IMSD FOR AGENTS & BROKERS
GOALS & FINANCIAL PLANNER
How To Create HyperLinks to Anchor Text
How To Create HyperLinks to Anchor Text Many of our Members and Bloggers have heard, read, or been told that it's not good to include links in your Blog posts to other sites. Nonsense! In this post, I'll share my difference ...
FREE File Converter for Images, Docs, Files and Videos
Have you ever had a picture that was in the wrong format for uploading to a website or Blog? Let's say your camera takes photos in a .TIFF or .GIF format and the site you want to upload it to ...
Youtube and Your Real Estate Videos
Many of us use Youtube to host a variety of Real Estate and personal videos. I noticed that when videos are done playing, in most cases, other videos will pop up on the screen that have a similar topic or ...
TOP REALTOOLS for REALTORS
Last week, I was invited to be a guest speaker/presenter at the NORBAR Association of REALTORS Tech Party in Santa Rosa, CA. There were many great vendors with awesome products and services including our friends from Zillow. ...
SEO Tools - You Should Know about SEO
SEO? There are Groups, Blogs, Website Graders, those who claim they know it all, and those who confess they know nothing whatsoever about it. Both in and out of the community, many have benefited greatly from the SEO that comes from ...
SEO and Blogging - Important Visibility and Placement
SEO and Blogging - The beauty is in the "Eyes" of the beholder Last week we did a class called "Are You Invisible" and had a great turnout with guest speaker Gary Clayberg from WA. One of the topics during the ...
How to Create Blog Post for Clients and Search Engines
How to Create a Blog Post for Customers and Search Engines. There are three important audiences to be writing for: 1. Other members and friends of your Social Networks. 2. Consumers, Subscribers, and a Target Audience of readers. 3. Search ...
3 Ways To Find Out Who's Reading Your Blog
When I first started on Active Rain earlier this year, I had no clue how much I would learn in such a short time. The first thing I remember noticing about Active Rain was that there was vast amounts of ...
Top 10 Cool Tools to Share
When I joined Zillow about 6-7 weeks ago, many friends and associates here asked me to keep them posted about my new position over at Zillow. So far, it's been an incredible blast and the time has simply ...
How To Embed Your Youtube Video into Google Maps
How To Embed Your Youtube Video into Google Maps We had over 700 people register for the Youtube Video and Blogging Classes we held over at ActiveRain University this last month. In these sessions, we covered how to create and ...
How To Create and Use iFrames and Tables
How To Create and Use iFrames and Tables on Your Blog Last week I promised to create a post explaining how to add iFrames and tables to your Blog posts. Instead of making this a long drawn out technical "How ...
Where To Begin Internet Marketing
Where is the best place to begin Internet Marketing and Advertising? There are so many options, so many choices, so many social networks and wesites with FREE technology and tools. So many paths to choose from yet so many ways to ...
How To Enhance Your Business Listing - Rank Higher
Enhance Your Business Listing - Rank Higher and More Often Having your Local Business Listed on the web is important for its future survival. Claiming your listing will help give you more control over how the search engines index you and ...
Blogging - The Steps and Cycle For Success
Real Estate Blogging - The Steps & Cycle For Success Are you a REALTOR or BROKER Blogging? Why are you Blogging? Who is your audience? What are you Blogging about? What are your ultimate intentions? What are your goals and desired ...
Top 50 Google Tools for Business
The Top 50 Google Tools for Business This compilation is for all of you out there who use Google for searching and SEO, but may not be aware of all the other tools and services that Google has to ...
Top Mobile Tools for Real Estate
Yesterday's RainCamp in Seattle WA. was most likely one of the best times I've ever had on stage at one of these events. It was a privilege to wrap up Day One with sharing my Top Picks of Real estate ...
The iPhone and Real Estate
Did you know Apple sold 1,000,000 iPhones the first weekend they came out? This is the $64,000 question. "Do I need an iPhone for Real Estate?" Now I could be bias and say yes just because I own ...
How To Design a Facebook Page
How Cool is your Facebook Page? Do you have a Facebook page or just a Facebook profile? There are so many people that ask me how to create a Cool Facebook page? They want to incorporate some or all of their AR ...
