E-mail Ping-Pong and Inappropriate Content
For the last couple of days, I've been playing 'email ping-pong' with one of our valued members over the issue of what constitutes 'acceptable' or 'inappropriate' content being published on Localism.
Trust me when I say that if you asked 10 ActiveRain members their opinion on this issue, you'd probably get close to 10 different views or responses. The definition of good, relevant local 'consumer-oriented' content can be different for many of us.
But surely there must be obvious instances where certain types of content are clearly out of place for Localism?
I thought I would first retrace my steps over the past year or so, and pull a few statements I've made prior about Localism, just to give us some context:
What is Localism?
Localism is the valued point of connection, a place of meaningful interaction. It's where neighbors and local merchants share what's happening in their community. It's people collectively communicating the unique flavor and nuances of where they live, work, eat, and play.
Localism is 'Old-School' in a New World portal. It's reminiscent of an earlier day when people shopped where they lived, and everyone knew their butcher. Localism makes the world smaller and more personal. It reacquaints and re-establishes the lost bonds between neighbors. It revives and restores the relational elements of what neighborhoods used to be, and should be.
Localism provides the environment where residents and business owners can create a micro-social network uniquely attuned to their individual communities. Together, they use multi-media to paint a canvas of local color and texture. Their Localism 'Neighborpedia' becomes an extension of who and what they are.
~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~
The New Localism in private BETA
Back when we launched the new look Localism in private BETA form, we asked our members to populate their community pages with content that wasn't specifically 'real estate related.' Our intention was to attract consumer readership/participation (neighbors & residents of our communities). And, in order to achieve this goal, we felt that our community pages needed to have a wider variety of topics. Once Localism was officially launched to the general public, you could return to posting more content that was 'real estate specific.' We also had plans to create links or tabs on each community page that would direct visitors to a separate pages(s) for Listing, Market Reports, etc..
~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~
That was Then, this is Now
The advice I dispensed back then is still applicable today, and will hopefully serve to guide our collective understanding on what we should be contributing to Localism. And rather than focus on the negatives (what is inappropriate), let's focus more on what is meaningful and suitable instead.
Technical Writing 101
Let's take care of some of the technical aspects of writing for Localism first:
1) Spell Korecklee: Use the Spell Check function. If we claim to be professionals, we need to convey ourselves as such.
2) A Blog is NOT a BILLBOARD: A blog post is not an ad. While some aspects of your post will naturally be self-promotional in nature, that doesn't mean that your entire article should read like one massive billboard touting how awesome you are, and plastered with every conceivable means of contacting you, along with a link to every website and web-page you own. Less is more. Don't interrupt good content with annoying self-promotion.
3) People Like Pictures: It's a proven fact - good relevant graphics/pictures improve/enhance blog readership. Take your digital camera with you wherever you go. Take your own good local photos and you'll never have to be concerned about copyright infringement.
4) Aim for the Bullseye: Be as specific or niche-oriented with your subject matter and geo-targeting as possible. By that, I mean, post your article to the most narrow and specific interest and location, as applicable. Think Longtail.
5) Use Your Own Voice: Don't 'Copy & Paste.' There are no 'quick' & 'easy' shortcuts to effective blogging.
Creative Writing 101
Now for the more 'creative' aspects of effective Local Content Blogging (think 'Romper Room 'Do-Be's'):
1) BE YOURSELF: It's not rocket science. Sometimes we have a tendency to over-think these things. Most importantly, be yourself. That is one of the foundational aspects of conversational blogging - to convey your own unique personality, perspective, and passions. Your readers want to know who and what you are; what makes you tick; how you conduct your business. Allow 'YOU' to always come through in your writing.
2) BE 'CONSUMER-CENTRIC:' Don't talk all about yourself. Share information/resources that consumers will find helpful, interesting, and valuable. Put yourself in the consumer's shoes. What would attract them to your post? What would they find most engaging?
3) BE 'LOCAL MINDED:' Remember to stay focused on relevant local information, news, events, points/places of interest, etc. Think Little League, church happenings, interview local leaders, fund raising events, profiles of everyday people, neighborhood merchants & business owners, garage sales, local politics, school activities/sports, local neighborhood flavor & ambiance.
4) BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR: Find meaningful ways of giving back to the community, i.e. volunteer work, charity functions, fund-raising, etc., and then blog about it
5) BE BALANCED: To some degree, try to strike a balance in your writing. Publishing a wider variety of topics will help to keep your blogging muse from getting writer's block, and your readers will appreciate the occasional departure from real estate articles.
Localism Content in a Nutshell
In a nutshell, good, quality content for Localism will:
- capture and engage the consumer's interests
- be aesthetic (well constructed & formatted)
- read well (convey thoughts intelligently)
- reveal the writer's personality, perspectives, and passions
- provide practical advice/value to the reader
By incorporating these aspects into your hyper-local blogging efforts, you'll generate good local content, attract greater readership to your blog, and hopefully convert some of those readers into clients!
Coming Soon to a Community Nearest You!
P.S. Just so you know, our talented development/graphics staff has been working tirelessly, working their mojo magic on finishing up on Localism to the point where we will finally be able to launch it publicly. Stay Tuned!
For Your further reading enjoyment, check out ALL THINGS LOCALISM
Ok, I know it's early... but Spell Korecklee? ha. It took me a minute just to say it. I can't wait to see the new Localism go live. It's been a looong time coming.
Rich,
Thank you for the helpful advice and the heads up on the new Localism.
Alot of what we see on localism is posted for agents and marketingto agents. Very few of us do a truly good local blog. I try to write good content for localism.
thanks for all the great tips and the info on localism
Rich, thank you. I just started to explore localism and I like what it represents. Do you know if I can take aprvious post in AR and put it into localism? Als o do I need a separate sign - in for localism? Thanks again. kevincavanaughonline.com
IMHO a lot of people don't have a clue about what the difference in ActiveRain and Localism is and are just broadcasting everything they write to both AR and Localism.
Like Laura J. said there's a lot of content written agent to agent from what I see. If there was a large community and lots of content that would not matter, people would just pick around it for WIIFM. As it stands (from the itty bitty bit of Localism I have looked at recently) there is very little content there for consumers, there is not going to be a reason for consumers to read if it is just posts saying
Thank you for the good information. It will help me get through the learning cure....
Rich,
This is something we have talked about ourselves at the office. We need and want to provide truly rich and valuanle content for the localism channel. Thanks for the tips!
My top localism posts, ever, have been about specific shopping centers and museums that don't have their own websites. These are targeted for relocation clients, but I think they've been quite helpful for locals as well. And of course there are lots of photos!
Rich,
A quality Localism post gets pushed back pretty far by all the writers who just post pages and pages of MLS listings. Some people do it right and some don't.
Rich
Try to do some localism every week....sooo much to choose from...events, favorite stores...great soups...looking at my stats...people like the Polar Plunge more than real estate...brrrrrr !
I have to agre with the commenter above me, sometimes its disheartening to spend a lot of time on a really content rich post and then have some guy who posts 10 blogs on very trivial subjects or properties he listed and your post goes to the bottom of the ladder.
Rich - Awesome post ! Localism rocks and we are very excited about the future and the opportunity that it has to become a strong consumer site and portal where they connect with local industry experts. We have worked hard to provide some meaningful content in our area and have sponsored a number of neighborhoods (I believe 7 or 8). We are believers !
Excellent, Rich. It took me a while, but removing the short bio at the end of my blog has not hurt effectiveness in generating leads. (And believe me, mine was very short compared to some I see here - in fact, it was mostly a short narrative directly people to links.)
OK, I now have a better understanding of localism. Thanks.
Thanks Rich, I''m relatively new here and I've mostly heard just what you are saying, that Localism is what's happening in our specific markets and that it should be a nice balance of real estate/local events.
Thank you Rich for these tips on better Localism content! I love the idea of what Localism represents and I love posting articles about neat places to eat at or visit in my area. Localism is great; I'm looking forward to it going public!
Have a great day,
Anne Rains
Rich...
