Guilty as charged!  I will start changing the links i use to be the ones in my outside blog and not my good old AR original blog.  Great tip, not sure how i missed that seo idea.

I haven' t been sending people to my  Lethbridge Real Estate blog properly.

brad..great stuff ..have bookedmarked ..read my blog on UFO s if you get a chance.....these links got me there...:0)

A great list of resources as Always Brad! I am working hard on the ActiveBlog that I just purchased last week!

Hi Brad,

I am guilty. One of those AR members who is missing it. I really need to get in gear, and get my outside blog setup. Thanks for the tips:)

-Lisa

It's called synergy. It's what makes the Internet go round and round. 

It's what squeezes Google Juice from the fruit of ActiveRain.

I think it's magic.

Hi Brad ~ Great advice and love the popups! Took some doing to read the last one but I managed.  I didn't know you could make them so long so that was a bonus lesson learned. Thanks.

Liz

Thanks Brad for the always helpful tips.

Thanks Brad. This is great. For some reason my photo isn't showing up on my Active Rain blog. Do you know how I can fix this? Thanks!

Hey Brad,  is there a way to know what another members outside blog is?  That way if we refer to them in a post we can link to their outside blog to help them?  Just curious.  :)  Thanks for the tips.

No I did not know you could add that much text into a pop up link. Ditto to Stephanies question.

Webinar Training...

What an excellent idea that is :)

TLW...ROAR!

Thanks for the reminder..  I have to just set up sometime to get mine started

Even though you can add so much text to the pop up llink, I don't think you want to as you saw it was hard to read the entire thing without more effort to make it appear again and again.

I hadn't thought about linking to the outside blog, where was my brain?

Brad - You techy savvvvy guy you ! It's a good thing AR has you around, otherwise a lot of us would have sailed off on some ship to timbuckto trying to figure this out.

Guilty as charged. Yikes !

I seem to be late to the party but maybe today i will work on this.  Something that I have had churning around in my head for awhile.  Thanks for the nudge in the right direction Brad.

Brad...

No complaints here. My outside blog is getting kick-a$$ Google love! Now, it took a week or two, but once it "got in the loop" the results have been phenomenal!

Thanks for the additional tips, but I'm wondering how to advance past number one? lol

More great help as usual and now with Jeremy on board I can only think that it will only get better.

Brad thanks for the numerous clues for those of us who take a while to get it!!!

Thanks for the timely post.  Just getting website setup so now I know not to link to the AR post but the outside blog.

Great post...as always!

Thanks for the great info. I am newer to AR and have bee trying to figure it all out. Thanks again! Very helpful!

When in doubt, link it. :)

It is funny with all of the emphasis on SEO, a lot of people, myself included, forget the easiest thing to do sometimes is to simply set up a link.

Great post....I am defintely going to have to spend some time on this post..so much information and links to visit.

Brad that was seriously one of the most ingenious posts I've ever seen here on Active Rain!  Thanks for entertaining me this morning.  If there was one thing I walked away from Project Blogger learning the importance of.. it's linking!!!

Thanks Brad, Can't Wait for the class to learn how to do this.  Thanks for sharing......... Sorry, I was speed commenting there for a minute..... ROTFLMAO

I'm glad you wrote this post because even though we talked about this on the phone the other day, it hadn't occured to me to go back and change the URL's to get more "JUICE".  Ok, that's my project for the day.

Brad - Would love to hear the answer to Stephanie's question as well.  If we could see other member's outside blogs as a link on their profile page (like how they get separated on our own "my home" page when logged in), it would be of great assistance in helping others as well as getting to know their outside blogs.  Thanks for the (obvious) tip.  I hadn't really thought of it and that was one of my questions to you (sorry I didn't call Monday - its been busy the past few days).

Brad --- You have my head spinning --- I don't know if I am ready for an outside blog. Also, am wondering if I as a non-competing broker really would benefit from having one.

been there done that plus i want our blog posts to sound human not robotic but there's no doubt that works.

I was wondering why my outside blog wasn't showing up in Google.  I have so much to learn! Thanks for letting us know. Now I have my task for today.

Hate to sound dumb, but I'm not clear on what you are instructing us to do.  YOu are saying link to the outsideblog url NOT individcual posts?

Aren't there going to be times when you want to link to individual posts?

Brad

Now I have a better plan

Tom

Brad - wow, what a great selection of tips. I, too, like widgets, although am not obsessed as Active Rich is. Off to spend some time widgetizing and more.

