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The following is a step-by-step tutorial to build a new RealTown Blog. This article is the first in a series about building, publishing, and distributing blogs at RealTown.
If you do not already have an account at http://RealTown.com, please sign up (it’s free!) to become a RealTown member! You will need a RealTown account to create a Blog at RealTown.com.
Step 1: Sign In to My RealTown
Go to http://RealTown.com and click the ‘Member Log In’ link in the upper right corner of the screen.
Log In by inserting your Username or E-mail Address and Password, then click ‘Login Now’.
Once logged in, you will be brought to My RealTown, your RealTown.com Home Page. If for some reason you are not brought to My RealTown, click the ‘My RealTown‘ link in the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 2: Creating Your Blog
Click the ‘Create a Blog’ button on the left side of the screen.
Input the ‘Title’ of your blog and the ‘Description’, then click ‘Create Blog’. Fill out this information after giving it a little thought. The words that you choose for these fields will offer important "clues" to the search engines about what your blog is about. You can always change this information later, but you could be penalized by search engines if you change this information once they start finding your blog.
You will receive confirmation that your blog has been created. On that confirmation screen, click the ‘click here’ link to access your new blog.
Step 3: Blog Manager Entry Screen
By default, you are brought to the Blog Manager ‘View Entries’ screen which has default settings for writing a new blog post. We are not going to post an entry yet, however, since we want to choose some of your blogging preferences first.
Step 4: General Weblog Settings
Go to the menu on the left, under ‘Configure’, click ‘General Settings’
This is where you will configure major settings for your new blog.
Weblog Status: Select ‘Private‘ until you are ready to publish your blog. Come back to General Setting later to mark this field ‘Public‘ when you are ready for the world to view your blog.
Meta Keywords: This is a very important tool that will help you achieve good rankings "organically" in the search engines. Choose words that are used as keywords by web surfers and words that apply to your market. (For best results, do not exceed 500 characters.) For example: real estate, realtor, buyer, seller, home, property, denver, mls, mortgage, lender, inspection.
Meta Description: Choose your words carefully here also when you describe your site. This is the little descriptive paragraph that search engines pick up when they find your blog in a search. (For best results, do not exceed 500 characters.)
Entries Per Page: If you are going to write short blog posts, a larger number is a good idea; long blog articles lend themselves to fewer entries for an optimal blog reader experience.
Recent Entries: There is a place on a side column in most templates with title links to the most recent blog entries. You may want to experiment with the number as your blog evolves.
Entry Preview Default: When your blog is viewed on RealTown.com, people will see your entire entry, part of your entry, or a description of the entry based on what you choose here. ‘Teaser Text’ is a part of your entry that you can specify from the ‘Add New Entry‘ screen. ‘Meta Description’ is just a short description of what the entry is about. This is also text you can specify from the ‘Add New Entry‘ screen. You can also opt for the reader to see the entire entry from the Blog home page by selecting ‘Complete Entry’. Teaser Text or Meta Description look better to search engines, but you may prefer that a reader can see the entire entry without having to click the title to read more.
Timezone: Select your time zone.
Date Format: Select a date format that you like.
Time Format: Select a time format that you like.
Show Title Field?: Most blog posts have titles. Titles are weighted heavily in search engines. There are some blogs, however, that are written as journals and other constructs that do not lend themselves to titles. Use of titles in optional in RealTown Blogs.
The rest of the page is about inserting Links and selecting Sticky Icons.
We will learn how to insert links in a few moments.
A Sticky Icon is an icon that denotes an important blog post. When you assign a Sticky to a blog post, that blog entry is placed at the top of the blog and will remain at the top of the blog until it is removed. Newer blog posts will always appear below a sticky. Some blog publishers like to denote a Sticky with an icon and some blog publishers like to apply a sticky without using an icon.
There are just two more little things to do on this page.
