Paii blogging workshop november 2010

This is Your Brain
©Forfeng Designs 2010

This is BloggingThis is Blogging

This is what your brain feels likeThis is what your brain feels like
every time someone mentionsevery time someone mentions
that you should be bloggingthat you should be blogging

This is what your brainThis is what your brain SHOULDSHOULD
feel like, every time someonefeel like, every time someone
mentions bloggingmentions blogging

Blogger
blogger.com
Wordpress
wordpress.com
Wordpress
wordpress.org

Tumblr
http://www.tumblr.com/
Posterous
http://www.posterous.com

Blogging:
-Biggest excuse: no time
-Second biggest excuse:
I'm a bad writer, I don't know
how to write
= ©Forfeng Designs 2010

If you email, you
can Blog
A Blog can be
updated by email.

Why Blog?Why Blog?
#1 Blogging is about branding#1 Blogging is about branding
#2 Blogging is about customer#2 Blogging is about customer
retention and conversionretention and conversion
#3 Blogging is about SEO#3 Blogging is about SEO

Blogging is theBlogging is the
ultimate soft sellultimate soft sell
If all your doing on your blog isIf all your doing on your blog is
pitching a sale then your missing thepitching a sale then your missing the
two most important points, brandingtwo most important points, branding
and customer retention andand customer retention and
conversion.conversion.
SEO is important but should not be theSEO is important but should not be the
primary reason you blog.primary reason you blog.

Wrote on average, 1 or two
blog posts per month
Averaged about 50-60 readers
per month
Wrote on
average, 4-6 blog
posts per month
Averaged about
300-600 readers
per month
Current 2010
Write on average of one
to two blog posts per
week. Averaging about
1200-2300 readers per
month. Promotes the
blog through twitter
and facebook, do and
host a couple of guest
posts per month. Uses
50% of leveraged avail.
Average time spent, 15-20 minutes
a week equals 1-2 longer blog posts
=ROTI (Return on time
investment, Google picks up daily,
over 1500 clickthroughs to website
PER MONTH, multiple rez.
November

Summer is the busiest readership, for this inn, averaging about 300 plus readers
in off season and 600 or more a month when the inn is busier
Inn publishes an average of 2-3 posts per week, most are under 3 sentences long
generally with a photo
One is sales post (about a special offer or package or a RECIPE)
The other one or two posts are about whats going on in the area, a blurb about a
local restaurant or shop or a comment/blurb about something in the area, like a
brief post about migrating birds in the area.
Since January of this year. 3965 post views up to Nov. 12th
Inn shows up DAILY in Google alerts.

Blog was started in June 2008.Blog was started in June 2008.
Blog is linked from main page and allBlog is linked from main page and all
subsequent pages of website.subsequent pages of website.
BlogBlog autofeedsautofeeds into twitter andinto twitter and facebookfacebook fanfan
page.page.
Innkeeper spends about 10Innkeeper spends about 10--20 minutes per20 minutes per
week writing posts, stays ahead of the gameweek writing posts, stays ahead of the game
by writing many of them up in advance.by writing many of them up in advance.
Blog is not leveraged and is only using 20%Blog is not leveraged and is only using 20%
of the options out there to leverage it.of the options out there to leverage it.
85% of blog traffic is organic directly from85% of blog traffic is organic directly from
the search engines.the search engines.

CurrentCurrent clickthroughsclickthroughs until Nov. 12thuntil Nov. 12th
bbonline.combbonline.com 923923 clickthroughsclickthroughs
at the pro level = $359 a yearat the pro level = $359 a year
bedandbreakfast.combedandbreakfast.com 866866 clickthroughsclickthroughs
At the gold level = $500 + a yearAt the gold level = $500 + a year
bnbfinder.combnbfinder.com 775775 clickthroughsclickthroughs
AtAt max.exposuremax.exposure: level 1 = $299 a year: level 1 = $299 a year
blogblog == 3965 views3965 views,, resulting in 1178resulting in 1178 clickthroughsclickthroughs
through the post links and on the blog info tab andthrough the post links and on the blog info tab and
sidebar directly to the websitesidebar directly to the website
@ innkeepers 12@ innkeepers 12--15 hours per year15 hours per year

PhotoPhoto
LiabilitiesLiabilities
Or
be cautious about what you shoot

Lovely romantic photos of guests enjoying
themselves at your inn

Slight problem, not that person’s significant other

Slight problem, not that person’s spouse

Make sure you get permissionMake sure you get permission
from guests before using theirfrom guests before using their
photos.photos.
Verbal is good, but written isVerbal is good, but written is
better, model releases arebetter, model releases are
suggested. 1 minute of time forsuggested. 1 minute of time for
them to sign.them to sign.

While the people in question mayWhile the people in question may
not have any legal gripe with you,not have any legal gripe with you,
they will never returnthey will never return
ANDAND they will never say anythingthey will never say anything
nice to anyone else about yournice to anyone else about your
property and may go out of theirproperty and may go out of their
way to talk about it.way to talk about it.

Photo CopyrightPhoto Copyright

Snitching from Google Images
Or stock photo sites without
paying for them is illegal
Note the watermarks on both
photos (photos used for example
purposes only)

Photo may not have a visible watermark, this photo has a digimark watermark,
Photo copyright Forfeng Designs

Good inexpensive sourcesGood inexpensive sources
of stock photosof stock photos
dreamstime.comdreamstime.com
istockphoto.comistockphoto.com
fotolia.comfotolia.com
bigstockphoto.combigstockphoto.com
Free sites but but be cautiousFree sites but but be cautious
sxc.husxc.hu (stock exchange)(stock exchange)
morguefile.commorguefile.com

Creative CommonsCreative Commons
and Usageand Usage

wylio.comwylio.com
Free Creative Commons picturesFree Creative Commons pictures
Search for a pictureSearch for a picture
Resize and position itResize and position it
Copy and paste the codeCopy and paste the code
WylioWylio automatically sizes the image,automatically sizes the image,
hosts the image, and builds the photohosts the image, and builds the photo
credit into the code.credit into the code.