Jeff

Brad: I hear you loud and clear. I really need to get this working....properly.

Brad - THanks for the inforamtion. I'll take advantage of anything your write about

I have not yet set up an outside blog - can you give me a brief description of what the differences are between doing it an dnot doing it?  Is it that you can get outside subscribers?

Brad - I was wondering, should we go back through all of our older posts and check the box to outside blog or would it be better to copy and paste the post in a new blog all together and start it over ?

WHOA!  I go to sleep for a few hours and look what happens.... (BIG YAWN)   Good morning everyone:-))

Stephanie has a great question regarding Link Love to others posts using their Outside Blogs.

I think the obvious thing to do would be to use the ActiveBlog badge to link to a members outside blog.  We aren't there just yet, but are working on this.  Because some members have more than one blog, we may also need to add links somewhere on the sidebar of their Blog or on their profile... or maybe both.  Maybe even a popup window over the badge that allows multiple choice?  Hmm...  just thinking out loud.

Not sure what the development team has in mind or in store, but they've done a pretty kick a$$ job so far and I have all the faith in the world in these guys.  I've seen their work and abilities first hand.

Keep in mind, we are probably the only network on the web with the ability to even have this kind of potential, so we want to make sure we think things through and do it right the first time, a lesson many of us have had to learn the hard way.  

now for a nice BIG hot cup of jo...

Brad....In just the few days I have been here I have also been running through hundreds of trouble tickets and that is one of the biggest topics in there!  You only thought you were making it to Tahiti!

Wow...Brad, you've made those clues really really tough....lolol :)

I had an outside blog, but now I can't find it.  There is a light colored spot where I think the outside blog used to be where I can start one.

Great idea for a webinar. I still haven't set mine up, but learning more about it makes me inspired!

I checked google and there is nothing.  Help!  How did I mess this up?!

I will have to come back and read all those links you included.  I will be getting my paid outside blog soon.

LOL Jeremy...

They couldn't pay me enough to work those tickets. I almost feel for you :)

I used to hang with Lydia Heaton. I know stuff :)

TLW...ROAR!

Links & referring sites is a huge part of my website hits. In fact is is over 50% of the 1100 I had last month. Will be looking forward to the webinar to help get the most out of my new activeblog

Maya, it takes a little time for it show up on google after you create a post. We've noticed about 2-4 hours, but this can vary with multiple degrees.

One of the best tools for driving traffic and SEO for our Outside blogs would be the sharethis feature. When will you be adding this one?

Don 't have time to comment, Brad, too busy changing the links on over 450 posts to link to our outside blog 0_0

Hi Brad—If anyone reads your blog or Jeff Turner's with any regularity they know "link love" is where it's at! I still have a lot to do, but you guys have made the learning curve much easier and I appreciate that very much. In the midst of growing pains at AR and loving every minute of it... thanks!

Here's an after-thought about promoting your outside blog so other members can link to your posts.

Until we have the badges linking to outside blogs, here's a couple ways you can promote your ActiveBlog so others can start giving you some link love.  These are just a couple ways to do this in the meantime:

1. Add a link to it on your side bar using the Links [add/remove] it's just below your tags pull-down menu.

2. You can also create a link on your sidebar using this code on the "settings" page in the same place you would add a widget to your Blogs sidebar. 

Here's how:

DIRECTIONS FOR ADDING A TEXT LINK TO YOUR BLOG SIDEBAR

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL GET AS A RESULT

This is a simple and effective way to let others know about your outside blog, and it will allow other members to link to posts that are in your ActiveBlogs. Hope this helps...    :-)

So, you're saying I should add a link to my outside blog to all my posts, right? AHHHHHHH...Thanks!

Thanks Brad!  Phew!  Have bookmarked this and will have to set some time aside to study it.  It's good of you to draw it all together for us, and to emphasize the point.

http://www.PoconoLandAndHomes.com

OMG, when am I going to understand this??? I've already started working on hooking up the listing router to the Growth Leader. Now this. HELP!!!

Kim, that alone won't do it. We have 2 in every local post. The post itself has to have good keyword density (5-7%) and have about 250-450 words centered around certain keywords. 

Brad, As always thank you for the help in an easy to understand format.  I don't like widgets because they slow down opening a page (at least on MY computer) but I do love the LINKS.  Thank you again,  your help is always appreciated!

