Social Media’s “Top 10″ Human Aggregators!
February 5, 2010
By: TheRECoach
Author's Website: http://twitter.com/TheRECoach
You might remember just a few short weeks ago I wrote a post, here on GEB, coining the phrase “Human Aggregators”, entitled “Kiss Your RSS Good-Bye”. It was about how, using an application like Tweetdeck (Though Hootsuite and others would work as well), you could essentially reduce your time commitment on reading, recommending, and even commenting on Real Estate related blogs simply by placing your ”trust” in the hands of the finest Blog Readers in Cyberspace!
I built a simple column in my Tweetdeck called, of course “Human Aggregators”. In it I chose an initial group of 24, of my then, 500 or so Tweeps. This 24 was whom I considered highly capable based on my years of following them on Twitter, meeting them at BarCamps, drinking with them, talking with them, and in many cases going to them for help when I had a question regarding Real Estate on the Internet. I then stopped going to my Google Reader and simply clicked on their recommended “reads”, from their Tweets.
I found that I cut the time, I had dedicated to this exercise, by more than 60%!!! While maintaining, and maybe even improving my exposure to quality Blog posts. Posts that were informative, educational, humorous, and down right entertaining. I love having that time back to dedicate to other useful activities like; My family, my friends, golf, coaching little league, and so many other things.
It’s not that I am telling everyone to do this, but if you are one of the 4.2 million Real Estate Agents struggling to get a handle on Social Media, give this a try! think of it as your “Training Wheels”, when you are ready, take em off and fly!…
…and to get you started, here are my “Top 10″ “Human Aggregators” (in no particular order), as I have paired them down from 24…
| @tcar - Todd Carpenter - SM Dir. for NAR - **Warning, his Tweets may be hazardous! |
| @ResPres - Jeff Turner - Pres. of ZeekInteractive - 6 kids, 1 wife! (love that line) |
| @FrancesFlynnTho - Frances Flynn-Thorson - AZ Real Estate Blogger - Trusted RE Source |
| @PhxREGuy - Jay Thompson - Phoenix RE Broker - ”Tell it Like it is Blogger” |
| @BHGRE_Sherry - Sherry Chris - Better Homes & Garden - A true “Forward Thinkers” |
| @MLBroadcast - Mike Price - MLBroadcast.com - Zillow’s Blog(s) Editor & Nice Guy |
| @EricStegemann - Eric Stegemann - Dir of Biz Dev @ Tribus – Brilliant & RE Focused |
| @pkitano - Pat Kitano - Co-Founder of Domus Group - Well Informed SM Strategist |
| @jburslem - Joel Burslem - 1000Watt Member - Founder FOREM Blog “Original” RENet’er |
| @nik_nik - Nicole Nicolay - CCO AgentRevolution - Editor @ MyTechOpinion.com |
** With nik_nik, you get “egg-roll”…meaning you also get the guy she sleeps with, @ReggieRPR - Reggie Nicolay – Dir of SM for RPR. Together they form one of the finest Duo’s in The RENet!
So there you have it! My “Top Ten” 
if you have someone you think should make my list, let me know! I would love to have an opportunity to be edumacated by them. I will put them in my “HA in Waiting” column, and who knows, they may make it to “Big Leagues” some day
Stay Blogging My Friends!
The Coach – @TheRECoach
- Stumble it!
- Categories: Blogging, Gadgets, Twitter
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Carin Arrigo-Zimmer on February 5, 2010 11:15 am
Coach, this is great and incredibly helpful. Not entirely sure when I'll be taking my “training wheels” off, but this post is a stone's throw toward social media aggregation! Thanks for sharing! Hope to see you at #SMMOC again soon. =)
Mike Price on February 5, 2010 12:21 pm
Thanks Eric. That's a stellar group of humans of that I respect a great deal.
therecoach on February 5, 2010 12:37 pm
Thanks Carin, glad to know it helps! Best of luck in this crazy “new” world of Social Media. #SMMOC tomorrow!
therecoach on February 5, 2010 12:38 pm
YW, least I could do for one of my “mentors”…I felt pretty good about my “Top 10″, tough to beat em!
francesflynnthorsen on February 5, 2010 4:13 pm
I love your title, “Top 10 Human Aggregators.” I feel like a star of a Schwarzenegger film.
Thank you for the heads up and the lovely acknowledgment. There are some outstanding people on that list and it is gratifying to find myself in such celebrated company.
I use Hootsuite similarly and assign columns on the reader to Twitter lists I created. It is a nice way to design a richer reading experience. Thanks for sharing this and thanks also for sharing your voice across so many platforms.
Jay Thompson on February 5, 2010 5:45 pm
Having had the pleasure of meeting everyone on that list in real life, I can say it's quite an honor to be listed alongside of them. Thanks Eric!
Pat Kitano on February 5, 2010 9:52 pm
Thank you & honored Eric! It's a great list (of friends…)
SacramentoBill on February 6, 2010 7:11 am
I'll take the challenge…I have been trying to 'get' twitter…I feel that my appreciation has been just over the horizon as yet. But I could see how this might be helpful. I'll check back and let you know.
