How To Create and Use iFrames and Tables on Your Blog

How To Create and Use iFrames and Tables on Your Blog

Last week I promised to create a post explaining how to add iFrames and tables to your Blog posts.  Instead of making this a long drawn out technical “How To” tutorial, I decided to make it really easy for those of you interested in using this feature.  It is HTML based and does require a little HTML skill, but I think the way I’m about to show you will totally simplify the process and keep you from losing your sanity! lol~

The hardest thing you’ll have to do is switch the tabs at the top of your New Blog Post from “WYSIWYG” to “HTML”  then you’ll just need to copy the code onto the HTML page where you want your iFrame to appear, then save it.  Can’t make it much easier than that. So let’s start with the iFrame. The purpose of Adding an iFrame to a Blog post is so that you can share a large amount of information in a very small (customized) space.  Maybe a website, or an interactive page, or even an entire Blog for example.

Here’s an iframe of a site I’m sure you’ll all recognize. 🙂 (updated to show image only)

The size, color, width, height, URL, etc. can all be customized. Now for all you advanced HTML users and Bloggers, this is probably easy stuff, but for many of our members and friends, learning this type of stuff has been known to cause overdoses of Tylenol and in some extreme cases, even alcohol.  So here’s a way for you to preserve your anxiety and stress for something a little more worthy…. I hope.

HTML Basics has setup what they call an iFrame generator.  You just enter in the information, and it creates the iFrame for you, then just copy and paste the code into the HTML tab of your new Blog post. It looks like this:

Just enter the URL of ANY page you want to appear in your iFrame, never make it wider than 550pixels if you don’t want to Blow Out your Blogs sidebar, select any height you want, give it a name, set the alignment, maybe add a border with some color, setup how you want it to scroll, and generate the code for your Blog post.  This is much easier than trying to explain the HTML which you’re about to see once you generate the code anyway. Once you become familiar with the iframe code, you won’t need the generator anymore. Now try it yourself. 

Suggestions: Try using your MLS page, your IDX page, your Website, one of your Blog posts, maybe your AR Outside Blog, any page that’s on the internet will work as long as you have the URL or website address.  You can use iFrames to add some additional value to your Blog if this is something you’re interested in. Now just be creative and imagine all the ways your clients, visitors, and subscribers might benefit from your using custom iFrames in your Blog posts.

Are you ready for tables now? Here’s a link to a table generator, you’ll be a pro in no time at all!  🙂

Some Table Scraps	RE Video	RETechWorld
Goal Planner	ActiveBrads Blog	iDomain
TechKnowBabble	AR Manual	The REBlogger

HTML Tables

How To Use ScribeFire to Enhance Your ActiveRain Blog Posts

How To Use ScribeFire to Enhance Your ActiveRain Blog Posts  

Scribefire.com is a great 3rd party add-on to the Mozilla Firefox Browser.  Lately, the emails and calls have been coming in about how to setup AR Blogs, get API’s, and how to use Scribefire with ActiveRain Blog posts.  First off, the reason I mention Scribefire is that it is one of the few third party apps I have found that works well and doesn’t conflict with the AR Network HTML format. 

Really Important

Some members on AR use MS Word, Publisher, Front Page and other sources which often times (but not always) has hidden HTML codes, tables, and formatting that is incompatible with ActiveRain.  You’ve seen them, you know the ones, these are the posts that show funky looking codes, push the sidebar half way down the page, and make Blogs look like “you know what” when they load on your computer screen.

Why Use Scribefire?

Though the AR Blog Post editor may seem somewhat simplified and to some, a bit archaic, it still does a great job for creating great text content, adding images, photos and links, and producing search engine friendly creations.  However there are many who want to customize and create larger fonts, add color to their fonts, use a different style of font etc. This is where Scribefire does a great job and works well with AR.

