Every member on AR has access to "Hit Router" on their "My Home" page.  Setting up Hit Router and maximizing it's potential with lead generation and IDX solutions is exactly why it was created.  The vision and goal of Hit Router was to help our members be able to direct visitors and traffic to their customized IDX sites, then convert those leads to clients and transactions.  There are a couple ways you can do this, and we'd love to show you how.  Understanding how to set this up properly can make all the difference in the leads you could be generating from your AR Blog.

Bob Stewart and I will be showing members how to best utilize Hit Router this Thursday at 2:00pm PST.  Join us if you'd like to know more about the ways you could be using Hit Router on your Blog and for your business. 

In the Webinar, We'll be Covering the Following and more:

How To Setup and Capture Your Local Market Leads

How To Create City Search Campaigns

Using IDX -vs- Websites

Understanding The "CPC Click Campaigns"

How To View Results and Reports

Understanding What "Hit Router Credits" are, and How it all Works

To Join The FREE Webinar - Click Here
(No RSVP or Pre Registration Required)

If you are unable to attend this particular training, we will be doing some repeats in the future.  We'll also be recording certain sessions that can be reviewed later as refreshers, or by other members who may be interested in some of these topics and trainings.  We hope to have these available weekly to the AR Community.  If you have topics or suggestions for future AR Webinars, let us know your needs.

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Edited 5/1/09

Click here for streaming Video of the recorded webinar

Click here to download the Webinar to your Computer

Many of us use Youtube to host a variety of Real Estate and personal videos.  I noticed that when videos are done playing, in most cases, other videos will pop up on the screen that have a similar topic or title.  Does this hurt or help you?  I guess this depends on how you "see" it, no pun intended.  Having a video on your site or post can certainly help to create a more captive audience, but those next videos that pop up may be having a subtle and adverse affect.

Yesterday, I was watching a Real Estate Video that was really interesting.  I watched all 3 minutes of it.  Then, when their video was finished, up came another agents video that had nearly the same title?!?   The second video was a bit more produced, had better sound quality, was clearly a higher quality camera, and seemed to have a better videographer.  Plus, the video was only 1:20 minutes long.  At the end of the "competitors" video was a phone number and annotation that included a call to action.  Hmm...

So how do you prevent your competition and others from coming up on "Your" Youtube videos?  Hopefully this tip will help prevent this from ever happening to you...ever again.  When using Youtube Videos on your Blog posts or sites, you might want to take these next steps and precautions before pasting that object embed code.  I'll use these screen shots below as examples in hopes this makes more sense.

                               You want this:                                                          Not This:

When you get or use ANY video from Youtube, there are some options available you may not be aware of.  This will come in very handy if you're uploading your own or using any videos from youtube.   When you create or find the video you wish to link or embed into your site, you'll see these options available located on the right side of the video.

Top Line is the URL used to provide a link to the video

Bottom Line is the embed code used to embed on your site

There is a tiny graphic just to the right of the embed code (a settings gear) that little blue thingy   that probably 90 percent of people never see.  Click On it!  This allows you to customize and make changes to the video and player.

This is the culprit right here. 

If you leave that box checked, you'll have no control over what shows up after your video plays.  If you leave it checked, you're taking a chance on having some videos pop up that might not "Best represent" you, your Blog or the site it's being seen on. 

This is happening with and to millions of videos, and they call it viral.  Can you see why now?

Once you get this out of the way, you can also customize your Video by changing the size and adding a custom border.  Just click on that "settings" graphic and it's all there.  I suggest the 445x365 or 500x405 for ActiveRain Blogs.  Only copy the embed code for your video "AFTER" you have completed these steps, that is unless of course you don't mind what videos come up after yours.

The video below is my 13 second claim to fame.  It's short, raw, and took me the least amount of time and effort to create other than getting to the place where I shot it.  Because it is titled "The Glory Hole" or "The Black Hole" you can imagine some of the other videos that would pop up in the viewer after mine. :-O  I sure didn't want Mom to see some of those other videos that were supposedly related.  Yikes!  We won't go there today.  This little video has had over half a million views with nearly 1000 comments.  Question is, where did they go and what did they see after mine...or YOURS?

