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Blogging 101
@LisaL.FlowersStrategist | Marketer | Advocate
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
A Very Full Agenda
IntroductionsExamplesBYB ChecklistBlogging PlatformsWhat Am I Going to
Write About?Brainstorming ExerciseTypes of Blog Posts and
ContentEditorial CalendarWriting for a Blog
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
Creating a Blog on Blogger and Wordpress
The BIG Question & the BIG Answer
Before You Blog Checklist
Ways to Promote Your Blog
ResourcesWIWIHK – 50+ Tips on
Blogging RecapQs & 3s
Introductions
SoMe inventory3 thingsBlog focus and audience
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
@LisaLFlowers
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ November 22, 2014
Marketing, business development and public speaking – 25+ years
Teaching, tutoring, and mentoring – 15+ years
Social media and business coaching – 5+ years
Lifelong learner, volunteer, and advocateGoing global - It all started with a tweet
Malaysia Nigeria
Examples of Blogs
All are referenced in
HUGE list at end of
presentation@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ November 22, 2014
Before You Blog Checklist
What is the name and focus of your blog?Who is the audience?Buy domain name(s)Get SoMe real estate Look at other blogs and follow them
Create a wish list Create a need list
Choose a platformHostAsk othersJoin a groupEditorial calendar
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
Service-hosted Self-hosted
FreeEasy to doLimited widgets and
customizationYou don’t own it
Cost money, usually not a lot when beginning
Learning curveA bajillion widgets
and unlimited customization
You OWN it
Choices
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
Your Domain or Not?
yourblog.wordpress.comyourblog.blogspot.comyourblog.tumblr.com
OR
lisasblog.comyourgreatblog.com
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What Am I Going To Write About?
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ November 22, 2014
Writing prompts http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?rs=ac&len=2&
q=writing+prompts&term_meta%5B%5D=writing%7Cautocomplete%7C0&term_meta%5B%5D=prompts%7Cautocomplete%7C0
Brainstorming exercise on content or writing a blog post
Types of Blog Posts
Instructional, how-tos, DIY
InformativeInstructionalReviewsListsInterviewsCase studiesProfilesLink postsCheat lists, checklists,
to-dos
Difference of opinionRantInspirationalResearchPredictionCritiqueDebateHypotheticalSurveyControversial postsNewsjacking & curating
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
Types of Content
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ November 22, 2014
Animated gifs Article Ask fans a question Blog posts Book reviews Case study Cheatsheets Checklists Client story or testimonial Comics or cartoons Company news Customer service questions eBook FAQs
• Guest post• Guides• History of company or
industry• How-to article• Images• Industry news update• Infographics• Interviews• Link or resource pages• Lists• National holiday• Opinion posts
More Types of Content
PodcastPress releaseProduct reviewsReply to commentsResearchResearch reportResources or Link
ListsReviewsShare a blog post
Share a fan’s photoSurvey (ask)Survey (responses)SurveysTo-DosTutorialsUpcoming eventsVendor story or
testimonialVideos
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ November 22, 2014
Editorial Calendar
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ November 22, 2014
Dollar TreeDon’t reinvent the wheelKeep it simpleExamples
http://www.pinterest.com/scrappinmichele/editorial-calendar/
http://bit.ly/1HxiPQJ http://bit.ly/1uOse1h
Tips When Writing for a Blog
Headlines Succinct and compelling 4 Ways, 7 Reasons, How To… Ask someone what they think
Images Original if possible
Always get permission and/or give credit Canva Free images
https://blog.bufferapp.com/free-image-sources-list?utm_campaign=weekly_digest
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ November 22, 2014
Tips When Writing for a Blog
1 post = Many Write it well Include an image Bitly or Tiny URL Nuggets Include a CTA Examples:
http://socialtriggers.com/perfect-blog-post/ http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2014/07/17/headline
-writing# Use as an example
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ November 22, 2014
Creating Your Blog on Blogger
Settings – Basic link Blog Description – 500 characters Allow Search Engines – Allow Formatting
Default is 7 posts Date format and time
Commenting Controls how people comment on your blog.
Registered users = less spam but limits who can access your blog Set to Anyone and then moderate comments, set to always. Enable Word Verification. Helps prevent spam bots. Blogger.com can email you when comments are made.
Archiving Monthly Enable Post pages, set to yes
Site Feed Add copyright notice, then will be visible always.
Permissions Public
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
WordPress.COM or WordPress.ORG?
