Your Edge in Real Estate is Getting Sharper
By NikNik · July 9, 2008 · 4 Comments
If you’ve been clamoring for an up to the minute mortgage rate widget for your real estate blog….it’s time to dry your eyes and head over to Zillow. There you’ll find four brand new Mortgage Rate Widgets that you can freely leverage for your own blog. If you’re looking to foster greater online interaction via your blog community and provide readers with a knowledgeable tool, this may be just what you need. Not only are these widgets radiating rates…but they look nice too!
If you thought the Mortgage Rate Widget was the only new candy in Zillow’s goodie bag, it’s time to reach in for a second helping. Did you feel that? It’s Zillow’s FREE co-branding! With it, your blog readers will have access to Zillow tools and features while being reminded who sent them there in the first place. With
Zillow’s co-branding individuals or companies can utilize this free service just by adding any of the following to their blog or Website: individual Zillow URLs, mortgage rate widgets, links generated by the Zillow API, new profile badges.
Here’s how it works:
Before you can take advantage of Zillow’s free co-branding, you need to take care of the following: (1) sign up for a Zillow account, (2) add a Zillow URL to your blog or Website and (3) include the following code at the end of your Zillow link “/?scrnnm=YourZillowScreenName”. Then, when readers select the Zillow URL on your blog and a new Zillow page opens, you’re picture, contact information and link to your Website will appear at the top of that page. Wherever your blog reader travels on Zillow during that session, your branding will follow too. Click here to learn more about Zillow Co-Branding.
In this market, any edge, ledge, step stool or leg up you can get to boost your blog community and market freely to your target audience is worth checking out. And if you’d like to get up close and personal with the Zillow team AND you’re planning to go to REBarCamp and the Inman Connect, you won’t want to miss Beer with Bloggers. The venue is Café Du Nord (from 6-8pm), which just happens to be right above REBarCamp on July 22, 2008. See you there!
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Tags: badges, widget, mortgage rate, widgets, minute mortgage, interaction
Does Your Real Estate Blog Need a Side of Widget?
By NikNik · May 20, 2008 · 16 Comments
Are you looking for a value add for your real estate blog or Website? Many widgets promise the world (MORE READERS), but sadly many fall short of maximizing their intended goal. When it comes to adding valuable content and tools to your blog, try a widget that compliments your niche. Just don’t try them all.
Many agents rightly focus on a niche or specific target market when it comes to blogging. So, why not add a widget that provides local content, events, and even property listings. Hyperlocal aside, even adding a news widget with a larger content scope (say, nationwide) adds value to readers who check both local and national market info.
When thinking about adding a widget to your blog, you may want to ask yourself: (1) Does this widget provide helpful information? and (2) Does this widget foster interaction and build your network?
Some options for you:
Property Search
Give consumers a home search tool they will come back for Read more
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Tags: social networks, widget, property search, widgets, cyberhomes, altos research
New Recent Reader Widget from MyBlogLog
By NikNik · February 16, 2008 · 3 Comments
You may have noticed our new “Recent Reader” widget from MyBlogLog. If not, take a look. The design has been updated and now you can access additional information about your readers. When scrolling over a reader avatar a flyout box will appear with reader details. You can then find out more about your visitor by easily clicking through to their MyBlogLog profile and community pages. The new widget is also infused with a quick link for adding visitors to your contacts. In addition, MyBlogLog readers can simply add themselves to the site’s community by selecting the “add” button at the bottom of the widget.Currently, MyBlogLog offers a choice of seven colors and 2 layouts for your widget. You will need to adjust the flyout box based on your blog layout. There are a couple of known glitches:
- Iframe Blocks Flyouts: If you’re displaying the widget code in an iframe, set your flyouts value “none”.
- Mac Firefox - Flyouts vs Flash: This is a Firefox bug w/ CSS transparency and absolute positioning.
MyBlogLog has plans for those of us who prefer optimum customization and promises we’ll be able to upload our own skins very soon. Also, stay tuned for major changes on your MyBLogLog profile. In the coming weeks, your profile will be getting a facelift and new integrated features….taking your profile from static to dynamic!
Getting Started: To update your “Recent Reader”widget, go to your MyBlogLog community page and click on the “widgets” link under your community description.
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Tags: add button, widget code, colors, own skins, widgets, MyTechOpinion
Have you been Blogged?
