OK....in my quest to build my business, I've really begun to rely on SEO, and specifically, Active Rain. I just got my 86th referral since joining the Rain. Over the weekend, I was reminiscining on why I got into the Rain at all. My buddy, Randy Keberlein, said "I can't explain what Active Rain really does, but you gotta do it, you just have to." I took the plunge and for 6 months didn't receive a single inquiry. Six months later I got my first referral and today I sit here glowing in the bask of my 86th. Life is good in the Rain.
So I got to thinking. Why do you blog? For me, if I didn't need to blog, I wouldn't. It takes;
- Time
- Focus, and
- Effort.
Putting a good post together isn't about barfing up something. Nope, it means pre-calcluated thought with an intended result. I see a lot of folks who, in Illinois, rank high in our rankings, but when a talk around, some people said that they don't produce anything. So my question becomes are they doing it just for fun or, the competition or to meet people or what?
I know that this year I've change my whole approach. Less blogging, more precision directed at consumers and realtors. It's working....and working well.
THANK YOU ACTIVE RAIN!
However, as to the three. First, t
he time. I allocate time everyday to research something that would be accepted and digested well by the consumers. I throw in my weekly Wordless Wednesdays and Speechless Sundays, and try to be really transparent, but it does take time.
Secondly, the focus is so important. Without the focus, it's like shooting at a target blindfolded. Fun to do, but you really cant expect any great results from that sort of approach. You just cant. That's how I started. But now that I've become more successful, I've determined that less is more. Just put out quality without trying to sell me or shove crap down my throat.
Finally, the effort. Consistency is the bane of a lot of bloggers. I saw one fellow Active Rainer who put out 98 posts in one month, but seriously dwindled afterwards. Remember, it's a marathon, not a race.
I love being here, but plain and simple, if the business came much more easier, I wouldn't blog because it takes time.
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