WordPress.COM Hosted blogging platform Free to use and relatively easy to get started www.yourpersonalblog.wordpress.com No ads but can use affiliate links
WordPress.ORG Uses same framework Installed on your own Web hosting space You own it and can sell ads
Source: http://www.make-a-web-site.com/start-blog-2014/@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
The BIG Answer
SlowlyLike a lot of things in life, blogging is a marathon, not a
sprint.
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
But, if you build it, they will come. IF…
Source: Dang! I gotta go back and find this source
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
Ways to Promote Your Blog
Join (or start) A blogging group A local group
Create a Facebook page and Twitter account for your blog Include URL everywhere
Email signature All SoMe profiles
Friends & Family Rule Twitter chats
#BlogChat #NostalgiaChat
Attend blogging conferences Type A - http://typeaparent.com/ BAM Conference - http://midlifeboulevard.com/bam-conference/ BlogHer - http://www.blogher.com/ Huge list of events - http://shopthebbar.com/blog/list-of-blog-conferences-2015/
TALK ABOUT IT!!!
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
Resources
Blogger Help and Support https://support.google.com/blogger/?hl=en#topic=3339243
Choosing A Blogging Platform http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/2009/01/choosing-a-blogging-platform/
Blogging 101 http://www.slideshare.net/FLBlogCon/bess-auer-blogging-101-flblogcon13-26428885
The Most Overlooked Piece of Real Estate on Your Blog http://bit.ly/1ymnBck@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
I wish I had had some sort of instruction instead of learning it all on my own... such a steep learning curve! My first blog was http://www.midlifecrisisqueen.com/ but today I have five! I also wish I had known that I could be sued for hundreds of dollars for using one photo from Google! - @midlifequeen
I wish I had chosen a different name! Something a little more catchy, and one that didn't sound as
though it was attached to the moving industry! http://www.relocationtheblog.blogspot.com I would love to change it to "Life, Relocated," worry I'm too far into the game. – Mindy Trotta
I wish I had started using fake names for my kids from the beginning! Http://Moxie-Dude.com - Mona Andrei
I wish that I had self-hosted. I've been trying to switch for over a year now, but I'm nervous --- because I really am not technically savvy in any way. Still, if I had started that way I wouldn't be worrying about it now. - Jacqueline Tierney DeMuro
When I started blogging, I thought i had to post every day. That certainly works for many
bloggers who are trying to establish traffic to their sites. But I found too many of those posts were thin--hardly worth a visitor's time. I was better off cutting back on the number of times a week and making sure each post was content rich. My blog is now five years old and readership is still growing: http://www.grownchildren.net/ - Penelope Lemov
I wish I'd moved from a free blog to self-hosted Word Press sooner! Also, for my personal blog, I wouldn't have branded with the word Mom. - Anne Parris
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
I wish I'd thought about consistency in image design! And hired somebody to create all of those necessary images for me. Definitely not my forte! Http://Fitknitchick.com - Tamara Grand
I wish I had submitted to other sites earlier. I blogged for years on my website before I
submitted blogs to The Huffington Post, Midlife Boulevard, HumorOutcasts, BlogHer, ProjectEve, and JenningsWire. Being on those sites creates incredible exposure, increases my book sales, and prompts me to write regularly. "Midlife Cabernet" - www.elaineambrose.com/ - @AmbroseElaine
I wish I had stuck with a self-hosted Word Press blog (which I let lapse). I also wish I had taken advice on being prepared -having up to six months’ worth of ideas and evergreen posts ready ahead of launching. The name thing always seems to come up - there are always ideas that don't seem to fit within the parameters we give ourselves with a name. www.menopausemoi.blogspot.ca - Donna Hanton
I'm glad you asked this question Lisa, I'm teaching a class in January and February for
beginning bloggers. I considered going with self-hosted wordpress, but I've decided to start out with Blogger because it's free and so easy. Those of us who wish we had started on self-hosted may not remember how overwhelming it was just to write a blog post and add a photo and share it on social media the first few months! http://www.emptyhousefullmind.com and http://midlifeboulevard.com - Sharon Hodor Greenthal
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
Have people start on wordpress.com, which is also free, and then when they switch eventually to wordpress self-hosted, they will at least be comfortable with the wordpress platform. I remember starting on blogger and when I switched to wp it was a big shock. - Sarah Auerswald
I wish someone had made me understand the reasons and need for choosing a "niche"
versus journaling. - Patricia Patton Pictures, pictures, pictures! Adding photos, graphs, charts - anything visual - to your blog
will quickly engage the reader. My earlier posts sans photos seem very boring by comparison. http://kimdalferes.com/category/kim-dalferes-blog - Kimberly Joyce Dalferes