Content Default for New Entries: This is text that will appear on e-mail messages that accompany new posts to people you place on an e-mail list. It might say something as simple as, "Please read my latest blog entry." At RealTown Blogs, the choice is yours.
Email to Blog: RealTown Blogs has a special tool that lets you e-mail blog entries right from your e-mail platform. You can enable that feature here. There is additional information about this online and we will feature additional information at RealTown soon.
When you have selected your settings, make sure you click ‘Save Changes’.
Step 5: Add a Link to Your Blog
You can add as many links as you like. Link to your web site. Link to your "other" blog. Link to other resources that your readers will find useful. You can assign a name to the link and the URL address will be hidden from view.
To do this, go back to the ‘General Settings’ page, scroll down to the ‘Favorite Links’ section, and click the ‘click here to add a new favorite link’ link.
Input the ‘Link Name’ and ‘URL’ of where you want the link to go, then click ‘Add Link’.
After adding your link, you will be brought back to the ‘General Settings’ screen. Scroll down and make sure that the name of the link is spelled correctly and that the URL is correct. There are links to edit or delete at the right of the screen. You can repeat the process as many times as you like.
Step 6: Comment Settings
Go back to the vertical menu bar at the left and click Comment Settings.
Enable comment settings that are most appropriate for you personally. RealTown Blogs offers a great variety of choice in applying interactive comment technology. You can choose whether or not you want to be e-mailed when a new comment is posted to your blog and manage permissions for blog readers who post comments. After making comment selections, click ‘Save Changes’.
Step 7: Site Feed (RSS)
Next, click the ‘Site Feed (RSS)’ button.
This is an option that lets readers "subscribe" to your blog using an RSS reader. Generally, a "Yes" here is a good idea unless you are publishing a blog with very limited or personal application. To read more about RSS, click here.
After making RSS selections, click ‘Save Changes’.
Step 8: Categories
Return to the vertical menu bar and click ‘Categories‘.
Category links enable your readers to click a link and read blog posts with the same topic. This is another area that is heavily weighted in search engines, so choose your topics carefully. City names, neighborhoods, real estate "activity" words (inspection, staging, MLS) are some choices for real estate blogs. Visit other blogs and see what other bloggers are using and make careful choices. RealTown Blogs offer a great feature — you can assign multiple categories to any post!
Click the ‘Click here’ link to create a new category.
Assign a name to the category and insert that name (or a more specific name) into the URL field so that the system creates a URL that the search engines will gobble up! Please note that readers can elect to get RSS feed from a single category or your entire blog.
You can move categories up or down in the vertical menu of your blog by using the commands that appear at the right of the screen. RealTown Blogs are highly customizable.
Step 9: Send Pings
Click ‘Send Pings’ any time you publish a blog entry.
"Pings" will alert various search engines that there is new content on the World Wide Web. The search engines will send their spiders, index your site, and make this content available for on-line searches.
Step 10: Add New Entry
Click the ‘Add New Entry’ button on the left.
Choose an ‘Entry Title‘ and an ‘Entry URL‘. Let the on-screen text guide you.
Enter text in the ‘Entry Editor’ now, and create a blog post.
Format text and graphics using the icons that appear at the top of the Entry Editor. The RealTown Blogs Entry Editor has some wonderful features. Each of the features is more fully explained in mouse-over text. Point your mouse at each icon to learn the function that an ensuing "click" will invite.
Be sure to go through the rest of the options and input text as necessary. Entry Time/Date function lets you put your post on a time release. This feature lets you write blog posts and post-date them for publication. You can assign an hour on a Monday to write blog posts for a whole week and let the system operate on auto-pilot for the rest of the week.
Assign a single category or multiple categories to each new blog entry. Choose whether you want to publish the blog post now or save it to draft. Don’t forget to check General Weblog Settings to change "private" to "public" when you are ready to show your blog to the world.
WELCOME to RealTown’s Special Corner in the Blogosphere!!!
