ActiveRain ActiveBlogs
Will they compete? Will they compare? What is the difference between a WordPress Blog by Yahoo, a Blogspot or Blogger Blog by Google, and an ActiveRain Outside Blog? Is there an advantage to either one? Which is the best for me? Why would I even care? A Blog is a Blog is a Blog... right? Here's one way to find out.
Come join the ActiveRain Staff tomorrow to find out more about the hottest topic spreading around the web right now. Jon, Bob, Rich and myself are hosting the RAIN Radio show (back from it's dormant state of hibernation) and will be unleashing the fury, tips, secrets, and vision of the NEW ActiveBlogs offered by our very own ActiveRain.
Watch out WordPress, step aside Blogger, new kids are in town.
(WordPress and Blogger have refused to comment...)
Call in to the show, join our chat session live with Elizabeth Nieves, follow along live from your computer, or just miss the show and go on having questions and confusion about Individual and Group Blogs. (just kidding) We'll also record the program and place it in this post later for those who can't make it.
Do us a favor and yourself one too, come find out what it's really all about and ask your questions, share your thoughts, vent your concerns, get answers from those who have them. You can also leave any comments here that you'd like us to address. This will be very educational and informative, I sincerely hope you can join us.
This Friday, Jan. 30 - 11:00am PST - 2:00pm EST.
"RAIN" RADIO LINK THE "THUNDER" CHAT ROOM THE "LIGHTNING" RSS FEED
![]()
![]()







Rain, Thunder AND Lightning all in one day??? This ought to be good!
The Weather actually calls for a "FLOOD" of information tomorrow, bring your umbrella to hold upside down and catch all the rain. It will be a tropical downpour!! :-))
Brad my next article is going to be how the members can increase their readingship and SEO of their outside blog. Should be a great show.
Brad - I always wanted to know the difference between the blogs sites. I" have to tune in tomorrow it sounds interesting.
Brad,
I intend to tune in. I still have loads to learn.
Brad, this is a question I tried to ask you when we had lunch at NAR but couldn't quite articulate it. You mentioned something about not posting to your outside blogs too often and i didn't quite understand what you meant by that. My question to you was whether posting the same blog to an outside blog would be considered spam by Google to have it in two places. Justin Smith suggests posting part of it with a link back to the original blog.
This has been confusing to me so I would love an explanation of whether posting duplicate content on different blogs matters or not... Thanks in advance. Look forward to the show.
Not all BLOGS are created equal..... I know that for a fact. You bet I'll be tuning in.
Brad. Is AR open sourced? One thing about WP is that they have millions of people making tools for it. Can the same be done with AR? Or an AR API? I am not a programmer but I see the benefit of this and I am a huge open source guy.
Thanks
I sure hope I'm able to join in. I've tried them all (other than AR upgraded blogs) and have so far settled on Wordpress. I have some very specific questions and reasons why I chose Wordpress (of course AR upgraded blogs weren't available at the time). I'm sure whether I make it or not, you'll have a spirited conversation!
This is good stuff. Glad to hear it'll be recorded as I have an appointment at 11.
I won't be able to listen live...I'll be out showing property! But I will catch the broadcast later, I have been wondering about this, I'm glad your covering the topic.
Frank - great question, I'll cover it on the air. This will help clear up some confusion, we will also be adding the capability for members to post directly to their outside blogs. Justin's suggestion is a good one as well. We will cover the duplicate content issue, you can also check out the post Bob Stewart did on duplicate content a while back. Thanks. :-)
Shane - another great question, but if I answer it here, you won't listen in on the show and I really want you to join us!! lol~ Seriously though, I think you'll be really interested in what will be shared about this tomorrow. Try to make it if you can. :-)
I'll be tuning in to pick up some much needed tips.
If I don't make it, I will listen later - I want the scoop!
Glad I found this post; haven't had the chance to call you Brad. We've had snow {gasp} and some ice. The kids have been home from school all week. I look forward to having some questions answered.
Hi Brad,
Looking forward to this! I have it on the calendar and rescheduled conferenc calls.
so what is the answer? what is the "better" blog to have?
how about linking to my site thebeachpeach.com
Brad: Looks and sounds very intersting.. Looking forward to the updates and see the difference
looking forward for tomorrow
Brad - I won't be able to listen "live", but I will try to make a point to catch the archive recording afterwards!
I am truly looking forward to this show. As much fun as we always have...this show is also going to give our listeners some solid and economically rewarding information and advice...and it's FUN!! How great is that? ~GBU~
Brad, sounds like everyone should be scared...AR strikes again with all the new great stuff!