Join social media groups on FB - the ones that restrict promotional link sharing and
encouraging info sharing & learning. I'm learning so much more since I've found these groups in the last 3 months than I did on my own in the past 3 years. Join (or create) a tribe/mastermind. Just started one - 10 ppl or less - and the learning environment is rich and engaging. We use FB groups to communicate throughout the week and Google Hangouts for 2ce monthly trainings. www.debtfreedivas.org @debtfreedivas - Toni Perrien Husbands
1) Write as if you're having a face-to-face conversation with your best friend. 2) Forget
perfection. Just strive for better with every post. 3) Write less, share more. http://happybloggerplaza.com - Delia Rusu@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
Don't go into blogging to make money. Do it because you feel the need to connect, to express yourself and you enjoy writing... and then see what happens! - Laura Lee Carter
I wish I had started an editorial calendar with post ideas right away or even before I started the blog. I also wish I had known about Coshedule for scheduling posts and social media. I was overwhelmed trying to keep up with social media marketing. www.TablerPartyOfTwo.com - @AndreaTabler
I wish I hadn't begun blogging about disability. I lost a lot of my core readers who were interested in stories about living in NY in the 1970's and 80's. I became too associated with nonverbal learning disorder (NLD) which has never defined me. Many people began thinking about me differently. It cost me opportunities while really giving me very little back. There's much more... http://courtingdestiny.com/2014/11/stirring-pot/ - Pia Savage
One thing that helped me so much was finding a tribe early on. Find something you're passionate about and frequent boards/forums on that topic. "Meet" people there, go to their blogs and leave lots of comments. Go down rabbit trails once in awhile (through other commenters' blogs) just to enjoy the journey and look for gems, people you resonate with. Be very generous with comments, and be consistent in leaving them. http://lavenderluz.com - Lori Lavender Luz
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
Would have waited a few days after writing the post to see if I really needed 2000 words to make my point. Then would have cut cut cut. - Susan Cook Bonifant
Learn some photography basics because sometimes the words are not the
problem. It's finding good quality images to enhance the words. Cheapest way is to take the photos yourself. - Mithra Sharifi Ballesteros
Used my name as the site name. Converting was hard. - Lisha Perry Fink My blog, about the insanity of the college admissions process, went viral after 5
days with a post called 'Why All Hotel Bedspreads are Ugly.' In it, I dissed the hideous decor of Cornell's on-campus hotel, run by their world-renowned hospitality school. Although the blog was anonymous, I was worried that my son would be rejected by Cornell, if he chose to apply. (Luckily, he was accepted early to another school.) I learned that what you put on the internet stays on the internet. Later, when the blog was published as a book, I left out the bedspread post (although it was very popular). www.theneuroticparent.com - Judy Rothman Rofé
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
Here are my thoughts for your audience. I luckily have many great things I wouldn't change from the beginning because on day one I wanted to start a blog I got lucky and went to a local blog conference to research and learned many great habits that have helped me. I am self taught and not technical at all and the only thing I would do different is to go self hosted Wordpress from the beginning. I started on free Blogger and even though at the same time I bought my domain name on {dot}com I was too afraid to switch because I didn't know how. After years I switched over and it was terrible and I actually stopped blogging for 6 months because of all the glitches that came from moving over to wordpress from blogger. 2 years later my site still has issues from the switch and I am still trying to get my viewing numbers back up to what I had on my years on Blogger. So... START ON A SELF HOSTED SITE LIKE WORDPRESS FROM THE START! http://wendyshat.com/ @WendysHat - Wendy Walker Cushing
Another thing I wish I had known about back then (2008): Hyperlinks. My publisher, in 2012, was
in absolute shock that I never used them. I should have belonged to a group like this! - Judy Rothman Rofé
I began blogging in 2004. Very accidentally I found a "link exchange" group called Blog
Explosion. I put my blog in it, left and the next morning woke to 400+ requests for links. Apparently people were passing my blog around. It boggled my mind. Problem was I had no idea what they were in blogging--or anything else. I made myself a primer on blogging terminology and began reading as much as I could on blogging. A lot of the suggestions were, I thought, stupid and I would do the opposite--helped me a lot. I did make great friends and we helped each other. But none of us were in it for money. I would have figured out ways to monetize my blog thenwhen it was so hot. People who came later were "luckier" because they could learn from bloggers and conferences. I was blind folded or so it felt. - Pia Savage
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