Yippie!!  Thanks BRAD !   I just added my "active blog" links BOTH ways as you showed in your comments!    (I should get an "A+" on my homework assignment)

I have to run out to a meeting but will be back shortly and answer the the rest of the questions here...   :-)

Brad, I had never added a link, widget or anything. I think I've done it correctly, but I'm not sure. Why would I do it in my settings vs just on my blog under the links add/remove tab?

Great riddle, tough one! I like idea of placing badges on our profiles for others to find our blogs easily. In the meantime, I will add the link..very cool

Thank Heaven the real estate market has slowed down.  I used to be so busy selling property that I never had time to devote to learning all this tech stuff.  Now I'll be ready for the next wave of buyers...  

I'm just getting started with AR and blogging.

What Brad has mentioned in this post is way over my head. I'm not sure I know the distinctions being made. Who wants to help me out here?

As for Brad's tips about how to make a blog more reader friendly, absolutely! Lots of white space, simple paragraphs -- Brad, did you notice I already figured that one out on my own -- and pictures where appropriate.

However, I do think people overuse bold, italics, etc. Some may think it makes it easier on the eyes; I'm not one of them.

Brad - This was the easiest riddle to solve that I've seen in awhile.  Thanks, man.

Ok...  I'm back! 

Donna - you are only 700 points away from having your photo show up in comments, it does show on your Blog and Profile, just not in the comments yet.  That begins when you hit 10,000 points.  Almost there...   :-)

Stephanie and Missy - hope you saw my mini tutorial above, in the meantime, we'll get something together.

TLW - setting up the webinar training series now, just have to iron out a few kinks. 

Donna - I agree, the last popup bubble was just a bit of a joke.  It was almost a post in itself. haha!  I figured if someone just wanted the straight answer to the riddle, I'd make em work for it just a bit.  I would never recommend doing a text comment that long over a hyper-link.  Geez... Let a guy have some fun around here would ya???  ROFL~ 

Richard - Glad to hear your Blog is working well for you.  You are too funny, that sounds like a great post.  "How to Pass Yourself Up when you're #1!"

Hi Brad, You mean they let you sleep?!?

Thanks for the mini tutorial.  :)  You guys are all doing an AWESOME job for sure!

Another easy way would be to email the other member and ask them  :0)  I'll get to work on my sidebar.  Thanks again for the tips.

Thanks for the ideas. Working on my outside blog right now!

I'm riddled no more thanks to you!

In all seriousness, thanks for this advice.  I'll make it a point to link to my beautiful and wonderful outside blog (smile).

Kathy

OK Brad, I have got some serious work to do.  Thanks.

Thanks for sharing Brad, There always seems to be more and more to learn here everyday! Thanks for helping my business grow!

Joe 

Brad...we need to talk.  I have a blog through my website that is not getting the job done.  I need to setup an AR outside blog, but how is that different than the blog I currently have with AR?  Do I need to update both?  Do I post the same blogs on both?  Do I discontinue updating the old one? 

Sweet Bard. This something I have been procrastinating and jnow a very simple well organized model for doing so forces me to get off my rump :) and make it happen.

Thanks

Bo

Simon - calling you now....  :-)

Hey Brad...Another Great and Helpfull Post, Thanks for your Help with my outside Blog

Cheers, Have a Great day Brad :O)

Simon - great talking to you, let me know if you need any help getting that setup.  :-)

Ron - you nailed it.  Kinda took all the fun out of the riddle though...  lol~ 

Juile - thanks for seeing the lighter side and entertaining factor on such an important and serious subject.

Connie - I hope to have the 1st class in place sometime next week.  We'll probably start with about 25 members for the first one.  Should be another great addition to our AR support system.  

Matt - here's a temporary solution for you: See comment #50  No worries on the call, been busy myself...

Liz - we need to talk.  The answer is yes, more than ever.  You're ready.  I'll explain, my number is on my AR profile.

Jen - this is just one way to drive traffic to your outside blog that might help google to recognize it more quickly based on traffic, but no one really knows the miracle secret of getting your Blogs and posts in the top of the search engines.  I can tell you that many members are missing this one simple opportunity that could make a big difference.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Kate - No.  I am saying link to your outside blog posts instead of the AR post where you originated it.  If you refer to a previous article you have written, create the link to go to the outside blog post and not the AR Blog post.  Here is an example. 

This Blog post is: http://activerain.com/blogsview/977137/How-To-Drive-Traffic-To-Your-AR-Outside-Blogs-Riddle-Me-This

In the future, if and when I reference it in another article or Blog post, I would create the link to be this instead: http://activerainguide.com/post/977137/how-to-drive-traffic-to-your-ar-outside-blogs-riddle-me-this 

The second link goes to our outside blog, not to this post which is housed on AR.  Does this make sense or is it clear as mud?  :-))  Let me know if you need help.

