Is Your Home Staging Blog Built on Someone Else's Property?

This is part two of a series. You can catch up at 5 Reasons You Need a Home Staging Blog to get some more of the basics and also read some helpful tips and comments from home staging bloggers in the Staging Diva Community.

Today I’m going to tackle where you build your home staging blog. Many new bloggers start out with a free one on wordpress.com, blogger.com or activerain.com.

These options are attractive because you can get started right away with their templates and best of all, it’s free! Really you just need to decide on a name for your blog, open an account and within minutes you can be typing the content for your first blog post.

I confess that’s exactly how I got started. I first used Blogger in 2005 after taking a course on how to get started in blogging. Blogger is owned by Google so a cool side bonus is their spiders are going to visit and index your content pretty quickly. If you have a blog with an address like stagingdiva.blogspot.com, then you’re looking at a Blogger blog.

No matter where you build your blog, it’s important to know that every post has it’s own unique URL. Each category of post also has a unique URL This is a good thing because every URL represents another page that Google and the other search engines can “index.” When you look at my blogspot posts for June, 2005, they’re at this URL http://stagingdiva.blogspot.com/2005_06_01_archive.html.

The same thing happens on Active Rain. For example one of my 2 blogs there is at: http://activerain.com/blogs/thestagingdiva. An individual post will have an address like this one: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2604711/ladies-is-that-voice-in-your-head-killing-your-business-

Would you build a house on land you didn’t own?

I’m trying to keep this explanation as tech-free as possible, but stay with me because there’s a really key insight coming! Look back at these addresses. They all have “blogspot” or “active rain” in them because they are built on someone else’s “property”, ie: domain.

In other words, no matter how long I blog, I’m building up “Google Juice” for another website, not my own!

I don’t own any of these pages. Google could decide to cancel their free blogspot service or Active Rain could decide to start charging me an arm and a leg for their blogging capability and I’m stuck!

Imagine if you only posted twice a month for 5 years? That would mean you’d have 120 webpages disappear overnight along with all of the content! If you posted the recommended minimum of once per week during that time, you would lose 260 webpages. Actually more because remember I said that each post and each category get their own URL? Imagine, all those pages with your name or company name on them (that you currently delight in seeing) in Google searches suddenly gone— poof!

It was not a happy day years ago when I realized this because I had hundreds of blog posts. I buried my head in the sand for awhile wishing I hadn’t learned any better. Then one day I decided to bite the bullet and start from scratch again.

You see the longer you wait, the worse it gets!

Watch for part 3 in this series. I’ll discuss what you can do if you find yourself in the situation of having a blog that’s not on your own domain. In the meantime, check out my home staging blog that’s on my own staging website. As you visit the different blog pages, notice the URLs at the top and how they’re filled with keywords that help Google find Six Elements and know that it’s a home staging company.

I’ll confess upfront that I’ve neglected to update my Six Elements blog since I’ve been so focused on Home Staging Business Report, where I generally post 2 to 3 times per week. It’s really hard to keep up too many blogs at once, no matter how good your intentions!

I have also maintained more than one blog on both Active Rain and Blogspot for SEO reasons, but they are not my main blogs. They are not where my original content goes and if they disappeared tomorrow, I’d still have all my content safely sitting on my own domains continuing to:

Boost my search engine rankings
Build relationships and educate others
Bring me paying clients

After all, that’s why you’re blogging isn’t it? Please share your questions and comments below to help me know what I need to cover in upcoming issues in this series.

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging

Internationally recognized home staging expert Debra Gould is President of Six Elements Inc. and creator of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. An entrepreneur for almost 25 years, she built her first website in 1999 to sell her artwork online; which attracted a book publisher and helped her sell her first painting to an in

Comments

Susan Atwell says

December 7, 2011 at 9:53 am

Hi Debra,

As you know, I currently use Blogger (atwellstagedhome.blogspot.com). My domain name http://www.AtWellStagedHome.com forwards to this address. Blogger has been a great playground not just for building my blog, but also for building my website.

I’m currently in the process of moving all my content – pages and blog – to WordPress. That new site will be hosted under http://www.AtWellStagedHome.com.

My question relates to duplicate content. I hear that it is bad for search engines if the same content appears in multiple places. I will have to keep the Blogspot site for quite a while, as people may have bookmarked individual pages and posts.

Is there any way to forward/redirect from Blogger, or do I remove much of the content and replace with the link to my new page on my domain?

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.

