Last September of 2007 I created a new website, Search Idaho Homes Well this last weekend I finally started going back to my old posts and started adding a new signature paragraph to all my old posts like the one below with my new web address.
To my surprise many of my older blogs have now been featured on Localism and I didn't even know it! I started adding the signature paragraph to these older blogs and then realized many of them needed work. With 400 posts written I am still not done but getting there! When looking at my older blogs this is what I found:
- I found some misspellings
- Many of the photos I used didn't show so I had to download new photos.
- I re-worded some of my blogs
- I added new anchor text for SEO purposes
- I added new tags that were SEO friendly
Today I was looking for a blog I knew an AR member had written. I had to go 12 pages deep into his blogs to find the blog I was looking for. In my search I found several blogs that had photos that didn't display. All that displayed was a red X in the upper left hand corner.
Go to "My Blog" and click "Points Summary" and scan down and look at all your blogs. If you see any that are now featured in Localism take a look at them and make sure they say and display what you want them to. Just to the right of every blog you wrote it will tell you if it is featured on Active Rain or Localism.
Even if the blogs are not featured in Localism we still need to clean them up. Every now and then one of my old blogs will be found through Google and someone comments on it. Make sure those older blogs look their best because they are a reflection of you!
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Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent - Associate Broker
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate.
Great reminder! Even though I am new to blogging, I can file this away for down the road!
Just last night I did find a spelling error on a blog I just posted Sunday. It's amazing what you find when you're not looking at it at 2am!
Chuck - Good for you my friend. Have a good one.
George - great information. I would add that if the information is old or outdated, they may want to either re-do with the correct information or delete. Then they can write a new, fresh blog. Christmas lights in 07 might be a different route this year.
Image is Important! Yes It is recommended to take this action on cleaning them up, Super!
Tom Davis - Delaware Realtor
George: Thanks for a great post. Lots of great information. And... I very much like your blog customization job. Very nice.
And, Liz in her comment above has a great question. How do you know if you are featured on Localism ? And... how can you get featured on Localism ? Thanks in advance for your answers... take care...
We can all follow our learning curve here, and it's nice to have an opportunity to clean up a few things! Appreciate the reminder.
Great advice and reminder - and it's never too late... every future reader will only see the updates, corrected typos etc.
Aw Geez George. Don't remind me. I too have new signature features. I tried to go back and update many old blogs and Localisms. But, I just simply don't have the patience.
I opted for new content with my new signature features.
Hi George...You hit the nail on the head when you said the public may find us and read our Blogs.
Here's a Email I received last Sunday evening...
Hello Fred: I just finished reading a lot of your entries on your blog. You have a exceptional way of doing business.
I wish that I had known about your work before I listed my house. The address is: 1624 Monterey Ave. I seemed to have made many mistakes when listing this house. The first time was during the winter months which is typically slow. Also, we listed the home for too high a price. We were advised by the real estate agent that our house could get this amount. However, it did not sell. Now we are listed with DFH with May Liu as the realtor. She is doing a great job. Unfortunately, she seems to think the market is really slowing down now.
Do you think this is what is happening? We are willing to sell our house at a lot less than the asking price because we have bought already. If it is not too much bother for you, I would really value your opinion. Thanks. Geny.
Thanks George, I'll check back on mine too, especialy to put my signature on.
Cheers, have a great day!
Good morning to all and thank you! For those that are still wondering how to find out if your blog is featured on localism read near the bottom of my post where I wrote:
"Go to "My Blog" and click "Points Summary" and scan down and look at all your blogs. If you see any that are now featured in Localism take a look at them and make sure they say and display what you want them to".
It will say to the right of each post whether it was featured on Active Rain or Localism.
To those that would like to know how I added the buttons and signature at the bottom of my page send me an email to george@tallabas.com and I will email you the instructions. After you create your first signature the first time it is a matter of simply copying and pasting it to every new blog you write.
Lastly, thanks for the compliment on the new blog look. I have an AR friend to thank for it. Have a great day!
Its that time again huh. I have done it in the past but I bet you I could do it all again and it would look as if I had never touched them in the first place.
The better we get the more clumsy our past looks. :~`)
George, I had to come back and comment again. I just wrote a blog thanking you.
I went to work this morning on updating my blogs, due to your post and found they (Active Rain) had done away with my listed areaS. So I was blog-less!
Thanks for a great post, you really saved the day for me, because of you I am back in action!
-Karen
Thank you everyone and Karen, I am glad this post saved the day for you! All my best to all.
George, Another thing to add to our Spring Cleaning chores. May have to retire to go through them all. Great topic. Thanks for sharing.
Great suggestion, George. Just the idea of cleaning them up and revising some wording may also help revitalize the SEO.
P.S. I like your new signature (and buttons). Very consumer friendly :)
George, great information. I've never even checked out my Localism posts, but I will now. Thanks for the insight. ;-)
George, you never cease to amaze me! You are extraordinary!
Thank you!
George, this is such a good idea! I've been doing the same thing, but not methodically (sporadically).
Great idea to put into practice. In Washington, we are also required to ensure old blogged listings are cleaned up, and even removed.
John
Mirela - Thanks and have a great day
Alexander - Good luck to you