THE MAIN REASON FOR POSTING THIS

Where most of our members get hung up is when downloading Scribefire as their Firefox add-on. Somewhere in the process, Scribefire asks for your Blog URL, API, and other information that IS NOT NECESSARY to begin using the Scribefire tools on ActiveRain. The requested and “perceived as required” information is ONLY for use on Blogging Platforms where you plan to use ScribeFire as the total replacement tool for creating your Blog posts. IE: WordPress, Blogger, Self-Hosted Blogs etc. NOT ON ACTIVERAIN.

Here’s the Scoop on How It Works

Go to Scribefire.com, download it and add to your Firefox Browser.  BYPASS all the additional questions and other stuff they want you to enter. (unless you are using scribefire on another blogging platform) To begin using the Scribefire tools and options, just press the “hotkeys” FUNCTION + F8 while in the edit mode of a Blog post, and the Scribefire Window (shown below) will open up in the lower section of your computer screen. Now you will have two areas to work in, your AR Blog post, and the Scribefire editing window.

Create your text, change your font color, select a larger sized font, use a variety of different style fonts, have a field day, and when you’re done, just highlight the section you’ve created in the Scribefire window, copy it (CTRL+C) and then paste it into your AR Blog post body (CTRL+V)  You can do this using the ActiveRain WYSIWYG tab.  Save your post in “draft” mode to be sure everything looks just as you want it, then make the necessary changes you want before making your post public.

DISCLAIMER.. I mean Warning.. NO… A QUICK TIP!

One thing to be careful of is that you don’t go CRAZY with Font Colors and sizes.  Sometimes the colored fonts and multiple sized text can make your Blog Post hard to read and unpleasing to the eye. Yellow font colors are difficult to read, Big Fonts can take away from the message in the little fonts, and multi-colored Blog post (for some) can and will cause nausea. (IMO)

SUMMARY and PURPOSE

The Scribefire add-on tools will allow you to enhance your AR Blog posts to your liking, give you a bit more versatility, and keep the AR network and your Blog clean of those Hidden and incompatible HTML codes.  Many of these outside third party apps can and will make Blogs on AR look like “you know what” and frustrate AR members beyond your wildest imagination.  I’m not kidding, you should see and hear some of the emails and calls I get. lol~ NOT!! 🙂

Scribefire

For my next trick, we’ll look at how to insert iFrames and tables into your Blog post without completely blowing out your Blog. This is one of the more common errors I see on ActiveRain by members that not only affects your AR Blog, but does even worse things to your Localism and Outside Blogs.

 

Google Chrome Evolves – A Computer Operating System?

Google Chrome Evolves – A Computer Operating System …and it makes a whole lotta sense!!

It’s been an adventure watching Internet Browsers evolve into what they are today. I started with Internet Explorer, then realized that Mozilla Firefox was much faster and more forgiving, now I am seriously checking out Google Chrome.  I will still use the others, but just like this video explains, the world, and the computers in it are changing rapidly. 

Can a browser really make a difference in the time it saves you or the frustration it can create?  What about your computer operating system? Google felt strongly enough that yes, it can, so much so, that they have created and are now introducing an entire new operating system for computers.  This video was released on November 18th, 2009 and makes some very interesting points about how we use the Internet today and why they’ve jumped into this arena.

Once you’ve watched it, you’ll most likely agree that Google is really honing in on “What The Internet Consumer” needs, and how they can deliver the tools and products to make life on the Internet simpler, faster and more efficient.  Now they’re going to try and do the same with your computer operating system.  The Google Browser and Operating System may very well be the dominating tools of the Internet and PC’s in the very near future.  I’m just sayin….

For the MAC users like myself, Google Chrome is still in development, and the operating system will probably not be a replacement for the MAC OS anytime soon. My MAC is already “screamin” fast!

What Is RainCamp™

What Is Real Estate RainCamp™

Real Estate RainCamp™ is a full day Conference/Seminar that is packed with valuable content, presentations, and some of the most useful and applicable ideas and processes that you can implement immediately into your Social Media, Networking, Blogging Strategy, and Business Plan.  RainCamp™ was created and developed for anyone in the Real Estate Industry looking for successful methods and tools to maximize and grow their online business in today’s Modern Day Real Estate Market.  RainCamp™ is a National Event now touring the Country.

