Creating A Conduit Toolbar for Internet Browsers

Conduit.com is a site that allows you to create a “custom” toolbar that works with popular Internet browsers like Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari.  The toolbar can be custom created from scratch, then offered as an additional tool allowing users a direct interface or “Conduit” to the most valuable and important segments and links of your Blog or website.

Having a custom toolbar available to readers can add extra value to those who regularly visit your site.  By adding this toolbar to your browser, or creating your own custom toolbar, users can access the important information or areas of your site they want to know more about without having try and find it on your site.  The only question and challenge for you is, what should you add to the toolbar to make it the most useful and powerful tool for your readers?

Creating a custom toolbar at Conduit.com is fast and easy, and the best part is that it’s FREE.  Imagine having your customized toolbar installed on millions of browsers across the web. It would not only provide extra value to your readers, but could increase the traffic and exposure to your site.

Here is a sample of one I created for GeekEstateBlog, you might want one of these for your site or Blog.

Try the toolbar on your browser, then Click Here, to create one of your own.
Select Your Browser Below To Download The Geek Estate Blog Toolbar.

Hopefully, this will help explain and answer some of these questions:

“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, tools, 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.”

The event focuses on numerous areas that are of great importance to any business in this market.

• How do you stack up in the modern Real Estate Market
• Target consumers MUCH closer to buying than average Internet leads
• “Ten Days of Pain” lead conversion method – converting Internet leads
  
• Discover what works and doesn’t work using Social Media
  
• Listen to pros utilizing what they preach and have outstanding success
  
• Discover 40+ tech tools that can be integrated into your business
• Understand what it means to be the “Online Mayor of your Community”
• Learn to use Hyper-Local Blogging to get on the first page of GOOGLE

This gives you an idea of the topics, technology, discussions, and tools that are getting shared at RainCamp™.  Many have said that the value and benefit of attending far out-weigh the price of admission.  The pricing is structured so that nearly anyone and everyone can attend.  There are different levels of pricing, but they all get you in.  There’s even donation based tickets available.

This is not an advertisement or promotion, It’s to let folks know what these events are all about, I get so many questions like the ones above.  They are very high tech and high touch, that’s the other reason I wanted to share this on GEB for the geeks.  Hopefully this helps outline some of the event and details.   There’s more info at RainCamp.com.

Kudos should also go out to Zillow, they’re a Platinum Sponsor and have helped make these events possible for the Real Estate Industry.  Thanks you guys, you ROCK!!

Here’s the Next RainCamp Event Coming Next Week

Business applications for the Smartphone, Blackberry and iPhone are becoming more of a necessity for today’s Real Estate Industry Professional and Brokerage. Consumers are able to download these applications right from their portable/mobile phones and devices for FREE.  The question is what should be included in your Real Estate Business App? Recently, I had a Business Card app designed by me and built by MobileAppLoader Inc.  At the time, there were only 3 or 4 Real Estate Related Apps available from the iTunes store for the iPhone.

Today there are literally hundreds of Real Estate Related apps online and most are free to the end user, the consumer.  With the explosion of mobile devices and wireless technology, 3G, edge, and others, now is the time to consider having a mobile application created for you or your business. You need to have more than just an online business card these days. You need to have something that offers value, useful tools, something to “equip” your clients and prospects, and on ALL platforms.

Why have a mobile App? To promote your business. To keep your customers updated. To encourage customer loyalty with rewards. To set up M-commerce. Some tools to consider for your mobile app might include: Direct Contact Info, Text Messaging, Auto GPS Locator, Property Search, Hyper-Local Information, Video, Website and Blog Access, Instant Chat Capability, Featured Listings, MLS/IDX Access, Loan Calculators, and any other tools you see fit to provide a unique and rewarding mobile experience.

A couple of weeks ago, I attended the REBarCamp in Silicon Valley, I was able to meet with owners representing companies like SmarterAgent and MobileAppLoader.  These folks can design custom apps for mobile devices and cell phones.  After attending their session, I was convinced that it’s time to evaluate your Company’s Mobile Technology Products and tools, as well as your current and future clients needs.  In my honest opinion, I think this is the hottest and fastest growing arena in business today. “Mobile Technology!” You should consider getting YOUR Company or Business on board right away.

It won’t be a choice for long, it’ll be a business requirement and Industry Standard.

Since the very first REBarCamp which started in San Francisco, CA just over a year ago, we have watched and witnessed it become a National Event.  It’s spreading like wildfire.  Every major city in the Country will eventually host one of these and for a very good reason.  REBarCamp is the unconventional un-conference for the Real Estate Industry Professional.

“They have evolved into a place for conversations as opposed to presentations.”

Once you attend one of these, you’ll find that it’s really all about the people, the sharing of knowledge and experience, the how-to’s, the why’s and why not’s, but most of all, the networking and building of relationships is priceless.