Q. Where do the
photos come from?
How do I know I can
use them on my blog?
A. When you use Wylio,
you're searching through
the millions upon
millions of Flickr
photos that have been
designated as
Creative Commons
works by their
owners/uploaders.
We don't guarantee
the validity of the
licenses since we can't
control what people
decide to upload to
Flickr.

Photo recommendationsPhoto recommendations
11--3 being suggested.3 being suggested.
1.1. Take the photos yourselfTake the photos yourself
2.2. Get a photographer or a friend thatGet a photographer or a friend that’’s a goods a good
amateur take them (many photographers areamateur take them (many photographers are
starving artists and happy to trade a bylinestarving artists and happy to trade a byline
with a link back to their websites, it doesnwith a link back to their websites, it doesn’’tt
hurt to ask.hurt to ask.
3.3. Buy them from a reputable stock site.Buy them from a reputable stock site.
4.4. Use creative commons photos (carefully)Use creative commons photos (carefully)

GroupGroup ClassworkClasswork
15 Minutes15 Minutes

Additional uses for a blogAdditional uses for a blog
Create a custom landing page for aCreate a custom landing page for a
special, special event, specialspecial, special event, special
offer or anything else you want tooffer or anything else you want to
publicize. Use this for your twitterpublicize. Use this for your twitter
profileprofile urlurl and in email mailingsand in email mailings

http://http://simplebooklet.comsimplebooklet.com

Easter egging blog postsEaster egging blog posts

Tips: ContentTips: Content
ItIt’’s important tos important to include both internal and externalinclude both internal and external
links in your postlinks in your post. Internal links help the search. Internal links help the search
engines index your site, identify primary keywordsengines index your site, identify primary keywords
and can increase the page rank of linked pages. Whenand can increase the page rank of linked pages. When
linking to other pages on your site, itlinking to other pages on your site, it’’s importants important
toto link related keywordslink related keywords instead of phrases likeinstead of phrases like
““click here.click here.”” Linking by keyword tells the searchLinking by keyword tells the search
engines that thereengines that there’’s related content on the linkeds related content on the linked
page. i.e.page. i.e.
““ please visit theplease visit the Nashua RadissonNashua Radisson Castle HotelCastle Hotel
http://www.radisson.com/nashuahttp://www.radisson.com/nashua--hotelhotel--nhnh--
03062/nhnashua03062/nhnashua ““

TipsTips
Have a page on your blog thatHave a page on your blog that’’s as a
custom landing page or pages forcustom landing page or pages for
specials, offers or events that you canspecials, offers or events that you can
use instead of your static website linkuse instead of your static website link
or instead of paying a web developeror instead of paying a web developer
to put up for you.to put up for you.

TipsTips
You can use pastYou can use past
information on your bloginformation on your blog
for the benefit of futurefor the benefit of future
guests (if you tag it andguests (if you tag it and
keep it organized)keep it organized)

Tips: advertising your blogTips: advertising your blog
If you on twitter, make sure youIf you on twitter, make sure you
add a little socializing into theadd a little socializing into the
mix, results when you tweet youmix, results when you tweet you
blog post title and link, you getblog post title and link, you get
much better click through resultsmuch better click through results
if you have engaged yourif you have engaged your
audience (even a little bit)audience (even a little bit)

Blog homework:Blog homework:
You don't have to writeYou don't have to write
the answers down now,the answers down now,
do them later but atdo them later but at
least write the questions.least write the questions.

Write down the time of dayWrite down the time of day
once a week when you feelonce a week when you feel
like you can ignore thelike you can ignore the
phone for a few minutes,phone for a few minutes,
sit down and relax and just letsit down and relax and just let
you mind think.you mind think.
Write this day and time down.Write this day and time down.

Write a blogging schedule forWrite a blogging schedule for
yourself.yourself.
Every Wednesday at 6 am while IEvery Wednesday at 6 am while I
have my coffee I will jot down 2have my coffee I will jot down 2--
3 blog posts3 blog posts
OROR
Get ahead of the gameGet ahead of the game
and write down post titles.and write down post titles.

Keep a paid of paper or a wordKeep a paid of paper or a word
document or some other formdocument or some other form
of recorder,of recorder,
or email it your self.or email it your self.
When you have an ideaWhen you have an idea
for a blog post.for a blog post.
WRITE IT DOWN!WRITE IT DOWN!

Think about the types ofThink about the types of
guests you want to attractguests you want to attract
or do already attract.or do already attract.
What do they like to do?What do they like to do?
What are some things theyWhat are some things they
seem to find interesting inseem to find interesting in
your area?your area?

2 Essential Resources2 Essential Resources
Copyblogger.comCopyblogger.com
Socialmediaexaminer.comSocialmediaexaminer.com
Both have free emailBoth have free email
subsciptionssubsciptions

THANK YOU!
Further Marketing articles for B&Bs
http://chefforfeng.wordpress.com/marketing-for-lodging-resources/
Please email me at
heather@forfengdesigns.com
If you have questions
or ask me on twitter
@forfeng, I’m usually online for most of the day

Paii blogging workshop november 2010

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