All the dogs are in the kennel at last. When I built BloodhoundBlog last Summer, I set it up as a subdirectory of BloodhoundRealty.com. Had I known where we were headed, I would have bought a separate domain for the weblog. And had I thought that far ahead, BloodhoundBlog would have been called something else.
Why? Because BloodhoundBlog.com was already owned by a software company in Texas. I discovered this when I finally thought to tie down the domains last Fall. I was able to buy BloodhoundBlog.net and BloodhoundBlog.org, but all I could do was back-order BloodhoundBlog.com.
It’s a problem I’ve been nursing on and off ever since. But as of today, BloodhoundBlog.com is finally ours. Like the two other domains, it is redirecting to the subdirectory I set up in the first place. A small enough thing, I suppose, but most big things are made up of little things.
And here’s another little thing: As of this week, it’s possible to subscribe to BloodhoundBlog by email. It’s not something I’m apt to think of. RSS is too easy, too fast, too wonderful. But if people don’t have access to feed readers, or if they don’t want to use them, they can get email updates when new posts hit the weblog. As it happens, Seth Godin added email subscription the same day we did. Great minds think alike? Can’t be. Great minds Think Different.
But here’s a big thing: Starting Monday, we’ll be rolling out audio and video podcasts from the Russell Shaw Sales Success Seminars. I have five audio and two video podcasts set up for this week, and we’ll do another five of each next week. This is all about building a curriculum for a real estate sales training course in podcast form, so, if you have questions for Russell, don’t be shy.
Linked below is a short video segment of me extolling the benefits of real estate weblogging with the help of Jay Thompson and Tony Marriott.
Technorati Tags: blogging, real estate, real estate marketing
Tony Marriott says:
Greg – Great video segment – and congrats on finally securing BloodhoundBlog.com as one of your own domains!
April 22, 2007 — 8:00 am
Joel McDonald says:
Hi Greg,
Congratulations on securing the .com for your blog! It’s interesting that you made this post… I’ve been researching setting up a blog for our Colorado website(s) (which I’ll leave unnamed so as not to seem like spam.)
However, I’m very interested in your opinion of why you wish you set up the blog as a separate domain from the beginning. I was under the impression a blog is a good way of having a discussion forum — while adding useful content to your website at the same time. Is that not the case?
Would you mind sharing the pros/cons of a blog that is its own identity versus, say, http://www.brokersite.com/blog?
Soon-to-be blogger.
April 24, 2007 — 7:47 pm
Greg Swann says:
For a Realtor’s weblog, I wold do it the way we did it. The problem is, we’re not a Realtor’s weblog anymore. The Phoenix Real Estate Guy is the best exemplar of the contrary point of view — and his site kicks ass on Google searches.
April 24, 2007 — 7:59 pm
Jay Thompson says:
Well thanks Greg!
If I had to do it all over again, I’d have set up TPREG on a subdomain of ThompsonsRealty.com. The only reason I didn’t was because at the time of blogbirth, my site provider didn’t offer the capability.
They’ve since introduced that ability, but TPREG is way too established to move it all over to a different domain.
There’s little question that if you are looking to add content, get “Google juice” and optimize your branding for a main site, putting a “regular” Realtor’s blog on a subdomain of that main site is the best way to go.
If the purpose of your blog is to be more Bloodhoundish, then a separate domain is probably best.
Confounding the problem is Lord knows what your blog may morph into!
The advantage of hosting a blog on a separate and unique domain is that it probably makes branding of the blog itself a little easier. Plus it’s cool to get both the blog and main site URLs on page 1 of Google… 🙂
April 24, 2007 — 9:56 pm