BloodhoundBlog

There’s always something to howl about.

Author: Stephanie Edwards-Musa (page 1 of 1)

Realtor, Certified EcoBroker

January 10, 2009

WordPress 2.7 – Or Maybe Older Too?

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Realtor, Certified EcoBroker

Author website

On my recent blog post about Niche Marketing there was a lengthy discussion about how to make a WordPress Blog a little more user friendly and along with that, what it seems as though Consumers are looking for when they come to a site.  One of the things that was mentioned a few times is a Static Home Page.  This way it looks and feels a little more like a website.

The more I thought about it, I really liked the idea and did some Research.  Apparently within the New WordPress 2.7 you can make any page on your site a Home Page, Landing Page, whatever you want to call it.  I figured that maybe if I didn’t know about, others may not either.  So, thought I would spread the word.

All you have to do is from within your Dashboard go to Settings along the left- Go to Reading- and it will bring up a page that allows you to set any page as the static Home Page.  Easy!  No plugin, code or anything else required.  Hope that helps someone!

January 5, 2009

Niche Marketing- A Different Kind Of Blog?

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Realtor, Certified EcoBroker

Author website

Well, I’m guilty of thinking again.   My mind wanders thinking of ways to do things differently-actually, a way to do things better, which brings questions, and then getting lost a little bit.

My blog, if you remember, is a pretty narrow niche in that I write about Green Real Estate. But, the other day I was thinking…What if there were a way to have multiple pages or categories with their own blog?  I know that makes absolutely no sense, but I’ll explain.

I have tried to spend some time looking at Niche Marketing Blogs over the past few months and each one proves that Niche Blogs are just…different.  If you get off topic, you lose readers.  If you don’t get out on a limb and break up the content sometimes, it bores people..and then you lose readers.

So back to my idea.  Personally, I think this is an amazing idea for the real estate industry.  In a way it would be multiple sites all in one.  For example, we have pages right?  Contact, Search for listings, yada..yada.  Then we have tags for our posts: Foreclosures, Mortgage, Marketing, New Listings…whatever.

What if within the separate pages we could have a different blog, or a way to filter a blog to a separate page?  Instead of having just one long page of posts on a blog page it would be nice for within the Dashboard to filter the Blog Post to a different page.

So, I’m writing a post on Foreclosures and I would like to filter it down to appear only on the Foreclosure page.

In my case, I would like to be able to write posts for say Builders and move it over to a Builders Going Green page.   Another idea would be a not so Real Estate page with General Green Information.

I would think that any one in Real Estate that focuses on a Niche of any kind would like the ability to do this.   Does anyone know plugin to do this?  Or are there any of my Genius friends out there that would happen to want to tackle it? :0)

Or is this just a dumb Read more

January 2, 2009

Thinking About This Whole Social Media Thing As a ‘Non Expert’

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Realtor, Certified EcoBroker

Author website

Ya know, this whole Social Media thing is pretty funny when you think about it.  For a little while now I have just sort of sat back and watched instead of hopping in to create a conversation.  It’s kind of like sitting at the airport and watching how people react to different things.  By no means am I a social media expert, I don’t really think I want to be one ~ I’m just a Real Estate Professional that finds it all really interesting and enjoys meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends.

One of the sites I find the most interesting is Twitter.  It’s amazing how everyday there seems to be another site that helps you ‘use’ it as a tool.  You can go and find out who is following you back-maybe get your feelings hurt when you find out who is not reciprocating or Grade your twitter stream and find out how you rank or if you just pretty much suck at socializing..

All of these tools seem, in my eyes atleast, to make us more vulnerable in so many ways.  It all takes so much time.  Where our blog used to be what we needed the most, folks are saying there is no point in having a blog if you are not on every Social Media site imaginable.

While I love the Social sites, have met some amazing people and truly value all of the Relationships that have formed through Social Media Sites-what is this doing to business?   Are we at some sort of tipping point?

All of this just makes me think about how much time it really takes away from conducting business.   While we may be out there creating opportunities, marketing a listing or other service, prospecting…are all of these ‘tools’ that ‘grade’ us  in a way taking away from what we should really be focusing on?  Are we worrying so much about making others happy in what we say, tweet or update that we are not connecting with people on a real one on one level?

I am totally in agreement that Social Media is a place to be, Read more

July 8, 2008

Organic Gardens, Solar and Public Transportation- Oh My!

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Realtor, Certified EcoBroker

Author website

As Professionals in the Real Estate Industry we try and do everything to stay on top of our game.  We attend classes to further our education and knowledge, we try out the latest and greatest Social Networking Platform to find out about new Techie stuff, but what about what the clients are looking for?

It is a job in itself to stay on top of what the Local Inventory is to know what may be suitable match for our clients.  Although Real Estate is local, it’s pretty safe to say that for several years, MOST large Metropolitan areas have been experiencing the Sprawl of the Suburbs, the desire for Material items, and the need to be bigger and have more.  However, just of the past 3 months I have experienced this Dynamic shift in the approach that people are taking in the features they want in homes.

In the title I mention Organic Gardens, Solar and Public Transportation.  These are the Top 3 items on my clients and potential clients wish list over the past 45 days.  Not a single buyer has mentioned the desire for Granite Countertops, Stainless Steel Appliances or even a McMansion.  It’s minimal footprint on both the land, environment and lifestyle.

What is it that Real Estate Professionals can do to keep up with this enormous shift in thinking from the Homebuying population?  If Solar Panels and Rain Water Capture Systems are getting to be the new Sexy, who can keep up?

Many of the people that are looking for Organic Gardens are tired of hearing about all of the Crud that is stuffed in our food.  Food Dye and Preservatives have been linked to Behavioral Disorders in children as well as Cancer, Depression and even Skin disorders in Adults.   Those that are looking for Solar and proximity to Public Transportation are looking to reduce Gas and Electric bills, or maybe even to give a subtle Finger to the Gas and Electric Companies.

