Real Estate Blog - ACTIVE RAIN MEMBERS UNDERSTAND BLOGGING FOR SUCCESS! IT'S ALL ABOUT SYNERGY

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ACTIVE RAIN MEMBERS UNDERSTAND BLOGGING FOR SUCCESS! IT'S ALL ABOUT SYNERGY

So, you joined ActiveRain. Welcome! It's likely that the invitation was your first exposure to ActiveRain?

Perhaps an agent friend or co-worker invited you and you wanted to be polite. Well, good for you. By accepting an invitation to join, your friend or co-worker was credited with a few points helping them climb the ActiveRain point system for rewarding members for their contribution to the massive content that is ActiveRain.

POINTS SUMMARY FOR LENN HARLEY - excerpted from 11/23/2008.

Date	Points	Point Award Category
11/23/2007	240	Blog Entry: TOM PULSIFER OF GEORGIA - WELCOME TO ACTIVE RAIN
11/23/2007	25	Commented on Blog (Max 10 scored per day)
11/23/2007	25	Commented on Blog (Max 10 scored per day)
11/23/2007	50	Invitation accepted by Tom Pulsifer
11/23/2007	264	Invited Tom Pulsifer (Home Zone Real Estate) to the ActiveRain Real Estate Network (10% of points earned)
11/23/2007	25	Commented on Blog (Max 10 scored per day)
11/22/2007	25	Commented on Blog (Max 10 scored per day)

IT'S ALL ABOUT SYNERGY. Note in the example above that each of the entries on my Points Summary Record is linked to the "Blog Entry"whereby I received 240 points when I posted to my blog welcoming a new member. In addition to those points, I also received points for the invitation to member, his acceptance of the invitation and I will also receive continuing points when a member that I invited posts to his blog on ActiveRain. How cool is that?

DON'T STOP WITH A FEW POINTS. LET ACTIVERAIN HELP YOU MEET BUYERS AND SELLERS ON THE INTERNET. SYNERGY DOESN'T END WITH THE INVITATION, THE ACCEPTANCE AND COMMENTS. Let's get serious for a minute. ActiveRain members who blog for business, understand that blogging on ActiveRain gives us Google Juice.

MORE SYNERGY: Combining the benefits of two entities into one producing more value than two separate entities. A simple example of synergy is the value of two companies that merge and the final company produces more value than the two separate companies combined. One + One = Three.

Three Example of Google Juice:

Example #1. Keyword phrase: "lovettsville real estate market" posted to my blog on ActiveRain on 2/16/08. Found on Google SERP on 2/17/08

Real EstateBlog - LOVETTSVILLE VA HOMES, COMMUNITY, CONVENIENCE ...

Lovettsville Relocation Package. Page 1 of 20. Lovettsville Real Estate Market Lovettsville Relocation Package. Page 2 of 20. ...
activerain.com/blogsview/381972/LOVETTSVILLE-VA-HOMES-COMMUNITY - 76k -

Example #2. Keyword phrase: "commuting from lovettsville"posted to my blog on ActiveRain on 1/27/08. Found on Google SERP on 1/28/08.

Real Estate Blog - LOVETTSVILLE VA HOMES, COMMUNITY, CONVENIENCE ...

Page 3 of 20.LOVETTSVILLE HOMES ARE WELL LOCATED FOR COMMUTING TO EMPLOYMENT CENTERS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA and MARYLAND.Lovettsville is a quiet, lovely rural ...
activerain.com/blogsview/355320/LOVETTSVILLE-VA-HOMES-COMMUNITY - 82k - Cached - Similar pages

Example #3. Keyword phrase: "new homes in lovettsville"posted to my blog on ActiveRain on 2/17/08. Found on Google SERP on 2/18/08

Real Estate Blog - LOVETTSVILLE VA HOMES, COMMUNITY, CONVENIENCE ...

