Jody, When I first started I would have defined success as getting comments or getting featured.  Now, success is more about getting placed highly on the search results and getting calls from consumers.  One of the latter type posts that tends to generate more buyer contacts is this one about Sailboat Pointe condos for sale.  You'll see it didn't generate many comments, but this type of post is what generates the most business for me.  Three years after posting it, it is still doing its job for us.

every post written by every aspiring blogger is a successful one..... being a member of ActiveRain is a success story in itself.... 

That really depends on what you mean by successful - I have some that have not had much traffic but have generated business

To echo the others; how do you define success?  Every person here in the Rain is a success simply for knowing enough to be here and participate!

Read the featured posts daily.

There are so many different styles here I think it would be impossible to show you what a successful post looks like!

We all have different thoughts on what success here is - gaining new clients, referrals, teaching, learning, socializing.

Perhaps the best way to view "success" would be to read through the featured posts to see what kind of posts gain the most ActiveRain attention (which is not the same as buyer/seller attention!)

 There is no template for success.  You need to become a daily participant and become an expert in your particular neighborhood.  Write on a variety of subjects including real estate but not real estate exclusively.  Follow some of the active rain ambassadors and watch and comment on what they write about.

Depends on the definition of success, some get lots of comments and reblogs, some get lots of hits from non members, some hit the top of the Google lists, and one that I did not expect to go anywhere inspired a local priest to print 500 copies and hand them out to everyone.

Consistency has been the key for me, post lots of posts and topics, most will do well.

This article has brought me the most business, credibility, clicks and calls.

Oil vs Water based polyurethane - Which is better for hardwood floors?

It is a key question that my customers search on google.  It was written in Dec 2011 and has received over 160,000 clicks.  It currently gets a bit over 7,000 clicks a month.

My 2016 hardwood flooring trend post also does very well...currently it generates 11,000 clicks/month.

I do flooring, BTW.

I agree with Barbara Todaro on this one. Watch. Study. Listen. Learn. Write good content and your blogging efforts will be successful.

I agree with Barbara and Gita - read the feature posts as they meet the 'requirements' for being featured.  You'll also see, as Bill said, that your 'general' area posts or posts about your specific niche don't get featured but, makes the phone ring!   For example, this blog didn't elicit a lot of comments but, I've received several calls from it and people have clicked over to my links on my website to search for homes in the neighborhoods:  http://activerain.com/blogsview/1159769/contemporary-homes---being-square-is-in-.  

Dive in and enjoy the Rain!

I suppose it depends on what type of success you are referring to. Getting alot of comments and praise? Being featured? Ending up in a national publication as a result? Getting new buyer or seller business?

Thanks for asking Jody Wall. While some of the others are getting philosophical in their responses to you, I'll offer this:

The one post I'm most proud of, (so that's success in itself), that was also successful in that it was featured and got me my first AR referral & closed escrow. Also the one that has had the most traffic, views & likes:

My #1 Post: No Guarantees

Some time during the last year, I wrote an aggragation article, with links to a bunch of different posts from various members. Different styles and strategies. I'll try to go back and find it and send it to you. 

Here it is:  How To Blog Effectively. 

First you have to identify who you want to reach as an audience, and then write to attract them. I like to use a mix of buyers, sellers, the general public and to other Active Rain Members. My blog today was short and sweet with a powerful messge "Are you Mad?"

Blog posts that get the most responses are usually topics that the author feels strongly about. Find your passion and run with it.

 Jody Wall 

Try to relate current events with real estate. You get more feedback. When it reaches to WWW. There are more readers interested in reading your blog.

Here are a couple recent ones:

Pokeman Go

Olympian realtors

This one has more AR juice and I left on AR site only. I am sure you are aiming that goal too.

Reaching 500,000 points

Gita Bantwal nailed this one!

I like the answer provided by Bill Liz and Bill Spear.

You can always share links. Successful blogs are not always considered the best blogs. 

What is ''success'' for you? Those that generated business, those that were featured, those that had the most views, or those that had the most comments? 

I think the key is to define "successful".  Like Liz and Bill Spear said, it has a different meaning for different people.  For me, all my market reports are successful because they get good praise from fellow Active Rainers and they help to establish me as someone who is knowledgeable in the area.

I posted this in 2011.  I can attribute 6 sales as a direct result of this post.  It has 23.8k views and jsut 8 comments.  I have other subdivision posts with some level, but this by far is one of the best posts I've written.  Live IDX links are key for success in the manner I think you are looking for. Of course I may not know what you are looking for.

Intersting , I will have to see what others are saying.

It's sort of hard to pin down what a "successful" post even is.  The post of mine that got the most hits was about Perma-Stone, but it didn't get that much in the way of comments or phone calls.  Another one that got few hits (summer day camps for kids in DC) got some great calls.  You just never know. 

I think that your blog is an overall success when you garner enough SEO to be easily found online. And that takes more than a few great posts.

Nah, most of my posts go unnoticed LOL

I invite you to dine-in @ Richie's General Store & Post by accessing my library

There are many definitions of success.  What type of post are you looking for?

I would encourage you to read blogs from the top writes so you get a feel of their writing style.