Who would have thought that the Health Care and Energy Crises could have such an impact on the decisions that people make when they purchase a home and where Read more

July 3, 2008

Project Bloodhound: Opening Windows to Vent Some Steam

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Realtor, Certified EcoBroker

Author website

I’m going to share a story with all of you first. Yes, it’s true, although I hate to admit it.

A few years ago I decided that I needed a website.  Not just a template website, but a website that was custom to me.  Branded.  One that I could call my own.  So, I contacted a company that was referred to me by another agent and started working with them.  All I can say is CA-CHING!  Lots of money.  At the end of the design process the designer said “I really think you should sign up for our SEO package”.  I’m thinking to myself, what the heck is SEO and why would I need it?  I declined the service.  I knew absolutely nothing about anything internet, just that I needed a website, right?  I was ok with using these designers for everything.  After all, I’m a Real Estate Agent not a web designer.  It didn’t hit me until I started blogging what SEO was.  I then went in to this almost livid state wondering why they didn’t explain it to me back then.  What’s the point of designing a site if it is not optimized in the least?  My AR blog showed up on Google in 2 days, surely it couldn’t be that hard.  LOL.

The popular question for PBII seems to be about platforms.  Which platform should I choose?  WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com, etc.  This post is really just to put my opinion out and share a little of my experience so far with my fellow litter mates that may still be deciding.

I have mentioned that a year ago I started my Blog on a GoDaddy Quickblog.  It was easy, showed up well in Google, that is what I wanted.  At the time, I felt that I did not know enough of the techie guru type anything to do WordPress.  Today, I’m wishing that I could have found some more confidence on that topic.  It has been much easier than expected to set up a WordPress.org site.  (Must note here the Queen of Kludge and DaBlogMother has helped out tremendously.  Along with Greg, Read more

June 29, 2008

WordPress Plugins- Like Shopping at WalMart

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Realtor, Certified EcoBroker

Author website

Have you ever gone to the store and found odds and ends of things that you just can’t live without?  How about a tape measure for $2, set of plates for $10, etc.-and then get home and wonder where the heck you are going to put all of it?

That is kind of where I am while looking through WordPress Plugins.  I feel like I have found the Mother Load of Clearance racks.

Here are the ones that are grabbing my attention with a big red tag on them.  Are you using any of these?  What’s your opinion on them and are some of them a waste of space?

  • Events Calendar– This would be pretty neat for Open Houses, Conferences, Local Happenings on a local blog
  • Subscribe2– Since not everyone is techie enough to read through a feeder, being able to subscribe through email
  • SMS Text Message– Allows people to subscribe via SMS TXT
  • Better Blogroll– The theme I chose does not have a blogroll that you can add links to..and I want one
  • HB Social Bookmarks–  I like the top of mind approach
  • All in One SEO–  Yeah, well…

By now you know that with Project Bloodhound II one of the goals is to keep my site clean and crisp, so I am wondering exactly which Plugins to use and not clutter up my ‘cabinet space’.  I want to be conservative now because as the site continues to grow, there will always be more.  If you have found a kickin’ Plugin that is not in my shopping cart, I’d love to hear about it!

June 28, 2008

How Do You Take Your Blog From a Sloppy Joe to a Decadent and Delightful Dish?

by

Realtor, Certified EcoBroker

Author website

Before I get started, I just want to take a second and say Hi to everyone!  I am honored to be part of this amazing group and I chomping at the bits to get off of Puppy Chow.

PBII Could not have been at a better time.  I have been frustrated with my Blog for quite a while and just a few days before it was announced I had decided that to make the jump over to a WordPress.org site. It is currenlty on Quickblog through GoDaddy and the theme for that is definitely NOT like Burger King.  If it’s not the template, it ain’t happenin’. Where as on WP, it’s more like your way, right away.

Turning Houston Green is the site that I am referring to and the content focuses on Green Residential Real Estate for what’s happening in the Houston area.  It is quite unique in that for such a specific niche, there really is nothing else out there unless you hop through several pages of Google.  I have started to notice recently that although it is getting decent traffic, folks are not even making to the page they need to be on.

Apparently what I have is a Sloppy Joe with a side of French Fries.

Although I’m seeing a sitemap in the near future to help, the question I would like to pose is what is the most important thing to keep in mind when organizing the site?  Should you focus solely on Categories and Tags, or with WP should it be pages?  What makes it clean and crisp?

Now that I have my theme up, my biggest task now is making it in to a Delightful dish that will keep consumers coming back for more.  In my case I believe it is in the design, like an unorganized file.  You can be number one on every search engine imaginable but a ‘User Un-Friendly‘ site will just push folks away.  Many would rather have the convenience of McDonald’s than to have a 30 minute wait for Fine Dining. As far as the ease of use for my readers I’m aiming for the Read more

Inventing Real Estate 2.0

Welcome to BloodhoundBlog, the national real estate industry marketing and technology weblog written by, for and about real estate professionals. Better yet, welcome to the wired world of real estate. We are busily inventing Real Estate 2.0 – technology, marketing, service and salesmanship. Like all Bloodhounds, we are smart, frisky and fiercely independent. We've built a spot on the earth – beloved over all – where each one of us can be who we are, no matter who that might be. We are committed to an idea of excellence that will flush the bums, the con-men and the crybabies out of the real estate industry. If you yearn to have your failures excused, your moral lapses absolved or your boo-boos kissed, seek elsewhere. But if you are sick to death of mediocrity – welcome home. Read all about us, subscribe to our feed and steel yourself for the hunt. We work hard, we play hard, we learn everything we can – and we bow to no one.

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