The NAR Convention will be held in San Diego this year, and of course there will be an REBarCamp to add value to your time spent in Southern CA.  If you can’t make it to this one in November, you might want to attend the Silicon Valley REBarCamp in October.  You can also go to REBarCamp.com to see where one might be popping up near you.

Best of all, if you don’t have one near your location, YOU can put one together yourself.  There is plenty of support, sponsors,  and help out there.  Looking forward to seeing you at the next REBarCamp, remember it really is all about YOU.

REBarCamp VIDEO – The BEST of REBarCamp

Livestream

This is not a “How To” video product for those who like to put together bicycles without instructions! lol~ All you need is a webcam and a twitter account and you can stream live video and chat on Twitter.com

Posts your video description and link to Twitter for followers to see.

While broadcasting, chat with viewers from your broadcast page.

There is no sign up required, no software required, will handle up to 100,000 plus viewers, it’s FREE, and you can broadcast on other social networks with the provided embed codes and links.  Once you enter your twitter ID and password, an account will automatically be setup for you on twitcam.com.  See sample

The value of video interaction is now available for twitter users and it’s only a matter of time before every social networking platform will offer “Live Streaming Video” interaction for those members who choose to use it.

The new iphone app by MobileApploader is FREE.

I just downloaded the REBarCamp SF app on my iPhone and before I could fully investigate it’s functions and menus, I wanted to get something up on the one place I know other Real Estate Geeks go to find this stuff, The Geek Estate Blog!  Looking forward to seeing you at this years event, you can bet your apps that I’ll be there, and not without my iPhone.

Sharing pictures and videos just got a whole lot easier. Photobucket has launched a new one-click sharing to all the major social networking sites and blog sites. Now you can put your favorite video on MySpace, share that awesome picture on Facebook, or embed your Real Estate photos and listings on your blog.

Take the sharing features for a spin with single pictures, your whole album or a slideshow.  Whether you choose to share by IM, email, or posting to social networks, blogs and forums, Photobucket has got you covered.

So I tested this last night and it works flawlessly, and it only takes seconds to initiate.  While PhotoBucket seems to be on the cutting edge with this new feature, I can only hope that Flickr has plans to keep up with their competition.  Flickr is very limited in this arena.

Photos and video are big proponents of Real Estate, they capture the interest of many on-line consumers.  The investment of  “Time” is also a key element in Social Media Marketing and Networking.  How do these components impact both (you) the provider, and the end user (your customer) when deciding which service is best for you?

Which photo and video hosting site are you using and why? Does having the ability to syndicate your work “Socially” play a role in your choice as to which site you would use?  I’d love to hear what others think and feel?  Your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated. 

Retaggr.com allows you to create a profile, add any Social Network site, add custom links to your websites and Blogs, and then expose them to your visitors and Internet traffic.  I use Retaggr just so I can keep track of myself, and all the places I’ve created a profile, blog, or website.  LOL~

Having joined over 20 different social networking sites in the last 2 years, and running numerous Blogs and websites, I can’t imagine not having Retaggr in place if I ever needed to change a phone number, an address, an email address etc.  Would you be able to remember all the places you’d need to update or edit?   This is just one of the great values Retaggr brings to the Social Media Phenomenon.

There are many ways to use and benefit from your Retaggr Profile.

• Publicize your Retaggr Profile addresses

• Let your Followers and contacts discover you

• Add your Retaggr Profile to your site or blog

• Create a Retaggr Email Signature

They  have three different widgets you can add to any site or blog that will enhance your social networking visibility.  The first one is a chicklet that is very small, but then expands when you hover your mouse over it.

The second is a sidebar widget that can be placed on your Blog or on your customized website.

The third is like a large business card that displays all your information and can be used on any location that allows HTML code to be embedded.  They even have an e-signature card for your Outlook, Yahoo, or Google email.  If you are on more than 5 social networks or sites out there, you’ll need to keep track of them, and what better way to let others know which ones you’re on.  Retaggr really is the Ultimate Social Media Profile.

The containers can be customized to your specifications and expectations. I have used grazr.com in the past for multiple RSS feeds, but Feedfuze in my opinion has a better layout with better functionality and more customizable options.

Here’s a sample of the fuzes and container I just setup in about 15 minutes. You can also create links to your own Feedfuze Page. If you have a site you want to bring in RSS feeds, Feedfuze is certainly worth checking out.

Box, Huddle, Amazon, TripIt, SixApart, Google Docs, SlideShare, WordPress and Company Buzz.

These have all been launched for LinkedIn,  and are available now.  Here’s a screen shot from one of my Blogs that now appears on my LinkedIn Profile.

It’s time to syndicate your Blogs and sites over at LinkedIn.  Better get connected and LinkedIn to some of this stuff.  I see awesome potential for some of these new tools and applications, I think they’ll quickly become useful in the on-line business and social media world.

I’ve only had the opportunity to check out a couple of the new features, but so far, I like what I see.  Check out the “New Features” they’ve added.  This is a very good sign that LinkedIn will continue to be a place that experiences growth in size of membership, and hopefully business and social relationships as well.