How To Add & Understand Authors, Editors, and Contributors Roles on Outside Blogs
Any member of ActiveRain with an Outside Blog or "ActiveBlog" can invite others to contribute. Whether you are a Broker inviting your Agents, an Agent inviting your TEAM and Affiliates, or just a member inviting another member, here's the differences between setting up an Author, an Editor, or a Contributor. When you invite others to write and contribute to your Outside Blog, it's important to understand these three categories and the rights and privileges they offer. There are different levels of privileges for each category.
Inviting Others To Contribute
To invite someone to contribute to your Outside Blog, go to your "My Home" page on ActiveRain. On the left hand sidebar, you'll see the link to your outside Blog referred to commonly as your "ActiveBlog." Click on the link and you'll be ready to invite others to contribute. They'll need to be a RainMaker Member in order to contribute posts to your Outside Blogs.
On your Outside Blog you will see a Black toolbar located across the top of your Blog. Select the "Members" link to invite and manage your contributors. When inviting others, you only need to use their AR Profile user name. Example: activebrad or arbob. Typing anything other than their correct user name will result in an error and no invitation will be sent. Be sure to visit the members profile to make sure you have their correct user name.
Once you click on the members link, the menu option will open allowing you to "Invite" a contributor. This is also where you can manage the "roles" of each contributor. To change the role of any contributor, click on the "Down Arrow" and select Author, Editor, or Contributor for that member. You can also delete a contributor from this screen by clicking on the red "delete" link located next to their name.
If you are invited to contribute to another members Outside Blog, you will have a link on your "My Home" page to either accept or decline their offer. Click on the link to "Accept" you can now add your posts to their Blog.
You will also be notified by email of their request, but you cannot "accept" or "decline" from the email.
To add your posts to an Outside Blog, put a check in the box(s) when creating your Blog posts on AR.
Outside Blog Contributor Roles
Author: Selecting the "Author Role" allows the contributor full access and rights to post entries without your moderation or approval. They can also assist you with Moderating other contributors posts. Author is the highest level role with the least amount of restriction.
Editor: Selecting the "Editor Role" allows that contributor to create and add posts to your Blog without your moderation or approval. They cannot assist you with the moderation process, they can only post to your Group or Team Outside Blog. Editor is the next level of role with the least amount of restriction.
Contributor: Selecting the "Contributor Role" gives the contributor the authority to create and add posts to your Blog but you need to review or moderate them first, then either accept or decline their entry. Contributor is a role with the least amount of priviledges and the most restriction.
Managing Posts from "Contributors"
If you select the "Contributor Role" for a member, be sure to check your "Review Pending Outside Blog Posts" link on your "My Home" page. The link is located at the very bottom of the page on the left hand sidebar. This is where you can accept or decline your contributors posts. Don't do as I did and forget to check it once in a while, otherwise your entries will get backed up.
To accept a "Contributors" post, just click on the green check mark. To decline, click the red dash mark.
One of the great benefits of the Outside Blog is that each one allows members the ability to add multiple authors and contributors. In my honest opinion, this brings a greater value to your Outside Blog. You can have multiple voices and opportunities to share and collaborate content which in turn results in more information, faster growth, and a variety of topics focused to your targeted readers. Especially for the niche markets that many of you have, this is a great way to saturate them with hyper-local content quickly and efficiently. I believe that one day very soon, every Brokerage, Real Estate Company and REALTOR team in the Country will have a Group, Team or Multi-Authored Blog.
Hi Brad, You have more 'outside' blogs than I do! LOL I have not created a group outside blog alone but, participate in a few and helped create one for NC. I think they're invaluable to our business and have encouraged others to get on the band wagon!
Great tutorial, as always! Have a great week...
Brad,
Great. Now we know how exactly this outside blog contributor thing works. Renee, here it is. This is a major feature that can really benefit a blog. Highly recommended.
Debe - I think the multi-authored blog concept is just starting to take off. Once many dive into blogging and see the value, they quickly begin to realize the power of having a variety of voices and content. Brokers all across the states are starting to look at ways to market their "Brand" and company more effectively and at a lesser cost. What better way to make an impact quickly than an AR Multi-Authored Blog.