I'm still a newbie, but I wish I had found widgets and plugins for blogger that made it easier for non-bloggers (ie: other people) to follow my page. http://jinglejanglejungle.blogspot.com - Mary Burris
I started my blog OnceALittleGirl.com as something maybe my grandchildren would read. A warm up for my "real writing." I wish I knew how much time I'd spend writing. I'm glad I didn't know that people all over the world would read and relate to it. Oh my! I would have froze from fear. www.oncealittlegirl.com - Adela Crandell Durkee
Don't try to sell anything. Be kind, witty, helpful, consistent and engaging and people will
want to know more about you and what you do. - http://www.doreenmcgettigan.com - Doreen Mcgettigan
I don't think I would do anything differently, which I know sounds strange, but I have learned
so much from the process that no book or course could have ever told me. I will say that I started with posting one essay a week and that has worked out really well for me. I started on Blogger, and I think it's a great way for beginners. And I like it better than free wordpress because you can run ads if you want and you can do sponsored content. Also, you aren't paying and it's pretty easy to figure out. I switched over to my a slef hosted site a year ago and it's been great, but I was starting to make money on my site and was ready to take it to another level. The one thing I would tell anyone starting out, even on Blogger is to buy your domain name. - Kathy Radigan
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
I am nodding my head in agreement to a lot of these. I would say claim the social media names for your blog, even if you do not intend to use right away. That way you have them if you need them. Write profiles for each and direct to your blog. http://www.organizedisland.com - Raquel Pineira
This may have been said already but .... when I started out on Blogspot I had many many anonymous comments and a lot of spam. Maybe there's a way to avoid that w/Blogspot but once I had WordPress and Akismet it was much easier to tell who everyone was and to keep the spam out. www.biggreenpen.com - Paula Kiger
Find a Blogger you admire and ask them for tips as they will help and may have
questions for you. Make them your Mentor. As I did this with three bloggers and learned so much through them. Plus find a locl bloggers group where you can meet in person and share ideals. http://www.MommiesReviews.com - @MomsReviews Glenda Cates
Two things: Making sure that what I was writing about was something that I would LOVE to do after three years...#SMARTLiving365 is actually my 2nd blog because I got tired of the first one. #2 Using a self-hosted site (Wordpress) right from the beginning so I could do everything myself. (my first site was on Joomla.) - Kathy Gottberg
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
I wish I had been brave enough to send out my blogs in a newsletter when I first started. It took me 3 years to decide to do it (and then only bc my SigOther set it up for me). It had made a huge difference in my traffic and my biz. - http://www.drrobynodegaard.com/ @DocRobyn
Add google adsense, facebook login, facebook commenting, subscribe by email for updates. - Syd Swann
The thing I hear most from my clients is adspace, and a newsletter, from the techies out there I hear more widget areas. http://newbloghosting.com/ - David Allen
Another thing to ensure is setup but that is more "techie" is open graph (og) tags. Facebook and other social media sites attempt to "guess" at what image and text to show for previews based on the content of the post and a lot (most) of the time they guess wrong! If open graph tags are in the source it with use them and not guess. There is an og for link, title, description, and image. A good blog template should allow you to manually specify the og tags or at minimal make an og title based on the post title, og desc based on the excerpt, and the og image based on a special class on the image or a featured image option. Open graph is part of the semantic web concept. More about open graphs at: http://ogp.me/ - Syd Swann
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
Secure your social media handles and make them all the same. I'm really wishing I had. www.headbandfortoday.com - Kendra Williams Pierson
Not starting analytics from the start. Or monetizing. I didn't think my blog would go anywhere at the time. So I missed out on a lot of data and I had to go back and update a lot of old posts with aff links. www.clothdiaperrevival.com - Jenny McClamroch
I started blogging because I wanted to write. I used it as an opportunity to journal, more or less. I was (and may still be) all over the place! Having a focus and a plan from the get-go would have helped tremendously. Still not where I want to be, but at least I have a better idea where I'm going! http://purveyorofpixiedust.wordpress.com/ - Shannon McKinney Dill
Mine was not planning. I used to just wing posts, social media, etc every day. Now almost every single thing I do online is deliberate. I schedule many of my posts up to a year in advance, I have my social media planned, I have promotions planned. When I started, I would blog like crazy then go silent for awhile, then get inspired and come back and post like crazy. If you want to be taken seriously, your blog/social media can't have periods where you just go dark. http://www.lessthanperfectparents.com – Tracy Gibb
