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Ask An Ambassador: Active Rain Topics--- What Do You Select?

By Charita Cadenhead

Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty

December 02, 2013 05:08 AM

Ask An Ambassador. Active Rain Topics: What Do You Select?

Select an Active Rain Topic Hey Ambassadors, members at large and the AR Gods, there is something that has been bugging me for a while and maybe you can help.

Since one of AR's last format changes, we have not been able to post anything without first selecting an "ActiveRain Topic" from the drop-down menu below.

You we Ambassadors don't know everything but we will put a question out into the atmosphere in a heartbeat. So here goes:

Since we are encouraged to write hyperlocal content even when it is not real estate related and since we MUST select an ActiveRain topic, what do you select when your post is not real estate related?

Of course we could select "just for fun" under the "Professional" section, but we're actually writing for consumers. Say for example, if I were to write a post about Christmas events that were coming up, which topic would I or would you select from the "ActiveRain Topics?"

This question has been on my mind for a while. Can you help a member solve this mystery?

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Brenda Mullen

RE/MAX Associates - San Antonio, TX

Your San Antonio TX Real Estate Agent!!

Isn't there a spot for miscellaneous topic under consumer? There used to be. I think for now I would just put it under Real Estate General Information. Otherwise, you are right, there needs to be better defined topics.

Dec 02, 2013 05:56 AM

Liz and Bill Spear

Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH

Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

I use Real Estate General Information since "under all is the land", so under that festival, that store, that subdivision...there's land :)

Dec 02, 2013 06:11 AM

Nancy Conner

Olympia, WA

Olympia/Thurston County WA

I've had that same question & have also put it under real estate general information - even though that doesn't seem quite right for my posts on seasonal events.... Will watch for other answers!

Dec 02, 2013 07:45 AM

Barbara Todaro

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA

Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Hi charita....I, too, would put that under real estate general information....

Dec 02, 2013 09:53 AM

Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED

RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

You're right Charita! I've wondered about that too. Before the sky was the limit in where we could select. Now it's got too limited.

Dec 02, 2013 11:41 AM

Charita Cadenhead

eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL

Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Nope Brenda. There is not. This has really baffled me especially since I'm one of those people that like things to make sense (lol).

Well BLiz, if you have to reason, then that would be the best fit.

Nancy maybe the upcoming AR changes will address this question.

Barbara I hardly recognized you. I'm so use to the other picture (this one is nice as well). The majority of my post are real estate related so I don't have to toil with this question often but it lookls like general real estate is the clear winner here.

Carla I'd say it's very limited but this is not in a really good way I don't think because it just doesn't cover the hyperlocal aspect of general info.

Dec 02, 2013 08:43 PM

Kerrie La Guardia

ActiveRain, Community Manager - Kirkland, WA

Let it Rain!

I would definitely choose a Consumer Topic because hyperlocal posts are for the consumers. If it's about a listing, "Home Buying", if it's about an event "General Info" is a great one.

Dec 03, 2013 01:48 AM

Charita Cadenhead

eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL

Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Thanks Kerrie but do you mean that if I wanted to write a post about Santa being at the mall on Friday, I should select "Real Estate General Information?" It would make more sense to eliminate the "forced" selection of a non relevant topic or create another choice perhaps titled "Other" or just "General Info" or perhaps "news and events."

Dec 03, 2013 02:21 AM

Kerrie La Guardia

ActiveRain, Community Manager - Kirkland, WA

Let it Rain!

Yes, that option works best for what we have available currently. It doesn't mean we won't add topics in the future but as for now, REGI is the best spot for those kind of posts.

Dec 05, 2013 08:19 AM

Barbara Altieri

Better Homes and Gardens RE Shore and Country Properties - Shelton, CT

REALTOR-Fairfield County CT Homes/Condos For Sale

Charita -- I did a number of those local posts last month and had to select REGI as Kerrie said. Maybe miscellaneous can come back at some point. Hint....

Dec 06, 2013 10:01 AM

Charita Cadenhead

eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL

Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Gotcha Kerrie. Thanks.

I hope so too Barbara. The way it is, it just makes the information unreliable source.

Dec 06, 2013 06:46 PM

Wayne Johnson

Coldwell Banker D'Ann Harper REALTORS® - San Antonio, TX

San Antonio REALTOR, San Antonio Homes For Sale

Charita-Thanks for bringing this up. I have wondered about the categories from time-to-time but never took a step to get an answer.

Dec 09, 2013 04:36 AM

Joe Petrowsky

Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT

Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Thanks for sharing your post, I have never looked at the list of categories and topics. as I have plenty to blog about. I will spend some time checking it out over the weekend.

Make it a great day!

Dec 09, 2013 10:58 PM

Charita Cadenhead

eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL

Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Wayne and Joe it looks like this might be something that AR addresses in the future. But for right now, you can just randomly put non-real estate related post anywhere.

Dec 11, 2013 11:10 PM

Cathy Wolters

Wolters Realty & Property Management Company - Cocoa, FL

Your Brevard County Property Management Expert

Charita, great topic. I had no idea about REGI, or what to post to get more consumers to notice. I am bookmarking and suggesting.

Apr 04, 2014 11:59 AM

Liz and Bill Spear

Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH

Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Charita, Hyperlocal content for me is being placed under Real Estate General Information, since after all, underneath all is the land :)

Apr 05, 2014 04:45 AM

Cheryl Johnson

Highland Park, CA

I'm sure glad to see this "topic" making the rounds again ...

Here was my post with suggestions from back in October 2013 http://activerain.com/blogsview/4226019/a-note-for-the-ar-suggestion-box---additional-topics

Please excuse the link, but I do strongly agree with you that there should be a "Neighborhood Information and Events" topic under Consumer !!!

In the meanwhile, I have been doing the same as Liz and Bill ... neighborhood stuff goes under "Real Estate General Information" ... and that just feels kinda lame ...

Apr 17, 2014 09:53 PM

Charita Cadenhead

eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL

Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Cheryl I totally agree with your post There is a STRONG emphasis here on Active Rain to post hyperlocal info. If it's one thing that warrants a category of it's own, it would be Neighborhood Information. I don't get it at all how that could be excluded. It kind of diminishes the credibility of the push for hyperlocal. Also it forces us to kind of make up stuff just so we can put it in an existing category.

Apr 17, 2014 10:21 PM

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