By NikNik · February 8, 2008 · 1 Comment
With over 100 million blogs on the Internet, how do you discern which ones make it to your Google Reader. Blogged.com is “better blog” directory and organizer. The authors and editors of Blogged scour the Internet and blog submissions to identify “better blogs” for different content areas and award each a score. Editor reviews are provided by professional editors who evaluate a blog based on the following criteria: Frequency of Updates, Relevance of Content, Site Design, and Writing Style. The closer you are to 10, the better the blog you have. Use keywords to search for blogs and see if your blog made the cut!
MyTechOpinion was contacted by Blogged recently because they had given us an excellent score of 9.7! When searching for “real estate” we are currently the top rated blog. For business, we rank in the top 6 just under Seth Godin and SEO of the Sea. And for technology, we are #7 right under the Google Blog!!!! Thanks Blogged….MyTechOpinion greatly appreciates your opinion!
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Tags: widgets, widget, Google, blogs, real estate, MyTechOpinion
Marketing Your Real Estate Blog
By Reggie · January 18, 2008 · 2 Comments
Recently I was invited to the Inman Connect in New York to speak on a panel about “Marketing Your Real Estate Blog”. As you may know this can be a tricky topic. Please enjoy this video:
Remember that marketing your real estate blog will come in many forms. Here are a few more ideas:
- Start with properly formatted HTML
- Create remarkable and link worthy content
- Syndicate original content: Ezine Articles, GoArticles
- Social Bookmarks: StumbleUpon, Digg and Del.icio.us
- Participate in communities: ActiveRain, Zolve, RealTown, Trulia Voices, etc
- Guest post on popular blogs
- Analytics Software: Google Analytics, Clicky, CrazyEgg
- Conduct interviews with opinion leaders
- Widgets: MyBlogLog, WidgetBox
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Dancing with the Bloggers
By NikNik · January 1, 2008 · 1 Comment
Todd Carpenter asked me to judge his first annual “2007 Humdinger Award” contest along with Dan Green and Chris Lengquist. The entries were funny and the bloggers were fierce! As for the scores…you’ll just have to visit Blog Fiesta to get the true results. They are all superbly hysterical posts in my book. So if you haven’t already checked out these blogger funnies, start off your new year with a big giant smile and get to reading!DTPMMALF – Athol passes the “ass test”! I’m very impressed that he understands what’s really being asked of him. Plus it made great reading material for Reggie.
The Bubble Gum Interviews – Each and every one of them is oddly fabulous! Finally someone gets to the heart of what we really care about…you know…drag racing in Houston, Starbucks, arm wrestling Chuck Norris or Brittney Spears. Thanks Lani, I look forward to the next one!
The Honor is All Mine! – It sucks to be overlooked. Just an oversight on their part I’m sure. But can I buy you at beer at the next Beers & Bloggers so that I can say I know you now?
Ten Marketing Tips You Can Learn From A Prostitute - An amazing introspective article detailing the dualities between prostitution and real estate. Very motivating!
Business Goals – A plan is good. A plan with real expectations is even better. Some of us need to plan our “nice time”. Thanks for the tip!
Top 5 Reasons Why You Wouldn’t Hire a Penguin as Your Next Realtor® - Yes, I run into Penguins from time to time at the gym. They are always the ones ignoring the “no cell phones” rule and insist on talking on their cell phones as I’m running on the treadmill….take it outside already!
Please Don’t Destroy My American Dream – This actually brought back nightmares of my former neighbors who held weekly BBQ’s on the roof of their 7 bedroom home. They had dirt bikes too. (Which I don’t mind enjoying on occasion.) But not while the neighbors are making their own “Jack Ass” movie dragging themselves on crates down my front lawn.
Mademoiselle? Oui. La Spinster?…ZUT! - “Bella Donna” sarebbe la mia scelta!
What I’ve Learned in Two Weeks of Real Estate Brokers Classes - Get to the point already! 
WordPressing their widgets into your Facebooks! - Perfectly hilarious and smart!
And, I’m looking for “Dancing with the Bloggers” contestants. Still working on the logistics of the venue…it may have to take place in my gym locker room. But if you own an iPod and you have a little shake left if your booty….you’re in!
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Tags: Starbucks, business goals, MyTechOpinion, marketing tips, bloggers, wordpress
Sidebar "Bling" Cross Promotes Your Online Presence
By Reggie · December 10, 2007 · 11 Comments
These days real estate professionals are members of social sites, online communities, blogs and more. So how do we deliver a consistent brand and message over so many tools? Also how to we channel interested parties to our other communities? One way is to use a similar sidebar for each application.
Introducing the BLING Widget for Real Estate Agents
Since we have not seen the perfect sidebar bling application for you real estate agents, we developed one for you to use. You will notice in “Step 7″ I instruct you to use the full path to the icons. This is so that you can use this code on real estate networks like Activerain, Facebook and more without making further changes.