Dee - Our AR Team Blog and ActiveRain Members guide are just a couple examples of how these can be used. The sky is the limit.
Esko - this post was actually inspired and written for Renee after I received a couple emails from her inquiring how to add these different levels of contributors to her Blog. I hope she finds this post. :-)) I see she was busy on Facebook today. lol~
Brad - Great tutorial... now I just have to do it. Thanks for the information.
Hi Brad - I hadn't heard about the features you described regarding Outside Blogs. However, I'll keep them in mind when I start paying you.
BTW, can you advise what I would need to do if I provide my own domain name (i.e. already registered by me) to use for my outside blog? Is there a post that explains what I would need to do for DNS etc.
Brad & Dee- I found an awesome example of a multi-Authored blog when I wrote a post about the advantages of having one a few weeks back. You should check it out! http://northcarolinarealestaterelocation.com
Brad: I noticed your blog loads up a lot quicker than before. . can you share what adjustments you made to your blog?
Brad, this is so cool! I have one other blog that I have a contributor on, it is our own Jeff Belonger. Let me tell you, all the posts I did from him STILL get hit all the time! So, this is way to cool! I will go check this out.
Brad, I do this on another blog I have, and Jeff Belonger is my contributor. I get hits all the time on his stuff. Great idea!
BTW, the "download pdf to print"... care to splain? Love it!
I didn't know the outside blog had these options - thats good stuff.
Brad, I Think this is facinating...and would be very helpful to your blogs. I've got this bookmarked, I would love to use it.
This is news to me:-)....thanks Brad for always challenging us with new ideas for our blogs.
Brad: Great Info....and I "LOVE" the Click to "download this post as a PDF". !!!! Thank you!
Wow - I didn't realize how far you had taken this. I fly solo around here, but it's good to know the options exist. I'll have to give this some more thought.
Brad - Another bookmark although as a subscriber I got a quick link to all your posts. Now to use this tool Thanks.
BTW, can you advise what I would need to do if I provide my own domain name (i.e. already registered by me) to use for my outside blog? Is there a post that explains what I would need to do for DNS etc.
Mark - Here's a post that explains setting up the outside blogs and DNS nameservers if you want to use an existing domain name that you previously purchased. Just remember, there can't be anything on that domain name if you want to use it for your AR outside Blog.
How To Create and Maximize Your Outside Blog
@Jeremy - Thanks, nice example buddy.
Fernando - My blog loads quicker now because I removed the 230 widgets from my sidebar. ROFL!! :-)
Andrea - the .pdf print file is for those who want to print the post and not all the comments. I added that for the "How To Setup Your Outside Blog" post and have had literally hundreds of downloads so I thought I'd start adding it to some of these tutorial posts. Looks like this post has already been downloaded numerous times since last night.
Brad, I keep getting challenged by your posts to move to the next level! I had no idea that this capability existed. It makes so much more sense because as witty as we may be (ha) having another "voice" on the blog just opens it up to more readers. Many thanks.
I just recently got my outside blog and have enjoyed getting it set up.....still tweaking it.....now something new to consider. :)
This is great information. Now I just need to know how to create an outside blog in the first place! When will I ever learn all of this?!!!
Great tutorial Brad and one I will be filing under my bookmarks for future reference. Thanks!
Kim - here is a link, and if it's any easier or more convenient for you, just give me a call and I'll walk you through it.
707 646-1876 :-)
I think this is the perfect way to add content that compliments your outside blog! Esko did mention that he attempted to add a post but it may be lost in cyber space as I can't find it!
PS yes I was busy being a smart @$$ on facebook! LOL! Like how I made you "the smartest person"?
Renee - LOL~ That was cute, thanks! I went to dinner, came back and had 20 or so facebook emails from comments made over there. haha Let me know if Esko finds that post, or if you need any help with that. :-)
These is a tool I have not used, but is something I will need to give some thought to. Very good information.