Although AR succumbed to the onslaught of member complaints, the site will NEVER succeed without real, live, human editors.
Now that there are plenty of places for any kind of post, the Localism spots should be "earned" with content. That makes the site better, which makes it useful, which ultimately benefits the consumer more.
Well said.
I especially agree with the spell checking advice. I would like to add that you should also reread your post before submitting it. Quite often there will be a word that is not mispelled but it's not the word you meant to use for example...
That apple is mime. When you meant That apple is mine.
I know it may seem trivial but it's those little things that people remember.
This was a very helpful blog. I was not 100% what localism was. I do now and can't wait to take advantage of it.
Rich,
You know better than to think that everyone will agree with one aspect of whats supposed to bwe and what isn't. I do find it interesting that some people really watch others and are so concerned what they are doing. I also don't think its just because they want to help the other person out...just seems to be a thorn in their a-s for some reason...not every-ones agenda is the same. I try to capture the right thing and if I'm wrong then I can only try new things to improve but we should be improving for ourselves and not for what others think. The consumer will be the one who makes that final decision and that's when they call you.
Good stuff Rich. I still can't get anyone to help me load pictures. I've loaded pictures, but as I try to put more on, it keeps giving error messages. I have a few on, but to get more loaded, I need someone to respond to provide a little help navigating through error messages that have never appeared before.
Rich:
I find that Localism is a venue for many of the local agents to talk about things that mean more to the agent then the community they are commenting on. On the other hand I have seen this approach work. Time and Time again, I have heard AR member say that they got busines from posting on localism. Go figure.
Rich, I think some of the gamers are the biggest offenders on Localism, at least in my area. Some use it as a place to place MLS listings, not their own listings - listings from other agents from other companies? Thanks for making things clear and keeping us on track.
Rich,
That's what I always like about your blogs, straight forward and full of common sense! Thanks
Great, clear information. Thank you from one not clear as to Localism and newish to AR, you have set the record straight. Many thanks!
Rich, this is really helpful, I had no clear understanding that localism was for consumers, I just thought if we were talking about something specific to an area, we should put it there. So, tell me, if we have something specific to an ara but it is more relevant to real estate professionals, where should it go?
I'll be posting on localism on some new businesses, so this advice comes at a good time for me., Thanks!
Rich -- I have wondered about this so thank you. Is there a page which lists all the relevant info from a member who wants to post point of view on Localism by AR staff?
Rich, thanks for the post and the recommendations on keeping a blog fresh. It reminds me of being in a book club because I wanted to read different books than what I would normally pick out myself. The notes about writing are great!
Rich, good article and one that I always struggle with. Actually writing a piece for consumer consumption hasn't been my issue so much as identifying what the "local" in localism is. My "realistic" geographic area, based on where my clients are, is any area of 50 miles by 25 miles. With so many different cities and neighborhoods within this area I had difficulty focusing in on a target area with my blog. I didn't want my exisiting clients to think I no longer "worked" their area. As a result, I did the worst thing possible and simply didn't blog. Now I realize with Localism that I simply write different pieces for different areas and have them post to the correct location. I feel like I can now take advantage of this technology platform.
Rich,
Now I'm even more confused! I've been posting to Texas' Localism since we finaly decided to move here. I'm now a local and it's a lot easer to get to most of Texas than say Florida.
I fit your nut shell:
"In a nutshell, good, quality content for Localism will:
But, my blogs are not local in nature, my services are not local. Like Rush says "As long as I'm here it doesn't matter where here is!" So am I to assume that I don't belong in Localism?
Bill
Rich, what is this I hear of a obsession with Widgets? Brad is busting on you man!
Reminders are always good. Sometimes I think those of us who have been here for several months or more we forget how quickly AR has grown and that these "newbies" don't always know the ropes. I'm a little confused on the whole "going live" thing because I can got to localism.com..but I'll wait and see what happens. I'm sure it will be great.
Thank you for sharing this information. It is helpful to let everyone know the design and intention of localism.