Good Jason - cause guess what, I'm returning the favor, we'll be talkin about ya since I know you won't be there! lol~
Brad, I will tune in with both ears anxiously awaiting some clarifications on the outside AR blogs and a whole host of other questions I still have about blogging in general. Take care and looking forward to the show!
Brad,
I would love to be writing an offer at that time, but short of that, I'll tune in.
Thanks for news flash! I'll be there.
Brad- Can't wait... it should be great!
Duplicate content?? Absolutely and should be avoided by all Maryland and Northern Virginia agents with the exception of Homefinders.com
Hi Brad, I am unable to miss this radio show but will definitely listen to the archive.
Brad, Grabbing my umbrella! Looking forward to it :P)
Good information... Thanks Brad!
Brad, I have been anticipating an event like this because I am ready to sign up! Thanks!
Brad,
I am thinking that this is a radio show that I need to at least listen to. I just hope that I will be back in time to listen.
Hi Brad, I won't be home but want very much to hear this--I have always believed in AR (and have tried all the rest :). I'll catch it later tonight when I'm home, is it in one of the links above? Thank you, I wish I would be here to get it "live."
Nice Brad ! - I'm in !!! ... see hear you at 2pm my time :o)
Cheers !
Sheldon
Brad - I am looking forward to this. I am sure it will be filled with great content. Thanks for your continued progress. I am so thankful for AR and all who support it.
Brad,
Here is a question for you. The domain name for the blog associated with my website is CarolinasRealEstateTalk.com. I gave the AR outside blog the domain name CarolinasRealEstateTalk.info. After three or four months of posting duplicate content on different days to these two blogs, every search I do on Google for either of these domain names brings up the AR outside blog. I guess that shows the power of AR.
The question: If I want to have two separate blogs showing up on Google, do I need to stop posting the duplicate content, change one of the domain names to something different, or what?
Your advice would be very helpful. Thanks.
Brad,
I would like to tune in but I'll be in a meeting. Will the conversation be posted here to review later?
Brian Madigan
Aargh! This is just the info I need, but I have an appointment at that time. I'll have to check out the print version. Looking forward to it, though.
Sounds great I will tune in at the beginning as I have a MobileMe class at 3:00. I'm interested to hear the AR vs WordPress debate. It will be lovely for the rain to melt the snow, haven't seen the ground in months. :)
Yes this should be good but dang 11 am ? Guess to get everyone across the country it was a good time just not for us east Coast folks. I hope to catch it later maybe get my wife to listen in live Thanks Brad!
Ouch, 2pm East Coast I cant make it, I will listen this evening to the recording!
Brad, I'm looking forward to what all of you have to say! The time fits perfect for a change!!!
Hopefully, it will be on later so that I can hear it after my open houses. It is always good information for me to labsorb. Thanks
Rock on !!! Will definitely come back to listen to the recording. We have 3 settlements today being the end of the month. So please definitey post the archive ! Also, thanks for checking up on us regarding our outside blog.
Oh it helps to read .... it's 2 pm eastern standard time... still not good for us working folks. I was going to try and hang around for it but time to sell sell seel. have to catch it on the rebound!
Consider me there...it's on my schedule FOR SURE! Thanks Brad.
Brad,
Looks like it will be a info packed session. I will do my best to take it all in.
I'm so dumb, not able to ask all of the question I have, but will be listening
We'll be going live in about 20 minutes:
Call-in Number: (347) 677-1643
RainRadio Site:
Chat Room "LIVE" open
The show was awesome. Listening to the recorded version now.
That was a Fabulous show fellas !!!
.... and GREAT information given out to us listeners !
Thanks Brad & Co !
Cheers !
Sheldon
Darn, I logged in 20 minutes late and then received a call from a new contact and had to sign off - I am off to listen to the recording.
I just listened to the recording, as usual, lots of great information. Thanks, Brad.
Brad, I wish to thank you and Active Rain for helping so many of us with our blogging and helping us get found online for our businesses. My Active Rain post are indexed in Google better than my own individual blog site. That's because Active Rain is an "Authority Site" and AR's providing us with this indexing help is totally awesome! Can't wait to listen in to your show. Bill Cobb
I dont know how I will ever keep up with AR if the industry picks up and gets busy.
You obviously have been reading my mind. I have been wondering which way to go.
Great show, Brad - I heard you guys talking about me. :) You should have mentioned all of the help you give me!
I especially appreciated Bob's point - your new outside blog may not show up the first hour or day for now - but keep at it - it will show up and when it does - it is there for a very long time. You may get a consumer call next year from a post you write today.
