Anatomy of a Successful Blog Post

transcript

Anatomy of a Successful Blog PostSheila Scarborough – Tourism Currents

Blogging is more than

writing@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

What We'll Talk About

● Before you start● Building a blog post● Wait, there's MORE work?!● Your gold mine – archives

@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Before you start

Blog structure: your goals determine your "buckets" (topics)

Possible DMO Blog

Topics/Categories?

(Visit Philadelphia Uwishunu blog)

You Need a Plan

Basic Editorial Calendar● Topic category● Title● Details (including graphics)● Keywords● Who's this for? (persona)● What's the point? (CTA) @SheilaS

@TourismCurrents

Via @EmilyForsha/Travel Oregon

Building a blog post

Blog Post Title

Blog Post Content

(Cincinnati's meetings blog)

Visuals Matter

Photo resource: Flickr Creative Commons

Historic pics - Flickr.com/Commons

Note for posts with video: also include

a photo@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Got audio? Use SoundCloud's embeddable play boxes for your posts

Writing for the web....it's not only WHAT you present

but HOW you present it

Bolding, bullets, white space!

You have the Power of the Link.

Use it!@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

SEO@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Give them the info they seek, in the

words they are using to search for it

SEO plugins for WordPress:

All-in-One SEO Pack

WordPress SEO by Yoast

A Possible Post Format● "Great Local Breakfast Places in XYZ"● Strong opener, often a quote● The List (using bullets, headers, etc.)

● Mom's Cafe (farm-to-fork)● Selena's Taqueria (breakfast tacos)● Fred's Downtown Diner (Old School)

● Closing words, call to action@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Your turn....

Take 2-3 minutes to sketch out a

breakfast post outline for your blog

Wait, there's MORE work?

You are the publisher AND the distributor

Share with your email

newsletter list@SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Don't Forget LinkedIn for B2B Posts

Your gold mine: archives

Get More From Your Archives● Use for internal links● Re-share periodically on

social....ICYMI● Re-share periodically in

emails/newsletters ● Use them to answer visitor

questions on social @SheilaS@TourismCurrents

Photo CreditsAll photos mine except....

● Buckets by Angie Harms on Flickr CC (Creative Commons)

● You need a map by Stephan van Es on Flickr CC

● Roget's Thesaurus by Professor Cooper on Flickr CC

● Newsboys via the U.S. National Archives on Flickr Commons, circa 1909

Thanks very much!

Sheila Scarborough

Tourism Currents

@SheilaS

@TourismCurrents

Anatomy of a Successful Blog Post

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