Believe it or not I hit 500 K AR points plus Reflections, AR Google Juice and Thanks.
Yesterday I achieved a huge landmark in my Active Rain (AR) membership as I finally hit the 500,000 point level. I know there are numerous other folks with point totals that totally swamp my pathetic amount but if you look back at stuff, whoever would have believed I would at this stage right now? I certainly did not but things happen and here I am breaking the half million mark.
I joined Active Rain way back in the summer of 2007. I tried blogging and writing comments but I was only able to make time on a sporadic basis. I really never understood how the whole AR scene worked and the tie between blogging, web sites and Google recognition. Late April and early May 2011 found me with about say 75,000 points and having a real desire to do something to improve my Google position for both myself as an individual and for my web site www.katyhomefinder.com. My wife took my father-in-law to Normandy as he is a Purple Heart winner Veteran from the Korean War and he really wanted to experience Normandy. I decided I would spend my time trying to g
There were many issues I encountered along the way with things such as posting pictures; PDF files versus JEP; internet browsers; HTML code; losing the hard drive on my Real Estate lap top while posting a blog to AR; and assortment of other issues. Somehow I stuck with it and by early July 2011 I was writing my only other celebration blog about hitting 100 K points. I was really proud of my accomplishment and that was a big deal back then to me as it took me 4 whole years to get to that level. Yes I totally get it now about just logging in say every day for 50 weeks a year and I would reach this point level a lot sooner. Somewhere during this time I read a blog about checking out your Google standing for both your web site and yourself. I believe it was written by Bryan Robertson (He was my Sensei back when we had that challenge) and I was totally shocked when I could not find myself on Google. My mind was thinking it was time to really take some action..
Along the way I found one key secret to AR was to read blogs and make comments every day. I made time to do and try to stick with that decision each day unless we are on vacation or I have a special event or client. I also learned how to blog and how to find things to blog about. Making time for writing a blog just about every day or slightly more than one per day became something important to me. These lessons did not come easy but were very critical. I figured out what my main audience in Katy Texas wanted to hear about from someone like me. It certainly is not Real Estate stuff as they the Katy audience could care less. I stumbled into a very useful tool to add AR points being Challenges and Contests. Virtual friends from all across the US and Canada were discovered by me. Gosh I also discovered that my virtual friends were probably much better friends than those I have here at home. My watch word for all of this is perseverance and stay with the course and plan.
The fruits of all these blogs, comments and hard work have begun to show up this year in my Real Estate practice. Several clients have found me from my web site, my blogs, Active Rain or a combination of all of the above. I find it’s like the chicken or the egg dilemma as to where these folks find me and what was the driving force. Many clients have taken the time to read several of my blogs. I had a Human Resource Group research me and select me to handle the relocation of an extremely critical new hire for that entity. Where did they find me? Again the answer is not easy to point in only direction but to AR, my web site, blog web site (also AR), etc. The Google Juice Active Rain had given me has been incredible as now I can easily find both myself and web site when I do a search. Please don’t E-mail with a comment from your spouse who is your Webmaster saying AR is not as good as it used to be! I already saw this E-mail last year when I posted one of my few featured blogs. 
Yes I will continue with sappy part about who I would like to thank for commenting on my blogs, encouraging me, giving me compliments and supporting what I am doing. There is no special order but first I want to thank the AR management team members being Kerrie Greenhalgh and Bob Stewart. Kerrie does just about anything and everything for all of the AR members. We all appreciate all of Kerrie hard work. Bob is the big cheese who has to put up with all the complaints and belly aching but helps folks like me by having useful community challenges and the data is needed by our web sites.
Members to thank include but are not limited to: (I hope I do not forget someone and that hurts their feelings) Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert, Dale Baker, Bryan Robertson, John McCormack, Roy Kelley, Curtis Van Carter (we also met Curtis in Napa), C. Lloyd McKenzie, Carol-Ann ( Cal) Palmieri, Joni Staples, Debb Janes, Al Raymondi, Suzanne McLaughlin ( she strived to push me over the point mark), Will Nesbitt, Brenda Mullen, Carl & Ceil Winters, Josh Zargari, Dan Edward Phillips ( he is no longer active), Captain Wayne Rowlett, Sandy Shores, Lee & Pamela St. Peter. I hope I did not forget someone and I apologize now if I inadvertently left someone off my list.
The question now becomes the eternal is what is next and only time will tell but AR will be part of it as long as I am in Real Estate. Sorry about how wordy this blog easily became!
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18 Comments on Believe it or not I hit 500 K AR points plus Reflections, AR Google Juice and Thanks.
Congrats on 500K in the Rain my friend
This is really a big deal! Congrats to you! What an acheivment!!
Hip, hip hurray to you Bob. Well deserved - and representative of some serious time spent blogging. I'm so happy for you - 500 K - and many more points ahead to you.
John, Terri and Debb Thabk you very much.. I am totally running out of steam today.
Congratulations Bob! Keep up the good work. Your blogs are great!
Robert - Congratulation on reaching the 500,000 points milestone. Another 500K you will reach 1Million points.
Bob,
Congratulations on being one of the 500K members. I know how hard you work on this and everywhere we go you think A/R. Funny sometimes we compete on who is posting what but you are my inspiration and encouragement thanks have a great weekend!
Bob PS Suggested this so other A/R members can see how Active Rain does work and the cool friendships they can develop!
Congrats on 500,000 points..
Congratulations on getting to the 500K point mark in the Rain Bob, best wishes for your next half million.
Bob, I really appreciate that recognition. You're one of the most outstanding bloggers on AR and anyone should be so lucky to be your friend on here (and in the real world too). I look forward to our next collaboration.
What a great post, and you really did do a wonderful job. I never wrote a post about hitting the big 500! I was too pooped after working that hard for a year to make it.
Congratulations!
Well Hello Bob,
I read your post and was encouraged by hearing the success you had with Google juice and hits from your site and blog. Congratulations and thanks for the positive post. As a fairly new guy I need all the help I can get so I read how you guys do it.
Congratulations on passing the 500,000 points level on ActiveRain. Best wishes for continued success.
Well hitting the 200k is for celebration, but 500k is certainly an achievment.
Woo Hoo! This is a great accomplishment! And thank you for the honorable mention! Not only are we AR family, we're Prudential family too! :))
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