Bridget - why don't you call me or I'll call you and explain it.  Takes less time and is much more effective to explain over the phone.  My fingers start hurting about this time in the afternoon...   lol~  :-))

Melissa - I would just do this on a go forward basis, but you could go back to say your last 5-10 posts if you had links to your others AR posts and correct the links, I think every little bit of traffic you can send to them helps.  It's really your call.  Hope all is well.  :-)

Amber - don't laugh, some members still won't get this, but I still have to try.  Tough riddle eh??  ROFL!!~

Maya - I'll call you and walk you through it if you'd like, or you can call me at your convenience.

Kristi - just go for it.  You have all the support you need behind you right here in the "rain!" 

Tere - let me know when you're ready and I'll clear some time to help you.  We'll need about 3-5 minutes.

Bill - sharethis is an approved widget, we just haven't released the next round of widgets for outside Blogs yet. They're coming soon, just no eta or confirmed date just yet.  Thanks for your patience.  :-)

Had been doing that for a while, but in reading the comments and finding your after thought... I hadn't thought of that.  Off to do that NOW.  Thanks again Brad.  You are always So helpful.

Brad - ok i get the picture - i can't imagine how many times you get asked the same questions with over 138,000 members at this point!  I'll try not to be one of the statistics who asks you questions with already written down answers!

I pledge alligiance to the ........

Seriously, hats off to Brad and especially Bob for "pulling me through the river."  I am very pleased and look forward to having this added dimension as part of marketing our business.

Cheers

Looking forward to your webinar - hope it will be available online to registrants after the fact.

Hope we can add a google custom search widget to our pages.

You write great posts. Thanks for taking the time.

Hi Sharon- you can add the custom google search widget to your AR and outside Blogs now. It works on both.  You'll see mine on my side bar over there   ------------------------------------>

You can see it on my outside blog here: Check Out Brads Google Widget

Hi Brad! This was really an interesting post. I think my outside blog already has a link. I will double check. Thanks! 

I LOVE this, it's hilarious and imformative!  I think I will create a similar egg hunt at some point in the near future.  Great idea!

Once again, thank you for pointing out ways to drive traffic to our outside blogs. It took me a while to figure it out. I'm slow but trainable. I'll be linking to my outside blog now.

I really need to tweak out my Outside Blog...  So much to do...

Brad - Rock on !  I got the "hints".  Really looking foward to the webinar !

Brad, I'm just getting started with blogging and so much of this is over my head despite the fact that your posts are really clear and well written.  I'm looking forward to the webinar's  and maybe the fog will begin to lift.

Brad, I'm just getting started with blogging and so much of this is over my head despite the fact that your posts are really clear and well written.  I'm looking forward to the webinar's  and maybe the fog will begin to lift.

I'm always interested in what's out there to enhance my blogging.  Thank you for your post today.

Patricia   Portsmouth NH Real Estate

I'm never going to get all this put together, where do I just send a check?:)

Hi Brad!  Thanks for the great info, as always.  Off to fix the outside blog

Brad has double vision from computering all day, time to call it quits for the evening.  Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed evening, be back tomorrow, same Brad time, same Brad channel! lol  :-))

Thanks for your post. I am almost decided on my outside blog domain name! So many choices!

CleverBrad, love your riddle. I'll check mine but I think maybe I've linked to it a time or two. If not, it'll be corrected soon.

Brad,

I am really glad to see this.  I have been wanting to focus on my outside blog.  I love the ease of the widgets.  They are coming next.  Thank you for all that you do.

OK, I get it! I actually did that, but took out the links because I wanted to make it appear my about the area than about me and my outside blog. Maybe I will reconsider that.

More great stuff, Brad!  Thank you sir!!

Brad - Thanks ! Everything is good hear. Hope all is well with you. I will do what you advised. I went into my outside blog again yesterday and I am tweaking it some more. I must be doing something right, received a contact yesterday and listed his property. Then a few hours later received a call off of one of my blogs and now looking for lake front properties.

For anyone who thinks everything you guys are doing doesn't work I am classic proof that it does !

Kim - anytime you reference a previously written AR post, you should be linking to the post on your outside Blog and not the AR post.  You should drive traffic to your outside Blog and posts any opportunity you get. 

