So glad you asked.  My biggest request (for a while) has been to add in some sort of analytics on the main site.  I would love to be able to not only look at stats for all time, but look at for past 30 days.  I would love to know the source of my visitors (e.g. search engine vs. referral site vs. social media vs. being on site).  I would love to know geography of visitors (esp those from search).  Time on post, bounce rate, etc. 

That would really help me analyze what is working and continuing to work.

Please change the default css color for hyperlinks on AR. I think they are too hard to distinguish from from regular text. (and thus people migh skip right over your links not knowing they are there) I wrote about it in this blog post and give an example of how to override the color. It is a pain to have to override every time you want a hyperlink. (and BTW perfect example in the linked text in this comment...)

People should suggest one thing at a time so you can upvote specific things! :)
Steven A. Walny above suggested several things...

one of which I want to upvote so I am going to separate it here -
Allow images in profile pages again

Our profile pages edit toolbar lost the ability to control formatting and inserting of images. Bleh! I think I remember there was something about SEO value for stripping it down. If that is so, I would debate the point. How does formatting and/or images negative for SEO. I always find that good SEO is supposed to mimic a good user experience. Right now profile pages without so much as being able to use bold or italic are a plain text wall of words. This is exactly what we teach people NOT to do on a blog post. We want people to actually read our profile pages, they need to not be a wall of words. Please bring back formatting toolbar and insert images.
(BTW there is a workaround that a few have discovered... if you want formatting in your profile page you can compose your content as a draft blog post and then copy/paste over in the profile page editor. We shouldn't need a workaround.)

Kris, the one thing I keep hearing from different commenters is the perception of a loss of SEO clout from their AR blogs.  For me, the biggest advantage of my WP site over AR is the ability to build custom IDX search pages.  THAT is what drives our traffic (and gets us indexed).  Right now on AR all I can do is link our WP pages.  If there was a way to bring direct home search results into our blog posts (besided paying for Realbird), that would probably help give AR better results.  Bill

I would like to be able to search and find useful industry content more easily and quickly, rather than having to sift through posted listings, local market reports, and other consumer-driven and highly localized posts.  Perhaps create a "library" of the best and the brightest posts organized by topics.

I agree with the above comments. I really hate that we can only have orange or blue. I liked the old dashboard of our personal blog. I would change mine with the seasons.

My SEO does not seem to be very high any more. I'm rarely on the first page?

I cannot remember if it was Trulia or Zillow (probably this one)  but we could take our listings and  download them (embed code) directly into our blog. That feature was removed a couple of years ago. Perhaps this is something you could discuss with them now to get back as it was a 'free' feature.

One more thing- When I am going on vacation, I used to draft 5-10 extra posts so I could publish one every morning but the problem is that they go on the feed from the date of draft so probably not as many people go back that far to see them. Is there a way to change this? It is a real problem so I rarely do drafts anymore as it is more difficult to add pictures while using my iPad and I hate to drag my laptop around.

I've noticed AR doesn't have nearly as much SEO as it did in the past. There was a time when my AR blog hit the first or 2nd page fairly consistently. I would have people contact me who found me through AR. It seems AR have fallen behind in the SEO game. I love many aspects of AR but, please get us back to better SEO.

I have too requests: 

Please not on the scoring which blog got reblogged. That way we can check to see who did it. Otherwise it is hunt and peck to find out and we may never find out.

Next, on the comment thread, please link to the person's blog not their profile when their photo is clicked. If we are trying to go over and leave them a comment it takes an extra link therefore extra time. If we want to read their profile we can click over from their blog.

Hi Kris,  I would love the ability to oranize the folks that I subscribe to in the blog role other than just Followed.  Not sure how this would be done, but some sort order other than just most recently published.  Hope that makes sense.  Thanks for taking care of us as always.

Create a "Blog Post Hall of Fame" in which posts with over X number of views or X number of clicks are found.  These posts will have stood the test of time and risen to the top as shown by viewing interest.  AR members can use these posts as examples of what quality post content looks like and then learn by example.

Oh, and a minor request.  I'd love to be able to customize the call to action button.  I don't like "request a quote" and the other options aren't great.  I'd like to say "free design consultation."  Others might want to say other things.  I would love if we could change those words.

Somehow put a limit on those members who continually just list market reports in the early mornings and take up so many pages, it's easy to miss a blog post with more content...

Outside blogs. If we are going to do away with them then do it, if we keep them then there should be more functionality with the formatting and every aspect of the outside blog period.

"ASK the community what improvements would make the biggest impact to them?"

(Why did you delete that "AR purpose is to increase Trulia funding?")

That is a nice gesture. However, the purpose of Trulia and AR (to raise revenue from real estate professionals) and those who use AR are not mutually aligned and recent action suggests the future holds even greater disparity.

What is the #1 concern of real estate agents? Lead generation.

What is the #2 concern of real estate agents? Validation.

What is the #3 concern of real estate agents? Delineation.

Trulia and AR would and should pay a consultant lots of bucks regarding how to bring value in these areas to the real estate agent who would in return part with their money. 

The reality is, Trulia and AR business purpose is to raise money through agents. I get that. Today I propose you should PAY the agent for the very information that ultimately results in a service for which the agent will pay.

How to improve lead quality?

How to improve agent validation?

How to improve professional delineation?

It is knowable, but like agents are so quick to say, you get what you PAY for.

What would I like to see and willing to pay for on a pubic facing AR page?
A little chat icon blinking when I'm logged on and/or you can make a app for that! 

