Blogging, Active Rain and Social Networking… real estate in a web 2+ world

Blogging… Why? Be the (local) expert SEO (long tail search) Let your clients get to know you Communicate what is going on Showcase your listings Promote your community

Be the (local) expert

SEO (long tail search)

Let your clients get to know you

Communicate what is going on

Showcase your listings

Promote your community

Blogging Options… Blogger Active Rain WordPress.com WordPress (self hosted) Etc…

Blogger

Active Rain

WordPress.com

WordPress (self hosted)

Etc…

Dominate the Search Engines Pick your Terms (don't go nuts...) Title your Blog (URL and Title) Title your Posts (Get those Keywords) Repeat your Title (in bold, 3-5 times) Reiterate your Title in the last paragraph Tag your post with possible Search Terms Include Relevent Images Don't forget to Tag and Title Images

Pick your Terms (don't go nuts...)

Title your Blog (URL and Title)

Title your Posts (Get those Keywords)

Repeat your Title (in bold, 3-5 times)

Reiterate your Title in the last paragraph

Tag your post with possible Search Terms

Include Relevent Images

Don't forget to Tag and Title Images

Why Blog on ActiveRain? Community… 150,000+ members SEO… Google LOVES ActiveRain Consumers… Over 2M consumer hits/mo. Education… Many of the best of the RE.net are on A|R every week Support… Both peer to peer and corporate Relationships… In Real Life…

Community… 150,000+ members

SEO… Google LOVES ActiveRain

Consumers… Over 2M consumer hits/mo.

Education… Many of the best of the RE.net are on A|R every week

Support… Both peer to peer and corporate

Relationships… In Real Life…

What’s Up w/Points on A|R? Points for Profile (fill it out...) 25 points to comment (max 10/day) 100 points for logging in each day 200 points for an original blog post (max 10/week) 25 bonus points for putting post in a Channel Points contests... The points are only a means to get users engaged in the community. 4700 points are available each week.

Points for Profile (fill it out...)

25 points to comment (max 10/day)

100 points for logging in each day

200 points for an original blog post (max 10/week)

25 bonus points for putting post in a Channel

Points contests...

The points are only a means to get users engaged in the community. 4700 points are available each week.

Levels of ActiveRain Blogs Free membership Blog posts are member's only. Great way to introduce yourself to the community and learn from some of the GREAT resources. RainMaker account $29/mo., allows public posts and includes an "Outside Blog" with a custom URL. This is where Google and the public sees your posts. Localism Sponsor "Sponsor" Communities for $9/mo. Increased visibility.

Free membership

Blog posts are member's only. Great way to introduce yourself to the community and learn from some of the GREAT resources.

RainMaker account

$29/mo., allows public posts and includes an "Outside Blog" with a custom URL. This is where Google and the public sees your posts.

Localism Sponsor

"Sponsor" Communities for $9/mo. Increased visibility.

ActiveRain Bonuses "Google Juice" from both Profile and Posts gives your sites better visibility in Search Engines. Build Relationships with peers, vendors and experts from across the country. Be part of the largest RE social network in the world.

"Google Juice" from both Profile and Posts gives your sites better visibility in Search Engines.

Build Relationships with peers, vendors and experts from across the country.

Be part of the largest RE social network in the world.

Social Networking Options… FaceBook (personal profile) FaceBook (business page) Twitter Zillow Flickr LinkedIn Etc…

FaceBook (personal profile)

FaceBook (business page)

Twitter

Zillow

Flickr

LinkedIn

Etc…

Why Social Network? Isn’t that what the real estate business is all about? Whether it is in person or on the computer, we ARE social networkers. The websites are just tools… FaceBook, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, YouTube, MySpace, and all of the local forums and portals are ALL just tools to foster new relationships.

Isn’t that what the real estate business is all about? Whether it is in person or on the computer, we ARE social networkers. The websites are just tools… FaceBook, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, YouTube, MySpace, and all of the local forums and portals are ALL just tools to foster new relationships.

FaceBook 300,000,000 million users Fastest growing segment is women 55-66 years old More that 1B pieces of content are shared… each week. 8,000,000 users “Fan” a page each day. Ads can be targeted by location and many demographics.

300,000,000 million users

Fastest growing segment is women 55-66 years old

More that 1B pieces of content are shared… each week.

8,000,000 users “Fan” a page each day.

Ads can be targeted by location and many demographics.

Twitter Microblogging platform. Share your message in under 140 characters… or under 126 for me. RT… Largest demographic is 45-54, followed by 25-34. As of February, they had a 1382% growth for the year… Excellent source of news AND broadcast outlet.

Microblogging platform. Share your message in under 140 characters… or under 126 for me. RT…

Largest demographic is 45-54, followed by 25-34.

As of February, they had a 1382% growth for the year…

Excellent source of news AND broadcast outlet.

LinkedIn The “button-down” social network Especially useful for brokers to recruit agents Great referral network

The “button-down” social network

Especially useful for brokers to recruit agents

Great referral network

Flickr Share your photos… You HAVE to be careful about commercial messages… Incredible 3 rd party applications to allow integration of pictures into other web presentations (blog, site, etc.)

Share your photos…

You HAVE to be careful about commercial messages…

Incredible 3 rd party applications to allow integration of pictures into other web presentations (blog, site, etc.)

YouTube Incredible rich media opportunity for blogs and websites User watch 8B videos each month 74% of web users watch videos Videos on sites retain users twice as long Video has strong SEO… really! Get to know TubeMogul.com

Incredible rich media opportunity for blogs and websites

User watch 8B videos each month

74% of web users watch videos

Videos on sites retain users twice as long

Video has strong SEO… really!

Get to know TubeMogul.com

So, Why? Dominate YOUR farm area in searches Show YOUR expertise to your prospective clients Build relationships with peers AND consumers Strengthen ties with other local businesses Promote YOUR community

Dominate YOUR farm area in searches

Show YOUR expertise to your prospective clients

Build relationships with peers AND consumers

Strengthen ties with other local businesses

Promote YOUR community

Resources If you aren’t an ActiveRain user http://activerain.com/promo/lbailey If you ARE an ActiveRain user http://activerain.com/promo_upgrade/lbailey If you want to join, but not upgrade yet http://activerain.com/action/referrals/lanebailey http:// LaneBailey.info

If you aren’t an ActiveRain user

http://activerain.com/promo/lbailey

If you ARE an ActiveRain user

http://activerain.com/promo_upgrade/lbailey

If you want to join, but not upgrade yet

http://activerain.com/action/referrals/lanebailey

http:// LaneBailey.info

Questions?