BLog vs. Forum

[KeysToFlorida]

I am looking at adding a capacity to my website that will allow myself and others provide content about the local area.

I have participated in a number of forums over the past, but only recently started evaluating BLOGS.

If I go with adding a Forum format then I am looking at some of the following type topic areas:

General Topics
Fishing near Juno Beach
Surfing
Dining in Juno Beach
Places to stay
Things to do in Juno Beach
Juno Beach and the surrounding area nightlife


Real Estate
Real Estate questions
Rentals


Just in the starting phase and thinking that with the Blog setup - usually a more attractive interface would still allow me similiar capability.

Any feedback from those of you that are in the know would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Real Estate Forum]

I can only encourage you to have both but the question is what you are into? Are you better in writing things by yourself at your own time or interacting in online communities and forums? Some people are good at writing and they should definitely blog. Others are better at keeping conversations going and starting them to begin with and there are definitely advantages to having a forum then.

It all depends on your own strategy, the way that you like to work online.

Forums work better for me, I have a hard time getting blog entries out there.

That is why I have started this place :)

[Chief Tutor]

I would agree that utilizing both if possible is the best way to go. Blogs are more of a one way communication tool, while forums are a two way tool.

Each one offers their positives and negatives. The most important aspect of either is that you need to manage them and when I say manage them, keep them active because they are both useless unless someone is dedicated to keeping them up.

Just my two cents.

[KeysToFlorida]

Thanks!

I went ahead and created the forum using phpBB2 - I may end up changing forum software. Any recommedations here?

I have found several other local vendors to commit to participate in their respective parts of the forum.

I have a fishing shop for fishing...

I think I have a bicycle shop for bikes...

and I am confident that one of the surf shops will moderate the surf forum.

Of course myself and other realtors in the office will monitor the real estate section.

I am looking at using word press for the blog and not promoting it until I have been successful at posting regularly.

[Real Estate Forum]

I personally recommend vBulletin for forums and wordpress for blogs :)

[Chief Tutor]

I have looked at a number of blogs and have seen word press promoted on the internet. What I like about word press is the number of themes that are available. What I don't like about it is that for the average user, they don't have a HTML editor built into the product....but I am sure that is just a few releases away.

[ResaleBroker]

I personally recommend vBulletin for forums and wordpress for blogs :)These are my recommendations also.

What I've done for one of my sites is use WordPress for articles and vBulletin for the community. The two (2) can be set up to work with one another.

Here's an example (http://www.salespractice.com/articles/salesmanship-and-empathy) of a customized WordPress page combined with vBulletin functions.

[Real Estate Forum]

I have seen your sales practice forum and it works great. I will look at it a little more lateron. Right now I am trying to get this going:

http://www.blogparty.net/blogparty/showthread.php?t=71&page=1&pp=10

So that people's blog entries can be displayed in all of my forums.

[ResaleBroker]

So that people's blog entries can be displayed in all of my forums.That's on my agenda too! :cool:

[frobn]

I am looking at adding a capacity to my website that will allow myself and others provide content about the local area.

I have participated in a number of forums over the past, but only recently started evaluating BLOGS.

If I go with adding a Forum format then I am looking at some of the following type topic areas:

General Topics
Fishing near Juno Beach
Surfing
Dining in Juno Beach
Places to stay
Things to do in Juno Beach
Juno Beach and the surrounding area nightlife


Real Estate
Real Estate questions
Rentals


Just in the starting phase and thinking that with the Blog setup - usually a more attractive interface would still allow me similiar capability.

Any feedback from those of you that are in the know would be appreciated.

Thanks

I hadn't seen your post and just posted something similar on another thread. I think it is a great idea. It would be an enjoyable way to reciprocate links. If anyone would like help in setting up a blog, I will be happy to help.

[Chief Tutor]

In our ongoing attempt to grow the forum, and grow the power of the forum which will also help all those participating in the forum, for a limited time, we have decided to allow people to set up real estate related blogs on www.realestateforum.com (http://www.realestateforum.com)

They would be on a subdomain depending on the state you are located. We will be using the word press blog. If you are interested. Let us know.

Go Big or Go Home

[darren]

Out of the two vbulletin appears to be the software that is best for SEO and less security loops, but design wise I think phpBB kicks vbulletin out of the water..

With phpBB they are patches which you can implement that will make your forum search engine friendly, and they aren't difficult to implement, but my feeling is that phpBB is getting less secure thus the increase in patches in the last 12 months.

With regard to blog - there is only one software for this and that is wordpress it makes Googles blogger look like a kids attempt at blogging software..

IMO

[KeysToFlorida]

Just started with phpBB - any suggestions as to which patches help with the SEO issues?

Thanks for sharing!

Dave

Also just set up first Wordpress Blog. Now to discover how best to utilize.

Dave

[marcinsarasota]

Have any Realtors started a local forum pertaining to real estate in your city? For example a forum run by you (a realtor) with topics such as FSBO's, pocket listings, open houses, how to sell your house, new listings, etc.

I am wondering if anyone has done it successfully.

[KeysToFlorida]

I am working with a group to create a forum like you are talking about. We are working thru the issues of public vs. private on various topics. If you know somewhere that this has been done sucessfully then please let share.

If I find one in my research I will post here that I have found such.

Thanks

[darren]

Check this thread out for the SEO download and advice.

http://www.able2know.com/forums/about15132.html

Darren

[Chief Tutor]

If you are talking about public vs private sections, and when you say private as in password protected, Remember that the search engines are not going to give you any credit for what is written in the private section. The public area is the only area that the SE will credit your efforts.

[jseamless]

I have been using Phpbb and could not be happier. It has taken me six months to get the code modded like I want, but I am happy camper. Site traffic has increased about a 1000% since implementing the real estate message boards (http://www.mortgagesaver.org/forum/).

[billnad]

Wow, this is a great idea. probably one of the better ones that I have seen in a while. Having specialized forums that are moderated by others is a great way to leverage your web side of your business

In thinking of some marketing ideas I came up with the following:

Try to find a few different location specific forums, expecially ones getting closer to real estate such as mortgage brokers, fix it guys and home inspectors.

Set up the forum moderation directly on the moderators work or home computer so that they do not have much trouble moderating.

Send weekly emails to your moderators with tips and articles that you have found on their specialty or forum related issues (Of course don't spend to much time a week on this, it could take away from your direct real estate work)

[restate]

In my suggestion you must carry on with both as both are good to promote your site

[re_capital]

I prefer forums rather than blogs. There are few reasons behind. In forums we get reply fast, we can chat, even share our views. If somebody give me some views related to blog it will be appreciated.:)

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Real Estate India
recapital.in