New Homes in Lovettsvilleoffer convenience to MARC Trainat the Brunswick ... Lovettsville Relocation Package. Page 9 of 20. New Homes in Lovettsville Ready ...
activerain.com/blogsview/383366/LOVETTSVILLE-VA-HOMES-COMMUNITY - 76k - Cached - Similar pages

GOOGLE JUICE. I've provided three examples of how your posts to ActiveRain are helpful for exposure to the public. None of these keyword phrases are what most experts would consider primary keywords. They don't have to be. Synergy is provided by the power of ActiveRain and Google to take the ActiveRain member posts and the power of Google to find documents with topical content that matches either the keyword phrase or something similar. With sufficient content, writers don't have to agonize over keywords for Google. Google will put your content into the database and give it to searchers if they get close to your content. Don't doubt the power of Google. Don't doubt the power of ActiveRain. It will only slow you down.

LINKING TO YOUR OUTSIDE BLOGS OR OTHER WEB SITES. The nice thing about blogging is that you satisfy the Google hunger for fresh content. That static web site may have been productive in the past and may still be bringing you business. Think about a link to your web site from an ActiveRain article. Google will follow and you'll have an opportunity for better rank for your web site.

TAKE THE PLUNGE. You have an ActiveRain membership. Post a few short articles about your last listing interview or conversation with a prospective buyer client. You're the real estate expert. But, you can't put your fantastic real estate or financial skills to work without buyers or sellers. Write about your last office meeting and a new product or trend that you discovered. Write about your last settlement. Just write.

Writing is an acquired skill and the more you practice, the better you get. ActiveRain has a SpellCheck button on the ActiveRain tool bar. It works. Just look at the tool bar.

Don't worry about anything but getting into a habit of writing a short article to post to YOUR BLOG ON ACTIVERAIN.

Don't copy and paste content from the Internet. If you didn't write it, don't post it.

Don't worry about comments. Comments to your posts mean points and perhaps starting a conversation with other members. Google Juice is money in the bank.

ENJOY THE ACTIVERAIN POINTS, THE ACTIVERAIN FRIENDS AND THE GOOGLE JUICE.

Posted by Lenn Harley, Real Estate Broker, Maryland & Virginia on 02/26/2008 03:27 PM

Comments (35)

activerain, active rain

35 Comments on ACTIVE RAIN MEMBERS UNDERSTAND BLOGGING FOR SUCCESS! IT'S ALL ABOUT SYNERGY

FEB

2008

I DIVE in every day! If not ...then wasted time....ah...the power of words....:)

Lenn - The Google Juice & Internet Presence is amazing. While I've dabbled on the Web for years, it wasn't until joining and becoming active here that I've reaped those rewards at much larger share. My local & public posts are getting me emails & phone calls from prospective clients more and more. As far as writing goes, I agree about the copy & paste stuff. Just don't do it. And while others don't have the acumen for writing as much as some, the more you do it....and read it....the better you will become. I think that is evident if you go back and visit all of our 'earlier' stuff compared to now.

Hi Lenn, thank you for the amazing information! Keith in Portland, Or

Lenn-excellent post and I love your outside blog...was there today! I saw Broker Bryant smiling with his big bad bass! You are so right...it is synergy...and I love...love love my activerain!

Lenn - Do you post most of your blog articles to the localism area for consumers? I'm very new to blogging and need to know what is the best to spend time doing - posting to the localism side or the professional side especially when my time is very limited. I have enjoyed reading the blog articles of the real estate pros here on activerain but want to make sure I'm getting traffic to my blog on the consumer side. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your infomative post.

Lenn, I love it. Almost every day I get a google alert for one or more of "my stuff." Localism is where it's at for me. Though every now and again, I just visit with various members here. ;-)

Whoever invited you is racking up the points. The guy (who became a Realtor after I sold him a home) that invited me in July 2006 is no longer in real estate - at least not here, but he keeps accumulating points.

Lenn - This is an absolutely wonderul tutorial on Active Rain and how to get Google juice. Synergy is the all important thing...it's like a snowball that keeps rolling and getting bigger..

Lenn, this post is so you, I can feel your passion in it. Synergy is what web 2.0 is all about. Great links to show how it really works, good for you!

Lenn, good post and excellent information. No doubt about it, take the plunge, get your feet wet and just start writing about your Real Estate business. It's a learning process and there's plenty of information here to get anyone started.

