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This is Important

By Ted Baker

Real Estate Technology with Carmody and Associates LLC

March 08, 2014 04:04 PM

I do not normally pay too much attention to how many readers I get for my blog. I have my concerns, interests and opinions and I share all of these with my audience of readers on several different blogging platforms. But I noticed something this week that got my attention.

I wrote a serious blog about the proposals for an increase in the minimum wage. (I oppose it) I note that 52 people read it. [link]

Last fall I wrote that author Tom Clancy had died and 3,272 people read it. Did more folks think that the passing of Tom Clancy was good news? I don't think so. Did folks not agree with me on the minimum wage? I don't know - the comments were generally positive.

On careful analysis, I have to assume that at 1700 words, I was asking too much of my readers. I am sorry about that - I think these topics are universally important whether you agree with me or not.

There were actually four separate topics in the article that I thought were related. The final segment dealt with basic truths that I keep asking all of you to hold to be self-evident. I have written about these principles a number of times using the "truths we hold to be self-evident" language from the Declaration of Independence to emphasize what I think are my core beliefs. I repeat them here - and note that this blog is 400 words.

In order for government to give me a dollar - they must first take it by force from you.
There is nothing that government can do that cannot be done with less cost and more efficiency by the private sector. There is no profit incentive or accountability in any government program - just another layer of costly, incompetent bureaucracy.
The founding principles and documents upon which we base our social order were intended to limit the power of government. The system has been abused and the promise has been broken and must be fixed if we are to survive.
There is no authority in our government institutions to permit government officials to pick winners and losers in our economy. The Rule of Law is intended to provide a level playing field with predictable and reliable results in the Courts to protect us from tyranny of whatever form - from our temporary political leaders or from large corporate interests that feel they are above the law.

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Than Maynard

Coldwell Banker Heart of Oklahoma - Purcell, OK

Broker - Licensed to List & Sell - 405-990-8862

I have noticed length is a big turn off here, but that is our current society in general.

Look at a newspaper article, if there are inconvenient truths in the story (ie facts that don't support the writer's views, beliefs, etc) those facts are mentioned in the last paragraphs, assuming they are mentioned at all.

People read the first few sentences, maybe 2 prargraphs if they are really interested in something.

Mar 08, 2014 10:12 PM

Than Maynard

Coldwell Banker Heart of Oklahoma - Purcell, OK

Broker - Licensed to List & Sell - 405-990-8862

The four points are spot on.

1> Legalized Theft

2> Capitalism

3> Limited Government

4>Cronyism

Mar 08, 2014 10:15 PM

Rob Arnold

Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. - Altamonte Springs, FL

Metro Orlando Full Service - Investor Friendly & F

In all honest, any post more than 3-4 paragraphs and I just skip it. Just like in video I see more than about 3 minutes get skipped. Most of my AR time is when I am online in the morning doing some work, so I don't have much time to spend 20 minutes digging through it. Sometimes I will print it out and take it home for later reading at night.

Mar 09, 2014 12:09 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Ted- isn't it sad that we are becoming a society of Pinterest boards and InfoGraphics to spare us from having to actually read an article. I have to admit that often when I see a wall of words, I move on. Your post, was not that. And I do agree with your points.

Mar 09, 2014 09:07 AM

Ted Baker

Carmody and Associates LLC - Winter Haven, FL

MidFloridaMediation.com

Thanks to all for stopping by (you few, you lucky few).

I have written that I do not write as many articles on Active Rain as I used to because it is not as much fun as it used to be. That does not extend only to my political articles but also to my technical articles in areas of photography, software, video and other technology topics.

I note that I had six or more articles in 2013 with more than 13,000 readers. This year I am lucky to break 100 readers for a post. I believe that some of this change is due to changes in Active Rain. (the rest may be my fault as an author) The individual topic groups in AR was a work of genius in the early days of AR. There were (and are) approximately 8,000 topic specific groups within Active Rain. Whatever your special interest, there was one or more groups where folks with similar interests could gather to talk about their shared interests. I believe that this system is what gave Active Rain its sense of community. Now the management forces participation into thirteen topics with only two (Active Rain Community and Just for Fun ?!!) that may possibly include comment of social forces which may have an important impact on the marketing of real estate and the condition of the economy.

