Tag Archives: areavoices

Areavoices Digest #71 – Scenery and History

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A nice mix of blogs to recommend to you today, especially if you love beautiful Minnesota photography and a step back in time. Enjoy!

The North: A blog of scenic discoveries
http://justinmullet.areavoices.com
A blog featuring the beautiful landscapes in the Bemidji, Minnesota area.

Lasso the Moon
http://lassothemoon.areavoices.com
Donna Karis writes about life with a special needs child.

New Plateaus
http://newplateaus.areavoices.com
Learning about the world – Learning about ourselves. Social commentary from Brandon Ferdig.

History of Hastings
http://historyofhastings.areavoices.com
A collection of images and stories from the archives of the Hastings Star Gazette.

Flash from the Past
http://pastblog.areavoices.com
From the archives of the Red Wing Republican Eagle and the Goodhue County Historical Society.

Pinterest: Online obsession boosts blog traffic

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“My name is Tracy and I’m a Pinterest addict.”

“Hi, Tracy.”

I can almost envision this conversation with some women I know from church. A couple of months ago, as we waited for our children to leave choir practice a conversation started about Pinterest. I had no idea what they were talking about. Imagine my embarrassment when I found out it was the hottest new website around. (I try to stay in the loop on these things, but failed miserably this particular day.)

Well, just a couple of weeks after taking the Pinterest plunge, I find myself a full-scale Pinterest addict, just like many of those women in church. Depending on how you look at it, it’s either a great way to organize valuable content or a complete time suck. What’s Pinterest all about?

I won’t go into great detail here. Suffice it to say Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. If you’re like me, you occasionally rip out magazine articles and pictures when you find something you’d like to save: decorating ideas or haircuts or recipes. My kitchen is full of these scraps of magazine copy. Honestly, I usually end up throwing the crumpled up pages out before ever trying the recipes, haircuts or decorating ideas. So be it. Pinterest helps with all of this by allowing you to virtually pin images and articles by category onto your personalized boards. So I can create a board with my favorite recipe ideas. (My food board is called “YUM!” as that is an expression I use almost always when trying a great new recipe.) When I surf the web and find a recipe that looks great I simply click “Pin it” and I can put it onto my board.

For information about the popularity of Pinterest and how it works here’s a good article.

I mention this now to you Areavoices bloggers because Pinterest can actually  help you get more traffic on your blog.

For example, Areavoices blogger Erin writes a blog called Fairly Crafty. Recently, she wrote a blog post about making her own glittery formal shoes. What a great idea for all those girls and women trying to pull off proms and weddings on a budget. Erin can create a board called “Weddings” or “Style” or “Crafts” and simply pin her link to those boards. Soon enough, her pin will not only be on her board, but the general Pinterest boards and those specialty category boards. So that means anybody surfing Pinterest for Wedding ideas will see Erin’s shoes pop up. Not bad.

Here’s another success story. Sherri Richards writes the Top Mom blog. Most days, her blog will receive a couple hundred views. But back in October Sherri wrote about her efforts to make a homemade Halloween costume, Jesse from Toy Story. She included pictures and instructions and decided to pin it to her board. What followed was about 2,500 new views to her blog!

Now, you have to be careful. Pintrest is a pinboard not a billboard. They discourage an overuse of self-promotion. Don’t pin every blog post you make, be selective. But if you think something is worth sharing, do it.

Pintrest is another opportunity to get your ideas in front of new eyeballs. Give it a shot!

 

 

Three simple ways to get more comments on your blog

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When it comes to comments it seems you either love ‘em or hate ‘em. In fact over the last year or so, I’ve found that a fear of comments keeps some people from starting a blog at all. They don’t want to get nasty feedback and deal with online trolls who have nothing better to do than trash other’s work. I tell them, of course, most comments aren’t like that and comment management is really no big deal. You can simply select that all comments on your blog be “moderated” meaning that no comment will see the light of day until you approve it for publication.

Still while some are a little reluctant to allow discussion on their blogs, others are craving it. I asked a few Areavoices bloggers what they’d like to learn about blogging and a common question was: “How can I generate more comments on my blog?”

The fact is a blog that encourages interactivity with it’s readers will tend to generate higher traffic. I’ll use our own Forum Communication featured blogs as a good example. Anytime, FCC bloggers have asked for participation amongst their readers, high page views have followed. For example, in one given month three out of the top five blogs were blogs where readers participated. (Oct, 2011 Bestof.areavoices.com, Beautifulwomen.areavoices.com and fargostar.areavoices.com). In this case, these blogs asked readers to vote. But we also find when you simply ask for comments, traffic will rise as well.

