Virtual Views - The View From Here : March 2009

Pamela Cendejas: Second Self Virtual Assistance

9 comments • Pamela Cendejas, Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235 • March 26 2009 03:37PM

Articles Are What Web Users Want

Web users want information. That is why the Internet is called the Information Superhighway. And yet, with all the information available, very few people really know what a real estate professional does or how the real estate process works. You can be a solution to this problem by posting informational articles on your website. This is not only advantageous to those visiting your website, but to you as well. Articles demonstrate expertise as a real estate professional. A web user is more likely to become a client when they feel confident in that person's abilities. Your website should be more than a means to search for a property. It should also be a tool to educate and help those who visit your website to know what a real estate transaction involves and why they need you.

Everyone knows that an escrow is part of a real estate transaction. But, they are not aware of what an escrow is, how it works or why an escrow can't close in a day. Buyers need to be aware of how to take title and the ramifications of their choice.

Unless, you are doing an all cash transaction, there will be a lender involved. Both buyer and seller need to know what the loan process is, how it works and why it takes so long. Buyers need to know what documentation they will need to provide the loan officer. Buyers need to understand things like front-end and back-end ratios. Buyers and sellers need to know the importance of title insurance and the types of policies that are available.

Think of all the questions you have been asked and you will have a treasure trove of ideas for articles that you can post. You can also use articles as a means to build your email list. Create an "Ask Me" page, which allows the website visitor to ask you any real estate related question. Have them complete a contact form (name and email address only). Then, you can email them an article which addresses their particular concern.

You do not need to create all of the content. Ask your affiliates to provide you with the content to be posted on your website in the form of an article. Remember to keep your articles short and simple. An article can be written in an outline format that is linked to a detailed page for each of the various points.

Placing an article teaser excerpt on your homepage can encourage your website visitor to click on the page to read more. You may want to add a notation on the bottom of the page suggesting that the reader print the article for future reference.

Providing information which is helpful and valuable to your website visitors will set you apart from the crowd. It will also keep people on your site longer and bring them back for more.

· ActiveRain Approved Widgets and Script Codes

6 comments • Pamela Cendejas, Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235 • March 19 2009 04:56PM

Widgets – Are There Limits?

Widgets and WHAT they can do are limitless. But HOW and WHERE you use them may not be. Various web-hosted sites and blogs may have restrictions as to what widgets you can use and/or their placement on a page. Most widgets appear in a sidebar section. Web-hosted sites restrict widgets to ensure the integrity of their site and to minimize viral infections.

In summary, I would like to say Widgets allow you to provide your website visitors with a richer internet experience. They also allow you to provide your visitors with a means to access other relevant information while remaining within your site. The longer a website visitor remains on your site, the odds increase in converting them from visitor to a prospect.

Here are some useful links to websites that help you create your very own interactive, media-rich widgets:

Also, here are a few blogs you might find interesting on the subject of widgets:

· Active Rain Video Tutorial For Adding Widgets To Your Active Rain website

· WordPress.com Widget World

Creating your own widget can be a fun thing. I hope you have as much fun playing with it as I have.

· www.singlepropertysites.com/widgets.shtml

5 comments • Pamela Cendejas, Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235 • March 04 2009 06:55PM

Widgets – Why Use Them

Widgets are a great marketing tool. Links and buttons work well, but widgets can enhance your sight, making it more visually effective as well as making your site more automated and user-friendly.

Widgets can be fun or they can be practical. These on-screen tools may provide games, videos, news, search or comment boxes, mortgage calculators, calendars, RSS feeds, listing slideshows, chat with me options and so much more. Widgets bring live content to your static pages without you having to update the content offered.

Widgets provide you with the means to enhance and spice up your website or blog-site by providing relevant information to your visitors and readers. Adding widgets to your website can really make it stand out from the crowd when you are using a template website or blog-site for your business. Many of the widgets available will allow you to modify the widget to your personal preference, giving your site a unique look and feel.

An example of using a widget to enhance your webpage is the use of a chat box widget. This widget allows your web visitor to talk with you while they are visiting your site. This simple interaction can lead to all sorts of possibilities.

Here are some useful real estate marketing widgets:

· www.housingwidgets.com

· www.widgetbox.com/tags/real+estate

· www.realbird.com/listing-widgets.aspx

Here is a list of social networking sites that provide some type of widget or badge for their members:

As a business professional who has found widgets very useful in my line of work, I hope you will find this information helpful.

18 comments • Pamela Cendejas, Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235 • March 04 2009 05:28PM

Widgets – Where to Find Them

There are widget directories and specialized widgets sites that allow you to download these simple programs. There are thousands of widgets which are free to use while others are available for purchase.

Here are some great widget directories to help you find useful widgets:

· www.yourminis.com - An exportable dashboard of widgets

· www.widgetbox.com - Twitter widget

· www.widget.yahoo.com - Yahoo widgets

· www.labpixies.com - Gadget directory

· www.tacowidgets.com - A directory of taco widgets

· www.musestorm.com/widgets/central - MuseStorm widget central

· www.gallery.live.com - Windows Live gallery of widgets

· www.desktop.google.com - Google gadgets for your desktop and web page

· www.directory.snipperoo.com - Snipperoo's directory of widgets

I hope you find that these widget directories are useful for you and your business.

0 comments • Pamela Cendejas, Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235 • March 04 2009 05:23PM

Widgets – What are They?

You have seen and used widgets daily, but may not have recognized them for what they are: widgets. Those little screen shots which show you the current time or temperature are examples of widgets.

Now for a more technical explanation: a widget, in the internet world of Web 2.0, is a gadget made up of programming code. These small applications (apps) allow you to run mini programs which interface with a webpage or operating system. Badges, gadgets, webjits, mini, flake, snippets, modules, capsules or plug-ins are all categorized as widgets.

Here's a helpful list of Widget Directories:

· www.yourminis.com - Exportable dashboard widgets.

· www.widgetbox.com - Twitter widget.

· www.widgets.yahoo.com - Yahoo widgets

· www.labpixies.com - Gadget directory

· www.tacowidgets.com

· www.musestorm.com - Muse storm widget central

· www.gallery.live.com - Windows live gallery

· www.desktop.google.com - Google for your desktop

I hope these widgets will be as much help to you or your business as they have been to me and mine.