Kathleen
I love Localism. I do debate sometimes what and if I should post things. Most of the time I wonder about the community. It was a great trip that I ,who live in allyn am recommending people in my area experience in Tacoma. We only have two zoos. Is that okay in my neighborhood? I also try to always be positive no matter the subject.Great Post-Dinah Lee
Maureen is correct, there is too much 'agent to agent' type of contact being produced. I don't even know if it is going into Localism but if it is Mr. John Q is going to say who cares and leave the site.
If someone would take the time to read my stuff, I am only writing for real estate going to Localism, every once in awhile I throw in a fond community thing for the Art Fair, etc.
Chris: I just inserted a link to the collection of Localism articles, ALL THINGS LOCALISM
Craig: You've got a good strategy, now the key is just being consistent. Best of luck to you!
Kevin: Your Log-in for Localism is the same as your Log-in for ActiveRain. And Yes, you can always re-categorize your post. Simply click on the 'Edit' link at the bottom of your post, then scroll down to the Localism box, and check the relevant State, County, City, and community, if applicable.
Maureen: People will no doubt reap whatever they sow. For the most part, today's Net savvy consumers are intelligent, discerning, and very quick to click-thru (ignore) anything that remotely resembles grandstanding.
Joanne: Just check the 'ActiveRain Channel' box, and scroll to the channel that makes the most sense. Remember to add in an appropriate tag. What one key word best describes the essence of your post? Check any relevant Groups that you belong to. And then, lastly, select an appropriate Category under 'For Real Estate Professional'...
I was about to post a question about localism. Thank you for starting this conversation. I have posted a couple of blogs on localism and I am glad to know that I was thinking along the correct lines.
Richard: I think the intent as we launch Localism to the public, is for it to be community-moderated, somewhat like craigslist.
Rich thanks for posting this... I feel like sometimes agents in my area game the system for points and it detracts from the value of Localism, which is a very powerful tool when it comes to focusing on a hyper-local market.
Rich,
I post to localism quite a bit and always try to post material people moving to the area would be interested in.
These are great guidelines to use for the consumer contest too. Your breakdown of localism is grand Rich and like no other...yours have been wonderful in the past too. I still remember your weenie one :)
Rich,
Great advice for us that are still learning. I liked the idea of carrying your camera all the time. I don't go anywhwere without my camera. One never knows.........could be a great big black bear waiting to cross the road, or a shot of a great home that you stumbled into. Who knows, maybe even a newsworthy event that you stumble into could be your next photo op.
very Good i agree totally. Yes spelling is one area i have always not paid much attention to and ought to. Thank you for your post.
Rich, I love localism and photo-blogging purposefully to Localism. It appears that Google likes it too:-) I even have my own url for my localism site http://area228.info . I do not have it on a card yet, maybe next go around. But for now if anyone asks me what I am doing, I can tell them and add you can find these photos at "my easy to remember location".
Now, I do have a problem. Since the New Localism switchover I cannot access my individual photos. There are some I would like to replace. It is very frustrating not to be able to do this change.
Thanks, Rich. We only post on Localism when it is something LOCAL to the community, or of interest in a "neighborhood" way. That's how we interpret what Localism is about.
For example, we never post "members only" items to Localism (which we have seen done). What's the point? And, if is not specific to a community, we do not post it to Localism. It may be great info, but it is not local, neighborhood info, and therefore not "unique attuned" to the individual community as you state.
Further - if we find something posted to Localism that is thought not to be appropriate to be posted under Localism, how does Active Rain what it's community members to handle it? Us contacting the member directly does not, in our opinion, seem to be a good idea. We don't want to "scold" or "correct" a community member. In other forum-type settings, there generally is a moderator or administrator who assists with the issue of inappropriate content.
What are your thoughts?
This look very straight forward and really is common sense. I guess there will always be those who want to abuse or take advantage of something.
Fran & Rowena: As I've alluded to in my comment to Richard, our intention at this point is for Localism to become 'community moderated' in some respects like craigslist and other similar platforms. With the massive scope of Localism, it would be a near to impossible task for us (AR staff) to attempt any meaningful level of moderation. We will need to rely upon our community sponsors and participating members to help flag inappropriate content/behavior. I'm planning on doing another post that addresses your thoughts about 'scolding.'