The Ultimate Blogger Startup Kit
The Ultimate Blogger Startup Kit When you first heard the word "Blog" you were probably just like the rest of us. Not sure, confused, and maybe even uncomfortable with the whole idea and concept. My guess is that you still are ...
Blogging and Time Management
One of the common concerns I hear from people about Blogging, is that they just don't have the time. Seriously though, we live in a world where Starbucks offers drive-thru coffee for those who don't even have time to sit ...
Goal Setting - The 7 Steps to Success
The whole point in setting your goals is so you can accomplish those things you really want in life. Goal setting is so unbelievably powerful. Goals must be specific, written down, and have a time frame. Just making the commitment ...
How To Create Email Newsletters for Your Blog
Last week, I promised to show you how I was able to embed a Newsletter Style Calendar and update into my blog post. It's easier than you can imagine. First, go to MailChimp.com and setup your FREE account. There is ...
Export and Back up Your ActiveRain Blog
How to Export and Back up Your ActiveRain Blog Posts and Content I have received so many calls, emails, DM tweets and Facebook messages over the past three days regarding the ActiveRain site being down. I know that with the changing ...
Top 5 Contact Widgets for Blogs
Creating great content for your subscribers and readers, (and the search engines) is one of the most important things you can do to be successful with your blog or website. It may not be the most important though... One of ...
FEATURED ARTICLES
3 Top Keyword Tools for Bloggers
Search engines like Google focus on returning the best quality and "Best Available" SERP's (Search Engine Results Pages) It's all based on what "Keywords" or phrases are being typed into the Search box. Search engines simply want to return the best available matching content based on both short-tail and long-tail keyword searches. The two things people search most are: the item, the person, the company, the thing or service, and then a … [Show Me More...]
Mozilla Firefox is Different By Design
The new Mozilla Firefox update has some great new features and enhancements, but what I really like is the video message they have shipped with the new upgrade. They aren't public, they don't have a profit margin, they don't shake the same hands as everyone else, but they're a pack of independently spirited, fiercely unconventional people who do things a bit differently. They value values. Any company that places this much emphasis on … [Show Me More...]
The Future is Social, Mobile and Local
SMM - SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING The future success of global business is definitely Social, Mobile, and Hyper-local period. Successful businesses and entrepreneurs are looking to the Internet and all its resources to remain on top of the social media marketing and advertizing game. Sites like Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and LinkedIn have long-term staying power and the ability to Socially connect the entire globe with a single Internet … [Show Me More...]
If You Build It, They Will Come
Some infamous words from a movie spoken by many but not to be taken lightly, at least not in my opinion. It's easy to say "If you build, they will come" but much more challenging and difficult to actually do it and really have it happen. There are more than 11 Billion maps currently being served up on Clustermaps.com, a FREE site that offers a visitor tracking widget for website and blog owners. Clustermaps just received the 2011 "Best … [Show Me More...]
Free Webtools & Software for Business
Free Webtools and Software Discovery There are so many great sites and tools available on the web for your small to medium sized business. I've researched this in great detail for many years and continue to be amazed at some of the products, tools, and services you can access absolutely free from the Internet. From accounting to project management, here are some options that will allow you to run your business effectively on a limited … [Show Me More...]
Create FREE Real Estate Websites
Before you spend a fortune creating a Real Estate related website, take a moment to review this article. You can spend a ton of time and money on developing a really cool webpage with java, multimedia, sound files, images, video, and great content that is SEO optimized. But did you know that some of the same people you would pay to do this for you have also created some sites that allow you to do it yourself... and do it for FREE? These … [Show Me More...]
Every 60 Seconds on the Internet
98,000 Tweets go public on Twitter and 168,000,000 emails are sent across the web. Every 60 seconds that pass on your clock there is an unbelievable and almost unimaginable amount of information and activity happening on the Internet. Imagine... $75,000 dollars added to Google revenue every minute. image source: ritholtz.com … [Show Me More...]
Getting Groomed By Wild Gorillas
This is rare and once in a lifetime footage of Wild Gorillas entering a camp in Uganda and grooming one of the photographers. At about 2 minutes into the video, you'll see what one man had the chance to experience which I'm sure will be one of the most exciting memories of his life. An amazing moment of Wild Gorillas engaging with humans and it was all caught on tape. What does this have to do with real estate or the price of … [Show Me More...]