Sally. You're a reliable and smart blogger.

Jason. Thanks. Yep. Google juice is awesome. It's like magic.

Keith. My pleasure. It's also lots of fun.

Midori. Me too and it's worth every minute we invest.

Todd. I blog for consumers to Localism. I rant and rave on ActiveRain.

Teri. Maureen Francis invited me and I thank her every day.

Linda. Good example. The Google juice really works.

Missy. Thanks. A little attention to a blog will redound to our benefit every day.

Craig. That's what I tell folks. Just do it.

I shall never doubt the Power of Google nor the Power of Active Rain!!!!!!

I just need to tap into it more!

Elaine. Just work it. It's free.

Now you see why I had to give props to you as a Diva here Lenn. That's the positive powerful information you provide.

Hi Lenn~ Great advice, "Just work it. It's free." As a recruiter, I have even seen some action recently because of AR, that is amazing!

Hi Lenn- I've written a few blogs, but so far, they were all posted for Members Only. While that may earn me points, it does little (read that nothing) to bring new business, other than possible referrals. I guess I'll have to start writing with the consumer, in mind.

Are most of your posts, on Localism, about specific properties and/or market conditions? What topics get the best responses?

Lenn, I'm going to have to research whether having one link to all my blogs from my website does me any good, or whether I need to have a separate link to each blog topic on my website.

Lenn.. Love the new "Buttons" they are as classy as you are!

Cheers!

FEB

2008

Thanks, for the reminder to be consistent. I am going to get a little book to jot down blog ideas and carry it around, I think of them, then forget.

Lenn,

Excellent points and well laid out example of the power of even one post if it is written properly in relation to keywords.

I'll be referencing this ....

Jo-Anne. Thanks. It's easy. Google does all the work.

Virginia. The nice thing about ActiveRain is that you can post on just about anything. I stick to "hard core" real estate matters, but others write about many personal experiences.

James. Thanks very much. I love to be referred to as "classy" sitting here in my PJs and not so classy.

Brian. I would be very careful about that plan. Very careful indeed.

Marilyn. I write very little for Members Only. My Localisms are about communities in my market area, market reports. I feature homes from time to time, but not often since I don't list. I'm looking for buyers.

Elaine. It's easy. It's just takes a thoughtful plan to do it.

"You gotta have a plan." Dennis Hopper.

Allison. Interesting. AR is my first resource for referral agents.

Ray. Thanks. We need to get more ActiveRain folks posting. Far too many have joined but then do nothing. I wanted to show the value of ActiveRain for business generation.

I don't get the 240 point part of the post....

Can you clarify, please... thanks

Dennis. The 240 points were the points awarded for my post welcoming Tom to ActiveRain and introducing him to the members.

Len, I've come a long way in my 6 months and I have learned so much from folks like you - I try to read and comment on blogs every day, Karen

Karen. Thanks. It works. There's a wealth of information on ActiveRain.

Just love you point out the spell check button. Have seen a lot of creative spelling... that were not typos. Another really helpful piece from you here.

best

Thanks Gary. Those little buttons can be very helpful. I haven't even tried all of them. But, I'd have a few embarrassing moments without spell-check.

FEB

2008

Lenn Great pointers! I always learn something from each blog I read! Great way to start the day!

Nannette. Indeed. A little bit each day and sooner or later we'll get a handle on this blogging thing. That's my plan

Lenn, This is good information. I hope all the newbies take your advice seriously. Commenting on other people's blogs also raises your Google SERPs. Everybody is well advised to participate fully.

Bill Roberts

Great advise for a newbie like me, thank you!

Larry. Thanks. My pleasure.

Bill. INdeed. I got a phone call from a good buyer about 10 minutes ago. She wanted to talk to "the lady with the rain thing information about foreclosures"

It works.

MAR

2008

I never knew about that continuing points thing, Is that still in effect?

Ryan. I don't know what you mean by "continuing points thing". Can you explain?

Thanks lenn. You beat the heck out of thos terms with those relocation series! They seem to take a lot of work to put together but I'm sure you're raking in the benefits of that google juice. Thanks for those clever ideas!

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