What I Wish I Had Known
My tip was similar to Shannon's so I'm going to add another. One other thing I regret was not attending conferences and making more blogging friends. I think many people have a tendency to think blogging is all online but my blog really started to take off when I started doing conferences and meeting people in person. I didn't realize how important it was to have a face with your blog. And OBVIOUSLY I would have joined this Type A Group a long time ago if I knew how awesome everyone was http://www.lessthanperfectparents.com - @Tracy_Gibb or @LTPParents
I wish I had understood branding from the beginning. It would have been so
beneficial to present a cohesive brand from the beginning instead of all the trial and error, all over the place. http://fitviews.blogspot.com/ @kerriolkjer
For me it is all the above. Especially the monetizing, just today I am adding google adsense and struggling with it. I have been active, then gone dark, and def not made as many blogging connections as I should have, like many I started blogging as more of a journaling experience, but now want to change that. www.pandemommium.com - Allison Rouble
Choose your blog name carefully. I started blogging as a personal outlet, had I known where it would lead, I'd have given more thought to my name. http://www.thetravelingpraters.com/ @travelermom
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
Candy Olivares Learn the importance of: Watermarking, No Follow, Trademarking, Giving credit to "borrowed" content, etc. http://candypo.com/
I would have started on Wordpress so I wouldn't have to make the awkward transition later. http://floursackmama.com/ - Anne Brock
An editorial calendar! I feel like I still can't catch enough to get on one! It doesn't have to be full when you start but getting a little ahead will bring sanity! http://www.nerdfamily.com/ - @nerdmom Jacqueline Cromwell
SO MUCH- Basic SEO for posts and pictures, how to label pictures for Pinterest, all those things that are easier to do from the beginning than go back and redo later. - Kuleen Lashley
I wish I thought more about the name of my blog. It was perfect when I began, but didn't allow for any growth. - Becca Ludlum
Set up as an LLC from beginning, - Rachel Brenke
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
Double ditto what everyone else said! My biggest regret is not monetizing right off the bat and connecting all my social media links to my brand name. Focused on the Magic http://focusedonthemagic.com - Deb Silhan
Capture email addresses from the beginning! - Jennifer Bilbro (What Jennifer Bilbro said) Jennifer YES! That was by far my biggest
mistake! - Tracy Gibb For social media: I wish I'd started spreadsheets early on to keep track of
what posts I shared on what social media and when. Going back and making them now, two years later, is beyond overwhelming! Growing Up Gabel http://growingupgabel.com - Camille Gabel
Too many to list! Biggest one: not networking enough. I thought blogging
was a solitary venture but now I know all my tough questions can be answered quickly with the help of several awesome FB blogger groups @WhatMommyDoes Lena Presley Gott
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known
Don’t wait until you think it’s perfect to start.Don’t wait until all your ducks are in a row.
Don’t wait until the planets align. Just START!
http://flowersmediamatters.com/ and http://www.whenlifegetsinmyway.com/
@LisaLFlowers
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known - Websites
http://www.relocationtheblog.blogspot.com http://www.grownchildren.net http://www.moxie-dude.com/ http://www.relocationtheblog.blogspot.com Http://Fitknitchick.com http://elaineambrose.com/ http://www.menopausemoi.blogspot.ca/ http://www.emptyhousefullmind.com http://midlifeboulevard.com/ http://kimdalferes.com/category/kim-dalferes-blog http://www.debtfreedivas.org/ http://happybloggerplaza.com http://www.tablerpartyoftwo.com/ http://courtingdestiny.com/ http://lavenderluz.com/ http://theneuroticparent.com/ http://wendyshat.com/ http://jinglejanglejungle.blogspot.com http://oncealittlegirl.com/
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
What I Wish I Had Known - Websites
http://www.doreenmcgettigan.com http://www.organizedisland.com/ http://biggreenpen.com/ http://mommiesreviews.com/ http://www.drrobynodegaard.com/ http://newbloghosting.com/ http://headbandfortoday.com/ http://www.clothdiaperrevival.com/ http://purveyorofpixiedust.wordpress.com/ http://www.lessthanperfectparents.com/ http://fitviews.blogspot.com/ http://pandemommium.com/ http://www.thetravelingpraters.com/ http://candypo.com/ http://floursackmama.com/ http://www.nerdfamily.com/ http://focusedonthemagic.com/ http://growingupgabel.com/ http://flowersmediamatters.com/ http://www.whenlifegetsinmyway.com/
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
Recap
Choose a blog name and domain nameChoose a platformStart writing!Join a groupPromote it
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
You fail only if you stop writing.~ Ray Bradbury
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ December 6, 2014
@LisaLFlowers ~ [email protected] ~ November 22, 2014
Thank you!
@LisaLFlowersFacebook / LinkedIn / Twitter / Pinterest /Skype
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