Top 12 Most Viewed Youtube Videos
Youtube.com gets thousands of videos uploaded every hour of everyday. There is more video on Youtube than there are movies stored in Hollywood warehouses. 2011 was an explosive year for many on YouTube including us. How many views does the average video on Youtube get? Business Insider says that "Half of all Youtube Videos get fewer than 500 views!" We are proud and excited that these top 12 videos out of the 155 posted on Youtube … [Show Me More...]
Converting Online Luxury Home Clients
Gary Gold presented to a packed room at the REMS (Real Estate Marketing Summit) in San Diego today. The topic was breaking into the luxury Real Estate market. Gary shared the following 12 tips and secrets on how to convert leads that come from the Internet. These are the "best practices" Gary uses that result in lead-to-client conversions. 1. Be The Local Expert 2. Follow-up fast - communicate when and how they would like 3. Ask … [Show Me More...]
How To Add Chapters To Video
There's only one site that allows you to add Chapters to your longer videos, it's WellcomeMat.com. (See the video below) Any video longer than 60 seconds loses it's potential for the content to be viewed by 100% of the viewers 100% of the time. If your video is longer than consumer expectation, a nice alternative option is to offer the ability to search and view based on the topics and chapters. WellcomeMat has some awesome features … [Show Me More...]
The War in Iraq Is Finally Over Today
President Obama sent out an email letting the Country know that the War in Iraq is finally over. My personal opinion is that this "2011" will now be one of the greatest and most remembered Holidays of all time. Special thanks to all those and their families who sacrificed their time and lives for America, and a toast to all of those getting to come home and be with their families once again. I only wish John Lennon were alive today to … [Show Me More...]
How To Add Blogs To Facebook
A complete step-by-step tutorial on how to add your Blog posts to Facebook. How do you make your specified blog posts show up on your Facebook Business or Fan pages automatically? It is not too difficult but it will take some patience and these step-by-step instructions. If you don't have a Facebook Business or Fan page, Create One Here First before you continue. Adding Your Blog to a Facebook Business Page Step 1: Go to … [Show Me More...]
Mobile Device Apps for Business
This past week I was fortunate to attend and speak at the Wisconsin REALTOR Association Management Conference with a closing discussion about mobile technology. We shared some of the many ways that consumers and businesses are now using mobile devices and how this affects the real estate industry and businesses across the globe. MOBILE IS GLOBAL I promised the more than 300+ real estate industry professionals attending that I would provide … [Show Me More...]
Top Secret Tips for Long Tail Searches
Rand Fish of SEOmoz.com covers the long tail search and shares 13 Secrets with viewers wanting a better understanding of the Long Tail Keyword use and other metrics. This is one of the best video presentations of SEO long tail you'll see or find on the web. SEOmoz is a fantastic site and resource for SEO, tips, and complete guides to making sense and cents of SEO. … [Show Me More...]
Top Resource for Shared InfoGraphics
There is so much information available on the web today and in so many formats. Imagery, video, blogs, and text articles etc. have consumed every square inch of real estate on the Internet. The volume of content on the web is increasing at an unimaginable rate. One very unique way information is now being delivered visually is by the use of InfoGraphics. These are visually much more appealing than excel spreadsheet charts, graphs, and … [Show Me More...]
Avoid The .COM 7% Price Increase
Word came to us today that the .COM prices are going to experience some inflation. According to Bob Parson, CEO and Founder at GoDaddy.com, On January 15, 2012, VeriSign®, the registry for .COM will increase prices – .COM will go up 7%. That may not sound like much unless you own many domain names. How can you avoid the increase? To avoid this price increase, renew your domain names by January 15, 2011 and add another year to your … [Show Me More...]
Free Photos, Images, Music & More
There are thousands of sites that offer some great services, here's a few favs. If you're looking for free photos, images, fonts, graphics, music, art and more, these are some great resources and sites you can use. Always be sure to read and adhere to conditions, restrictions, and terms of service when accessing sites like these. You'll never need to plagiarize again! :-) Stock.Xchng - The Leading Free Stock Photography Morguefile - … [Show Me More...]