I do agree with Maureen and of course your comment to her. Those that don't understand this concept will never get it. Those that use Localism just to gain "rank" don't care either. Some articles I hope the public never sees.
I think that there should be a approval period for new users - their Localism channel will be unlocked once they can write 3 articles that pass the grade. Once they are approved on 3 they can post without approval.
Probably impossible - but hey what the heck
Thanks, Rich - I really haven't embraced localism to the extent of some of my fellow agents in my market. I can see where it can be a valuable tool if we got some hits in my area. Most of the Localism posts that I've seen here have gotten zero hits and/or comments.
Dear Rich,
Thanks for your excellent explanation.
Are you willing to share the names of some AR members who do good posts to Localism?
Good examples really help. I have no problem finding bad examples.
Barbara: Excellent question. Yes, if you go to the 'Search' function link in the top right of your screen, and enter "Localism Featured" you will find a long list of really great examples.
My favorite Local Content writers are: Jeff Dowler, Margaret Woda, Cindy Jones, Bob & Lisa Hammerstein, Bill Gassett, Sally Cheeseman, Debe Maxwell, just to name a few of the many....
Thanks, Rich, for addressing this! You must be reading the minds of many...I, for one, had just sent a note to AR Customer Service during the night about this very thing (Ticket #48331). I seem to be encountering more abuses rather than uses of a system designed to be something absolutely amazing and an asset for everyone... I take a lot of pride in being am "HOA-paying" neighbor on Localism...Please Keep Dogs Off The Grass!! (Can you fine them???---or even FIND THEM???!)
Thanks for helping me understand Localism better. I live in a great community and will enjoy sharing it with others here are activerain.
Rich- thanks for keeping it real and making it clear about Localism!
Rich - your post is very helpful! I did go back and change a few of my posts, definitely makes more sense now. Thanks!
Rich - Thank you the commentary on Localism. I am a fan of Localism and believe it to be one of the best channels in the AR forum.
Rich - Thanks for stating the purpose of Localism is clear and concise terms. Personally, I value localism and see it as a way for consumers to gain insight and understanding about the communities we represent.
Rich - Hi Rich and thanks for the mention. You know that we do love Localism post to it all the time as I love to do articles on my hometowns with pictures. In fact I just started my very own little blogsite now here on A/R. FYI {nudge, nudge, wink wink} I love Localism and hope it get's "fixed" soon as I am sponsoring many communities. I keep posting to it and am hoping it's working per your other blog about it being broken. lol I still do see agents "gaming" the system to gain points by signing up multiple times, copying and pasting things that are turned down by A/R but still show up on Localism. Can't wait to see this site happening again. Take Care. Bob H
Bob: I noticed your new blogging digs. So what did you do with Lisa?
Rich,
I think you just did "Creative Writing 101"! Very quick, consise review!
Thanks,
Kathy Opatka Re/Max OCEAN CITY,MARYLAND
Thanks for the clarification. I have often wondered about the difference.
Aloha,
Keahi
Thanks for the post, Rich. While I don't think this was intended, it has reminded me of the need to write more for the local consumer.
Rich, I have always known that the Localism concept was a diamond in the rough. If we become the "go to" person within our own communities, naturally our SOI and WOM referrals will increase. Combine the Localism with Cyberspace and the sky is the limit. I do wish you the best on this...
I'm just gonna keep writing! Later in the rain~Deb
Rich - Not sure how much can be said on this topic that you haven't already covered. A good review for those folks who have trouble with the Localism concept or perhaps do no see the value. I'll keep doing as I am - it works for me.
Jeff
Hey Rich,
You're so sweet to mention us. Don't worry Bob didn't get rid of me - I'm still lurking.....
Lisa
Rich: I would think people would want positive information to be posted to the localism. I agree.. 10 people.. 10 different responces
This is great information, I've been looking for specific information on Localism. Appreciate it! Thank you.
