Social Networks have been around for many years. Online social networks are making a big splash now that they come out of the middle school population and into the mainstream. The Active Rain Network is an amalgamation of blogging, social networking and viral marketing. The combination of all empowers users on so many levels. Addiction to the rain has become common place; many of us have been to the Betty Ford Center and will probably go back. I don't know what it is about Active Rain, but one day my family will have to pry my cold, dead hands off the keyboard...
Until then folks you are going to have to put up with me. My campaign of the day is to encourage the folks in the deep dark shadows of Lurkdom to come out. Lurkdom is a crummy place to live. It's a one-way street, dark and dingy. Nobody knows you are there. Hanging out in Lurkdom, you grow up lopsided. Your body gets nourished from all the good information on Active Rain, but your mind doesn't grow, it atrophies into neutral, never going forth again.
If you are worried about coming out of Lurkdom, don’t despair. There are plenty of resources here on Active Rain that will help you find your way. In addition, you will find many people who are here, ready willing and anxious to help you. So what are you waiting for? Here’s how to get started:
- Pick a topic ~ choose something you are familiar with
- Write a blog ~ it doesn't have to be long
- Read it out loud ~ spell check it
- If you are unsure about how to publish it on Active Rain read some tutorials
Don't worry if your first blog isn't a master piece. It is more important that you get started. Once you have gone through the process a few times, it will become like second nature to you.
Next thing you know you will be making a journal with all the topics you would like to blog about, just so you can remember them all! Trust me, it WILL happen!
You will also find times when you can't string a bunch of words together to make a sentence, much less one coherent thought. We all hit that wall, so don't worry about it. Right now, it's time for you to start.
HOW TO GET NOTICED
After you have published a few blogs, hopefully you will get comments on them. If you don't, keep trying. We all didn't start with a million comments coming out of the shoot. In fact my first blogs went unnoticed for a long time. Of course back then we had a couple hundred people not the thousands we have now!
Here are a few hints on how to get noticed:
- Leave comments on other blogs. Follow up on how they respond to you. Making friends is the best way to get noticed.
- Join a group or two or ten. The Newbie Group is a perfect place to start. Getting in on the same level as others is instant affiliation.
- Show up regularly
- Build your profile, be sure it is clear who you are, what you do and where you do it.
- Use a photo we can identify as you.
Once you get in the swing of writing a blog, you will progress to a higher level. Start adding links, photos and items of interest. Be sure not to copy other's work, unless of course you like being ridiculed and ostracized in public.
Here are a few blogs to assist you in sprucing up your blog:
- How to Add Pictures in Your Blog
- Unofficial Tech Support ~ Adding side by side photos
- Unofficial Tech Support ~ Adding photos and wrapping the text
Most members of Active Rain agree, there is an abundance of information published here to help you get started.
We all have "Our First Time" jitters so don't feel alone when you do. Just come on in, enjoy, make a new friend and tell us what's on your mind. We would like to know!
kk
P.S. If you are part of the Real Estate Industry and are NOT a member of Active Rain, you can SIGN UP HERE!
P.P.S. I really am NOT tech support. I am a Realtor in the Denver Metro Area, who loves your referrals and will treat them with the care and respect they deserve. Please remember me...
Colorado Licensed Broker
ABR - Accredited Buyer Representative
CIPS - Certified International Property Specialist
CRS - Certified Residential Specialist
The Berkshire Group Realtors
3801 E. Florida Ave. Suite 400 Denver, Colorado, 80210 USA |
Mobile: 303-589-2022
Fax: 303-953-5362
kristal@tbgdenver.com
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Selling Denver and the 'burbs                 | ||
Broker Associate, ABR, CRS, GRI, ePRO, PMN, PNG
The Berkshire Group, REALTORS
3801 E. Florida Ave., Suite 400
Denver, Colorado 80210
720-279-4599 ~ direct 303-953-5362 ~ fax
Selling Colorado Since 1984, Serving the Following Areas:
Thesa ~ you are on! Give me a call we will make a plan.
kk
KK - an inventive, low-tech message to get folks out of the closet and into the daylight. Bet you will inspire more than a handful - they don't know what they are missing by lurking only. It's just a one-sided conversation.
Jeff
Kristal - ok, haven't mastered the pics yet but I just did a Real Estate market report and used the tool you suggested and it was so easy and I think it looks great - thank you, thank you, thank you!
P.S. I put a link to you and gave you credit for all the great coaching you've been giving me and everyone else in here in the active rain community. If you get a chance I'd love to know what you think?
kk: Good morning professor! Gee, the though of a couple of near-octogenarians hovering about in the ‘rain|shadows is really frightening! There is one thing however, at least on some blogs, that keeps us lurking—is the
way-too-serious-folks who set strict limits on the kinds of comments they want to their posts. It seems to me, at least, the most successful blogs on the ‘rain only set common decency limits, and welcome free-flowing comments—and are even playful with their readership, and by extension—their comments to other’s posts—bus bench tipping comes immediately to mind.