Modern Day Real Estate Marketing

• How do you stack up in the modern Real Estate Market

Find out where you rank before we kick off the day. How does your social profile rate against your neighbor? How can you expand that presence and create connections that are meaningful in a professional manner? Understanding where you are is the only way to figure out where you need to go.

Search Engine Marketing

• Learn how to target consumers that are MUCH closer to buying than an average Internet lead

Advertising is undergoing a radical transformation. As advertising dollars make an exodus from print to online marketing, do you know how to position your advertising budget to get the most impact out of each dollar? As most of your potential clients go online to make purchase decisions, knowing how to target them in the places they reside will be instrumental in ensuring they do business with you.

Converting Leads Into Closings

• “Ten Days of Pain” lead conversion method – allows you to convert Internet leads efficiently

Understand Pay-Per-Click advertising and how you can get leads cheap and effectively. It’s one thing to learn how to drive traffic to your site, it’s entirely different to actually convert that traffic into a commission. Learn the regiment required to get industry leading conversions with the prospects on your website. There is no reason the leads on your site should be treated like the rest of the industry treats theirs. Resolve to do something different.

Social Media Networking and Marketing

• Discover what works and what doesn’t work using the New Social Media Movement

Learn how to use Social Media to obtain a competitive edge in your market place. Gain an understanding of sites like FaceBook, Twitter, and others, and how you can incorporate them into your business plan to connect with and earn more clients.

Real World Social Media Success Stories – LOCAL PANEL

• Listen to pros that are utilizing what they preach and have outstanding success doing it

Listen to real agents on the street who are using Social media to enhance their business. Let them tell you how they did it. Not every story is the same but the critical component is this: They took the leap and the rewards are well worth the effort.

30 Technologies You Don’t Know About But Should

• Discover 30 technology tools that can be seamlessly integrated into your business

Does this really need an explanation? Yes it does, so you’ll need to come and hear it. 

Becoming the Online Mayor of Your Community

• Understand what it means to be the “Online Mayor of your Community”

The end game of all real estate social media strategies. Learn how to put yourself at the online center of your real community. This is market area “farming” and done by the cutting edge elite. Take full advantage of the resources available and create a plan to put yourself in the middle of the flow of information in your market.

Hyper-local Blogging for Business and SEO

• Learn how to use Hyper-Local Blogging to land you on the first page of GOOGLE

What is Hyper-local? Why does it matter? How does focusing on hyper-local content give you more qualified leads that are ready to act quicker? Find out how to target your next client by providing the information they are looking for when they are really getting close to buying. Learn the methodology of a newer agent who has leveraged the Internet to become a Mega Producer.

RainCamp™ – “Because the way we do Business has changed!”

About The Speakers:

Ben Kinney, Mega Producer, Keller Williams

Featured: 2008 Realtor Magazines annual “30 under 30”, RIS Media “Power Team” report, WCAR Realtor of the Year and Quarter

Bob Stewart, Director of Social Media Strategy, ActiveRain

Bob is responsible for growing and maintaining ActiveRain’s vibrant community of real estate professionals. He has been actively involved as a member of ActiveRain from inception. Prior to ActiveRain, Bob was COO of Brio Realty and during his tenure he increased sales volume from zero to over $100 million a year.

Brad Andersohn, Community Manager, ActiveRain

Brad is the all around tech and member support services guru.  His focus and goal is to make sure members are getting the most out of the network and community.  He spends a great deal of time introducing new products, tools, and services with explanations and tutorials on how to best apply them to your business plans and growth strategies.

Special Guest Speakers, to be announced at each local event.

“You’ll walk away from RainCamp™ with successfully tested tools and concepts that you can apply and put into action immediately to increase your business!”

Upcoming RainCamps™

RainCamp.com

Platinum RainCamp™ Sponsor: Market Leader

The Best of NAR 2009 Expo – Real Estate Technology

The Best of NAR 2009 Expo – Real Estate Technology

NAR each year is always packed with great sessions, speakers, topics and presenters.  There’s no way to see and do it all!  One of my favorite parts of the Convention is walking around, meeting people in the hallways, hugging old friends and shaking hands with new ones. This year, William Shatner was one of the special guests at NAR, but unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to sign him up on ActiveRain.