Here is an example of the buttons I have created for your use.
(Buttons from left to right: LinkedIn, Facebook, RSS, Activerain, Zolve, MyBlogLog, Google MyMaps, Friendster, Trulia Voices, Zillow and RealTown Real Estate Network.)
DOWNLOAD ZIP FILE OF BUTTONS HERE.
IMPORTANT: If you are adding this to your blog, please make a backup of your template before beginning so you can easily restore things if you need too.
Step 1:
Create a new folder on the root directory of your website or blog and title it “bling”
Step 2:
From the icons I’ve created, choose the specific icons you want to use on your sidebar widget and add them to your newly created folder titled “bling”. (Note: Choose either the .jpg files or the .png files. PNG files have a transparent background.)
Step 3:
Start by opening notepad or your HTML editor. Now you will be adding the code from each step to the blank notepad document. Please add each snippet of code to notepad in the order below. If you are advanced, the complete code is avaliable here.
Step 4
Copy the code below. Now paste into the notepad document we opened in Step 3. The code we just copied is for the header of our widget. The widget title is”Find Me Online” If you would like to use a different headline, replace those words with your own. You can also update the header and border color by replacing the hexadecimal (6 Digit) color with one from this chart.
Step 5
Copy the text below. Now paste this code after the code above. We will be editing it as follows:
Replace [Insert URL of Personal Photo] with absolute/full URL to photo. (i.e. http://www.mytechopinion.com/images/reggie.jpg) (Tip: Ideal width is 75 pixels or less)
Replace [Insert Name] with your name
Replace [Insert Company Name] with your company or blog name
Replace [Insert Your Blog or Website URL Here] with your actual URL
Step 6
Copy the code below. This is the DIV for the buttons. Please paste to our open notepade file after the previous code.
Ok, now you will start to add the buttons for your widget. 4 buttons will fit on each row. If you are using more than 4 buttons, you can add another DIV by preforming Step 6 again. This will create a 2nd row of icons.
Step 7
Earlier you added the buttons for your widget into a newly created folder. Now find the corresponding code from the options below. Then add each desired to your notepad or open editor. Look for “<!–Insert Buttons to the left of this block–>” and paste the button(s) code before it.
LinkedIn
Replace [Insert LinkedIn URL] with the link to your LinkedIn Profile.
Facebook
Replace [Insert Facebook URL] with the link to your Facebook Profile. Also replace [Full Path to Image] with your full URL to the image.
ActiveRain
Replace [Insert Activerain URL] with the link to your Activerain Profile or blog. Also replace [Full Path to Image] with your full URL to the image.
RSS
Replace [Insert RSS URL] with the link to your RSS feed URL. Also replace [Full Path to Image] with your full URL to the image.
Zolve
Replace [Insert Zolve URL] with the link to your Zolve profile or blog. Also replace [Full Path to Image] with your full URL to the image.
MyBlogLog
Replace [Insert ByBlogLog URL] with the link to your MyBlogLog Community. Also replace [Full Path to Image] with your full URL to the image.
Friendster
Replace [Insert Friendster URL] with the link to your Friendster URL. Also replace [Full Path to Image] with your full URL to the image.
MyMaps
Replace [Insert MyMaps URL] with the link to your custom Google MyMaps page. Also replace [Full Path to Image] with your full URL to the image.
Trulia Voices
Replace [Insert Trulia Voices URL] with the link to your Trulia Voices profile. Also replace [Full Path to Image] with your full URL to the image.
Zillow
Replace [Insert Zillow Profile URL] with a link to your profile on Zillow. Also replace [Full Path to Image] with your full URL to the image.
RealTown Real Estate Network
Replace [Insert RealTown Profile URL] with a link to your profile on RealTown Real Estate Network. Also replace [Full Path to Image] with your full URL to the image.
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Tags: technology, real estate, Directory, Google, activerain, real estate agents
Ideas For Getting Readers For Your Real Estate Blog: Part 1
By NikNik · November 4, 2007 · 12 Comments
Is there a science to getting readers for your blog? Do you have a plan when it comes to gaining readership and blog exposure? Whether you pick and choose your strategies to create a thoughtful plan, or round up every tactic in the book…..there is a method to your madness. We may not go about it the same way, so I’ve decided to collect as many ideas for gaining blog readers as I can find, or stand. Take ‘em, leave ‘em or add to them. I’ll keep the list going as long as I can, and with that, here are the first 5.