JayKristal, as always, you have given me a lot of good ideas. I like your graphic presentation. I'm sure it will do a lot to make people feel less intimidated about posting on AR. Thanks.
Kristal - LOVE that graphic you used in this post! Very clever way to illustrate exactly what you're saying. Your 'instructional' posts are so simple and easy to follow - wish I'd had posts like this to learn from when I first joined.
On another note - what program do you do your posts in before putting them on AR? For some reason, the right hand side is cut off when I open it. I've noticed this on a few others' posts, too.
Ann
That's dedication. If I ever see a 2:00 a.m., I'll check to see if you're online.
Actually, I don't mind the lurkers. It's the skulkers that worry me.
LURKDOM!! -- At first I thought this would be about vampires....how clever are you?? Very encouraging post .....COME OUT, COME OUT....WHEREVER YOU ARE....we're not that bad, promise, we're willing to help!
(I do agree with Jay about the serious ones though.....sometimes they scare ME away)
K-It took me awhile after joining AR to post my own blog. It was scary to think about the number of people that could potentially read what I wrote, and what if I sounded stupid? Now, I put more thought into each blog than the last and hope that I am writing about something useful. I wouldn't call myself a pro, but I'm having fun with it and learning a lot. Thanks!
You should copywrite that word. Lurkdom......
I am not a lurker.....it is just against my nature....I am too outgoing for that.
Teresa - I love the photo.
Excuse me, Miss Crystal...
Could you please explain to me how to delete a comment?
You so smart!
Me
Next week a spelling lesson.
How to use you spell checker...
K R I S T A L
:)
:0
Jeff ~ Hopefully the message will be read and received and acted upon. I'd love to hear from new people and I know you would too!
Cyndee ~ Glad to hear you've got something going there. I will head over and check it out.
Sandra ~ keep on practicing. If you want me to walk you through it sometime, just call. I've done that for many people, sometimes it's easier. :)
Jay ~ I agree sometimes being so polically correct spoils some good clean fun. I love a bus bench challenge! I see you Codgers do too! We should start a new GROUP, Bus Bench Graffiti Online, or something. Are you game?
Leon ~ You are so right. I think everyone is just a bit scared to post on AR. They should be. They just need to get over it and do it. Like Nike says...
Teresa ~ Leave the old guys alone. They are my buds. We have a date to buy spray paint next week. What out.
Ann ~ Thanks for telling me. That means your screen is smaller than mine. I try to shorten the width to accommodate this, but it's really hard to tell. The Codgers have their 'puter set for larger print, that too drives the graphic off the page. I used a program called "Mind Jet" to do today's graphic. It's really a brain storming, planning program that is awesome for developing concepts to reality. It also has quick and easy graphics, as you can see. Normally I use SnagIt to grap screen shots. I manipulate in PhotoShop Elements 5.0. Actually I am a software junkie. My computers have so much loaded they actually weight twice as much as they should! :)
Cynthia ~ thank you. However this is a lesson you do not need to learn!
Lenn ~ It weren't me up publishing at 2 a.m! I pushed the key at 11 p.m. but it registered 12 AR time. Me thinks a moderator pushed another button at 2 a.m. Probably some night owl on the left coast. What is a skulker?
Ines ~ Serious? I am always serious! Except the times that I'm not. ;)
Teresa ~ I told my broker on you. Remember pidgeons flock together. That's the good news. The bad news is...
Tony ~ Mind the Gap!
Greg ~ You are welcome Greg! :)
Jen ~ I find it so amusing; at first we fear people will read it, then we fear people won't read it!! Don't worry just do it. :)
Christy ~ ©Lurkdom How's that?
Luther ~ Glad you are here, hope your journey is an easy and pleasant one!
John ~ Active Rain Geography, I like it! Thanks!
Ines ~ humm I think I have run into a couple of personas like that. Oh well, to each his own!
Carol ~ Ah gosh....(insert thumbs in suspenders) golly gee Carol...(face is turning red)...thanks! :)
Monika ~ thanks again, the graphics are the fun part.
kk
Kristal,
Excellent post. Lots of good info and links. Thanks for the great effort and humor!
Marlene ~ glad you liked it. Thanks for stopping by with a comment.
Luke ~ I never quite understand what you mean. I've been to Brooklyn, they beep their horns a lot there.
kk
Great advice Krystal. I lurked for several months before making a post.
I think I'm going to spend the weekend reading through all your posts. There is much to be learned there.
Add vocabulary instructor to your resume KK. Lurkdom....
I think Theresa has to blog something around that pidgeon pictures.
Kristal
This should be a must read for all new comers to AR. So many tips that will help the newest member get in the swing of things. Thanks for the tips I will put them to good use. :)
Excellent ideas. These really will helpa new comer like me. keep posting such nice ideas and tips.