ActiveRains "First" On-Line Training Webinar - Welcome To Session One

First, I want to thank all of you who have been waiting patiently for these webinars.  I just received a comment on my post from Cathy Tishhouse which reminded me, and made me realize that we need to get these training webinars under way.  We have just setup our very own AR On-line Training room, and we're ready to do our first session.  Our goal in session one is to help AR members get their Outside Blogs created and setup so they can benefit just like Cathy has.  There are now over one thousand new AR Outside Blogs out there, and we'd love to see that ALL ActiveRain members are getting these same benefits and results from their outside ActiveBlogs.

I love comments like these.  Thanks Cathy and CONGRATS on all your hard work and rewards.

This Thursday at 11:00am PDT, I'll be hosting our first "Official" ActiveRain Training Webinar.  It'll be on how to create, setup, and maximize your ActiveRain Outside Blogs.  We also have a special guest who will be joining us.  I'd love for you to join us too.  There are only 25 seats left available for session one, so it will have to be first come first served this time around.  If you have been on the fence about setting up your outside Blog, come join the gang and find out how to get it done right and why.  NOW IS THE TIME!

In addition to hearing about "NEW" features we'll be adding and launching this month, you'll learn to:

• Create An ActiveRain Outside Blog

• Use New Features of The ActiveBlog Toolbar

• Create and Claim Custom Domain Names

• Add Widgets and Customize ActiveBlogs

• Listing Router and Maximizing IDX Leads
  

• Adding "Google Juice" Content to Your Blog

• Invite Others to Participate and Contribute and more...
  

Having your Outside Blog already setup, or at least started will help, but if not, we'll show you how.  Here's a link to some other members' Outside Blogs for you to preview prior to our training.  Take a second to check them out, they'll give you some ideas on how you might want to set yours up depending on if you're a REALTOR, Lender, Stager, Inspector, Title Co. etc.  Also, if you do already have an Outside Blog, please be sure to add it to the list with the others.

Virtual seating is limited.  Our meeting number is 578 242 954 and the number to call in is 1-408-792-6300.  To join us, just follow these simple instructions below this Thurdsay at 11:00am PDT.  Come see how and why your Outside Blog can be valuable and give an advantage to you and your business.  Looking forward to seeing you there.

Click Link Below. Enter name and email. Enter the meeting password: ARtraining1 - Click "Join Now"

Click Here To Join Us "Live" This Thursday

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EDITED Thursday 4/16/09

Kudos to Bob Stewart for saving the day and hosting todays first AR Training Webinar.  There were a couple technical challenges, but Bob stepped up and made it happen!  I apologize for the member entry and exit tones, they will not be in any of the future training webinars.  Here's what you missed today.

To Watch Recorded Streaming Video - CLICK HERE
To Download To Your Computer - CLICK HERE

1 hour 34 minutes - 138.34MB

iPhone APPS for Real Estate Professionals

I am pleased to announce that today MobileAppLoader has launched its beta program for small businesses.  This ground-breaking product -- one of a kind -- enables small businesses to deploy customized mobile applications for iPhones and include them in App Stores.  For a limited time, they are offering the customizable iPhone application, "Real Estate - Real Easy"  for free with no setup or monthly fees during the beta period.

As many of you know, I love my iPhone as a business tool and yes, as a cell phone too.  I use it all day, everyday.  In most cases, helping and assisting our members.  There are so many applications I use and love, but way too many to list here. Apptism.com is currently tracking 31,102 iPhone Apps, including my AR Business Card I posted about last week. To get a free copy, CLICK HERE

As promised, here's the video showing you how to get your own customized iPhone app for your business.  

MoblieAppLoader is now offering you the same deal they did me.  I made a promise to my AR friends that they would get first shot at this so here you go.  Having worked with their Developer (Zvika Ashkenazi) these past few weeks, I've had the chance to test and measure their product, their responsiveness, and most importantly, their commitment to customer service and satisfaction.  I rate them very high in all the above.

Now you can have your own iPhone app custom created, quality assurred, and available on iTunes and other app stores in no time at all.  It looks like agents from Intero and Century 21 already have.

Check it out, this even made Inman News Today.

For more applications by Zvika and MobileAppLoader, you can see them on iTunes Here.