Comments on: Establishing a Vision for Your Online Engagement

By: Joy Cash

Joy Cash — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:29:07 +0000

Establishing a Vision for Your Online Engagement http://bit.ly/53hkFP #ilm

By: Zankee News

Zankee News — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:35:01 +0000

Establishing a Vision for Your Online Engagement http://bit.ly/7ycbpV

By: Karen Goodman

Karen Goodman — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:39:31 +0000

I think a lot of real estate bloggers with consumer focused blogs lately have been forggeting to create timeless content. One of my goals when I started my blog was to create a vast resource of information for consumers when they stumbled on my site during their home buying or selling period. I just don’t think that the typical consumer focused blog is going to get a lot of long term subscribers. Readers go into intense research mode when they need information, but after they move, they won’t have a reason to keep stopping by. And I’m ok with that.

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t comment on current events in our blogs, but when I get hits from long tail searches a year from now, I want the information to be helpful enough that they’ll stay on my site and hopefully contact me when they are ready for an agent.

There are a lot of real estate blogs that I really enjoyed a year or two ago, but lately there is so much focus on industry changes and national RE policy politics, that my feed reader is a lot thinner now.

By: BHG Real Estate

BHG Real Estate — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:06:31 +0000

Establishing a Vision for Your Online Engagement http://ow.ly/H91c

By: Matthew Rathbun

Matthew Rathbun — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:39:31 +0000

Bob and Jeff: I agree with both points and it’s great to get that perspective!

By: BawldGuy

BawldGuy — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:10:49 +0000

Matthew — Why does your particular blog exist? What’s your vision for it? What’s your #1 end game?

The rest is superfluous.

I suspect most blogs which have, at first blush, gone ‘off the tracks’ have really simply remained focused on their initial vision/goal in the first place. They’re monetizing the best way they know how. Unless the original purpose was totally unrelated to any business (profit oriented) purpose, the idea from Day 1 was to create a blog to generate income — period. They don’t now, nor did they ever envision themselves as a blog version of the Red Cross.

A century ago when the automobile began making itself felt, makers of leather goods for horses and carriages had a choice. They could go outa business, or start making leather goods for car interiors and the like. That’s what’s happening with many blogs now.

They’re simply adapting to the new reality. Make sense?

By: Bob

Bob — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:07:32 +0000

Mathew, I’m not saying it isn’t possible to write a large quantity of quality content, just that it doesn’t happen that often because it isn’t easy to do. You mention Mashable, who now seems to cover everything – from tech to Tiger’s accident. So much of what is blogged these days is “me too” stuff. I dont see a whole lot of originality, and I believe much of that is due feeling obligated to write for some perceived, but unproven value.

By: Matthew Rathbun

Matthew Rathbun — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:01:15 +0000

Susie: I meant to thank you for bringing up “Branding and Blogging”. They do both submit to the same considerations!

Eric: There are sooo many SocMed sites that are out there. After a lot of trial and error, there are some that I just exist in and then a few others that I actually engage in. Twitter and Facebook are where I actually have a plan and purposefully interact with people who have become friends. Everyone else is just a place to be…

By: Matthew Rathbun

Matthew Rathbun — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:58:42 +0000

Bob (I am honestly asking, and not being snarky here) Can I have both quantity and quality? How about Mashable.com? Yes, it’s the same topic and vision, but there is a ton of blog posts. Inman and even AG are the same way.

I’m learning to sift through those authors and posts that I don’t like to “create my own adventure”, if you will.

I think that many have sacrificed quality for number of readers – but do you think every has to?

By: Bob

Bob — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:48:33 +0000

Mathew, I would argue that th tone has changed or the focus broadened because many think its about quantity, not quality. As long as they are taught that “blog it and they will come” is the answer to ranking better, this will happen because they will run out of stuff to write about and still maintain quality.