My absolute favorite is “cruisin” the EXPO and seeing all the “NEW” stuff that’s being displayed.  Many of the tools and services presented will have an affect and impact on the ways business will get done now, and in the future.

To See the more than 375 Booths and vendors that were there, here’s an interactive floor-plan you can visit.

NAR always brings back some of the same vendors you see year after year, but I still like to stop by and see them, and how their products have changed or improved. Then there’s all the new technology stuff I haven’t seen or heard of yet.  When I found a booth or vendor with a name I didn’t recognize, or if they that had something I hadn’t heard of, I’d ask them, “In a sentence, tell me who you are, what you do, and what does your company provide?”

So if you were unable to make it to NAR 2009 in San Diego this year, I hope you’ll take a moment to let me be your eyes, your ears, and your feet at NAR, and enjoy this condensed version of “A Day with Brad at the NAR EXPO” and see a few of the “highlights” that I thought were some of the “Best of the NAR Expo.” 

Fujitsu.com * PreListing.com * AlaMode.com * AgentOfficeHQ.com * Txt2Look.com * RealtyPilot.com * TheBoom.com * RealBiz360.com * MarketLeader.com * HomeOnTheTube.com * IDXBroker.com * VisualTour.com * PlanetRE.com * LoneWolf.com * PostYourListings.com * AdWriter.com *  ListHub.net * GoPaperless.com * Closing.com * PreviewFirst.com * ForeclosureRadar.com * RealtyLog.com * RealAgile.com * LoopNet.com * HillsideSoftware.com * Boopsie.com

THE NAR 2009 “RAINCAMP” DRAWING WINNER!

We collected Business Cards and had a drawing at NAR for 2 RainCamp tickets and $100.00 American Express Card and the winner was….drumroll…Tamara Dorris from Sacramento, CA.  Congratulations Tamara, we’re looking forward to seeing you at RainCamp.

 

Are You Coming To NAR This Weekend?

If you’re coming to NAR in San Diego, I hope you’ll stop by and see us. Traditionally in the past, ActiveRain hasn’t had a booth on display where we’ve shared our goods and promoted the Network.  This year will be no different, except we will have our own small section of Real Estate at the convention.  Sound confusing? 

Good, then you’ll read on…..

          

Our friends over at MarketLeader have graciously offered to share their “Large Acreage” lounge with us, and I get to come be the AR mascot for two whole days.  Jon and Bob are finally letting me out! lol~  I’ll have my laptop with me, so If you don’t come by and see me, and I see you, it’s likely that I’ll be offended and remove points from your ActiveRain account. (just kidding..lol)  Seriously, stop by and see us.  It will be an informal, comfortable lounge type setting, where you can relax, rest your weary feet, and just chill with us. 

We’ll be giving away some really cool stuff, answering some questions if you have to ask them, but mostly we’ll be there to support NAR and all the wonderful members that we’re hoping to see this weekend.  We are also going to be doing a joint drawing: Two RainCamp tickets and a $100 American Express card giveaway for some lucky winner to enjoy dinner during a RainCamp event of their choice during the 2010 tour.  We’ll be there all day Saturday and Sunday.  The drawing will occur on Sunday at the end of the show.

MarketLeader will be giving away a 10 day cruise, so you might want to stop by and see what that’s all about too?  I’m Looking forward to getting out of the office for a couple days, learning a few new things, mingling with some old and new friends, and most of all, creating some great memories in Sunny Southern California. (it will be sunny right?) 

So just drop by, say hi, leave us your card, chat for a bit, and we’ll do the rest!  If you want access to the entire NAR event on your cell phone, you can download the “NAR 2009” app on to your cell phone here  How cool is that?