Susan

PS – I periodically take a full back-up of my Blogger account. It’s in the settings and takes 30 seconds. (If anyone has trouble with IE8, download Chrome and it works great from there.) This copy is what I used to import my content to WordPress. This way, if your account does get shut down, you do have a copy of all your work.
- Debra Gould says
  
  December 7, 2011 at 1:11 pm
  
  Hi Susan,
  Thanks for and sharing your experiences and tips, I know everyone will appreciate it. I’m very happy to hear you’ve been backing up your blogger content, that’s such a great idea, I didn’t know they had an easy feature for you to do that! I bet most people don’t use it, but I highly recommend getting into that habit.
  
  To answer your question, duplicate content IS a problem for SEO. You can move most of the content onto your new site and have a link on the original blogger post with a link to your new site where they can read the rest of the story. But on your own blog, I’d use different headlines and a different opening paragraph at minimum from what was on the blogger post.
  
  I can go into this in more detail in a future post in this series, but that’s the essence of it.
  
  Hoping other contribute their questions here so I can build the answers in for you as I continue this blogging for home stagers series
  - Susan Atwell says
    
    December 8, 2011 at 8:43 pm
    
    Thanks Debra. I was thinking I might have to do something like that. Luckily I enjoy tedious tasks! 😉
    
    Looking forward to learning more in future posts.
    
    Thanks again for all the great information you share.
Loi Diaz says

January 24, 2012 at 10:41 am

Hi, Debra:

Is it advisable to use the same content for Facebook and Active Rain or Blogspot at the same time? Just thought it might be easier to track whether one material content has been used already and maximize it at the same time.

Thanks,
Loi
- Debra Gould says
  
  January 24, 2012 at 3:36 pm
  
  Loi, this is a fantastic question and gets into the whole area of duplicate content. I’ll write a follow up post on it since it’s not a short answer. Thanks for asking!
Imogen says

June 3, 2012 at 10:39 pm

Debra, we talked about this on the Staging Dialog call. Great advice & something I’m doing. But I have to know: Is your promised Part 3 in the pipeline? : /
- Debra Gould, The Staging Diva says
  
  June 4, 2012 at 5:37 pm
  
  Hi Imogen, Thanks for following up! Yes you can read part 3 at this link:
  https://stagingdiva.com/homestagingbusiness/home-staging-website-duplicate-content-solutions/

“The Staging Diva Business Training Program is worth every penny!

While there are other home staging courses out there, I’m so happy I follow the business model Debra teaches in her program. It is specific, concise, and thoroughly explained.

In addition to her courses, Debra offers SO many supplemental materials that are incredibly helpful too. The community of Staging Diva Graduates is another bonus, as we all support each other and share each other’s wins.”
— Cristin Lyons (NC)*Raleigh Staging & Design

“The Staging Diva Program is very well organized and explains in the most straightforward terms how to set up your business, maintain and grow it.

By the time I was on Course 3, I had already completed three home staging jobs which more than paid for all the training!

Debra’s step-by-step process allowed me to start a 2nd career doing something I probably should have been doing all along!”
— Rob Reinhart (CA)*Make It-Home

“Once I decided home staging was for me, I was terrified of starting my own business. Staging Diva Training gave me the confidence to do what I love, and contribute to our income after being out of the work force for 15 years.

Debra gave me the information I needed to get over my fear of failure, charge what I’m worth, and get out there and start my home staging business!”
— Kelli Hughes (TX)*ReAbode Home Staging and Redesign

“I felt like I hit the jackpot when I found the Staging Diva Program. I bought it without hesitation and began my training immediately.

I’m excited and inspired. The courses exceeded my expectations and gave me the knowledge to confidently start my own staging business.

So grateful for what I learned from Debra. She shares her gifts and talents so generously!”
— Mary-Maye Lorriman (UK)*Room by Room Interiors Ltd

“The Staging Diva Program was such an influential part of my home staging business plan. The business tools, processes and procedures Debra Gould outlines in the program set you up for success.

I have taken other courses but none compare to the comprehensive program with Staging Diva.

I truly appreciate all Debra’s help and guidance through the courses and group coaching calls. She is such a great inspiration!”
— Lori Carbone (NJ)*Spaces That Speak Home Staging

“I love Debra Gould’s straight forward approach and candor. As a home stager, she knows first-hand what it’s like in the field. Debra is running her own staging business as a real business and knows what it takes.

Debra is truly an uplifting woman and I continue to aspire to follow her lead. Her amazing passion for home staging is felt all the way over here on the Jersey Shore.”
— Wynette Williams (NJ)*Red Robyn Interiors

“The Staging Diva Program taught me many secrets about home staging consultations— especially how to charge, and have no inventory.

