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How-To: Write a GOOD Hyperlocal Blog Post

This post is dedicated to those of you with good blogging intentions. You know who you are. You started that community focused blog that everyone told you would be an instant hit, but now the blog is live and you haven’t written much of anything at all.

It’s all good…every blogger (aka “Content Creator”) has glared at the computer monitor trying to recall a post idea only to allow yourself to be distracted by the dog, the kids, the glass of wine. Becoming a content creator is tough (at first), so here are a few tips that may make the process of writing your next community-focused post much easier. [Read more...]

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HootSuite: Custom Social Media Analytical Reports


I’m always looking to generate meaningful analytics from my social media activities. These analytics help me to understand what’s working, what’s not working, and notice trends I otherwise may have missed. In my arsenal, I have Google analytics and Clicky on the blog metrics side, Facebook Insights for Facebook and use Lithium for Twitter. But having aggregated views with a consistent look and feel of reporting would be a welcomed benefit!

Last week I started playing around with HootSuite’s new Custom Social Media Reporting module; and I was pleasantly surprised by it’s flexibility. The report builder includes over 30 individual report modules; allowing you pick the metrics you’re interested in tracking. Then once I had a finished product, sharing the report is a snap. [Read more...]

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CardMunch: The Handy Solution to Business Card Overload

It’s certainly not a stretch to say that business cards are broken. It’s not that they don’t work at all, but think about it…business cards haven’t changed with the times. We still hand out this paper card that needs to be digitized and entered into a database. In recent years we’ve seen many technologies attempt to “fix” the transfer of contact information…we had “beaming”…then mobile apps like Bump, and a wide variety of business card scanners. But each has had its own set of problems. With Bump, the other party needs to be using the software, and of course have it setup properly. Mobile card scanners were a great idea, but to get 100% accuracy they proved very labor intensive.

That’s all changed with CardMunch from LinkedIn! This powerful iPhone app has quickly become one of my favorites. Its business benefit is huge, and right now you can download the app for free. (Android and Blackberry Users: CardMunch says they have a version for you coming soon.) [Read more...]

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How-To: Add an iFrame to Your Facebook Page as a Tab

With Facebook’s recent changes to page tabs, there’s been some confusion about what is, and what is not possible. This post is to clarify what changes Facebook has made, and show MTO readers how to easily take advantage of the new methods for creating page tabs.

On February 10, 2011 Facebook announced page admins could start using iFrames as page tabs, displaying a maximum of 8 tabs at any one time. To see more than the default 8 tabs, users need to click “More” below the last tab to reveal anything hidden. Facebook also announced they were going to deprecate FBML and FBJS as the primary technologies for building Facebook apps. As of March 11, 2011, Facebook users will no longer be able to create new FBML apps and pages will no longer be able to add the Static FBML app. [Read more...]

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5 Simple Tips for Improving Facebook Communication

As I’m sure you and the rest of the world are aware of, Facebook recently made some major changes with Pages and Settings. Some of these new updates have greatly improved the way we communicate on the platform we know and LOVE! So I thought I’d share a few tips for using these new features, as well as a few of my favorite ways to keep the conversation flowing! [Read more...]

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Adobe Lightroom: The Best Photo Solution

Photos are one of the most powerful tools a real estate agent has at their disposal. They help to tell the story of a listing or a community.

Whether printed, uploaded to Facebook, or added to a blog, images add an appeal that words alone simply can’t.

The key to effectively using photography isn’t in the camera. It is the software you use to organize, edit and share your pictures that will make the difference.

Photo software comes in many forms. Web-based systems like Picnik.com and free programs like Picasa offer easy-to-use, basic photo management tools. Advanced users can use Photoshop CS5, but at a hefty price tag and a steep learning curve. [Read more...]

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Death of a Salesman: Marketing without an Online Hub

It’s not a new concept by any means, but yet it’s still not being utilized by the majority of real estate agents. I’m referring to the most important aspect of your marketing plan for 2011…you’re online hub.

You know, the place where you share your expertise, showcase your listings, and deliver relevant content. The place that helps:

(1) your sphere stay up to date with your market,

(2) potential clients get the information they need to take the next step, and

(3) makes current clients extremely happy they chose to work with you because clearly, you know how to facilitate interest in their home and community!

And finally, the place that makes having an online marketing strategy make sense. Yes that place is your Website, but in 2011 that place should be your WordPress blog site. [Read more...]

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Powered By WordPress 3.0

Reading NikNik’s recent post on the MTO redesign takes me back to a lot of great times in blogging. It also reminds me of a lot of the challenges we faced in being early adopters of the WordPress platform.

Many times, our vision didn’t coincide with the current technology. That is when having a “mad scientist” like Reggie came in handy. He would always find a way to introduce new features that amazed us.

By 2010, the world of WordPress had caught up to our vision in a lot of ways. The problem was, MyTechOpinion was built on such a highly customized template, that taking advantage of advancements in WordPress was getting difficult. [Read more...]