Active Joel!

The ActiveRain "HELP" Toolbar for Your Browser - was created to help members and non-members find important pieces of information in and around the network, and to give additional assistance to newer members who aren't sure where to look or find help in the ActiveRain Community.  It's an additional "help" source available for you if needed.

In this post I'll breakdown each section of the toolbar and show how it might be helpful.  The "Toolbar" is not just for AR members, it's also for anyone who wants to keep up with what's happening in the world of Real Estate on and through the AR Network.  It works on Explorer, Firefox, and Safari browsers and it's FREE.

The first section of the toolbar allows you to access AR with a single click on the logo. Next to the logo is a pull-down menu where you can login to AR or Join.  You can also search by member "category" which helps save time if you're looking for a specific type of Industry professional.

There are 28 Industry categories to choose from, this makes it quick and easy for members and consumers to access any category with the single "point and click" option.

The "Read" button IS for ActiveRain members and those interested in joining the network. Unlike most boring community guidelines and terms of service, ours is unique and is a "must read!"
Can you say Weltanschauung?

The "Help" button and pull-down menu gets you access to the ActiveRain Manual, The ActiveRain University, The ARU Training Calendar, the Help/FAQ Group on AR, Information about Real Estate RainCamps, and member contributed guides and how-to articles and posts.  This is one of my favorite parts of the toolbar and may be the most useful part for members needing "help" and tutorials about ActiveRain.

The "Daily Drop" is for those who want to be kept informed via AR's Daily Newsletter. Click To Subscribe.

The "Featured" pull-down menu gives you "live" real-time access to what's "Featured" on ActiveRain right now.  You can browse ALL featured posts right from the toolbar and do it from any website or page you're on. Whether you're a member of AR or not, this is a great tool to be kept informed of what's going on in and around Real Estate all over the Country and Canada.  (Your neighborhood included)

The "Blogs" button is a direct link to ALL AR Blog posts which can be sorted using the built in ActiveRain sort options.  This makes getting to the newest and freshest content fast and easy.

Many networks, blogging platforms, and social media sights make it difficult to try and reach staff members.  With this button, the entire AR Team is only "one-click" away.

Member support on ActiveRain is something we take seriously and are very passionate about.  Our members' satisfaction and our reputation have been built on how well we support our friends on AR.  The "Support" button pull-down on the toolbar shows we listen to our members, and we care.  You are literally one click away from contacting AR support, making suggestions, sending us your feedback and comments, and emailing us directly.

The "Message" button is for communicating important messages.  This will ONLY be used to make important announcements.  IE: New AR features, Upcoming special events, RainCamps, Trainings and Classes etc.  The message board has its' own set of built in tools for users to manage and respond to incoming messages.

The "Facebook and Twitter buttons" give you direct access to ActiveRain's Facebook page and to our "live" Twitter stream.  No need to even leave the toolbar to see our latest tweets, but to become a friend or fan on Facebook, you will need to click the Facebook Icon. 

This covers most uses for the AR Help Toolbar.  It is completely customizable for each user.  You can remove/hide any of the above predefined components that you don't need or aren't using by selecting the "toolbar options" in the main menu and checking the box next to those items you'd like hidden.  If space on your browser is an issue, there's a "shrink toolbar" option that will minimize the space used.  I hope you'll find it to be a useful addition to your browser tools and an efficient source for interaction and help on ActiveRain.

Select your browser below and install the ActiveRain Help Toolbar.

You Cannot Miss RainCamp Denver!

Click Below to Read all the Details and Register!  You don't want to miss this!

Photo Created and Courtesy of: Craig Rutman in North Carolina  (Thanks Craig!)

(Sung to the tune of Jingle Bells)

ActiveRain, ActiveRain, Active all the way,

Oh what fun, it is to ride,

To the office Everyday <HEY>

ActiveRain, ActiveRain, we have but one request,

that you enjoy your Holiday,

and your New Year is the BEST!!

From our family to you and yours, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas from ActiveJoel!