Portsmouth NH Real Estate
awesome points, I need to post to localism more often
Rich, I've actually been writing for Localism lately and have had so much FUN with it! I'm a few behind, truly. I'm taking my camera with me everywhere. Problem is, now I dread writing the boring "Engineer" stuff that my target market LOVES....blech. Suppose finding a happy medium will work itself into my plan one of these days :) Counting down to Seattle!!!
When will that launch be? I was looking for the Superbowl ads...
Rich, could there be a separate category for listings in Localism as well in AR blogs? That way consumers and fellow bloggers wouldn't have to wade through listings to see meaningful content for them - and when they wanted to see listings, they were neatly in another category. Something to think about that keeps coming up in discussions around here...
I love Localism already, and can't wait to see what else you guys do! Hope the updates come in time for the rapidly approaching Spring market. :)
Thanks for the great post! It helps us to remember to stay true to Business.
I am new to both ActiveRain and Localism but I am hooked already. I look forward to getting up to speed. Quick question about photos...I have no problem inserting them into my blog, but on a specific localism site, there is a place on the right for photos. How do you insert photos there? Probably a silly, novice-type question, but thanks in advance for some guidance.
Rich, thanks for helping me to understand this better, I hope to blog about more good things that my community better.
Rich,
Thank you for the claification, concise and easy to follow.
Thanks I needed that. I was using localism incorrectly and now I know better.
I'm also trying to post to Localism more often. It just takes me more time to come up with a good post. Thanks for the update.
Oops, forgot to log in...
I'm also trying to post to Localism more often. It just takes me more time to come up with good posts. Thanks for the update.
Rich - I read that Localism was being reworked and would be out around the 1st of Feb. Is this the beginning of the information. It's a great post. I am still not using Localism as I should and anxious to improve. Thanks!
Very well said.... This is our replacement for our community newspaper which we no longer publish thanks to Localism.........
I don't know how I initially missed this but thank you for clearing it up.
I did not read most of the comments but wanted to say that I loved the idea of Localism from the get go and Brad Andersohn did a great job in clarifying the intent and getting me excited about visiting my local businesses and community events to provide a "what's in it for them" while softly promoting myself as a local expert. This happened as I progressed into video. I send people links to my ariticles and often did not want to link to Localism because of the "billboard" content I found there. I was also expected it to go public which would get my name out there as a local expert and reward me for the true vision of making it about them. So, I look forward to having Localism be that for everyone.
wondering what happens with plagiarized content on Localism? Someone posted a bunch in Ohio about a week ago. I flagged it on ActiveRain, no kersplats on ActiveRain yet and I know that often takes a long time. So obviously there are no Kersplats on Localism... does the plagiarized content on Localism just stand? Do they get a Kersplat?
You said: As I've alluded to in my comment to Richard, our intention at this point is for Localism to become 'community moderated' in some respects like craigslist and other similar platforms. With the massive scope of Localism, it would be a near to impossible task for us (AR staff) to attempt any meaningful level of moderation. We will need to rely upon our community sponsors and participating members to help flag inappropriate content/behavior.
I guess this person long ago had visited AR and plagiarized a number of entries, got kersplats, left and is back again. Not sure if his initial content that was kersplated on AR would have shown up on on Localism.
Thank you Maureen for your reply. Now I understand what that little symbol is - a kersplat! And also why it's there. I knew it meant something not good, just didn't know what to call it or why exactly it was there.
Rich
Thank You for the Great Tips..i really appreciate them..I will be using more photographs in the future.
AKA :helpfulhannah
Frank and Sharon you can take a kersplat yourself if you want to post unoriginal content that you have permission to use on AR, so a kersplat is NOT the scarlet A. Or the scarlet P.
You click on a box at the bottom if you want to give yourself a kersplat. The ? there calls the kersplat a "no points symbol."
" This is not my content but I have permission to repost it
"
When you post an entry there is a box that tells what you can take points for and what you can't.
I had never paid a lot of attention to these links until a new member called me this week to make me EXPLAIN something to her, as a group moderator. She's posted paid content and taken the points. I assumed it was plagiarism since you can find the same stuff all over the web with different keywords. I had featured and then unfeatured her content and accidentally deleted it from the group. She demanded requested I tell her what she can and can take points for. Thanks for the phone call, welcome to ActiveRain but that's "not my job."
