Paii blogging workshop november 2010

This is Your Brain

©Forfeng Designs 2010

This is BloggingThis is Blogging


This is what your brain feels like This is what your brain feels like

every time someone mentions every time someone mentions

that you should be bloggingthat you should be blogging


This is what your brain This is what your brain SHOULDSHOULD

feel like, every time someone feel 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.©Forfeng Designs 2010

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 the Blogging is the ultimate soft sellultimate soft sellIf all your doing on your blog is If all your doing on your blog is

pitching a sale then your missing the pitching a sale then your missing the two most important points, branding two most important points, branding

and customer retention and and customer retention and conversion. conversion.

SEO is important but should not be the SEO 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.

Novem

ber


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 all Blog is linked from main page and all subsequent pages of website. subsequent pages of website.

�� Blog Blog autofeedsautofeeds into twitter and into twitter and facebookfacebook fan fan page.page.

�� Innkeeper spends about 10Innkeeper spends about 10--20 minutes per 20 minutes per week writing posts, stays ahead of the game week 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 from 85% of blog traffic is organic directly from the search engines.the search engines.


Current Current clickthroughsclickthroughs until Nov. 12thuntil Nov. 12th

bbonline.combbonline.com 923 923 clickthroughsclickthroughs

at the pro level = $359 a yearat the pro level = $359 a year

bedandbreakfast.combedandbreakfast.com 866 866 clickthroughsclickthroughs

At the gold level = $500 + a yearAt the gold level = $500 + a year

bnbfinder.combnbfinder.com 775 775 clickthroughsclickthroughs

At At max.exposuremax.exposure: level 1 = $299 a year: level 1 = $299 a year

blogblog = = 3965 views3965 views, , resulting in 1178 resulting in 1178 clickthroughsclickthroughs

through the post links and on the blog info tab and through the post links and on the blog info tab and

sidebar directly to the website sidebar directly to the website

@ innkeepers 12@ innkeepers 12--15 hours per year15 hours per year


Photo Photo

LiabilitiesLiabilitiesOr

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 permission Make sure you get permission

from guests before using their from guests before using their

photos.photos.

Verbal is good, but written is Verbal is good, but written is

better, model releases are better, model releases are

suggested. 1 minute of time for suggested. 1 minute of time for

them to sign.them to sign.


While the people in question may While 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 anything they will never say anything

nice to anyone else about your nice to anyone else about your

property and may go out of their property 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 sources Good 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 Commons Creative Commons

and Usageand Usage


wylio.comwylio.com

Free Creative Commons pictures Free 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 photo hosts 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 Flickrphotos 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 good s a good

amateur take them (many photographers are amateur take them (many photographers are

starving artists and happy to trade a byline starving artists and happy to trade a byline

with a link back to their websites, it doesnwith a link back to their websites, it doesn’’t t

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)



Group Group ClassworkClasswork

15 Minutes15 Minutes


Additional uses for a blogAdditional uses for a blogCreate a custom landing page for a Create a custom landing page for a

special, special event, special special, special event, special

offer or anything else you want to offer or anything else you want to

publicize. Use this for your twitter publicize. Use this for your twitter

profile profile urlurl and in email mailingsand in email mailings


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


Easter egging blog postsEaster egging blog posts


Tips: ContentTips: ContentItIt’’s important tos important to include both internal and external include 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 keywords engines index your site, identify primary keywords

and can increase the page rank of linked pages. When and 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 important s important

toto link related keywordslink related keywords instead of phrases like instead of phrases like

““click here.click here.”” Linking by keyword tells the search Linking by keyword tells the search

engines that thereengines that there’’s related content on the linked s related content on the linked

page. i.e. page. i.e.

““ please visit the please 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 a s a

custom landing page or pages for custom landing page or pages for

specials, offers or events that you can specials, offers or events that you can

use instead of your static website link use instead of your static website link

or instead of paying a web developer or instead of paying a web developer

to put up for you.to put up for you.


TipsTips

You can use past You can use past

information on your blog information on your blog

for the benefit of future for the benefit of future

guests (if you tag it and guests (if you tag it and

keep it organized)keep it organized)


Tips: advertising your blogTips: advertising your blog

If you on twitter, make sure you If you on twitter, make sure you

add a little socializing into the add a little socializing into the

mix, results when you tweet you mix, results when you tweet you

blog post title and link, you get blog post title and link, you get

much better click through results much better click through results

if you have engaged your if you have engaged your

audience (even a little bit)audience (even a little bit)©Forfeng Designs 2010

Blog homework:Blog homework:

You don't have to write You don't have to write

the answers down now, the answers down now,

do them later but at do them later but at

least write the questions.least write the questions.


Write down the time of day Write down the time of day once a week when you feel once a week when you feel

like you can ignore the like you can ignore the phone for a few minutes, phone for a few minutes,

sit down and relax and just let sit 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 for Write a blogging schedule for

yourself.yourself.

Every Wednesday at 6 am while I Every 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 game Get ahead of the game

and write down post titles.and write down post titles.©Forfeng Designs 2010

Keep a paid of paper or a word Keep a paid of paper or a word document or some other form document or some other form

of recorder, of recorder,

or email it your self.or email it your self.

When you have an idea When you have an idea

for a blog post.for a blog post.

WRITE IT DOWN!WRITE IT DOWN!


Think about the types of Think about the types of

guests you want to attract guests 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 they What are some things they

seem to find interesting in seem to find interesting in

your area?your area?©Forfeng Designs 2010

2 Essential Resources2 Essential Resources

Copyblogger.comCopyblogger.com

Socialmediaexaminer.comSocialmediaexaminer.com

Both have free email Both have free email

subsciptionssubsciptions


THANK YOU!Further Marketing articles for B&Bs

http://chefforfeng.wordpress.com/marketing-for-lodging-resources/

Please email me at

[email protected]

If you have questions

or ask me on twitter

@forfeng, I’m usually online for most of the day


Business

Paii blogging workshop november 2010