I just wanted to take a bit of time out of my last day on AR in 2009 to say happy holidays to all of the ActiveRain Community!  Here at ActiveRain we like to be festive, and when I say festive, I use this term lightly.  We go crazy!  :)  We did a company contest where whoever decorated their desk with the most Christmas Cheer won.  Needless to say the competition was tough.  

This year has been a crazy one with ups and downs, but over all ActiveRain has grown and become even better than ever!  I've made great friends with those of you on the network, helped countless Real Estate Professionals come to the knowledge of social media, and have changed lives as a result.  For that I am truly grateful.  The holidays are a time to reflect on what is most important to you, to be with those you love, and spread the spirit of love, joy, and peace to everyone around you.  I wish everyday all year carried the same emphasis that we do during this time of year.  But alas it does not.  But I guess if it was like this, it would lose it's special touch in our lives?  I mean, what would we look forward to if everyday was Christmas right?

We all were really competitive because we wanted to win and of course we wanted the office to be festive!  Here are some photos of what our cubicles look like right now!  

Merry Christmas from everyone here at ActiveRain, but from me ActiveJoel in particular!  See you in 2010!

~ Active Joel

Resources for ActiveRain Training and Support

Are you a new member on ActiveRain?  Are you looking for the manual or guide?  Do you have questions, feel lost or overwhelmed by all the cool stuff ActiveRain has to offer?  Help is here, but do you know where to find it?  Many of the questions, calls, emails, and tickets I receive always start off with, "How do I.....?"

Here are some of the best resources for ActiveRain training, coaching, and support. 

• Getting Started on ActiveRain - A post to help you get started
  The "Getting Started" link located on the main ActiveRain Page
  

• ActiveRain Training Webinars - Webinars for new members
  Webinars held Tuesdays and Thursdays - Here's the Calendar
  

• ActiveRain University & On-line Campus - "Live" support webinars.
  Training, Q&A, Support, Presenters, Guest Speakers 3 X per week.

• Real Estate RainCamps - "Live" Conference for Members and Non-Members
  RainCamp.com teaches you more in a day than you could learn in a year

• The Help/FAQ Group - Multitude of member contributed tutorials
  Help/FAQ group provides members a place to share and learn

• ActiveRain Newbies - A Group every new member should join
  ActiveRain Newbies Group 9366 subscribers - 20,518 posts

• The ActiveRain Guide - Blog featuring multi-authored Instructions
  ActiveRainGuide.com culmination of members posts to support YOU

• The "Search" Tool - Keyword or Phrase Search Tool for members
  Searching ActiveRain couldn't be easier using the AR "Search"

• ActiveRain Ambassadors - Local Ambassadors Reaching Out
  Experienced members helping new and existing members

• Member Services - The ActiveRain Team and Support Staff
  These are the folks at ActiveRain keeping the heartbeat pumping
  

• The ActiveRain Manual - Blog posts written for members needing help
  This is an eBook I have been building since I joined ActiveRain back in 02/07

• Technical Support - support@activerain.com

Now that you've seen all the places to learn and get support, are you still unsure where to start?  Here's my suggestion.  If I were brand new to ActiveRain, or had signed up a while back and were just returning, I would make it a point to at least visit each of the above links to become familiar with what help, support, and training is available here, then I would go sign up for one or two of Steven Graham's Training webinars. 

For details on what's covered, here's a link.

We are constantly trying to improve and enhance the Network and Community.  We will continue trying to provide you with the support and necessary tools and training to help you make the most and best use of your time here.  If you are new to ActiveRain, we welcome you aboard. If you're a returning member and notice things look a bit different around here, then this post is for you too, and we welcome you back.  I'm excited and looking forward to witnessing your growth and successes in the "Rain!"

