Special offer
Shanelle Cahill, Full Service Real Estate  (The Wyman Group)

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Rainmaker
2,817,671
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Your best option is to do both.  Blog on your main wordpress blog (which should be the center of everything) and then use AR to backlink to strengthen it. And, use AR to learn how to blog better and get ideas from your peers.

BTW, you can get started on wordpress for way less than most people realize.  Here's an article I wrote a couple of weeks ago on how to get started for $4/month.  You can upgrade later by paying a designer to make it look nicer, but at least you get started and start building domain authority and backlinks.

How to start a wordpress blog for less than $4/month

Jun 08, 2017 05:44 AM
Rainer
213,263
Dennis Swartz
Full Circle Property Management - Columbus, OH
MBA, GRI...experience counts!

I just blog here. I tried wordpress but I really didn't understand it that much and I didn't want to make the effort to try to figure it out.

Jun 08, 2017 02:58 AM
Rainmaker
556,536
Greg Cremia
Shore Realty of the Outer Banks - Nags Head, NC

First get your own domain working then active rain. Ar might not be here in 10 years but your personal site will still be up and running. Plus you need your personal site for your marketing if you want to look like you are selling re in the 21st century.

Jun 08, 2017 03:32 AM
Rainmaker
1,390,113
Wayne Zuhl
Remax First Realty II - Cranford, NJ
The Last Name You'll Ever Need in Real Estate

Back in the day, we did both Rainmaker and WordPress. Active Rain helped us with being found on Google but I think that's less of a factor now.

Jun 08, 2017 03:30 AM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Why not do both?

Jun 08, 2017 04:21 AM
Ambassador
6,393,609
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671
  1. AR has a much better support network, with hundreds of coaches ready to lend a hand.
  2. AR is easier to use so you can spend less time with setting stuff up and more time on your business.
  3. And they also have a great referral network.
Jun 08, 2017 11:03 AM
Rainmaker
809,258
Kasey & John Boles
Jon Gosche Real Estate, LLC - BoiseMeridianRealEstate.com - Boise, ID
Boise & Meridian, ID Ada/Canyon/Gem/Boise Counties

I only blog on Active Rain.  Doing both would be too much for me.  However I agree with others that AR isn't your own platform and if it went away so would all of your blog posts and you don't always have control over that. With that said, if AR went away today I would just stop blogging.  I remain on AR and blog because it's a whole package including social media, a community, etc but we have other successful ways we receive leads and clients than blogging, so for me personally, it wouldn't be the end of the world if I no longer did it so for me just AR is worth it. -Kasey 

Jun 08, 2017 07:57 AM
Rainmaker
2,220,654
Anthony Acosta - ALLATLANTAcondos.com
Harry Norman, REALTORS® - Atlanta, GA
Associate Broker

AR all the way and also do wordpress. 

Jun 08, 2017 05:21 AM
Ambassador
2,684,109
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

 

   Both!

   

 

Jun 08, 2017 05:09 AM
Rainmaker
1,712,676
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

Doing both is fine.

Jun 08, 2017 03:52 AM
Ambassador
1,076,551
John Meussner
Mortgages in AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI - Fair Oaks, CA
#MortgageMadeEasy Fair Oaks, CA 484-680-4852

 I'd recommend both.  ActiveRain has pretty good google juice, you'll learn a ton here, and build relationships.  As you go, you'll want to write on your own WP site, too.  I think using both, linking between them, and even using them for different topics is the best way to go.

Jun 08, 2017 11:21 AM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

you need to do both.... ActiveRain will give you immediate Google Juice.... your own wordpress will give you Google Juice, but it will take more time than AR....

Jun 08, 2017 11:09 AM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

Active Rain

Jun 08, 2017 08:42 AM
Ambassador
3,345,091
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Don't limit yourself. You need both!!! AR is good for backlinks to your WP Site. Call Corinne Guest, Managing Broker for help. 

Jun 08, 2017 08:39 AM
Rainmaker
1,543,833
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

Most do both, I did both but abandoned my WP to simply blog here. But Rainmaker is kind of a must if you are serious.

Jun 08, 2017 08:09 AM
Rainmaker
1,844,301
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

I think it will be easier to learn AR first then start your WP. If you do it both at the same time you will be overwhelmed. Will you be able to write for 2 blogs? Posting duplicate will get you no where on Google.

Here it's easier to start with tutorials, then work your way up to WP.

