Special offer

Ten things you should stop doing immediately on your blog

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with YoChicago / New Homes Magazine

Call me a hypocrite.

I'm suggesting that you focus, and I'm not focusing. I should be continuing my series on how to use Flickr to your benefit, and instead I'm writing a top ten list of things you should stop doing when blogging.

Why would I do that? To paraphrase J.P. Morgan: every man has two reasons for what he does, a good reason - and the real reason.

My good reason for losing focus is that Rich Jacobson commented on a previous post and asked me to state, from my "experience and perspective exactly what everyone is doing wrong and how to correct it." My real reason for losing focus: it's easier than maintaining focus, and I can be as mentally lazy as the next guy.

Here's a list (in no particular order) of ten things many ActiveRainers do wrong. In each case the way to correct the mistake is simply to stop making it.

1. Stop stealing copyrighted material and posting it here. Over and above the fact that AR warns you about this each time you post so that you're violating the terms of service, no one wants to do business with a thief. Not to mention the brute fact that there are civil and criminal (yup, criminal) penalties for pirating others' intellectual property.

2.  Stop slobbering over each other in comments. Advance the conversation or shut up. Too many of you sound like you're at a little league game encouraging the uncoordinated kid who simply forgot to swing at the pitch.

3. Stop spamming each other in comments. Vendors should post about their products and not try to steer people to them through comments. Realtors shouldn't use comments to try to hustle business or recruit other Realtors.

4. Stop posting your bloody listings. Would you walk into a room full of strangers who you want to become your customers or friend and start reading a listing sheet? If there's something truly unusual or noteworthy about your listing, it's OK to talk about that, but it better be something really special, and shut up about the rest of it.

5. Stop braying about your company to consumers. Like the children of Lake Wobegon, you're all handsome and above average and expert beyond our wildest imagination -  and readers don't want to hear it.

6. Stop disrespecting your readers by cluttering your posts and comments with your name, logo, contact info and tag line. If you have something worthwhile to say that motivates me to learn more about you, it's easy to find that info.

7. Stop whining about how misunderstood / under-appeciated Realtors are. It just makes us appreciate you all the less, and think we understand you all too well. Tell us something you know that we want to know more about.

8. Stop pretending to know more than you do. The last person in the world I want to hear babbling about interest rates is a real estate agent or a mortgage broker. If you really knew what you were talking about you wouldn't be here begging for my business. Tell me what you do know.

9. Stop writing those idiotic profiles of yours. Re-read item 8. Almost every one I've seen makes wildly inflated claims that subject the writer to ridicule from people like me - and there are a lot of people like me.

10. Stop ignoring location, location, location. Tell me what's going on in an area you genuinely know something about. If I'm a buyer or a seller I'm starved for tidbits, stories, information, trends, changes, developments, preferences, etc. The media do a lousy job of giving me that informatton, but you guys give me even less. Give me what I want and I'll reward you with my business because you'll have established yourself as an expert rather than simply claimingi you're one. Real experts don't have to tell you they're experts - they show you.

A blog is not an ad, and it's not your Web site. It should be a conversation in which you quietly impress people with what you know and with your passion for your business. What might work in an ad or on your Web site is probably hurting you when you put it in a blog.

Comments (155)

DeAndrea "Dee Dee" Jones
Samson Properties - Manassas, VA
DMVRealEstateChick

Wow, somebody ticked you off and you let us have it today.

Nov 07, 2008 01:19 AM
Anonymous
Brenda (Diamond Dwellings Realty, Atlanta metro area

Amen to #4.  Listings should be posted on your local listing service where an agent with a buyer will find them. 

Nov 07, 2008 01:19 AM
#137
Margaret Goss
@Properties - Winnetka, IL
Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate

Especially true are the inane comments left by people adding to their point totals.  Try to say something relevant about the post - then they would be worth reading. 

Nov 07, 2008 01:57 AM
Anonymous
Sandra Scott

Well, you said it all.... I feel like I do when the US flag passes me by in a parade. Elated, proud and excited all at the same time!  I so want my fellow agents to rise from the lowest level of expectation and up to the highest level of professionalism.  I think they just don't know there is anything wrong with the actions they accept as normal.  We need to see a vision flashed before our eyes every now and then of what professionalism looks like.  Thanks, I really needed this!

Nov 07, 2008 02:22 AM
#139
New Jersey Real Estate James Boyer Morris, Essex & Union County NJ Realtor
RE/MAX Properties Unlimited, Real Estate - Morristown, NJ

it is a very good top ten list.  More than a little off your focus, but good.  I try to stay moderately focused but I do it on the blog that is attached to my website so that all the long tail search terms are applied to my site rather than to AR.  It works you should know.

 

I would suggest you add a #11 to your list: Stop spending so much time at Active Rain, blogging and commenting, and spend some of that time writing on a blog attached to your own website, in the long run it will bring you more benefit.

Nov 07, 2008 04:00 AM
Susan Neal
RE/MAX Gold, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks, CA
Fair Oaks CA & Sacramento Area Real Estate Broker

I do post some listings, but I always check the box that identifies it as a listing so that it will be placed in the local area for listings.  There is also a group for posting open houses, and I post there.  Other than that, I agree with all of your issues. 

I do get irritated on occasion by the overwhelming promotional stuff that a few people load up in their comments.  I haven't had much of that in comments on my posts, but I see a lot of it in other blogs.  I'm one of those people who read all comments on every blog I read.  There is often a lot of good info in comments as well as the original post. 

