With over 20,000 member The ActiveRain Real Estate Network is getting city sized! It is truly awesome for me to see all of you come together here on this network interacting with each other and reaching out to your clients. I have personally come to learn a tremendous amount from all of you. Thank you.In order to make this place a little bit smaller we implemented group features. Through various themes, topics, and interests members have a way to come together, share, and interact in individual ways. I see much more coming out of this resource in the future. However, as it stands now there's a lot to be gained in having the ability to form your own associations within The Rain.
That being said, there is, I'm sure with many of you, some doubt as to the viability and practicality of some groups, or of groups in general. I've heard a number of thoughts bandied about The Rain.
- Are there too many groups?
- Why wasn't my post accepted?
- Why isn't that post here? It doesn't belong.
- Why is that person still a member? Why don't the boot them out?
These are all good questions and it's good that they are asked. I'm hoping that the following overview will help to clarify things.
Groups are about "one thing." There is one common bond that holds the group together. The ActiveRain Real Estate Network is a real estate group. The ActiveRain Real Estate Network has that one central theme, and within that theme we have two purposes.
- To facilitate and encourage the interaction of real estate professionals for the dissemination of knowledge and the empowerment of the real estate professional.
- To bring the real estate professional greater access and ways of reaching their clients through the provision of on-line marketing tools and avenues.
We don't have categories on this network for auto-mechanics or doctors because they do not fit within that "one thing." What we all have is the common bond of being in and apart of the real estate industry.
This same concept affects groups, only on a more refined level. Being that this network is large dividing up around more refined themes and interests only makes sense. Members must be bonded around some specific theme, it can be as narrow as " this group is devoted to home stagers who advertise in Springfield Daily News, and want to write on topics related to our local soccer team" and as loose as "were just a bunch of friends who wanted to associate through this medium." In either case the integrity of the theme must be held in order for a group to exist.
There are always going to be groups being created. Some will make it some won't. Two factors will contribute to a groups success more than any other.
- How much do group members value the organizing principal of the group?
- If the organizing principal around which the group forms is not compelling it will not succeed. (I'm not going to address this factor in this post.)
- How effective is the group in delivering benefits related to that principal?
- Another way of saying this might be "show me the money." The effectiveness of a group will be very dependent up on the quality and focus of the content that is posted within it. If a group looses focus or gets off topic then it's effectiveness will wane and subsequently so will its appeal.
Group focus and effectiveness
Quality and focus are maintained through establishing clarity around types of content is accepted, and sticking close to those guidelines when it comes to evaluating whether a post belongs or not. Group, Founders, Administrators, and Moderators are responsible for maintaining the integrity of a group by removing any posts not in line with the groups set objectives.
For the other members?
As a contributor it's you are accountable for staying on topic. By participating in a group you are choosing to comply with the rules and guidelines set forth in it. Furthermore you are agreeing that any post of you make there, may be subject to removal by the group leaders.
You don't like the group?
This goes back to the question of whether or not there are too many groups. It's expected that there will be a lot of groups, but there will only be a limited number of successful ones. It doesn't matter how many groups there are. What matters that the ones you are a part of are helpful and effective for you. That in part, is your responsibility. This network works best for everyone when you are able to get the most out of it. If you don't like what's going on in a group, and you don't see it changing any time soon, it's OK to leave a group. You could always join, or start another.
Helpful posts to help you see more of the "groups" picture.
- New Group Features: Some tidbits on group functionality updated after the launch of ActiveRain Groups.
- Creating a group: the technical how-to.
- Getting a Group Started: The social how-to.
- Group Types: Some of the theory behind groups, different ways groups can form and how they can serve you.
- Groups: Why did ActiveRain implement them and why it's OK too have many.
- Groups 101: ActiveRain's First group guide by Jason Price, a very good overview.
- On Being a Groupie: Are you frustrated with your group? Check out this post by Rich Jacobson.
- The Unofficial Guide to Getting Involved on ActiveRain: A really good guide by itself, it also provides good information on group posting. By Kristal Kraft.
- Making The Rain Your Own: This post talks about using groups as a familiar place to come when you log-on to ActiveRain.