- Add your blog address to your business card & other marketing. Whether you are farming an area, marketing to your sphere, or meeting new potential clients, this is a sure fire way to get the word out. And with the holidays approaching, be sure to have a stack of cards on hand for all those special events.
- Got RSS? You have an RSS feed on your blog, but are you making good use of it? I suggest downloading an RSS feed image that is obviously recognizable and place it toward the top of your blog so your readers can easily subscribe. Don’t make feed subscription a game of hide and seek. Try Feed Icons or Bittbox for RSS icons and trick out your feed with Feedburner.
- Custom Widgets: Create a custom widget and place it on your blog for your current readers to download and place on their blogs. Now your content is accessible to people that may not otherwise know what great info you have to offer. To get started creating your custom widget, visit Widgetbox or Spring Widgets.
- Social Bookmarking & Tagging: Using social bookmarking sites like Digg, del.icio.us and StumbleUpon not only allows users to store, organize, share, and search “bookmarks” of web pages, but there are other benefits to be had. Two possible benefits of social bookmarking are helping a website rank better on search engines, as well as increasing the amount of natural links to the website. And a fabulous benefit of tagging is that you can see how others have tagged their content and see which tags are most important. From here, you can see which tags are most popular, and how to incorporate those tags into your content to become noticeable to the most people. To learn more about Socical Bookmarking, watch this.
- Comments: If you are truly trying to create community centered around your blog, then you need to participate in the act of creating community. One way to do this is to join the conversations that are happening on other blogs. Visit other real estate focused blogs and make comments on articles you are interested in. Whether you support or disagree, let your voice be heard. The best commentators will take a stance and add upon it with another benefit or helpful resource. Before long, you’ll notice new visitors and comments on your own blog!
These ideas may seem simple and obvious to most, but they are only as good as the user that implements them. Stay tuned for Ideas #6-10 next week.
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Why Ubertor For Your Next Real Estate Website?
By Reggie · September 27, 2007 · 2 Comments
Occasionally here at MyTechOpinion - Technology for Real Estate we will invite a guest writer from a top real estate technology company. This week I am pleased to announce that Stephen Jagger from Ubertor has the spotlight. (By the way…Ubertor also provides SingleProperty websites that allow you to keep all the data within your original site, while having a domain go directly to your single property site.)
Reggie asked me to write a post about what makes Ubertor real estate agent websites so different from our competitors. Here are a few points that make us different. To really get a feel for it, feel free to order a website on our system and you will get the first 30 days free. What a great way to try us out.
1. Google Webmaster Guidelines
We have built our real estate agent websites to follow Google’s http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35769
http://www.brianbecker.ca/
http://www.sellwithstratton.com
http://www.loftsvancouver.com
http://www.jameswarren.ca
3. Integration
Our system has the ability of being integrated into Google Sitemaps, Google Maps, Feedburner.com plus you can post any widget that you like into your website. It is quick and easy to manage.
4. IDX Compatibility
We have created the system so that any agent anywhere can use it. Want to have your areas property search built in? No problem, you can use our MLS tab within the control panel to add your MLS property search or the IDX feed of your choice. Here are some examples:
http://www.sandiegocastles.com/ - San Diego, CA
http://www.jeffandsteve.com/ - Palo Alto, CA
http://www.moveuputah.com/ - Draper, UT
http://www.historicmodern.com/ - Okeechobee, FL
5. Flexibility
Without using CSS you can add pages, delete pages, change page names, add banner images, remove the banner completely, flip the template colors, plus much more. The system is built to give you as much flexibility as possible so that you can have a unique look and feel for your website.
There is so much that can be done with an Ubertor website and so many reasons why you should have one. From a dollar point of view we are so confident that you will love our product we will give you the first 30 days free. Plus there is NO Setup Fee, No Contract and No Obligation. Check us our here http://www.ubertor.com/
Here is an interview I did with the Real Estate Channel that answers some more questions about Ubertor:
Here are some testimonials about our product:
“This is just a little note to let you know how pleased I am that I made the move to Ubertor. As you know I had a website designed, built and marketed professionally some years ago. This site was and is a great source of business for me so I was really nervous about changing anything. I wondered, why mess with something that is working? However the site was hard to work with and I had to pay people to do changes to the site, upload photos, etc. etc. I was not skilled enough to do my own work on it. My new Ubertor site is great! It doesn’t take much training to be really good at managing my own site! I am really happy with it.
I still stay up were I was in the search engines too.”
Trish Anderson, RE/MAX All Points
Burnaby, BC
“Ubertor is a small Real Estate software provider based out of Vancouver, Canada that is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking a simple, all-in-one solution to get your real estate business on the Internet.”
