Joe Tunney Set your goal to reach 500,000 points and your membership is free

I did at the end of the year.  Now I participate a lot to make sure my investment pays off.

i wanted to make sure my posts were available to the public.

I just joined, hoping I see a difference soon. Honestly I think it will be 3-6 months blogging. So many agents are happy with their account.  There has to be some greatness in here. 

No, I was grandfathered in because of past participation. However, if I was a new member, yes I would. The benefits are to numerous to pass up.

It is a mistake Joe. If you get 500,000 points Active Rain is free.

I have never had to pay for anything on AR, I started before you had to pay.

I have a free account

Never paid, earned my free account in about a year.

Did wonders for my SEO when I became a rainmaker!

Joe Tunney all RAINMAKER are either paid accounts or have earned more than 500,000 AR points.

It's worth - and you got it from some new Rainmakers - it's worth it for sure.

I don't pay.  What would be the advantage? 

I was grandfathered in a long time ago.

I highly recommend paying.  I am new, and I see my blogs, when I do a google search.  With continued blogging my blogs and website will gain SEO ranking. 

Your blogs are only read by Active Rain members.  If you upgrade or reach 500,000 points (your choice), your blogs go out to the public, where you  can be read by potential clients.  I paid to be a Rainmaker when I started, until I reached 50,000 points, then it was FREE.

I joined before the fees and so I have never paid. I don't think it is the money that makes a difference - it is what you bring to the table.  However, if you pay for the upgraded account so that your blogs are public - I think that enhances your relationship with your community. 

Once you reach 500,000 points your Active Rain account is free!

I believe you are referring to the Rainmaker upgrade?  Yes, I paid for it for a short time until I reached the magic 500,000 point milestone - then it is free.  It is definitely worth the investment, if you are only a Rainer, your posts do not get out to the public.

I did before I reached 500,000 points.

It made a difference for me but each member's ActiveRain goal is different.

I used to, but once I earned my 500,000 points it became free. So I no longer pay.

 No, I got into active rain when it was still a free site.

Good morning Joe. I did an upgrade on my account about 4 months after I joined AR. For me it definitely made a difference, as I do mortgages in 8 states.

No.

Not yet!

You've already gotten some great advice.  I joined prior to having to pay, but I do pay for an outside blog.  Well worth it.  It also indexes and ranks.

Absolutely!

       It is worth every penny.   And when you participate regularly, via comments and blogs, you will hit 500K points and be "grandfathered in for free" before you know it.

Thanks for the question as I was considering the same.

No. There are no dues when you have over 500,000 points.

I do, to be able to post publicly. Once you get to 500,000, it's free. 

I joined in 2008 so I'm grandfathered in.  If I had to pay for it I would just for the exposure.  AR is a very good platform to get your blogs to the masses.  

To be a rainmaker, you do have a monthly fee with under 500K points.   Once you are a rainmaker you can post to the public, and the whole reason to blog.   Reasons to make your phone ring! 

Yes I do.

Intracommunity difference: Yes AND no.  There is no difference in how people interact with you if you are a rainer or rainmaker.  YES: I participate more now that I am a paying member and with more participation, there is more chance for others to participate back.

The local community outside of AR: I see some traffic to my site from AR and it gives my website more "authority" so there is that.  As to the general public saying "I saw your blog on AR" not yet, but it does happen for others.

Yes I do

No - never have.  It was free when we joined, and by the time they started charging for it we were "grandfathered"...

My challenge was to get to 500,000 points and get it for free! Never paid!

Yes, and well worth it for me.

I do pay for it so my blogs will go out to the public.  It was higher but after I reached a certain amount of points it went down to about $12 per month.  That is nothing for the extra business and getting out there.  That is the lowest priced advertising I have done, with the exception of word of mouth or sending a card to a former client.  

I did until ewaching the 500,000 plateau.

Yes as clients have contacted me from searching.

No, we don't

Great question and answers.

how does the point system work in active rain.

I joined early on and didn't have to pay. I would highly recommend it, though. I do get leads and referrals because of AR. Last year I sent out three referrals.