Until then, travel safe, and “Be All You Can Be” you can and DO make a difference in the world!  🙂

Our Lounge Booth is #2425 on the main aisle

ActiveRain Channels – Real Estate Technology and Tools

ActiveRain Channels – Technology and Tools – It’s A “Discovery Channel”

Everyone knows how excited I get about all the new, cool, and useful technology that’s available here and out on the web. Turns out, and it’s no surprise, that I’m not the only one who loves to share tech tips and tools with others.  Many of us create posts on AR, sharing our findings and information with others in hopes that it will be helpful to them in their business.  We add them to  channel, give them a topic, submit them to our Blog, then we go on about our day.

Today I saw a post by member Jim Lee sharing Wordle, a cloud tagging tool that was very interesting. Then I saw he added his post to the Technology and Tools Channel on ActiveRain.  Curiosity always gets the better of me, so I clicked on the Channel and was “Blown Away” at all the members who had written posts about various Technologies and tools they had discovered too.  Want some Tech and Tools?

Here’s what I discovered, there is a ton of content covering…

Technology | Twitter | Google | Websites | Photography
 Video | Facebook | Social Networking | SEO

Each of these links within the Channel will take you even deeper where you’ll find even more focused content on each subject matter.  There is an alphabetically sorted “Topic” index at the bottom of the Channel that you can search through in detail. There’s even a “Most Popular Topics” index on the right hand side of the Channel page.  As you click on specific topics, you’ll notice a “Top Contributor” section within that Sub-Channel.  This Channel Navigation structure applies to EVERY ActiveRain Channel.  Did you know this?

Holy Cow! I work here everyday and didn’t even realize how much the Channels have grown.  It’s awesome!!

Just out of curiosity… again,  I used the search tool on AR and searched for “TIPS and TOOLS.”  WOW!  More than 800 posts have been written just using these two keywords.  For me personally, this will save me a ton of time looking for exactly the kind of stuff I love and that I’m always searching for.  Talk about discovering a goldmine, I’m feeling like a 49er today!! lol~

There are so many areas to find great content on ActiveRain: The feature board, the Blogrolls, inside the groups, subscribed bloggers etc., just don’t forget to grab your remote control once in a while and skip through some of the ActiveRain Channels. It’s just like your television, you never know what you’ll discover until you start flipping through some of the channels.  Also, make sure that you’re adding your content to the proper channels so you’ll get additional exposure to those looking for your specific topics. 

The Technology and Tools Channel IS My new “Discovery Channel!”

ActiveRain Statistics – Comments, Views, and Clicks

ActiveRain Statistics – Comments, Views, and Clicks:
Your ActiveRain Statistics page shows an overview of ALL your Blog posts and the activity they are getting.  This is a great tool to gage what is happening with each of your Blog posts in real-time. 

The first column is the Title and Link to your Blog posts, there’s no definition or description needed here.

The Second column is comments.  Many members and consumers may be reading your posts but not commenting. Those that do comment are accounted for and shown as a total on your stats page.  Don’t think for one second that just because you’re not getting mega comments that people aren’t reading your posts.  Out of the more than 1.3 plus million posts on AR, there’s not a single post here has not been seen, read, or at least viewed, or clicked by somebody.

The third column is views.  This shows how many times your post was viewed in a Blogroll.  This includes any Blogroll on ActiveRain.  A Blogroll is any place on ActiveRain where a list (called Blogroll) of posts are shown. Click on the “Blogs” link at the top of any AR page to see a sample of a Blogroll.  A Blogroll includes groups, subscriptions, and even the feature board.  A view simply means that your post appeared on someones computer screen as they were scrolling through the list and looking for a title to click on and read.

The fourth column is Clicks.  This is when someone actually clicks on the title of your post, and loads it as the solo post on their computer screen to read.  Clicks are accumulated not only within ActiveRain, but outside of the network too.  Many clicks on your stats page are coming from Google searches and direct hits by consumers. The longer your post is out there, the more all of these numbers will increase.