The ABC's of ActiveRain

ActiveRain Blogging Can Deliver Excellent Feeds Google Harnesses.  Individuals Journaling Knowledge, Literally Manifests Numerous Opportunities Producing Quality Results.  So Try Utilizing Various Wisdoms, X-ert Yourself Zestfully!  Wow, that was kinda fun! :-)

RainCamp is coming to San Fran!  DEC. 2ND!  You can't miss out on this opportunity to learn from the top speakers from across the country on Social Media, and ActiveRain.  You can expect to learn how to dominate your market using Blogging, ActiveRain, and other ways of Social Media, such as Twitter, along with a whole host of topics.  Reserve your spot today, spots are limited to the first 500 people!

The First Page Challenge! 

I have seen many people on ActiveRain get a bit clueless when it comes to writing their content.  People wonder why their blogs on AR aren't showing up on the top of google results.  Well there are several reasons, the first would be they aren't a Rainmaker.  But for all of you Rainmakers out there, if your content isn't giving you the results you want, try some of these guidelines with your next blog to give it some extra Google juice!

Everyone wants to be on the first page of google.  The last handful of people that I trained followed these guidelines to the tee and had their blog content show up on the first page the same day or within 24 hours.  If you are a Rainmaker, then these Tips are a MUST!

1. Make sure your blog is between 300-500 words in length.  (too short, not enough content, too long, Google and people lose interest.)

2. REPEAT YOUR KEYWORDS!  Keyword density is a major player in your content's SEO.  1-4% of your content should be your keyword or key phrase.

3.  Have 2 pictures in your blog content.  Click on the insert/edit image button on the toolbar to upload images. People like having visual stimulation!  We are like 3rd graders with ADD when we are surfing the web, if we don't see pictures, we usually back out and go on to the next website.  Your potential audience will too!  Make your Blog stand out!

4.  Have at least 2 links to your website.  Doing this will naturally raise your websites ranking, as well as your blog.

5.  Bold and Underline your Keywords or Key phrases.  This will help with your ranking.

6.  Make sure your Title is Geographically Specific (if possible), Short, Concise, and State your Keywords.

7.  Make sure your Title and Content compliment each other.  (i.e.  Your keywords in your title are maplewood condos,  repeat and re-enforce maplewood condos throughout your blog.  Stay on topic, and keep it local.)

8.  Write Hyper-Local Content!  Not your city, your neighborhoods and communities!  A good example would be instead of Seattle, write about Ballard.  Google Ballard, you will see it's a neighborhood area in the greater Seattle area.  Read this recent blog Bob wrote to get a better idea of Hyper-local content.

Following these guidelines will give your blog content the boost it needs to shoot to the top!

Read this blog for some more info!  

If you have a success story of having your Blog on Page one after following these tips, I want to see a comment with the search term!  We love hearing about your Success!

Until Next Time,

Active Joel

For those of you who are skeptical of ActiveRain's Sheer power, I would like to present you with:

Exhibit A.

Champagne, a real estate agent in Manhattan Beach, CA upgraded her account to post her blogs publically this morning. 

I trained her this morning, and we posted her first blog. 

Posted Today, 7/24/2009 at 2:15pm CST

I came back from lunch, not 3 hours later, and her Manhattan Beach events and activities blog is #1 on the First page of Google! 

This is what we want all our members to do!  This is why you should blog on ActiveRain.  And if you aren't a Rainmaker, this is why you should be! 

Upgrade Your Account!

Call me @ 425-636-3315 or email me joel@activerain.com here at ActiveRain to setup your account for Public Viewing, and to get some one-on-one Training!

I just thought i would share Irene Kennedy's success as a rainmaker in her first month of blogging!  See the google screen shot below and she is in the top 5!  Way to Go Irene!  This goes to show that with persistance, and determination you can get the results you want as a Rainmaker!

Look at this Activity!  Great Job Irene!

Have clients who are interested in retiring in the Kennebunk to Portland area or Portland to BoothBay Harbor area.  This is a 2 year plan, so there's no rush, however, would like to start gathering details so that we don't miss out on a great opportunity under the prevailing trends. Comments on the communities and real estate markets in the area will be greatly appreciated.