Don't you think that the Raindexing will help Google to find our posts?
Dumb question - the link that I am hearing about to direct Google to the original post - on the bottom of the post, what text do you use for the link? Or do you just put the title on the bottom and link it?
Awwwww, I missed the radio show. I had promised the kids to take them to Chuck E Cheese and so I got to play games and eat pizza all day today. It was a blast, but I feel like I missed work.
Brad, loved the show, you, Elizabeth and NotBrad are great. Still needed help and you called afterhours and provided above and beyond the call of duty, two snaps & a twist plus kudos Man, Thanks for getting an old dog into a new trick so quick!
Carol Fox - the domain name you're using for your Point2 blog - CarolinasRealEstateTalk.com - is redirected (and masked) to the domain that blog is actually on (http://www.carolinasmalltownliving.com). Because of that redirect, CarolinasRealEstateTalk.com will never show up in the search engines as Google doesn't index redirected / masked domain names. That CRET.info shows up in searches and not CRET.com has nothing to do with "the Power of AR", it has to do with how your domain names are set up.
Also, because one is .com and one is .info, they are different domain names.... but since one is masked (the .com) it will nver show up.
sad to hear i missed it live! But will definitely catch the recorded shows. Thanks for the help with my html issues! All the best Brad.
Jay - thanks for pointing that out, you're a good man! :-)
Virginia - raindexing will definitely help google find your posts, topics will too, but they're going to find them anyway! :-)
If anyone is near Redwood City tonight, stop by and say Hi to us. Debra (my wife) and I will be there as she is perfoming with Skynnyn Lynyrd, a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute Band. It's a really BIG show and her first with them. Gotta run now and catch the tour bus, here's some info if you can make it....
Live at the FOX Theatre
Meet The Band
My Sweetheart
Brad - I checked out the band website - very cool - I suppose Mesquite is too small of a venue for them to ever come here - congrats to Debra and her beautiful voice.
Virginia - we're gettin on the tour bus in an hour, I'll ask them if we can stop by and do a show there for ya while we're out. :-))) You know, if you leave now, you could still make it to San Francisco in time. :-O
I am going to Walmart, if the produce is not good today, I will just keep on going and see you tonite. :)
BTW - back to business:
Remember that when you helped me upgrade my outside blog - we discovered that I had accidently created several outside blogs? You and Bob got rid of them.
Well! I noticed yesterday that several of my AR posts didn't go to the upgraded outside blog. I went in and edited, the individual blog was checked, but they weren't there. I must have previously checked the box for the outside blogs that we deleted.
So I unchecked the Individual Blog box, re checked it and then they went to the outside blog. Some of these contain my special keywords. That would explain why I am not getting the juice to my Outside Blog for those keywords.
I am going to manually check each post that I want on the outside blog, check and uncheck the box.
So you might want to let Bob know, in case others messed up as bad as I did and had multiple outside blogs set up with no active url as I did.
He may not know that you have to fix each post manually to correct this specific error to get posts to the outside blog.
Virginia - we are hoping to add an element whereas you could go in and select multiple or all posts you want to show on your outside Blog. When you create a new Blog regardless if you delete the others, you still have to add the posts individually. We are trying to correct that in the near future. Call me if you need any further assistance with this of if I'm not making sense here. :-))
Hi Brad,
Thanks for the great information. I haven't been doing this very long and stll trying to get my head around all of the details. You mentioned in the broadcast that if we're posting the same blog article in multiple places, we should indicate the original post in a link at the bottom of the page. What exactly are we suppose to put in this link? Can you provide an example from someone's blog? Thanks.
Yes, Brad, you are making sense, but DITTO Tonda's question above.
Hi Brad,
Sorry I missed it!, Could have learned a great deal.
Emmaniece - why not just listen to the recording? Click on the arrow in teh BlogTalkRadio button in the post....
Tonda and Steve - this Blog is an example. The links at the bottom go to where the original post was hosted for this Radio Show. The difference would only be that it goes to the Radio show and not to a duplicate or original post. It's just a hyperlink on your post and would look just like the hyper-links in this post.
Jay - LOL~ I was just about to say the same thing when I saw your comment. Thanks. :-)))
Thanks for the explanation. It's just a link back to the original post and nothing more. I was trying to make it more complicated.
I missed that one... I hope you do something similiar again...
Kevin - sorry you missed it, there's a full recorded version of what you missed at the bottom of the post, I hope you'll take a few minutes and take a listen, it'll be worth it, I promise. :-))