Your comments will always be less than your clicks, and your clicks will always be less than your views.  I’ll explain.  When a post first gets written, it shows up in the Blogrolls of all the groups you’ve added it to.  It also shows on the Main Blogroll, and the “Subscribed” Blogroll meaning those who subscribe to you will see your new post on their “Subscribers” Blogroll.  With the hundreds of posts that go up daily, in a very short time, your blog posts will roll off the end of the Blogrolls and into the B.P.C.A. (Blog Post Cyber Archives), only to be found again by someone searching through your Blog, or Google for your specific content. 

Focus on “Building Your Blog Library” with quality content.  You can always go back and send folks links to your posts. This will create more views, clicks, and comments in the future, and this activity can and will continue for as long as your posts shall live.  In the chart below, I wanted to demonstrate how over time, the views and clicks will increase. This is a 30 day graph from oldest to most recent post.

How important is your Blog Post Title?  Look at the differentiation between “views” and “clicks” to determine that.

The most important thing to remember.  Any Clicks you get on your post after the first couple weeks or so are most likely coming from consumer searches and others that are searching your Blog. Comments, Views, and Clicks stats are a really great way to determine what your readers are liking, what consumers are finding, and what other members like to comment on. 

This tool is not meant to be a replacement for a good stats widget or stats tracker, but it is an excellent way to start viewing what’s going on with your Blog posts and content now.  It will also help and assist you with creating more of “what’s working” content in the future.  Now don’t just view it, you clicked it, so comment.  lol~  Have a great week, I hope to see you all at NAR!  :-))

Related Post~
How To Track and Monitor Blog Statistics and Traffic

RainCamp is Coming To San Francisco

RainCamp is Coming To San Francisco

The ActiveRain RainCamp Tour is Official!  Our first ever RainCamp in Seattle was sold out in just two weeks.  Now there’s a demand by many of our members and non members to bring RainCamp to cities all across the Country.  As you can imagine, this is a huge undertaking for our staff and team. There are so many details that go into setting up this event, but our members and guests are not only worth it, they deserve it.

The “Rainergy” and “Buzz” that comes from a RainCamp is like no other event I’ve ever experienced.  You have to witness it for yourself to understand and grasp the full value and impact it will have on you, your Business, your relationships in your community, and the industry.  Here’s what a few of the folks from RainCamp Seattle had to say:

RainCamp is coming to San Francisco on December 2nd, 2009 for a full day packed with great content, presentations, and some of the most useful and applicable ideas and processes that you can implement immediately into your Social Media, Networking, and Blogging Business Strategy and Plan. The Location and Venue we’ve selected is once again a “Top Notch” off the hook spot.

MarketLeader will be our official Platinum Sponsor for the next 6 RainCamps on the tour schedule.

WHAT IS RAINCAMP™

How is RainCamp different from other Conferences?

• Assess how you stack up in the modern market.
• Listen to people that are practicing what they preach, and having outstanding success doing it.
• Learn the methodology of a newer agent who has leveraged the Internet to become a ‘Mega Producer’.
• Walk away with executables you can put into action immediately.
• Hard core real estate technology education. This is not a fluff event!!

What Do You Get?

An Action Packed Day: At a State-of-the-art conference and meeting room is just the beginning of our package at Mission Bay Conference Center at UCSF.  They have Gorgeous meeting rooms with City and Bay views. Great layout with plenty of seating, wireless Internet Access, and much more.  All the comforts and ammenities of a 5-Star Resort.  “This is one of San Francisco’s only full-service conference facilities.”

 
San Francisco

Date: December 2nd, 2009

Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm
(registration 8:00am)

Location: Mission Bay Conference Center at UCSF
1675 Owens Street, Suite 251, San Francisco 94143
GOOGLE MAP |  Yahoo Map | Mapquest Map | Microsoft Map

Facility: Wireless Internet Access and Power Available

 RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW!

 

There will be approximately 140 seats setup classroom style (with tables) reserved for attendees with laptops.  It is all open seating so those seats are first come first serve the day of event.  We are limited to only 500 seats max capacity, so register right away. There will be On-site paid parking available, street parking and/or complimentary shuttles from the BART and Caltrain stations.  If you’re wanting overnight accommodations, here’s the Unique Venues Site.

Platinum RainCamp™ Sponsor: Market Leader