Internet Marketing Specialist Designation
People keep asking me, "What is the IMSD designation?" The IMSD program is designed to help your business both online and offline. IMSD training and designation was created and developed to help real estate professionals who understand the importance of Internet marketing and having an online presence, but can't seem to get their arms around it or make it work for their own business. Why Are People Wanting the IMSD Designation? The … [Show Me More...]
The Best CRM’s for Real Estate
In your quest for the ultimate CRM solution in Real Estate, this will help you narrow down the search. Having traveled the country with an opportunity to speak to many successful agents and brokers, these are some of the best and most recommended CRM solutions being used in real estate today. You'll need to do your "due diligence" and research to discover and determine which one will be right for you and your business. Most good companies and … [Show Me More...]
The Rules and Tools Have Changed
Buyers Still Use a Variety of Sources Real Estate sales in this country will never be hindered or held back due to a lack of information and resources that are available to the general public. It use to be that the most powerful and effective tool available with the least amount of cost and most effective results came from the "For Sale sign" in the front yard of the house. Today... the rules, the tools, and the game has … [Show Me More...]
Top 1000 Most Visited ClusterMap Sites
Clustermaps, a traffic reporting and analysis tool, reports their most trafficked sites on a daily basis. The list is updated every day at midnight and then posted for the following 24 hours. There are over 11 Billion maps currently being served across the web. We're excited to announce that we made the Top 1000 Most Visited on Clustermaps. You can find our Clustermap widget located in the lower right-hand corner of this site. … [Show Me More...]
How To Convert Online Contacts
Here are some tips for success when converting online contacts to clients. Always be sure to focus on the customer and not the item or product for sale. Understand the customer's needs, don't get distracted by the availability of the product or desired property. Appreciate and respect the customer's timeline, don't pressure online contacts to buy too quickly, and don't give up if they don't buy right away. Get back to contacts and online … [Show Me More...]
Secret Tips & Tricks for Youtube Video
Here's a Secret Tip to Creating Links That Result in Full Screen Video Playback Have you ever wanted to add a link to your blog or website that would result in the user ending up on a full screen video? Normally when someone clicks on a link to see a video, they end up on a page that looks something like this: Notice all the distractions, videos, ads, and links etc. that surround and compete with your video? They may be relative videos … [Show Me More...]
10 Ways To Lose Online Business
These are just some of the ways I've seen both large and small business owners fail or lose business from their online efforts or lack thereof. There is no perfect science for online success, but there are some simple principles and methods that should be considered if you're serious about building and growing your online presence and business. TOP 10 WAYS TO LOSE ONLINE BUSINESS 10. Don't market and advertise your page or site properly and … [Show Me More...]
Facebook and Google’s Secret Revealed
This is going to rattle your cage a little and probably rock your world. Don't be alarmed, just be educated! This Google video tutorial explains how the online search worked just over a year ago. Now take a deep breath, sit back, and try to relax as you watch this next piece... After all you've heard, learned, and know about Google search, Facebook privacy, SERP's (search engine results pages) etc. how does or will this affect your … [Show Me More...]
QR Codes With a Different Approach
What would it take to get you to scan a QR Code when you see one? That is the $350,000.00 question of the day! (hint-hint) I've been researching these little ugly bugs for quite some time now and have determined that we need to find a better way to increase participation and conversion. People are just too lazy to take the time and go through the process to scan these things, myself included. I'm always looking for creative ways to push … [Show Me More...]
Top 5 Real Estate Tips for 2012
These might seem simple and basic, but it's some of "THE BEST ADVICE" I can impart. Having just returned from the NAR Convention and EXPO in Anaheim, I wanted to share some of the most valuable and beneficial business practices I was able to acquire from the many I had the chance to meet with and interview. I went on a 3-day fact finding "mission" researching the entire EXPO and discovering what hundreds and thousands of industry pros are … [Show Me More...]
How To Prepare & Reach Your Goals
Defining Your Goals and Business Plan Coach Tom Ferry does and “outstanding” job breaking down what it takes for you to meet your business and financial goals for the year. In this short video, he explains the critical key components needed to achieve personal success. Tom travels the world coaching some of the top minds and top producing agents in the World. His knowledge and expertise on the subject of business and goal planning is … [Show Me More...]
