving credit. Interesting.... I wonder how many people really read those blogs or even check thier blog site after 2 or 3 sales adds or finding that they are reading the same article from the real source. I agree with Fran, your blog is a great example.
aj

Rich,

Sometimes it can be as difficult as the act that man is performing in the picture!

What I've learned is that you can be casual in your writing. There's nothing wrong with that! In fact it's when you do that that some of the genuineness and personality comes out (and naturally).

Rich,

Excuse me...Here's a genuine Pennsylvania apple...for the teacher!!!

Thanks, Fran

We should add the importance to posting the property postings into the correct groups for maximum exposure and easy avoidance for those that aren't interested...

Gracious Rich...

Yup. Balance is the key word when it comes to AR.

I like what Matt said awhile back...Write for your Reader's and Google will love you.

P.S. I better not reveal anymore of myself.

Blogging Bertha is jealous of me ya know. She scares the crap out of me sometimes. She's so...Well...HUGE :)

TLW...ROAR!

TLW... "She's so...Well...HUGE!" My sides were splitting with this one!

Rich, Got it, thank you.

Rich: Thanks for the advice.

Rich- I agree 100% with you. I strive to keep a balance on my blog. I space out my listings and then I like to blog the listing. I still use Vflyers but I would rather blog the listing by writing a story about that listing engaging the reader to want to know more. I love writing and I also would get horribly bored if I could only write about one thing! Katerina

Rich.. Great info.. Know any one that can "Feature" this one for ya'? :-) A LOT of people should be reading this..

I cried the other night
I can't even say why
Fluorescent flat caffeine lights
Its furious balancing

I'm the screen, the blinding light
I'm the screen, I work at night

I see today with a newsprint fray
My night is colored headache grey
Don't wake me with so much.

WoooooHoooooo! Write and write....it's the quality that counts :)

Rich - I think you have captured the essence of what real estate blogging should be. But the market is clearly playing a big role in impacting how people blog as agents look for ways to get the word out on their listings. And many still don't get the real value of blogging.

Jeff

Rich I not general a politically verbal person but I am going to express my inner most feelings and blame you, my balancing-act coach.

Actually, I agree you. We are multi-facet. It really should tastefully express ourselves (perhaps in some cases even cautiously).

Congratulations Rich on your new position. We are all in good hands with you and Bob helping all of us stay at the top of our game. Congratulations!

JAN

2008

yes dad, whatever you say : )

They are OK for localism, but I am sure the rest of us are not too intersted in listing from other states.

Rich,

Your very last sentence summarizes it all. Many members would see their efforts rewarded in more phone calls and email leads if they adhered to what that sentence says. And the network would be informative to the public.

I don't think listings capture and engage a potential consumer. It is the other stuff that does. I find that the non real estate posts often get the most views and comments. Real estate is not just about listings, it is about communities. I believe the best real estate bloggers educate their readers on their community.

Good comments Fran, but as a student, you are need to pay attention to punctuation. You correctly have a period after the first Mr. in your first comment, but missed the period in the second Mr. :)

Go Packers!!

JAN

2008

Rich, sage advice. I just keeping being so engaged in the writing aspect. I am having so much fun writing for the consumer and our area. Each day is better than the previous. My husband remains amazed at what I am able to do through blogging and having fun with the writing aspect. Yes, we are having SOME KINDA FUN, NOW!

YOu have received many comments here on your blog. I agree, you write a blog that many of us should strive for.

Rich, very well laid out opin on blogging. Trouble is? Many (perhaps those that need to) won't see or get what you're saying. I'm amazed at the junk that some people do consider to be a blog post though. And copying from other sources? Puleeeezzeee..........

JAN

2008

Rich you so are right! Having a mixed medley of articles and listings is important.

MAR

2008

Rich, I sample a lot of blogs to try to find new blogs to subscribe to. I used to look at points or point change as a criteria in my sampling. But, I found to many posts that were statistical results for town A, next posts for Town B, etc. Boring. Not even a consumer would read that stuff. Lenn, Ardell, BB, to name a few at least make an interesting story or create the desire that the area of their post would be a great place to live. There is something to be said for localism but I personally believe there should be some controls on points for what I think is an abuse of the system. But then I have my own controls... I just do not subscribe to them. By the way, you must be pretty busy lately. You have really cut down on your posts. I hope all is well. AJ

I am new to ActiveRain but definately not Technotarded. The first thing I notice by the agents in my trtade area was that their blogs were not blogs, but self serving promotions, recipie books or listing sites. I figured that that was not the way to go. Thanks for the post Rich!

MAR

2008

Thanks for the great information. I am just starting with AR and I am reading as much as I can so that I can learn from example. This blog is very helpful!

Hi Rich, I was one of "those people", I got on AR just to post my listings...ha, you hang around this place 5 min. and you are addicted. Check out my post, my balance has now gone the other way :). I've been very neglectful of my listings and all I want to do is blog, so how do I get balanced the other way? It's kinda like life, at least my life of being a highly competitive/obsessive personality.

By the way, while I'm here...please get spell check to recognize blog, bloging, and Google, dives me nuts. Liz

being new to blogging, that's some great advise. I would like to do it right the first time.

MAR

2008

Hi Rich

Thanks for the tips

Anne

JUL

2008

Thanks for the remminder!

NOV

2008

APR

2009

You wrote this prior to outside blogs. The outside blog is really helping me do this.

APR

2009

Great post, Rich! You know my first few blogs were about me, and then the next few were just some general questions or observations. Finally I am doing my first members only blog posts regarding the business side of things. I have never really thought to do consumer related posts, but that is a fantastic idea!

I am learning so much about blogging and what a great tool it is from all of you - thanks for sharing!

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Rich Jacobson Your Kitsap County WA Real Estate Broker

Silverdale, WA

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Keller Williams West Sound Realty

Address: Silverdale, WA, 98383

Office Phone: (360) 499-6367

Cell Phone: (360) 440-4758

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Providing Knowledgeable Empowerment and Relentless Representation of Real Estate Clients throughtout the Western Puget Sound, including all of Kitsap County WA, and portions of Mason, Pierce, and Jefferson Counties.

"Helping You to Successfully Achieve Your Next Adventure in Life!"

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