Joel Burslem - FutureOfRealEstateMarketing.com
Portland, Oregon
“Ubertor’s product was the first I found that offers the flexibility I desired. The sites are simple enough for the novice yet offer the more sophisticated user the tools required for full content control, such as access to code and the ability to add and edit pages and site navigation. Of course, your featured homes presentation software is among the best I have encountered.”
Kris Berg, Prudential California Realty
San Diego, California
“This has become the best RE sales tool that I have ever invested in! I have referred other fellow agents within my office to their services & they all have been equally impressed. I must say I LOVE my website & the results it gets! Ubertor was so easy to work with in tweaking my site & their support is super! Their excellence continues to exceed my expectations. Use them they are GREAT!!!”
Steve Church, The Muljat Group
Bellingham, Washington
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Tags: maps, real estate, real estate agent, colors, widget, compatibility
JIBJAB…Just Plain Laughs
By NikNik · September 22, 2007 · 5 Comments
Well, it’s raining out here in California at the moment. And my big plans for the weekend are now waterlogged. Fortunately, my sense of humor is in check thanks to my friend Sarah. She sent me a hilarious “Starring You!” movie from JibJab. Who doesn’t want to see themselves shakin’ it like Carmen Miranda?! I love this site, and spent some serious time on it creating “Starring You!” movies with all my friends and family!
These short custom movies are great for any special event or “just for fun”! Creating is a fast and easy process. And then you have the choice to email or embed your movie on your blog, Facebook, etc. Besides movies, JibJab has an array of funny material guaranteed for laughs. You can also upload your own jokes and view others. Now you may not want to use this service for your next listing presentation, but you never know when you’ll be called upon to brighter someone’s damp day. Check out my JibJab movie below. (Special thanks to Todd Carpenter, Joe Ferrara, and Jim Kimmons….you boys have some sweet moves!)
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RealBird’s New Features and New Business Model
By Reggie · August 9, 2007 · 1 Comment
According to NAR, approximately 70% of buyers want to know more about the community they are buying in, so you’ll want to use the rich-text editors to include community and neighborhood information. Potential buyers will also see a “ValPak” icon to the map providing local coupons to enhance their experience. The Listing Publisher will also cross market your listings on each custom site you’ve created. You will also want to include these listings on your personal website. Simply grab their ‘Just Listed” widget to display your listings in the side bar of your website or blog. Or maybe it’s GeoRSS mapping widget you’re looking for. This widget will provide your website visitors local street maps, amazing 40 degree angle “bird’s eye” views (HOT technology) with local points of interest overlay.
Once your site is built, easily publish your listing site to a domain of your choice. Now it’s time to syndicate your listing for maximum exposure. RealBird can help you get the word out to Google Base, Trulia, Edgeio, Lycos Classifieds, Oodle, Local.com, Vast, and RealBird’s own SearchOnMaps.com. You can also grab the code to post on tools like Craigslist, Backpage, Kijiji, Facebook etc.
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Tags: technology, Google, map, RealBird, MyTechOpinion, trulia
Real Estate Bloggers Connect in San Francisco
By NikNik · July 9, 2007 · 1 Comment
Are you going to Bloggers Connect?
Just a reminder that the Inman Bloggers Connect Conference is fast approaching, so don’t miss this opportunity to meet and connect with real estate bloggers from around the globe! The main conference portion of this event takes place August 1 from 8:30-3:00 (Palace Hotel, SF), with topics including Finding Your Voice, Monetizing Your Blog, Show Me the Leads, Blogs and Social Networking, and more. You will also hear tips from top bloggers, as well as find out Project Blogger winners. So if you haven’t marked your calendars yet, you will undoubtedly do so to attend the party of the summer, Beer with Bloggers, July 31. Don’t miss this fabulous networking occasion where you’ll finally be able to meet your fellow bloggers face to face, and enjoy some refreshing beverages. So, will we see YOU there?
TUESDAY, JULY 31
5-7 pm - Beer with Bloggers
WEDESDAY, AUGUST 1
8:30- 9:15 - Finding Your Voice
9:15-10:00 - Monetizing Your Blog
10:00-11:00 - Keynote: Sitting in the eye of a media storm: The Inside Story
11:00-11:45 - Show Me the Leads
11:45-12:30 - Blogs & Social Networking: Creating Virtual Communities
12:30-1:00 - Lunch Break
1:00-1:45 - Pump Up the Volume with Widgets, Blidgets & other Doo-Dads
2:00-2:15 - Project Blogger Winners Revealed
2:15-3:00 - 10 Tips from Top Bloggers
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