Will Kindle Fire Beat-Out Apple iPad
The mobile tablet technology movement is on "fire" and Amazon has just released the new Kindle Fire. The tablet appears as though it will provide the same valuable components and features as the iPad minus the built in camera and at less than half the price. Has the Apple iPad finally met its match? The Amazon Kindle Fire will offer owners some great mobile tools and features. The Kindle has movies, apps, games, music, reading and more, … [Show Me More...]
How To Create a Google+ Business Page
Google+ profiles are now open and free to anyone. When Google launched their Google+ Plus platform, they asked folks to hold off creating business pages on their personal profile site and for good reason. This week Google announced that you can now setup your Google Plus Business Pages. One major thing to consider when creating your Google Business Pages, remember that it's not Businesses that make people happy, it's people that do. … [Show Me More...]
How To Create A Google+ Avatar
Creating your Google+ Plus Avatar or photo is easy. You don't have to be a graphics editor or designer, you just need a photo of yourself. The most difficult challenge in doing all of this will be finding or having a photo or image available that you actually like. Some folks are very picky about their own photos and image. Step 1: Go To: Step II: Upload Your Image, Crop, Adjust G+ Logo, and Colored Sidebar Step III: Join The Millions … [Show Me More...]
The New Facebook Timeline Profiles
Tell your life story with a new kind of Facebook profile page! The new Facebook Timeline profile pages will feature a Cover. The new Facebook Timeline profile pages will feature your Stories. The new Facebook Timeline profile pages will feature your apps. There is no date set yet for launch, but if you're interested in joining the thousands of others that are waiting in line, you can do so today. Here's a link that … [Show Me More...]
A Daily Resource for FREE Training
A Daily Resource for Support & Training San Diego State Professor joins Zillow Academy Special Announcement: Professor Leonard Baron, MBA, CPA, will be our special guest this month. Save a seat to take advantage of his real estate training and investing skills that until now were only available through SDSU classrooms and his books. Webinars are scheduled for Nov. 15th and 28th. Seating will be limited to the first 1000. PLEASE … [Show Me More...]
What Makes Your QR Code Unique
QR Codes can be a great tool but there are some things to consider before you go creating, copying, printing, and pasting them all over the web and God's creation. My first thought is that if I do see a QR Code anywhere, it better be worth it to me and offer enough value to justify me doing the following: Reach into my pocket or case to pull out my mobile device Turn on my device and enter my protective password Scroll to the QR code … [Show Me More...]
Enter Contest To Win a FREE House
THIS IS NO JOKE! Enter this contest to win a FREE $350,000 new home from Zillow and Pulte. JUST TELL THEM WHY YOU WANT OR NEED A NEW HOME? Seem too good to be true? "Zillow and Pulte Homes, one of America’s largest home builders, have teamed up to give away a brand new, $350,000 Pulte home in the “I Want a New Home” Sweepstakes (i). To Enter, Visit Zillow on Facebook Head to Zillow’s Facebook page … [Show Me More...]
How To Create Squeeze Landing Pages
Squeeze or Landing pages also know as "Splash" pages are very popular right now and intended to do one thing and only one thing. Cultivate, Capture, and Convert contacts or leads into clients or buyers of your products and services. How to create an individual or single landing squeeze page There are many ways you can do this, but it depends on how much time, effort and money you want to spend producing something that is effective and … [Show Me More...]
Google Considers SEO Not Spam
Matt Cutts from Google provides some great information and many answers to some of the tech related questions that come from end users and SEO (search engine optimization) enthusiasts like us. The question by many today is, "Does Google consider SEO to be Spam" and Matt explains clearly that the answer is no. There are however some points you should be made aware of regarding SEO. Some of the tips Matt shares in this video are … [Show Me More...]
The Power of Twitter and Television
#Hashtags, @Tweeters, Curated Tweets, Retweets, and Live Tweeting? If you think that Twitter is not making an impact into every crack and crevice of the world including television, you are terribly mistaken. Twitter and TV are making a huge social media impact amongst viewers and tweeters. Chris Smith from Inman.Next just did a webinar titled "I Suck At Twitter Please Help Me" and spoke of how Twitter is possibly (in his opinion) even more … [Show Me More...]