It’s why shows like American Idol and Dancing with the Stars continue to thrive. People like to feel heard.

So here are three simple ways to generate more discussion on your blog:

1) Ask yourself a simple question – “If I didn’t write this blog post, would I be interested enough to leave a comment?” Many times we get so close to a particular topic that we lose perspective. You might be so immersed in the topic that you’re losing the big picture. If you have a broad issue that you’re covering, try to narrow down to a couple of key points in which you’d like to seek comment. Not to be too corny here, but remember that old adage: Keep it simple stupid.

2) Lead the horse to water and make him drink – Ask for what you want to receive. I teased my mother in law a few weeks back when she told me she left a ladder by the stairs hoping my brother-in-law would bring it upstairs.  She was angered when he didn’t. When I asked her, “Well did you ask him to bring it upstairs?”  she said, “Well, no.” Because my brother-in-law is a nice guy, I’m sure he would have loved to do it. But he didn’t know what was expected. My point here is this, ask direct questions, “What do you think?” “I want to hear from you.” “Am I wrong or am I right?” Again, people like to feel validated and heard. They want their opinion out there and your blog can be that vehicle.

3) It’s a two way street – when someone does comment on your blog post I strongly urge you to reply back to them. It’s not always practical to do so, but if someone takes the time to add to the discussion on your blog site, it’s worth telling them you appreciate it. You can even disagree with them, but just let them know they were heard. Also, remember to comment on other people’s blogs. The number of comments you leave on blogs is directly proportional to the comments you get on your blog. Relationships form and your name recognition increases. And if you work for a business and have your own website, traffic to your website goes up.

 

Next up on your questions: How do you avoid blog burnout?

 

Coming soon to a TV near you…

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A few days ago, I told you about our newest testimonials from happy Areavoices bloggers. Seeing as though we can’t let words of praised heaped upon us go unnoticed, we decided to put them into a TV commercial for all to enjoy. Actually we have six commercials from bloggers Scott Brusven of the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre and MS Simplicity Melissa Schmalenberger. The commercials illustrate how blogs are featured all over the region including Fargo-Moorhead, Grand Forks-East Grand Forks and throughout North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Melissa and Scott share with us why blogging has been so sucessful for their businesses and why it’s an integral tool for anyone targeting customers under the age of 50. But the commercials also tell you more about their blogs and what kind of content they deliver. We’re hoping to produce more commercials in the coming weeks to further spread the message of Areavoices blogging. Why you should read them and why you might want to consider writing one yourself.

To access the commercials, just go to the bar at the top of this blog. Click on “Videos.” When the drop down menu appears, click on “Promos/Commercials.”

If you have any questions, you know how to reach me!

The Do’s and Don’ts of Blogging

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I’m flabbergasted. I am. Does this ever happen to you at work? You swear you wrote that document or turned in that report. But when you go to look for it, it’s not there. That happened to me yesterday when Shelley Nelson, the editor of the Superior Telegram, asked me if we had any kind of a blogger’s guide she could give to bloggers in her neck of the woods. I assured her, that “yes, I’m sure I have something like that.”

Wrong. Well, I do have the blogger’s guide in about 10 different places. I found dos and don’ts, pointers, and guidelines,  in Power Point presentations, blog posts, Word documents and of course, in my brain. But I have never compiled them in one place for your reading pleasure. Until now. So with only a little further adieu here is: The Do’s and Don’ts of Blogging on Areavoices:

  • DO set up an “About” page on your blog. It’s easy to do and is the best way for reader’s to know more about you and what your blog is all about.
  • DO personalize the look of your blog. We have many different themes from which to choose. Pick one that suits you or customize your blog even more by changing the header and background with your own pictures. (Make sure you pick a theme template that allows you to change the header and background. Twenty-Ten is one theme that allows you to do that.)
  • DO set up the discussion section of your blog to have “Moderated Comments.” This allows you to read someone’s comment before it appears on your blog. You can allow unmoderated comments, but you could lose some control over the tone of your blog.
  • DO write as often as you’d like. The best blog posts are ones in which the author wanted to write. Don’t blog one day just for the sake of blogging.
  • DO think about your audience. What do they want to read? Will they find this blog post entertaining, helpful or boring? Would you want to read this post if someone else had written it?
  • DO include pictures and video in your blog post as much as possible.
  • DO write in a casual tone. Formal language doesn’t fly in the blogosphere. Pretend like you’re writing for your friend.
  • DO keep it shorter rather than longer. 500 to 750 word blog posts are best.
  • DO give readers links on where to go for more information.
  • DO know how to use effective tag words in your blog post. After each post, you should go to the box on the side of the dashboard which asks you to include tag words. These are words which describe what you just wrote about. If I write about “Fast dinners on a Budget” I’ll want to tag it “Food,” “Family,” “Money” at the very least. Effective tagging is the most important factor in how you will be displayed on our websites and you’re more likely to be found on Google.
  • DO pay the MOST attention to your headlines and first couple of sentences. That is what the reader will see. They should convince the reader to read more.
  • DO know what makes a good headline: attention-getting, question-asking, or lists (IE: The top ten Paul Newman movies).
  • DO make your post reader friendly. They should be able to skim your content and still get some of your message. Consider using subheadlines, bullet points, pictures, and quotes.
  • DO follow other bloggers. Be part of the blogging community.
  • DO comment on other blog posts even if it’s just a “like your blog” or “I agree.” People like to know that they’re being read.
  • DO read the comments you get on your blog. You don’t always have to approve them. But you should read them.
  • DO use your blog together with Facebook, Twitter and other social media.
  • DON’T plagiarize. If you like a blog post or article written by someone else don’t pass it off as your own. Simply write that you found an article or post you liked and then link to that original article. You can add your own comments to it as well.
  • DON’T get too long-winded. We live in a fast-pasted world. Most people won’t take the time to read a War and Peace length blog post. If you have 10 points to make consider writing 10 shorter blogs in a series rather than one LONG blog post with all 10.  Again, 500 to 750 word posts are optimal.
  • DON’T give away too much on Facebook and Twitter. Use Facebook and Twitter to tease people about your blog post. Throw out a question on Facebook and post the link to your blog post to make them want to get the answer.
  • DON’T be a jerk. You’re a nice person right? So think twice before you leave a nasty comment on someone else’s blog. It’s cool to add to the discussion, to be a voice of thoughtful dissent. But launching verbal stink bombs (IE: You’re an idiot!) is just very schoolyard bully.

And finally DO have fun and DON’T beat yourself up if don’t get all of this right away. It’s a learning process, but it’s worth it!

By the way, I’d love to hear if any of our veteran bloggers can add to this list. What do you think is the most important Do or Don’t? Do you disagree with me on any of these?

A “silver bullet” worth thousands!

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Often times when I’m visiting with two of my favorite Areavoices bloggers; Scott Brusven of the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre and Melissa Schmalenberger of MS Simplicity I find myself thinking I wish I could just bottle them both up and take them with me as I try to recruit new bloggers. Well, I can’t do that. Their families would miss them.

But I’ve done something close. I got them on camera telling us why they like Areavoices blogging. I’m so excited that they’re sharing their success with you. Scott calls Areavoices “a silver bullet” and Melissa says the exposure she’s gotten through Areavoices and other social media is worth thousands in free publicity. See their videos for yourself. They’re only a minute long.


We’ll have more testimonials to come and watch for Melissa and Scott on TV promos

Areavoices Digest #30 – Let’s Talk Movies, Golf and More!

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After a couple of pretty heady news days, some Areavoices bloggers are looking to have a little fun. This week’s list of recommended blogs includes a couple of new movie review blogs as well as blogs about golf, running, politics and education.

Let’s Talk about Movies – http://film.areavoices.com – “Let’s Talk About Movies” is an Areavoices blog where community members can offer up reviews and opinions on film and engage one another in discussion. It’s a chance for film lovers who might not have the time to start their own blog to  participate and contribute their opinions.

 Cinema Bazaar – http://cinemabazaar.areavoices.com  “Cinema Bazaar” is a blog where you will find weekly movie recommendations for your viewing pleasure. These recommendations will vary from week to week and will feature anything from mainstream blockbusters, indie films, cult classics, midnight movies, and everything in between.
Rep Bruce Vogel – http://repbrucevogel.areavoices.com I’m so happy to see more politicians taking advantage of the Areavoices platform to talk to constituents. Representative Bruce Vogel represents District 13B in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Vogel is a Republican serving the Willmar area. 

 
 
Dakota County Technical College – http://dctc.areavoices.com This is a nice looking blog full of news and information about Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, Minnesota. They’ve only been blogging a short time, but they’re doing a great job.
 