Update:
10. Marketing Your Blog: Categories, Tags and ActiveRain Groups. A post by Rich Schiffer on getting your blog out and getting it noticed in groups.
Thanks. I was putting the cart before the horse. I would write a post and try to figure where it would go. Better to write a post that is relevant to my group. Duh...
Fran
Caleb,
This is by far the most informative post that I have read by any of the ( Founders employess etc. ) of activerain. When I want straight information from anyone that I do business with. This is how I like to recieve it.
Excellent post
Exellent post. I appreciate the break down
It is very helpful. Thank you!
Jennifer
Caleb... great post, but let's see who understands this. We have seen around 3 new posts in just 4 days in relation to what posts belong in what groups. This was a very positive post and I am not trying to sound negative. You mention that it's the moderator's job and those so-called helpers to help delete what doesn't belong. But in all honesty, it gets very old and tiresome. You can't keep up with this. As a helper, we can't block certain people. It's not a hard message to comprehend.
In any case... yes, AR is growing at a rapid pace. We need more people to stand up as leaders. Just my opinion..... thanks for the post.
Caleb,
Thanks for the post. The update is much appreciated. We are all learning here, as such there is growth for each of us and that is the real joy. Thanks.
Caleb,
Thank you for addressing this in a way that we can all understand and appreciate. Though I personally would like more organization in the group areas, it is understood that they are what they are and what they were intended to be : ) Thanks again for this insightful post.
Thanks everybody. Your comments are very much appreciated.
Groups may have more options for interaction going forward. We are constantly trying to improve the functionality of this entire network. There is a way to remove group members, or at least block them from posting this is in the administrator, and of course the founder roles.
Irene thanks for the suggestion. I agree and this is part of creating exactly that.
This information is very useful, thank you for addressing this issue. I personally appreciate being a part of this network and will evaluate the group I am associated. For any group administrator who would prefer that I am not in your group just send me an email, I value honesty, then I will promptly leave your group.
Thanks, Caleb. Your post serves as a great supporting point for my recent post, Marketing Your Blog: Categories, Tags and ActiveRain Groups
I will be sure to add a link to this post there.
So, Caleb, as a Group Founder, can I appoint other group members as sy-ops, moderators, or whatever you decide to call them here in AR?
That way I can remain the "benevolent goddess" of my group, (Photography Group) and appoint some lieutenants to do the police work.
Also, how about the ability to create "sections" or "sub-groups" within a Group? If we had a "off-topic" section to move off-topic stuff, we could keep the essential content of the group tightly focused, but still let group members share misc. stuff with other group members.
Cheryl,
Caleb,My group, Listings by Address is doing quite well in the search engines and givng great exposure to the Realtors and their Sellers. I have a question that I would appreciate your consideration on...
1. I have a tutorial that I spent a great time devising to help new members know how to post to the group
The only way that I can make sure that it is seen is to continue to FEATURE myself somewhat at the top of the grouping in order to be seen. Is there a way to have my post predominate on the side or the top for new people to see so that they will hopefully click on it and read it. It gets lost as it stands now.
2. I've noticed that when anyone edits their post that was featured, the featuring mechanism turns off and they are no longer featured. Is this a quirk that needs ironing out or is that something that I need to just stay on top of all the time?
I appreciate your help.
From the group home page, click Members, and look in the right hand column..., edit the member's "role".
Well, I'll be darned.
Gena,
A side bar, or a separate section, and what Cheryl mentions in her first comment are great ideas. Getting this feedback hopefully will help us make some change sooner than we had planned. Let's keep them coming.
I wasn't aware of the features edit changing the featured status. I suppose if a post is featured it should stay that way. I've passed on the information to see if we can get this changed. Thank you.
Posts getting unfeatured from groups when they are edited should be fixed in tomorrow's release.
Thanks Gena
Caleb thanks for the email directing me to this.
When it comes to information... you can no longer refer to this site as Active Rain.
Its more like Active Tsunami!
I totally missed this post.
Me
Tsunami! That's what I'm hoping groups will take care of!
:)