The Question
Danilo posed an interesting question concerning the motive of Active Rain in promoting the Localism side of their platform with a facelift. He also suggested their intent could be to dominate the market for hyper-local real estate information.
I have to admit, the change didn’t mean much to me. I’m not sure about their motive or whether they will become the place consumers go to for local information. I just never thought about it, until Danilo asked the question.
Starting Out
I cut my blogging teeth at Active Rain; learned to walk and talk there too! I spent many a day and night hanging out with friends. I read, and gleaned knowledge about blogging from agents all over the country.
Some days were good blog days, others, well; let’s just say I erased a fair number of posts, before I realized you should be cautious about erasing posts.
I always knew Localism was in Beta, I just never understood the difference between Localism and Active Rain. When I posted there, it was about neighborhoods and communities 95% of the time, so almost everything I wrote was posted on Localism.
Moving On
I left Active Rain last year, except for an occasional trip back to post my listings. I have since concentrated on my “outside blog”; the term for a blog which wasn’t an AR blog.
Localism and AR were good to me. I basically own the city which I posted about. Google has my Localism posts number 1-4 for Avon Indiana Neighborhoods. Search Avon Indiana Homes (insert any Avon subdivision name) and I place with at least three of the top ten. I’ve closed several transactions with people who found me on AR.
Not only was most of my content not great, it is now outdated. The community school district has changed its website, so the links are broken. Soon, I will be changing my IDX solution, invalidating my neighborhood listing links. Will the consumer think I have disappeared?
Going Back?
I could go back and update the information. Is it really worth the time? Should Localism become “the force to be reckoned with”, as some believe, would it be a good investment to ensure I don’t lose my placement in my area? Would it be valuable to have accurate information there for consumers?
Or, would I just be competing with myself. Could I have the same or better placement with my own blog? There is only one #1 spot. Can one independent blog compete with many writers on AR/Localism? Will I continue to own my neighborhood and community? I think so!
I could be wrong! What says you?
See UPDATE – Comment #6
Revealed ~ How Localism plans to make money.