Building Neighborhood Social Networks
Nextdoor is a new site that has just launched and the concept is genius! I have always said that it shouldn't take a fire truck or an ambulance coming down your street to get the neighbors out of the house to meet and greet each other. Unfortunately, this is sometimes what it takes in many communities and neighborhoods. Can you imagine all the resources available just NextDoor in your own neighborhood? Do you know what your neighbors do, how … [Show Me More...]
Is Daylight Saving Time Wasting Time
It's that time of year that many of us around the country have to change our clocks again, but have you ever asked yourself why we do this? Do you know the story and understand Daylight Saving Time? Does setting your clock forward and backward twice a year really save any time? Depending on where you live in the Country or World will also depend on whether you have to participate in this activity or not. So why do we even bother with any … [Show Me More...]
The Great Real Estate Summit 2011
This is one of those events that no one should miss if you're in the real estate business. The good news is that you won't have to miss it this year. In an attempt to give you plenty of advanced notice, you'll want to register asap for the Real Estate Marketing Summit being held at the prestigious Hotel Del Coronadoin sunny southern California, one of the top venues in the country. Some highlights: Spectacular and exclusive … [Show Me More...]
SlideRocket PowerPoint Presentations
PowerPoint presentations have been utilized in almost every industry, by every business, and most likely by anyone and everyone who owns a PC or laptop computer. Why? Because it simplifies getting your message across to an audience when using images, keyword text, audio, video, and custom animations etc. Now you can do all this online using SlideRocket.com Some benefits of using an online site and tool like Sliderocket is that you can … [Show Me More...]
New Handyman National Resource Site
How many times have you had something go wrong in your home or rental property and have no clue who to call or contact to provide an estimate or make a repair? I personally have 3-5 items awaiting me to get off my butt and get fixed. There is no way I can do the work since I'm not trained or experienced in working with sheet rock or dry-wall, window and door framing, or plumbing and electrical. The Right Pros is a site a friend sent … [Show Me More...]
1001+ Real Estate Blogging Ideas
Are you looking for ideas and topics for your Blog? I've spent a great deal of time researching many different sites, groups, forums, blogs, and social networks etc. looking for the "Best of the Best" ideas so you wouldn't have to. Once you review these articles and blogging ideas, you'll be armed and fully prepared to have enough blogging content for the rest of your life, maybe even two lifetimes! Here you go: 125 Real Estate … [Show Me More...]
Prosper Private Money Loans Available
Have you heard of Prosper.com? This is a new way for consumers and investors who want to borrow money and invest money to connect online. Peer to peer private lending? Though it seems to me this might be a bit risky to say the least, especially for the investor, the fact remains that there are over 1,150,000 members and $264,000,000 in personal loans funded already. If that doesn't grab your attention, some of the creative ways this is … [Show Me More...]
Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash Survivor
The Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash as told by "Survivor" Gene Odom. I was fortunate to be in Reno and Las Vegas shooting photos and doing lights for the Skynnyn Lynnyrd tribute band a couple years back when I had the opportunity to meet Gene Odom in person. Gene was one of the few survivors that walked away that night from the horrible crash that took place back in the 1970's and stole some of the greatest artists and musicians the world has … [Show Me More...]
The New Apple iCloud for OS 5
Although my iPhone crashed and had to be restored in order to upgrade to Apple's new OS 5 update and firmware upgrade, I have found the more than 200 upgrades and updates to be very useful and worthy improvements. A few of the key features I find most valued are the push notifications, the Airport Utility app and Find Friends app that only works on the new OS 5 for iPhone. I am still exploring though... My favorite feature thus far is of … [Show Me More...]
Top 5 Online Screen Sharing Sites
GotoWebinar, GotoMeeting, and Webex are great sites and tools for doing online conferences, training, webinars, and screen sharing but they are not FREE. I have and continue to use these platforms for daily training and support webinars but what about the individual who doesn't have 750+ attendees, or doesn't want to pay hundreds of dollars for a "screen sharing" account? Here are the Top 5 Free screen sharing and collaboration sites I've … [Show Me More...]
Should Real Estate Professionals Blog
This is a question that has been around the block many times and depending who you ask, I believe you'll get a unique and different answer every time. Here's my personal take and answer to this age-old blogging question. I think blogging is like farming the land. Each blog post is like throwing a seed out the window into the dirt that runs along the super-information Internet highway. While it can and does deliver great results for some/few, … [Show Me More...]