RealTown Blogs is evolving as the blog platform of choice for serious real estate bloggers. Keep your browser pointed at http://RealTown.com to learn about new developments at the Web’s premier real estate blog community.
Thank you for taking the time to post this tutorial. Although I have experimented with my new blog tools through trial and error, your steps were most helpful in some areas that I could not figure
out.
I don’t want to comment until I read the tutorial.
<img src="http://www.realtownblogs.com/include/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/regular_smile.gif” />
Fran, how great to make this available to us blogging newbies!
Just starting out…thanks for the 1-2-3!
Trying to learn….Thanks for all help.
Wanting to learn this new method. Thanks for any help.
Here goes…
Hi Frances,
Your instructions are excellent.
Thank you
your instructions were excellent
Nice to see this with graphics I will be using this for new and
upcoming classes.
Thank you so much for this step by step instruction.Frankly this
blog stuff was off the map for me,being from the “older”
generation. Again, thank you and will be blogging soon.
Great job!!
Building a Blog may be easy, but how do you upgrade the Blog on a
daily basis so that you always have current, up to date information
for the readers??
I love learning. I think it is so important to take the time to be
enhancing our knowledge of the different aspects of our profession.
I especially think it is important in my area, where continuing
education is optional rather than mandatory.
Phone help was GREAT.
I can’t wait to start blogging. I love to read blogs, but am so
hesitant to write. Have any of you traded in your Blackberry for an
IPhone. i would love to hear the Pros and Cons of the IPhone.
Thank you for this great information!!! I am eager to give this a
whirl and use blogs both in real estate sales, recruiting and with
my real school too!
Thanks again!!! I may get the hang of this yet!
Johnell Woody
WESTWOOD School of Real Estate Studies, Inc.
I have heard Blogging was easy. However, it’s more complicated than
I thought and your instructions were helpful. They gave me the
confidence to build my own blog.
Thank you Ms. Frances Flynn Thorsen for the wonderful blog set-up
instruction. It was clear, concise, and easy to follow. I look
forward to the new found world of blogging
Dana DeLuca
http://www.ColumbusHomeDreams.com
http://www.MyFtBenning.com
hard to decide what kind of blog to get started. Trying to keep it
real and not totally “real estate”. I figure sharing experiences it
the best way.
This is so easy! I can’t wait to start blogs on our website!
E pro is really helping me come along in knowing the right ways to
get started.
Thank you for your help!
I already started blogging!
Vivian Franco R(S)
Coldwell Banker Island Properties
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii
E-Mail: alohafromvivian@aol.com
Web-Site: http://www.vivianfranco.net
Scary, but not hard at all. Thank you for making this so simple. So
much to do, so little time. All these ideas for categories, I hope
this will be a benefit to my community. Thanks for all your
help.
Toni Dalrymple
Prudential California Realty
MailTo:Toni@4SaleByToni.com
http://4SaleByToni.com
So far I have learned quite a bit about web presence and internet
presence on my course with InternetCrusade. But it still seems very
difficult to create my own blog.
If the numbers are an indicator, then the market is picking up
slowly but surely!
Below is the active & pending from February of 2006 to February
of 2008 for the same time period for all of our MLS area:
Active 06- 4648, 07- 8654, 08- 10176
Pending 06- 3723, 07- 1968, 08- 1281
New Construction (including to be built, under construction&
new never occupied):
Active 06- 2732, 07- 3284, 08- 2909
Pending 06- 1631, 07- 614, 08- 383
Weekly market snap shot ( 7 day total, This is for the same week in
each respective year)
06- Active 713, Price change 415, Sold 476
07- 640 333 214
08- 615 541 144
There where 1277 homes pending on Feb 18th, 1040 of them were below
$ 300,000!!!
So:
Are there a lot of homes on the market?
Of course!
A lot of the homes on the market are owner occupied, when they sell
they need to buy!
So:
Are there a lot of buyers on the market?