Kris Neese I like the idea of having this as an open-forum for suggestions & brainstorming ideas for the betterment of AR for everyone - Great Idea!

Might I suggest: Adding the ability to modify/change background colors on the posts? Not necessarily to make a whole page Green w/Pink letters - that'd be too annoying to read! But more of a controlled background color option, highlighting the background of specific areas, like shading?  or maybe adding blocks of darker colors around light colored text?

Another idea: While consistency across all AR profile pages is important for branding & being readily recognizeable as an AR profile - Is it possible to make the profile page template more appealing to the Pubilc Eye?  A bit more flexibility for maybe adding an additional photo or two?  Perhaps a library of seasonal nature (or city or coastal, etc)  images to choose from?

Idea #3:  Is there a way of more directly linking "other" AR products to our profile page?  Such as a link or image indicating that the member has another service (or feature) available?  I have a community sponsorship page that I'd love to tie directly into my profile & VICE VERSA, in a more obvious & easy to find way for the Public.

Thanks for Reading & I apologize for being as wordy as I was

Thanks - Steve

I vote for Debbie Gartner idea for more analytics, and the other Annette, a chat icon for instant real time information, so people online can chat with a broker in their chosen state-and an app for mobile too! Very hot ideas.

I would love to be able to organize and sort the photo editor.  I would esp like to be able to have the most recent photos first. 

A more current point system. There are professional that are no longer licensed professional and they are coming up as qualified individuals for the public to call on. There should be a way to secure the current Licensing by the Federal Guidelines.

Bring back the map, so it's easier for Consumers to locate a local Agent.  Today they have guess at how to do it ... it's not intuitive.  They've got to start by selecting Resources, then select Local Info, and then select the State.

The previous way worked fine ... why did it get revised to something that doesn't make sense?

I bookmark a lot of blogs.   It would be nice to have the ability to put them into folders or have the ability to organize what you have "bookmarked."  It would also be nice to have the ability to remove multiple bookmarked blogs at one time vs having to go in and take the time to un bookmark each and everyone.

Kris,

The outside blogs have been neglected for quite some time. Any changes coming there?

Rich

I would like to have a  Q and A section for consumers like the one Trulia had . I would like the answers to questions in chronological order and would like the home page to have just featured post like it used to have.

There are too many steps from my blog to my saved blogs.

Amen to adding images in the profile pages and fonts, etc. We used to have it and it went away with the redesign.

This last system upgrade is causing two comments notifications from the same person to come over via email from the Q & A section. 

Photos are disappearing when the post is published even if it is saved first.

Some of the scheduled posts do not publish at the appointed time. I can see no pattern to this. It happens every week at least once. I have a reblog scheduled and it stil hasn't posted from 2 weeks ago.

Kris,

On the people we follow, I would appreciate if the info was accurate.  For instance, under last post, it will be inaccurate, it will say the person posted 7 days ago, when in fact they posted today.  

The change in the photo uploading now requires an extra step which it did not prior to the most recent upgrades, and on occasion the photo disappears when we publish, and I have to go back and reload it into the post.  

Thank you for listening to all this, and just know that we love AR's response to our questions and we appreciate the work you are doing.  A

would like to be able to change fonts .. other than that I find it all refreshing and fun and waiting to see how it effects my SEO so far my phone is still ringing and I am happy

Kris Neese most of the updates recently have been 'too quick' to digest by many members. May be, fewer release with more amendments?

As much as I like these upgrades - since they have been thought over keeping members interest at heart (and mind), some of the members reflexes are quicker. So, this may help dilute the quick reactions from them.

I also like the idea of pre-cursor or a teaser - a blog about what's coming. And if that is encompassed with the sound justifications on why it will be good for community. members will be relatively ready to embrace that change. More of a proactive approach.

I can say, love what you do for us. Thanks. (And of course, suggest the enhancements whenever possible.)

Stability is number one.

So many good suggestions here...

Kris Neese - I second adding an ability to comment on answers, although I'm a little biased 

Kris Neese just thought add one thing here.

I could 'open the link in new tab' in Q&A section when I hover over the question on 'Answer' - however, that's not happening now from my Chrome Browser. 

Is it me only or it is due to last release?

(Not a big deal - however, it was convenient)

I think that somehow we need to be a little more consumer friendly.  Do they really care about some of these questions and answers.  After all that is why we blog 

I would like to see more customization with the profile page. I'd also like to see a button on the top next to my name where I can click to write a blog.

A connect button ... or a "call" button would be great.  The more "clicks" or places a potential client must go, the more likely it is to lose them.  The direct ability to connect with us would be tremendously helpful ...

Gene

Kris Neese Two additional thoughts - it would be nice if, in the "points section", when a member likes an answer - it would tell us who liked it.  It would also be helpful if it would tell us which questions we answered - Thank You

I would love a search box that will give blogs posted on the subject or at least tagged with the key word.  There is no way to sort the blogs and since we have groups, tags, and subject surely there is a way to make this happen.

How do I conect with Chicagoland realtors?

Jack Schlenk

I have a couple of other wishes. Could the draft posts be arranged by two sorts. One would be chronological and the other alphabetical. 

Also bookmarked posts need this same sorting option. Thanks

I would like a list of the upcoming webinars Somewhere EZ to find.  Expecially now that we have changes happening and I would just love to feel that I am current.  I love all of the education at AR.  

Debbie