In many cases I have an interest in politics and the impact of government and law on our society. Active Rain management for years was very ambivalent about political comment because of potential controversy. But it is my belief that political comment on both sides of issues of the day is important and very relevant to the business of real estate because it impacts (and in some cases explains) economics, population movements and patterns, unemployment and many other serious forces which any expert will tell you will effect real estate markets. How can you understand tax and entitlement policies, unemployment and mortgage markets without talking about politics, government and law?

But it is not just political comment disappearing from Active Rain. We used to have brilliant experts on new technologies that were truly answers to problems realtors faced every day in their business. I do not see the same level of authority and freely shared expertise any more on Active Rain.

Whether I continue to participate on Active Rain is of little consequence to the community - but the current owners should be paying attention to the decay in the number of superstars that used to participate. It is my perception that Active Rain does not generate the search engine power that it used to. Folks with more expertise in SEO than I have suggested that AR links may have a negative impact on placement. Photo editing programs are an important tool for the real estate agent. The IPhone may be the most popular camera sold these days. Tablet computers offer remarkable data access for listings or video presentations if tied to the cellular networks for in the field access. Technology is changing everything - but I am not seeing the kind of expert commentary that I used to see on AR.

Mar 09, 2014 07:54 PM

Than Maynard

Coldwell Banker Heart of Oklahoma - Purcell, OK

Broker - Licensed to List & Sell - 405-990-8862

Trying to find a new group is just about impossible. I gave up looking for new groups months ago and simply look in blogs or comments for "Your Bolg was posted in XXXX group" or "You should check out XXXX group".

(Made sure I put 4 Xs, wouldn't want to give anyone the wrong idea with only 3!)

Tech is changing so fast and there is so much to learn, update, track, modify......that my eyes glaze over and my brain is shutting down. So many websites, companies, fads, "you have to be on social media" vs "social media is a waste of time", etc, etc.

It is to the point I don't know which way to jump, so I am frozen in place.

Mar 10, 2014 05:25 AM

William J. Archambault, Jr.

The Real Estate Investment Institute - Houston, TX

Ted,

I read them both!

I think I've read most of your post, please keep them up!

I feel the same way.

I've come to the conclusion that it's important what I say, but I can't do a thing about what people read.

Bill

Mar 10, 2014 06:54 AM

Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL

Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL

Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Ted - it is not because of the author, it is because the ship called AR lost the captain, and lost the notion of the destination. While they had a genius idea of creating localism, which was suppsed to become the encyclodedia of everything local, they ended up making AR anything but what it used to be, and when it really had value.

We don't have meaningful discussions, we have yet another mediocre place, where we lazily put properties trying to increase our exposure. And AR is yet another place where we do it.

How on earth Nicki and all people behind did not notice that they axed AR as a place for agents, is beyond me.

I believe I am here by inertia more than anything else. I am looking around and so many good people have left, and those who stay are like me. We successfully lost the reading community, and created a pseudo-writing community. It does not matter what other think, as when you place listings and market reports, it really doesn't matter what others think.

I hate the idea of loosing it, even while I see it disappear in front of my eyes.

Now, that AR is under Zillow, it is even useless to call for the captain to be fired. AR got into Zillow as a lice on the body of a bigger animal - ML and then Trulia. It is so small and insignificant, that even expecting Zillow to kill AR is unlikely, as for that Zillow first has to notice it, and it is not easy to do.

Lice live well, provided they are on a big animal

Nov 02, 2014 12:40 AM

Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL

Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL

Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Sorry I was not on the topic. Simply pulled one sentence and then went on and on about it. Not that I have not read the rest, and not that I do not agree to what you are saying, of course.

And when you are talking about readership, it reflects this cultivated shallowness (don't even know whether this is a "legal" term or my concoction, but sure you understand).

Fo us on AR to comment on something to get the points, we only need 50 word post (or it is not counted for points), and you are with 1,700? You expect people to read it? Even with few small photos?

Only if AR would make reading rewardable, like 25 points for reading every 50 words.

BTW, having already crap, they decided to dilute it even more and now they award double the number of posts a week, and double the number of comments...

Talking about quality.

Nov 02, 2014 12:42 AM

Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL

Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL

Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

And one more note here. My comment goes under Bill's. Of course, this means that I am very late to the discussion. And it means way more: that Bill is not with us. Sorry for bringing it up, but this thought is painful and does not leave...

Nov 02, 2014 12:52 AM

Ted Baker

Carmody and Associates LLC - Winter Haven, FL

MidFloridaMediation.com

nice to see you, Jon - late or not. You are always welcome.

Nov 02, 2014 06:21 PM