Jun 08, 2017 06:54 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,273
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Whats in it for me question is at work here. My experience has been good and remains consistent for the purpose intended. Maximum exposure on the search engine circuits with ActiveRain, Wordpress twitter etc. Maximize!

Jun 08, 2017 06:50 AM
Rainmaker
7,836,431
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

You have some excellent advice from Debbie Gartner

Jun 08, 2017 06:41 AM
Rainmaker
5,005,659
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

I would suggest to do both.

Jun 08, 2017 06:36 AM
Ambassador
5,230,136
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Why not start here, get familiar with blogging, then build your own and do BOTH!  It works for many of us!

Jun 08, 2017 06:21 AM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

I agree with Nina Hollander 

Jun 08, 2017 05:55 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

You should DO BOTH!

However, make sure you OWN your url.

Jun 08, 2017 05:01 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

Here is the thing, if you want the public to see it, you must be a rain maker. Next you can do both platforms, the difference is nothing beats the ability of Active rain to get my blog in front of consumers generating real leads that are just mine. After referrals, my Active Rain blog is my leading source of new clients 

Jun 08, 2017 04:39 AM
Rainmaker
4,572,439
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Don't be overwhelmed - just do it but be consistent.  My choice is ActiveRain because it is simpler/easier for me and the support I have found here over the years yet there is no problem with WordPress.   Good luck.  

Jun 08, 2017 04:32 AM
Rainer
509,449
Susie Kay
Ultra Real Estate Dallas Fort Worth - Plano, TX
North Dallas Specialist

Thank you for your post. I'm parked and reading.

Jun 08, 2017 02:24 PM
Ambassador
3,164,294
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I agree both.  Using ActiveRain to blog and pointing back via links to your own domain will help your domain get some traction.  The traffic on AR makes google love them.

Jun 08, 2017 01:13 PM
Rainmaker
4,936,716
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Rainmaker for sure.

 

Jun 08, 2017 11:19 AM
Rainmaker
1,239,901
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

You need to have a section on your website. 99% browsers are interested in your service or listings. 1% may try to figure you out how good a realtor you are.  There are endless realtors claim they are top producer never had a sale or website. Google ranks the established website(age, activities) first. So you need to order and establish domain, or domains before they will even bother to rank you.  In this case, AR paid membership gets your 2 blogs out(max) today not a year or two years later.

Jun 08, 2017 08:29 AM
Rainmaker
1,617,916
Harry F. D'Elia III
WEDO Real Estate and Beyond, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Investor , Mentor, GRI, Radio, CIPS, REOs, ABR

do both

Jun 08, 2017 07:37 AM
Rainmaker
1,726,096
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

You should be doing both, but change the posts slightly to gain better SEO boost

Jun 08, 2017 06:56 AM
Rainmaker
911,338
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

Create a site with Wordpress is probably best. AR has constant tech glitches, so when that happens, you can just post to your website. There are other platforms as well where you can blog, like linkedIn Pulse, Medium, Blogger, etc

Jun 08, 2017 06:47 AM
Rainmaker
1,466,207
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Shanelle Cahill Debbie Gartner has a good response.

Jun 08, 2017 06:00 AM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

Start with rainmaker account

Jun 11, 2017 06:21 AM
Rainmaker
5,868,565
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

My understanding is, it takes a while for your site to gain "authority", and as Debbie said - probably good to have both.

Jun 10, 2017 09:21 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

I suggest you have your own site and then repeat here.

Jun 09, 2017 05:30 AM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Shanelle Cahill my answer may be biased! I love ActiveRain - and the Google Juice I get from my market report posts could not have been done without ActiveRain.

Go for Rainmaker account for sure.

Good Luck.

Jun 08, 2017 10:03 PM
Rainmaker
785,475
Abby Stiller
TOP SELLING REALTY - Cape Coral, FL
SW Florida (239) 284-8637

Do both if you can.

Jun 08, 2017 07:57 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

I agree with Debbie Gartner but the real key to success is to do it and do it well. Simply having a site and not posting good quality information won't get you where you want to go.

Jun 08, 2017 07:30 PM
Rainmaker
1,502,998
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

My advice is to do both.  I built my own wordpress site, cost me all of nothing to do it (I already had the domain name and hosting).  With active rain, you get price breaks for every 100,000 points earned until you get to 500,000 points and you get a free account.

 

I post my blogs on my blog, my social media outlets, active rain and realty times.  Like Debbie Gartner said, it gets me a good amount of backlink juice.

Jun 08, 2017 04:13 PM