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Channels, Topics, and Design Tweaks. Oh my!

By
Real Estate Agent

So after an all night-marathon development session we are finally ready and happy to announce ActiveRain's newest addition: Channels & Topics.

For an overview of what Channels and Topics are check out this post by Brad Andersohn: "How to Use ActiveRain Channels"

Although the content being displayed today in most of the Topics and some of the Channels is sparce and even somewhat confusing, we have great plans for what we believe Channels and Topics will grow into over the next few months. More immediately (tomorrow night) we will put live a few extra design finishes on the home, channel, and topic pages to help make it clearer. (We recognize that some of the design elements are not displaying properly and as a result are making it difficult to navigate through the channels and the topics.

Here is a partial list of the changes we've made:

1. Rearranged the layout on the ActiveRain home page. Most notably, we removed all advertising on this page, added Channel and Topic Navigation, and provided greater prominence to the featured articles. (Within the next few days we expect to have posts from people our members subscribed to show up in the list.)

2. We removed the ActiveRain logo from the header area on pages optimized by the ActiveRain Customizer.

3. Featured Members are now displaying on the city level for logged in users.  We play to make it display this way for non-logged in users soon.

 

Please check out the changes and let us know your opinion on this blog post.  Our company philosophy is to release site upgrades as fast as reasonable and then look to our members for feedback. We do this so that if we are moving in a wrong direction with a product we can learn about our mistakes early and then adjust our direction before wasting unnecessary time and resources.

Steve Scheer
Realty Oasis - Metro Brokers - Highlands Ranch, CO
Highlands Ranch Real Estate - Denver Real Estate

I did a double take when I logged in, but I like it.

Sep 16, 2008 05:54 AM
Dean Moss
Dean's Team - Keller Williams Realty Partners Chicago IL - Chicago, IL
Dean's Team Chicago IL Real Estate Team

Hey AR folks -

Thanks for keeping us "cutting edge."  We look forward to continuing enhancements and improvements.

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

Sep 16, 2008 05:55 AM
Eunice Waller
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Simpson Realtors - Locust Grove, VA
Working Together, We Can Do Great Things

Looks great.  I wasn't sure I had arrived at the right place at first.

Sep 16, 2008 06:13 AM
Kathy McGraw
CELLing Realty - White Water, CA
Riverside County CA Real Estate

Jon- I just noticed your VW Bus is missing.....I loved your Bus :)

Sep 16, 2008 06:18 AM
Shane OnullGorman
Eau Claire Realty, Inc. - Eau Claire, WI
Eau Claire Wisconsin, Real Estate Agent & Realtor- Buy or Sell

The front page is missing recent blogs. I think it should show these on the front next to featured or a mix of the two? I dont know maybe you wanted only featured to show since they are most likely better written.

Sep 16, 2008 06:25 AM
Luther Harrity - Saint John, Rothesay, Hampton, New Brunswick Real Esate
Royal LePage Atlantic/Harrity Real Estate Services - Saint John, NB

Big fan of having the featured member on this city level. It makes more sense as real estate is such a local market. It's nice to see the ActiveRain platform evolve over the past year. It's great to see technology that moves along to help us out as the industry changes. Good job Active Rain!

I would like to see some sort of a live ticker on the main page that scrolles posts as they are published, regardless of whether or not they are featured (it would be fine to just scroll the title or something like that).

It would also be nice to have a resources repository of some type, with tools for agents and other industry professionals...perhaps some articles and how to's.

Sep 16, 2008 07:21 AM
Matt Moxhay
Prudential Fox & Roach - Moorestown, NJ
Moorestown Real Estate

I like the look!  When you click on Home Buying, or specifically: Home For Sale, I think it should break down the listings by state at the top. 

Sep 16, 2008 07:25 AM
Wayne L. Brown
Franklin Advantage Inc. - Alpine, CA

Jonathan

Nice new look.  Infact, before I saw your post, I was blogging to others in AR about what is going on.

Two Points:

1.  When you guys roll-out a new change, it would be nice to get a heads up.  Not all of us go to the home page.  Anyway that we members can be notified?  Instuctions or help on this?