Of course!
Have a wonderful Day!
I am enjoying taking this course. I have learned lots so far. Looks
like there is lots more to learn. There are always changes that I
need to keep up with. This blog set-up is clear enough to follow. I
look forward to the new world of blogging.
Marie Whitton
http://www.PremierPropertiesSpecialist.com
http:MarieWhitton.Realtor.com
Frances–Thank-you for the great step-by-step tutorial on setting
up a blog. I am printing it out as I write and look forward to
using it over the weekend to get started and know by the content I
will not have any problems.
I look forward to be one of the forerunners in my area to use
technology to get sales made and blogging will be a great first
step. Thanks for the community help…looking foward to the future
of blogging!
Building a Blog was much easier that I thought. I am anxious to
start using this valuable tool in my marketing!
Becky Barlow
beckybarlow.com
blogging was easy..nothing like i had ever imagined
Hey, Fran! THANKS for the step-by-step tips on creating our own
Blogs
Susie Thompson
Check out the latest details…
Check out the latest market details and current information…
Thank you so much for this easy process for setting up my blog. I have tried to do it before and have failed miserably. This was just as you advertised easy as 1 2 3
The most difficult thing about blogging to me is writing something people will like and want to come back for more.
Building a Blog was very intimidating at first but now seems simple. Thank you….
The first run through is totally Greek. I need to try this again before 10pm!
Frances- Thank you for taking the time to put this tutorial together! With your clear directions I will no doubt have my Blog up and running in no time at all!
Thank you for the detailed information. I needed a 1,2,3 step instruction. I’m ready to get started.
I am learning a lot in the e-pro class even though I thought I was pretty tech saavy. I am ashamed that I know stuff that I am not using. I think time management is definitely needed to implement this new stuff.
Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to put this important course together.
That was really as easy as 1-2-3.
I skipped this section . I missed it completely first time. It is easy to be a blogger. Thanks to this tutorial.
Thanks for your instructions. I’m trying to complete this e-Pro course before my time runs out, Run my business and work on my housing development which I’m seeking partners for.
For that reason, I’m not interested in a Blog at this time. Maybe later.
I have written several "Letters to the Editor" in the past and have some in mind for the future, when I have time. I wonder if I can copy and paste them into a blog?
Don@Flannery-Company.com
Great instructions. I got a listing and a buyer from the blog on Trulia.
This makes me less apprehensive about starting a blog. I’m actually looking forward to it now.
Very helpful. I’ll keep this as a bookmark to come back to to help.
The instruction make blogging much less daunting.
I had so much fun! Thank you for making the helpful instructions. I’ll have to added updating my blog to my contact manager. Thanks!
Thanks for the tutorial – will not start a blog until I have my new domain name and web site to tie in.
This is great tutorial that not only covers step-by-step, it shows you the screen shots as well.
Great job!
Thank you
Reza Khodadad
I am new to blogging and this was a great way to learn. I can’t wait to start my own.
Wow -Thanks for the easy directions on blogging. I can see many applications in my work. Now all I need is a new approach on time management and more hours in the day to sort all this out.
Great instructions. Just went back and forth between tabs to do the setup. Now to jump in and post. Can pictures be included? How?
This instructions are excellent for newbies in blogging like me. Thanks. e-PRO is changing my world!
Wonderful! Thank you so much for taking the time & for doing such a great job walking us through the set-up process. People like you make the ww web and RealTown a super experience! Thank you, again.
I have been waiting for an opportunity to become more internet savvy. The tutorial is wonderful. I will implement after I read more on the epro course. Real town website is great for a beginner like me. Although, I have been in the Real Estate business for over 20 yrs. I never thought that I could learn, there’s so much to learn but I am catching up. ePro and web2 give me confidence in putting my real estate business into the next level. I am very proud of myself that I have taken these twoclasses. Thank you! Thank you!!!
great infomration.
Very helpful tools!