We really should come up with something other than the foreboding 'Kersplat'....it carries such a negative connotation, which really isn't the case in many instances.....
Rich, you certainly write a good post. You have a wonderful way with words and I enjoyed reading this and learned along the way!
Sonya: You are much too kind! But thanks for stoppin' by. I hope you find something you've read here helpful to your day!
Hi Rich. Just wanted to drop a note to say thanks for forming a new group, and I want in. As I'm reading from the comments, I'm wondering if there is a "content police" for Localism like there is for AR? And this may be a dumb question, but can visitors to Localism actually search or sort thru the info somehow?
Great to see you. I've been stalking you, Brad, & Bill.:)
Rich, thanks for all of the great tips...now if I only had the time to put them all in place;-)
Rich these are great tips. Thanks. So far I only blog on localism select articles in my main blog. Now I understand it needs to be a seperate entity and have its own identity. Thanks again.
Rich, This may be a ridiculous question, but I'm confused about what the Listing Router URL is. Please help.
Seize the day!
Sue Kuhn
Is there a blog post that explains to newbies how to pick the correct categories when posting a blog?
Bruce & Sandy: Here ya go - http://activerain.com/blogsview/919154/Scattered-Showers-Daily-Questions-from-Our-Community-Blog-Posting-Categories
where do you add a city? I can see where I can add a neighborhood on ActiveRain but not a new city...
Rich, I need this post. I wanted clarity on Localism. I may contact you with questions as I go along.
Thanks for the advice on Localism! I sponsored a community and I cant get my pic to show up. Any ideas how to get it on there? Thanks is advance.
Rich, thanks for the lesson on Localism. Its helpling me look at a service I have not been using much for the folks in my area. I will have to start thinking from this viewpoint.
Robby
I have never seen this. I was just sold Localism and set free with it.
Hey Gene! Not sure I understand your comment. Can you please expand?
Okay, I'm gonna do it....I'm gonna jump in....ready, set, wait...wait....okay, now let me catch my breath....I'm gonna do it...I think I can...I think I can....okay....I'm gonna do it......soon. debra
This is one of the best pieces I've read! It gave me hope and validation for my efforts, since I have been taking my camera and note book with me everywhere lately. I have several articles that I want to write about local businesses and I have even interviewed a couple of the owners so that I can write for Localism.
It was difficult for me to explain what Localism is and what my purpose is. Though, I must say I have gotten great responses from local businesses. Now, if I can find the time to sit down and write. I know I will. That's why I take notes and write down the key points to our conversations and when I get back and upload my photos to my computer, the story is just flowing in my mind.
I decided that I will get a small recorder or use my flip camera to record interviews so that when I am unable to write the article (right away), due to working with my loan files and helping clients, I will have the ability to recapture some of the moments that may not be as fresh and my writing will be better for it.
I really love this!
Thank you!
Chrystina: Another corresponding strategy is to use Yelp.com as you write about local businesses. Yelp.com allows people to critique/recommend various local businesses. Whenever you write a blog post about a local business, access your Yelp account and give them a review!
Rich, You are spot on as usual.
Reading this reminds me that I need to start adding more pics to my posts. Thanks for the reminder
Thanks for the update.
Rich
I just learned a few things and some 'blogging etiquite'
Thanks
Ty
Good to know. Thanks for posting!
Good to know. Thanks for posting!
Good to know. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for the tips. I've written about local events and where possible link to a local paper websites for more in depth information. I feel this way I can direct relocation people looking for in depth ideas about what is going on locally( top local stories, politics, opinions, local school sports, etc) this way they get a feel for the community they are moving to.
Very informative post !
Thanks
Thanks for the advice. This is something that I really need to work on.
I can't wait!
Jim Frimmer, Realtor, Mission Valley sent me over..great points, i will be utilizing them!
Thanks for the advice. I've been doing a few localism posts here and there, and they're always fun to do. I've received some "thank you's" from the businesses featured, but no real estate leads as of yet. We will keep at it...