Allow me to be the point of negativity here or at least ask for a clarification.
As I was reading in this post one giant red flag that I saw. "The person who contributes to the outside blog must be an Activerain Rainmaker"
I currently don't have an outside blog, I'm to cheap, not a good enough blogger (yet), and I need to make more of a committment before I take the plunge. The number one reason for me to add an outside blog is to have these various outside contributors. Here are some of the people I wanted to include to make contributions and I'm not sure any of these people would become an Active Rain rainmaker.
Jon - a great writer, he is a moderator on a real estate investment social media network and he has made over 4,000 posts on the forums. He is a client of mine, he is a buy and hold investment property, and he has a full time job. Between these three hats he wears he likely as no time or interest in setting up a social media presence.
Scott - He is a commercial lender. He is active in social media, becoming more active, but is focused on commercial lines of credit for small and medium sized businesses. He certianly does real estate commercial loans and is a near expert in apartment buildings, but this is not his focus now. This is because the CMB market dried up.
George - Has a window and siding replacement business. He is awesome at what he does. He's almost 60 years old. He understands and uses the Internet, but he doesn't even have a website to market his business.
Dwain - The best sewer line guy in Denver. He is 62 does almost all, if not all, the government work for two of the surrounding cities in Denver. He doesn't even use email.
These are just some of the people I was interested in having contribute. I chose them because they are four people, with different skill levels and motivations. I can't see any of these people becoming rainmakers.
The only people, from my understanding who can become a rainmaker are those who accumulate 10,000 points or buy one of AR services. These people have no reason for any of AR services that I know of, if I'm wrong do tell. The time commitment to gain x number of points when they can't even blog is staggering.
Do they people have great stuff to say that would benefit the AR community? ABSOLUTELY. Will they be able to say it?
If they aren't is smacks of AR being more like an mlm community. If I'm paying you money to set up and outside blog shouldn't I be able to have who I want to contribute to it? Curious to see the answer.
Brad, I am unable to locate the "ActiveBlog" link anywhere on the left hand side of my home page (or any other page for that matter). How do I get such a link?
Mike - you bring up a great point in which I may have an alternate solution. Since you may want them to contributete to your Blog and have their voices heard, they could be guest writers or contributors, send you their post or information and you could post it on their behalf and give them the kudos. We don't want you to not be able to have guest contributors just because they aren't rainmakers. I think inviting them to contribute by sending you the information and having you post it to the blog would be a great work around for your scenario. Hope that helps. Feel free toi contact me if you need assistance or help with that. Thanks. :-)
Lewis - I left you a message on How to get to your 2 Outside Blogs, or what we refer to as "ActiveBlogs". The links won't actually say "ActiveBlogs", they'll say whatever it is that you named them. Go to the "My Home" link, then look on the left hand sidebar. You'll see both your Outside Blog links there. They'll be the 3rd and 4th links down under the "Blogs" title. :-)
Fair enough. That is a reasonable work around. I will take you up on the offer and give you a call later in the week.
Thanks Brad I love learning new things. Keep up the good work
Good to know. I'm a co-author for the Christianity in Real Estate, oustide blog, but I was added by the founder. I didn't do the actual adding. I'll have to bookmark this for future reference, if and when I ever have an outside blog other than my personal once. =)
I just got off the phone with Mike Carpino. He has done a great job with his TEAM Blog and adding multiple contributors from his office. It looks clean, professional, and the hyper-local content is formatted properly to serve his traffic and the search engines.
Great talking to you today Mike, keep up the great work!!
Mikes Outside Blog
Brad,
I just want to say thanks for your hard work on Active Rain. I just received my 3rd potential referral "offer" DIRECTLY from my ActiveRain blogging!
Keep Blessing,
Stieg Strand
Stieg - CONGRATS!!! That is Awesome, and I'm sure that's only the beginning... :-))
Brad - I missed this the first time around and am glad I found this.
Christine - I'm glad you're making second rounds! lol~ Sure miss ya, hope all is well. :-)