Bill
Jeff Turner on February 6, 2010 8:48 am
Honored.
Rita Cox on February 6, 2010 8:49 am
I learn something new everyday about SM. Thanks for the tips.. I just changed my background using twitbacks. I'll do something else tomorrow.
therecoach on February 6, 2010 9:06 am
Frances, you were an “original” on my own list over 3 years ago. and I consider you an “original” now, as a content provider. Love your honesty, and your honesty & genuiness shine through.
Stay Bloggin My Friend!
therecoach on February 6, 2010 9:08 am
Your “humorous” view of life is what keeps you on this list Jay. It's “real”, and people love “real”…so “keep it real” my friend. Again, this is my opinion, but you certainly belong on this list!
See you soon,
therecoach on February 6, 2010 9:10 am
Pat, your “inside” look at Social Media, and Web 2.0 (web 3.0) in general is vital to the success of my “Human Aggregator” concept. Your willingness to share is a trait I am impressed with. It lends to my view of you as genuine.
therecoach on February 6, 2010 9:13 am
Bill, please, please, please let me know how this works for you. I love to help, and I love to know how my suggestions pan out. Best of Luck, any help you need just email me TheRECoach@gmail.com
therecoach on February 6, 2010 9:14 am
Worthy
therecoach on February 6, 2010 9:18 am
Rita, what a wonderful approach. One thing a day! You are going to be great. As I said to Bill, please keep me posted and if I can be of any help, just email me
I write these to help, and its always good to hear back…good or bad!
SacramentoBill on February 6, 2010 10:19 am
OK, maybe there's a future blog post about a reasonably tech Savvy Broker in Sacramento that doesn't 'get' Twitter getting coaxed into the shallow end. Like the slow method of getting into a cold pool, letting your skin adjust a fraction of an inch at a time on tippy toes hands over my head and a grimace on my face. (I'm not sure if my metaphor works, but I'm trying to develop my writing skills for blogging).
I put the ten names in and I have been deluged with tweets from all kinds of people (oooh Kevin Pollack uses twitter and he's directing a new movie). How did all these other people get into this list? How do I get just my new reading list?
I can't keep up with this…
therecoach on February 6, 2010 11:01 am
Bill, YOU ARE THE MAN! you are a “real life” example of my (somewhat unpopular) view of Social Media in Real Estate. That the space is “cluttered” with people who need help from a “training wheels” perspective, and too many SM “Experts” are talking way above their heads…we need to focus on “simplicity”…so here is my “Simple” answer to your “common” problem…Go to tweetdeck.com and load the ap on your desktop. Within Tweetdeck you can create “columns” with specific Tweeps in it. Add just those 10 I suggested, and place that column in 1st position, listen to it “only” for a while, and eliminate the “Noise” of the other columns, just for a while…hope that helps! If not, again, just email me. I will call you and discuss over the phone.
Way to go Bill, you are one of my “heroes” through your efforts.
drewmeyers on February 6, 2010 11:16 am
I've met everyone on this list and this is a great list of people to follow for social media help.
RECoach Cites Best Aggregators : Speaking of Real Estate on February 7, 2010 5:31 am
[...] Do you find it takes too long to keep track of all the good real estate/technology information that’s passing through the Internet? Save time by setting up a Tweetdeck and following the industry’s power tweeters. Check out RECoach Eric Bryant’s “Top 10 Human Aggregators.” [...]
Denise Hamlin on February 7, 2010 7:47 am
Amazingly helpful post. Thank you. I am one of those agents trying to get a handle on social media and wishing there were many more hours in the day! I'm finding it so time consuming going through my reader every morning – It seems like this works and I will definitely give it a try. Thanks again.
therecoach on February 7, 2010 9:57 am
Thanks for the “vote of confidence” Drew. I paired this list down carefully, there were at least 14 other deserving names that just missed!
therecoach on February 7, 2010 9:59 am
Denise, I am so glad to hear that this will help you. When I decided to “specialize” in beginners, I looked long and hard for ways to get them “excited” about the Internet, and what it could mean to their biz. Now that SM is becomming such a large part of that equation, I will continue to have posts like this one, designed to make this learning curve a bit smoother.
Very Best of Luck in Your Journey!
deanouellette on February 7, 2010 11:44 am
Great list, I really think you need to have 1000wattmarc in there, but then again you have joel… and you need to have robhahn in there as a thought provoker and good source… but really is a good list of must reads
therecoach on February 8, 2010 1:07 pm
Thanks Dean, tough fitting more than one 1000 Watt guy in here, though they are very good at what they do. Brian is excellent as well! Rob Hahn is a great choice for the “On Deck Circle”, thanks! Hope the post helps!
OfficeSearchToronto on February 15, 2010 1:44 pm
Thanks for the Post! I wish someone would come out with a Commercial Agent list… even better if it was for Canada! Seems like we're always 2 steps behind.
Chris Fyvie on February 15, 2010 9:44 pm
Thanks for the Post! I wish someone would come out with a Commercial Agent list… even better if it was for Canada! Seems like we're always 2 steps behind.