2.  Unless I missed it, it appears as though all blog articles are in order of oldest to the new.  Would think people would want to see the newest, especially due to all the changes in the market.

Thanks just my 2 cents.

Wayne

Sep 16, 2008 07:30 AM
Joan Whitebook
BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH
Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

I like the concept and the design.  I will come back and take a closer look at things .. It certainly looks like you have put a lot of thought into this.

Sep 16, 2008 07:32 AM
Sharon Paxson
Sharon Paxson, RealtorĀ® EQTY Forbes Global Properties - Newport Beach, CA
Newport Beach Real Estate

I have noticed the changes and really appreciate them, and I appreciate how AR is evolving.

Sep 16, 2008 07:39 AM
Diane Aurit
LKN Realty, LLC - Mooresville, NC
Lake Norman Real Estate

Well, I guess I was most excited to see my photo on the home page...I love the new way you post the featured agents for the area not just the state...you guys are awesome!  I have been picking a channel for my most recent posts but haven't had time to play with them yet.  Looks great though.

Sep 16, 2008 08:20 AM
Bill Gillhespy
16 Sunview Blvd - Fort Myers Beach, FL
Fort Myers Beach Realtor, Fort Myers Beach Agent - Homes & Condos

Hi Jonathon,  WOW,  wasn't ab;e to get to AR untill just now and was totally surprised by the new look and to see my picture right there in front of me !  Looking forward to learning how the upgrades can benefit us all.

Sep 16, 2008 11:13 AM
Cathy Tishhouse
RE/MAX Showcase Homes - Royal Oak, MI
Royal Oak Real Estate

I must be missing something.  There is usually a link to Localism from the blogs page of Activerain and couldn't find a link anywhere to view the new look and make a comment.  So, I typed in localism.com and it took me to the old site.  I can't find the new one anywhere to take a look.

Sep 16, 2008 11:58 AM
Donna Paul
Keller Williams Realty Gold Coast - Dix Hills, NY
Long Island Home Specialist,All About Real Estate

I love it...I love it...I love it..Why: It's easy to read and I see other blogs on other topics... You guys did a great job,,,, I also sign off and called it a day, but I had to check out my A/R blog.... and I was WOW...

I really have to work on getting into my community and bloging about the neighborhood....

Sep 16, 2008 12:40 PM
Sharon Simms
Coastal Properties Group International - Christie's International - Saint Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg FL - CRS CIPS CLHMS RSPS

Hi, Jonathan! Under the
Welcome to the Community!

you welcome real estate professionals.

yet - on the channels, consumer channels are equal to professional channels.

perhaps the welcome should welcome consumers as well.

Sep 16, 2008 12:41 PM
Sharon Simms
Coastal Properties Group International - Christie's International - Saint Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg FL - CRS CIPS CLHMS RSPS

On the home page the blog choices are limited to Featured-Most Active-Last Comment.  Why not give the same choices that are available at the top level of Blogs:

Show: Featured | Professional | Consumer | All | Subscribed

Sep 16, 2008 12:46 PM
Debbie DiFonzo
Debbie DiFonzo - United Country VIP Realty, SW Missouri - Lebanon, MO
Lebanon MO and Buffalo Missouri Real Estate

Wow - you guys have been busy. Have you been reading Katerina's post about sleep being over rated?

Better not miss a day here on the Rain or I'll be totally lost!

Sep 16, 2008 02:49 PM
Pat Laracy Baker
Realty Executives Boston West - Holliston, MA
Pat Baker Dream Home Maker

What a great look.  Really like the change.  Thank you for all you do.

Sep 16, 2008 03:04 PM
Jon Washburn
Seattle, WA

Sharon, I agree with both of your points. We will work on getting those items squeezed in the production schedule.

Sep 16, 2008 06:26 PM
Debbie Summers
Charles Rutenberg Realty - New Smyrna Beach, FL

John - I go away for a vacation for a week and come back to a great new look!  Love it!

Sep 24, 2008 02:09 PM