I got to my rainmaker status by earning it over a year, but if I were to start another account I would pay the fee and have instant SEO.

The cost of the account has been greatly reduced and the cost of not having that seo for a year is too great to not get the paid account.

If you use the account to it's maximum, your phone will ring.

On the other hand if you do like so many others do and not post everyday, then it may not be worth it.

What Bob Crane said!  I upgraded and paid for the year upfront, not expecting to do much blogging.  That was 280,000 points and seven months ago.  If I did the monthly fee, the cost drops at each 100,000 points, so I'd have saved money in the long run.  I'll be at 500k by the time my renewal comes up (or shortly there after).  I plan on switching to the monthly billing or downgrading for that one month if needed.

Be sure to write Bob Stewart and ask him about the voucher for an upgrade to a Rainmaker account. It's a great discount.

When you're a Rainer, you're only talking to those of us here in the Rain. You will find, over time, that you get a lot of business from the Googlejuice that comes from being here. I am still getting calls/deals from posts I wrote here five years ago. It's definitely worth it.

Shoot Bob an email - bob@activerain.com. There is no obligation if you decide not to use it, but it's a good deal in a lot of ways if you do. GOOD LUCK

I do not feel I can add anything else here that has not already been shared. I would like to reiterate what Mimi Foster said and ask Bob Stewart if he has any promotional codes available for you to use. 

You've got your answers.  What are you waiting for? 

There is power in blog syndication. Unless its going out to the world the value is minimal.

The public can not see your blogs in a members only status.

You can't reblog a members only post so if you wrote a great post, another member could not reblog it to give you added exposure.

Localism posts get a lot of clicks and have generated responses for me but there is no value in doing so unless you upgrade. Members Only posts aren't picked up by Google so your target audience will never see them.

Teniqueka Green - well there are many - however, your blog posts seen by others is the biggest benefit. In a real sense, it's Blogging For Business. (Apart from getting referrals from other members, my market report posts are one of the main reason why I am considered 'expert' in some of the towns I work in.)

It will get you out there in the public view.

What Bob Crane said...

There is NO benefit in being a member of Active Rain or having a Rainmaker account.

With that reality, it is important for you to answer the question, "What do you want Active Rain to do for you?"

Education?

Community?

Research?

Referrals?

Lead capture?

A place to spend time?

It will BE what you make it.

EXAMPLE: You want to use AR as a blogging platform into your community.
Identify ANY heavy hitter here on AR, who states great benefit, and check their profile, specialty and communities served. Make note of the subjects in the  title of the past 10 blogs.

Go to big G and observe the results using a variety of search strings.

You should realize AR does not live on an island and you must have other resources where the leverage of authority will prove beneficial.

Summary: Having the greatest library of blogging material on the planet is of no value if the 'PUBLISH' button is never clicked. You have to use the tool in a purposeful fashion see real benefit.

Basically if you want to attract new business, do not hesitate and upgrade to Rainmaker. Then get active, every 100k points gets you a discount and then it is free when you hit 500k. 

I believe the blogging is the only real difference - that and a few other ways of gaining points

It will make you money because your blog with get the audience that it targets and deserves. Definitely worth the cost in what you will earn through new clients reading your posts and getting you name recognition.

Unless you are a Rainmaker, the public will never see your posts.   If you have a new listing, only the AR members can see it.

You will get customers! What better benefit is there? 

The other thing you will get is a very strong authoritative link from ActiveRain to your website, if you add it properly.. this alone is worth more than what you will pay for the google juice you are referring to. 

A link from an authoritative site to your little ol' site is the holy grail of linking and SEO:) 

You can blog to the public!  People who read your market reports might actually want to buy or sell a house.

You have many good reason listed. 

Teniqueka Green Internet exposure. Customers/clients can find you if you are a free member.

It depends on why you are here on active rain.