I would also add that hijacking someone's post is rude.  Some hijacks turn into chat rooms on subjects completely off topic.  It may add to the poster's points, but I don't blog just to get points.  If you want to change the subject or chat on unrelated things to friends, I think you should start your own post on the subject or go to a social chat site.  I think people need to run their blogs however they want.  I just think some will benefit more than others by being more thoughtful and more professional.

Nov 07, 2008 04:21 AM
Kimo Stowell
HI Pro Realty LLC RB-21531 - Honolulu, HI
REALTOR Associate® RS-76763 - Honolulu Hawai'i

Aloha Joe,

You raised some interesting points and here's a couple more,

Stop using a logo in place of your personal photo. It implies you either think look like Quasimodo and have low self esteem or that your magnificent mug graces the 10 most wanted poster at the post office. 

Stop using STOP to begin each point. It comes off as being bossy and arrogant, qualities that might make a great first base coach but other than that...

Sorry, but your tone invites a less than slobbering response.

Peace,

Nov 07, 2008 04:22 AM
Crystal Acohido
Honolulu HomeLoans, Inc. - Honolulu, HI
Sr. VP, CMPS

I am quoting this - "Only speak if you can improve upon the silence"

Nov 07, 2008 04:49 AM
Ron Reed
Total Real Estate & Equity Solutions, LLC - Nashville, TN
The Mortgage Doc of Music City

Wow... Obviously Joe and a few others could use a client or two... Waay too much time on your hands..!!! Looks like everyone's violated Joe's top 10 list including Joe himself..!!!

Joe- please stop whinning, defending yourself and trying to convince us how swmart you are and use that time and energy to find some clients..!! And if they need a lender, then give me a call..!! LOL..!!

Nov 07, 2008 07:55 AM
Jodi Summers
Sotheby's International Realty - Santa Monica, CA
Our reputation assures your satisfaction.

Blogs definitely mean different things to different bloggers.

To some it's a pulpit, to others it's a scrapbook.

 

Thanks for the insight, you make me feel good about what I'm doing.

 

Best....

 

Jodi Summers

The SoCal Investment Real Estate Group

Sotheby's International Realty

jodi@jodisummers.com

www.SantaMonicaPropertyBlog.com

www.SoCalMultiUnitRealEstateBlog.com

www.SoCalGreenRealEstateBlog.com

**

I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. - Will Rogers

 

Nov 09, 2008 06:26 AM
Heather Goodwin
Licensed by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission - Shreveport, LA
Results That Move You

Y'all need to understand that Joe has vacated the premises.  Last comment before these in November 2008 was posted in February 2007.  I'm sure Joe has gone on to bigger and better things telling people how to do things the right way.

Nov 10, 2008 01:06 AM
Heather Goodwin
Licensed by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission - Shreveport, LA
Results That Move You

Update.  Joe actually left AR in Feb. '07 not long after the last comment on this post.

Nov 10, 2008 01:08 AM
Benjamin Clark
Homebuyer Representation, Inc. - Salt Lake City, UT
Buyer's Agent - Certified Negotiation Expert

Way to go Joe!

I know, I know. Joe's gone. Where's the retention team?

Nov 11, 2008 04:56 PM
Samantha Nichols
ERA Belsito and Associates - Plymouth, MA
Massachusetts Real Estate Specialist

Unfortunate that Joe is gone, I was being entertained completely by this post!

Nov 13, 2008 05:42 AM
Sonja Adams
Keller Williams Realty - Purcellville, VA

great blog and serves as a reminder to all of us to come back to from time to time...

Nov 26, 2008 12:16 AM
Mike Hughes
Hughes Residential - Newton, MA
Services Newton, Brookline, Lexington, Waltham & W

Hi Joe,

(In violation of #2) Great post, you really put it together for us. :)  Admittedly, most of my comments are for points.

#4, I really don't agree with this.  In line with point #11, (Don't generalize and tell others that a BLOG has a specific purpose or can only be used in a specific way.)  I link to my BLOG from several websites and social networking sites.  I definitely use it in several ways.  To me, MY BLOGis for general real estate information, personal promotion and a tool for selling listings (or soliciting buyers).  Point #11 is like saying that a real estate website should only host MLS data or serve as a home valuation tool.

#8 Agreed!

Best regards,
Mike

 

Nov 30, 2008 05:12 AM
Brian Schulman
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Lancaster PA - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster County PA RealEstate Expert 717-951-5552

Kind of a sobering analysis.  I hope I haven't been guilty of too many of these faux pas.

Dec 10, 2008 08:59 AM
Marian Gregor-Ann
Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI
Arbor area Real Estate

Joe liked to 'stir the pot'. Too bad that he's gone. He left some interesting posts 'tho. I too find it irritating to have someone slap their logo or multiple websites on someone else's comments. That is what the name & tagline are for- contacting others & seo.

Jan 05, 2009 09:15 AM
Robert Havana
Park and Protect- Alberta Real Estate License Parking - Calgary, AB
Alberta Real Estate License Parking

Have not seen any new posts from you in a while. Feel free to visit me back at my lethbridge real estate blog and leave me a comment to let me know you stopped by.

Aug 10, 2010 07:43 PM
Dana Casey
Bridge Realty Inc. - Forest Lake, MN
Twin Cities

Excellent post - consider blog posts you have read, are the good ones negative or positive?  Location, Location, Location = Relevant SEO.  Thanks for posting.

May 31, 2011 09:45 AM