Connie - I'm only a call or comment away if and when you ever need help. You can do both.  Adding links to your outside blog and posts in any fashion is beneficial.  Take every opportunity you can.

Christine - your A++ has been granted.  :-)

Kate - Blogging in this Market is like planting seeds for the great harvest that is "soon to come!"

Andrew - I'll help you out if you need, the riddle here is to just drive traffic and visitors to your outside Blog and hopefully this post explained how.  If not, just hover your mouse over the last link in the post above.

Jason - thanks.  I think this was my first riddle post ever! lol~  Great talking to you last night.  :-)

Stephanie - what a concept, you rock!  I think adding a link to members outside blogs is key and we'll hopefully have something in place to do that shortly.  Making it simple for members is important.

Bo - Bard???  lol~

Tammy - I know not everyone reads all the comments, I'm glad you do and that you saw my after-thoughts, see what a little coffee in the morning does for me? HAHA!  Thanks for noticing.

Emily - you will never be a statistic, call me anytime with ANY questions you may have.  When I post the FAQ's, your question might help hundreds of other members who have the same one.  Thanks.  :-)

Lizette - linking to your outside blog posts was the answer.  Too many members get an outside Blog showing all their AR posts, but then when they create a new post referring to their previously written posts, they are linking back to the AR post and not the one on the outside Blog.  This just recirculates traffic on their AR Blog.  The idea here is to send traffic over to the outside ActiveBlog every chance you get.

Janie - glad you found this post as it was intended. Funny, yet informative.  We have a pretty sharp group out here in the rain.  Thought this would change it up a bit from my normal style of blogging.  Looking forward to that Easter Egg hunt, make sure you include me ok?  :-)

Michelle - you figured it out, that's the key!  Yeah!  It's just one more way to get your outside Blog on the map.  You are not slow at this stuff, you're just growing everyday you learn something new.

Lora - just keep pressing on, the fog will clear soon, I promise.  Just don't give up like some do.  They always end up coming back and wishing they had stuck with it.  Baby steps, and one bite at a time.

Drew - It will all come together in time, so invest your time wisely.  You can make your check out to me!! haha

Eileen - let me know when you decide, I'd love to have you add a link to the "Link Love & SEO" post....

Melissa - that's what it's all about!!  Well, at least part of it.  I think the business that comes to members from ActiveRain is actually just an added bonus.  It's the relationships that really count and that will last a lifetime.  Thanks for sharing that success comment, hopefully it will impact the non-believers.  :-))

Brad- Great riddle. The fact is that most people get used to do a thing a certain way, like link to AR blog instead of Activeblog. After a while of intentionally making the change, it will become second nature just as it has been on AR blog.

Brad,

Pretty complete tutorial how to get it right. And producing. Some of our members have created good-looking blogs, I must say. Thanx.

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Sarah

http://www.lyricsdigs.com

Sarah - thanks for visiting and reading my Blog, you're always welcome to stop by anytime.  Just a quick question, is the lyricsdigs.com a site you created?  Seriously, as a musician, I was intrigued and just trying to make the connection?  Thanks for stopping by, hope you'll continue to do so.  :-)

Katerina - you nailed it!  Thought this post might rattle the cage a bit and help jump start some new and creative habits.  I was going to write a post called "7 Habits of Highly Effective Bloggers", but  I decided to write the book instead.  :-))  It's always nice to hear from you, thanks for poppin in.

Now that I've read more comments and your explanation, I think I understand it better. I'm going back to change some of my links. Can I sign up for the class now????? :)

Connie - I am trying to have the 1st class setup for this coming Thursday, but still have some technical issues to work out. 

I'll do a post about it as soon as I know more, and have the class(es) confirmed.  :-)

Brad - you're awesome!  I'll let you know when I hit "paydirt" with some of your tips.

Mike - I'm really looking forward to that, hopefully very soon my friend.  :-)

Ummmm....I don't get it!  =)  Thanks for the tip Brad!

Michael - LOL~ Very funny... If you're serious though...that's TOO BAD!  :-))

Ok, ok.  I get it.  I need to stop linking to my Active Rain blog and start linking to my outside blog.  This should have been obvious but wasn't.  So, Brad thanks once again.

Christine - this will make a huge difference if you do.  :-)  ActiveBrad

BTW - I am editing a SPAM comment as you'll see by the signature below.  Once I track this spammer down, it's good riddens.

Taking advantage of yet another spam comment by replacing it with my own.

I am chasing these suckers down and will eventually catch them and reciprocate. 

Signed - ActiveBrad