wbc16 presentation: increase your audience & engagement
TRANSCRIPT
Wine Bloggers Conference | 2016Increasing Your Audience and Engagement
Mary Cressler & Sean Martin (Vindulge.com)
Instagram: @marycressler @emberandvineTwitter: @marycressler @vindulge
Facebook: Vindulge
Photo credit, Del Munroe Photography*Please ask permission before sharing or using any of this content*
2009: Blog Started
2015: Co-Started Ember and Vine
2010: Moved to Connecticut, KIDS!!
2012: First Press Trip & Freelance
2012: Focus on Photos
2013: Print Publications & Return to OR
2014: Won Recipe Competition
Vindulge: A Journey Over Time
Photo of Blog
Post
Is there one constant that was a theme throughout the years and focus? Yes – TWIN BOYS and LIFE
What we hope you get out of the session
• The Journey and a Plan
• Foundations
• Your Audience
• Building Relationships | Engagement
• Branching Out
There Is No One Way To Approach Your Blog’s Journey
Photo Credit: www.lordoftherings.com
Is it a hobby?Is it your personal journal?Is it a business?
“When Wine Folly was first incepted it was in 2010 and it peetered out because I didn't take it seriously. So, when I restarted Wine Folly (this time with the help of 2 partners), we took it seriously: with a core vision, values and planning to topics and goals. As soon as you think of your work as business, you start holding yourself accountable to its success. It not about you, it's for your readers and customers.”
-Madeline Puckette, Wine Folly
Starts with a Foundation
Audience• Focus less on a niche, and more on who is your reader• In order to increase your audience you need to know who it is
Who is your audience? “Think about the individual instead
of the audience. When you're creating content think about how you can help a specific person with their specific need. It's not about numbers, it's about impact, and you make an impact by having a clear understanding of what people need and finding a way to genuinely and authentically engage with them in a way that fills that need.”
– Bjork Ostrom, Food Blogger Pro & Pinch of Yum
Vindulge Reader
Visualize your readerFocus Your Content
Have a plan
•Novice Wine Consumer•Wants to Branch Out•Family•Wants to cook with her family
Have Email Sign Up Form (Mailchimp, SumoMe, Wufuu)• In Multiple Locations on Your Blog• Pop up!
Do you have an email sign up form?
Social Media: What is your strategy?
Social Media: What is your strategy?
Social Media: What is your
strategy?
Enter To
Win!
Leveraging Give A Ways
• Consider only items you would use – avoid temptations• Use Widgets to capture information and increase chances• Preview gadget as a post• Sponsor should take on all the cost to ship• Stay connected with reader, ask them to leave a comment as
testimonial• Consider hosting a large give a way with other bloggers
TO NICHE OR NOT TO NICHE?
“Focusing in on a niche subject, Washington, was easily the most important decision I ever made in my blogging career. Rather than looking to cover a huge vast world, as many bloggers do, I was able to focus on a single subject and become, over time, an expert in that subject. That expertise eventually led to writing and speaking engagements that have allowed me to sustain myself as a freelance writer.
One word of caution about this, you don't want to go too small or too big in terms of subject matter. Go too small and you're niche may have too small of an audience. Go too broad and you may not be focused enough to get a command of the field.”-Sean Sullivan
“Being a lifestyle writer allows me to enjoy the things I really love in life such as travel, food, wine & cocktails, arts & entertainment--often with my family--and make a good living at it. My audience and community are engaged because they see that what I talk about are things I truly love. That community grows every time I post or tweet because they can see in the content I post the excitement of what I share. That engagement can happen whether you have a lifestyle blog or a niche blog. I parlayed into lifestyle when I realized I could get paid to travel and see the world and explore new things--whether in wine country or Costa Rica.”
TO NICHE OR NOT TO NICHE?
Find new audiences OUTSIDE of wine
Clive PursehouseNorthwest Wine Anthem
Peloton Magazine
Come for the food,
Stay for the
wine
Source: www.freepressmedia.com
Engagement | Get Them Coming Back
How do you measure engagement?
CommentsSharing on Social Media Time Spent on Site and PagesHow Much are They Reading & Exploring Links BackSubscribers
Provide a Call to Action – i.e. ASK for Engagement!
Sharing on Social Media: Instagram, connect with influencers in your niche!
Sharing on Social Media: Instagram, connect with influencers in your niche!
Sharing on Social Media: Instagram, connect with influencers in your niche!
Sharing on Social Media: Pinterest, create Pinnable Images!
Pinnable Images
Pinterest Group Boards
Pinterest Group Boards
Join Useful Facebook Groups
Be Thought Provoking
BRANCHING OUTSIDE YOUR BLOG ……
TV APPEARANCES
Sample Pitch to News Station
If you don’t know where to start when it comes to freelancing….
Email me!!!!!
[email protected] @marycressler
VISUALS
VISUALS
VISUALS
“I started to focus on my photography when I saw the direct correlation between improved visuals and improved engagement. That was about 6 months into the start of my blog. At the time, I saw it most tangibly through food sharing sites like FoodGawker or Tastespotting. The better the photo I posted to these sites, the more engagement (clicks, favorites, etc.) that I would see from that submission. Once I saw how much photography actually did impact my blog's performance, I wanted to keep learning and practicing as much as possible.”-Lindsay Ostrom, Pinch of Yum and author of Tasty Food Photography
Drink Piquepoul!I.E. utilize your unique voice
Be Genuine
Thank You
Vindulge.com
Instagram: @marycressler
@emberandvineTwitter:
@marycressler @vindulge
Facebook: Vindulge
Cheers!!!Photo credit, Del Munroe Photography