I took another home staging course before Debra’s and the Staging Diva Program really helped build my business. Debra forced me out of my comfort zone, she is such an inspiration! Now I know I can make a difference in many people’s lives.”
— Susan Bierig (NJ)*Re-deZine The Shore Way LLC

“I loved Debra’s no-nonsense style of running a home staging business, it’s very easy and straightforward. She keeps it simple, and it all “clicked” for me.

I now have the confidence to get out there and do what I am passionate about. I knew I had the talent, and now I have the business knowledge to round out my staging business. Thank you Debra!”
— Judy Chizmar (PA)*Judy Chizmar Home Transformations

“The Staging Diva Program is fantastic! I wish I had found it before completing a different home staging course. The program provided me with valuable business information that the other course lacked.

I am very impressed with Debra Gould. It is quite evident that she is honest and ethical in all her dealings with her students and clients, and that’s #1 in my books.

She truly has become my mentor!”
— Monique Milne (MB)*Milne Well Dressed Homes (MB)

“I’m so glad I came across the Staging Diva Home Staging Training Program. It’s a perfect fit for me with Debra sharing her business model and what has worked for her. She takes the guess work out of how to run a successful home staging business.

Debra is supportive, down to earth and has a wealth of experience under her belt. I can now express my creative passion with more confidence following her guidance.”
— Shelley Giffin (QLD AU)*Rooms for Miracles

“The Staging Diva Program is very comprehensive, flows well, is explained simply, and the content is engaging. I loved the combination of information from Debra mixed in with student questions.

I do not need a business background to be successful as a home stager after taking the Staging Diva courses. They gave me the confidence I needed, to know that I can be successful.”
— Haana Nyamekye (MD)*Zuri Sophia Interiors

“I love that I’m pursuing a career that pays me to be creative, rather than spending my time working for someone else.

Plus, I have the freedom to be available to my family when they need me.

The Staging Diva Program filled in all the questions that I still had after completing another ‘hands on’ program. Thank you Debra, I now have the confidence to build my staging business.”
— Tracie Lacroix (BC)*Sold by Design

“This is the first time in my 57 years of life that I am pursuing something solely for myself — despite my often paralyzing fear!

I’m optimistic and excited to see what the new year has in store for me— due in large part to having found the Staging Diva Program and feeling prepared to take this new journey as a home stager. Debra, thank you sincerely!”
— Lisa Tyus-Lee (OH)*Lights Camera Stage LLC

“Debra’s knowledge and expertise on how to start a home staging business have inspired me.

As a seasoned Real Estate Agent who already staged clients homes, I believe this is a great business to be in.

I am moving my dream of staging homes into a separate business because Debra taught me how in the Staging Diva Program. Thank you Debra!”
— Leslie Manson (BC)*Staging Homes by Leslie

“I appreciate Debra’s candid approach. It’s the reason I chose the Staging Diva Program over other home staging courses.

My first project sold the first day on the market for more than the asking price. This confirmed I’m in the right business.

Thank you, Debra!”
— Casey McDougall (TX)*Custom Home Staging

“I loved the Staging Diva Program! I was skeptical about the format at first, but it was great. The notes were concise and easy to follow. Students asked questions I was wondering about myself, and Debra is clear and direct.

I’m confident in my decorating abilities, but wasn’t sure how to run a professional and profitable staging business. Debra walks you through the entire process.”
— Deborah Brischler (CA)*Home Staging Solutions

“The Staging Diva Program will help me avoid possible mistakes and has provided great clarity on many grey areas— which is great!

I love staging homes and since doing the program, I love it even more as I am confident that I can provide a really worthwhile and valuable service! These home staging courses are very practical. I wish I had completed them sooner!”
— Clodagh Doyle (Ireland)*Placelift Property Renovation Specialists

“I have never been so driven, passionate and totally motivated as I have been since completing the Staging Diva Program. I have not lost any steam nor any excitement.

The fact that the program is start-up business and marketing related to home staging makes it so perfect.”
— Dane Caldwell (ON)*2 Hounds Design

“I knew what I wanted to do as a home stager, but I didn’t know how to go about it. Staging Diva gave me the processes and I followed them.”
— Meg Ritchie (AU)*Gold Coast Homestaging

“I already have a knack for the decorating part of home staging, but I lacked the business side of things.

The Staging Diva Program was great to have at my fingertips so I could listen at my own speed and in my own time.

I was concerned about handling all the paperwork I thought had to be involved in the contracts and such, but Staging Diva has made it SO much easier!!”
— Amy Brown (MO)*Simply Staging by Amy

Would you build a house on land you didn’t own?

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