18 Holes with Jack…Daniels – http://fmgolfguy.areavoices.com Many of us  are looking forward to getting out on the golf course. Corey Herlickson is the head golf professional at The Meadows Golf Course in Moorhead and his blog will provide tips and advice for the golfer and highlight some of the best holes and courses in the area. 
 
Adventures with Amanda – http://adventureswithamanda.areavoices.com Amanda started this blog to document her efforts as she trains for the Fargo marathon later this month. She’s a frequent contributor to the community running blog, but this blog is her personal journey
 

FM Community Theatre – http://fmcommunitytheatre.areavoices.com Since its founding in 1946, the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre (FMCT) has provided a wide range of dramatic experiences to the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area and surrounding rural communities. This blog shares news, information and photos about the theatre’s many productions.

Tag:You’re it!

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Here’s a little Areavoices 101 on getting your blog seen.

Tag: you’re it.

Tag words are those keywords that you put at the end of your blog post which summarize what your blog post was about. And to gain greater exposure for your blog, you need to use them effectively and appropriately.

Appropriate tagging  does a couple of very important things:

1) If you’re a featured blogger, it helps get more coverage for your blog on our newspaper webpages. For example, if you write a food blog you’ll want to use the tag word “Food” to make sure that your post is seen on the homepage as well as in the food section of the life page.

2) Tag words also ensure your blog can be found by search engines. In other words, you’ll be more likely to pop up prominently on Google.

For example, say one a blogger writes about her family’s recent trip to Disney World. She might tag that post “family” and “travel.” If she writes about great food she ate in The Magic Kingdom or how she did Disney on a dime, she might consider “Money.” Think broadly!

The best piece of advice I have about tag words is to always look through the bar at the top of the newspaper website you’re most interested in being seen in. You’ll see the sections of that paper broken down in sections and subsections. Many of those sections list the areavoices blogs. Those sections tend to hold onto their blog posts longer than the homepage.  

It’s one more way to get your blog post the exposure you want.

More proof of the changing news game…

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How’d you like to be minding your own business one night and an international celebrity the next? No doubt by now you’ve heard of Sohaib Athar, the man who broke the news of the attack on Osama bin Laden on Twitter.

His first Tweet was innocent enough: “Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event).”

But what followed was Athar’s Tweet by Tweet account of the attack. @RealityVirtual.

But he wasn’t the only one getting in on the act. According to social media analysis there were more than 2 million mentions of bin Laden on Twitter in a matter of hours. During President Obama’s speech Twitter reports about 5,000 Tweets per second. The discussion has since continued on Facebook and in blogs.

The behavior reinforces what we saw just a few days ago during the royal wedding. People will no longer passively sit and get the news. They crave the ability to interact and participate in global events. 

I’m happy to say areavoices bloggers are contributing to the discussion with blog posts about how to talk to your kids about the attack at the KidCrazy blog to reaction from Minnesota leaders in Capitol Chatter.

For Athar’s part, he’s now gained more than 75,000 Twitter followers. One of his last posts asked people to leave him alone because he wanted to get some sleep. The price he pays as a social media superstar.

Are you having issues with your blog?

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In the past couple of days, I’ve had more than my normal amount of email regarding some issues with your areavoices blogs. Most of them pertain to the following problems:

1. Blog being marked as spam
2. Blogs not being listed on your profile page
3. Stats module missing from dashboard

If you’re having any of these problems please let us know. Your best bet is to email support@areavoices.com or go to the support blog at http://support.areavoices.com.

We are currently working on these issues and apologize for the inconvenience. I know it can be really frustrating. But again, don’t hesitate to let us know, so we can make things right!

On another matter, we are aware of people manipulating the comment ratings system on the Topics blog, and at this time there isn’t anything we can do to prevent it from happening. We are looking at ways to stop it from happening and are open to any suggestions you might like to offer.

Finally, for those of you who hold your breath and get all jittery when you hear about updates. WordPress has been updated to Version 3.1.1. It’s basically a security and maintence update. Nothing for you to do. It’s handled. Basically the update from WordPress improves performance and security.

More information at your fingertips with areavoices directory

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Back in college, my friends Janet and Jill and I competed in a lip sync contest as The Pointer Sisters. Why do I tell you this in my blog post about areavoices? It’s because of the song we sang, “I’m so excited!” That is how I’m feeling today upon the completion of our areavoices directory page. Maybe it’s a stretch to pull out an old song from the 80′s to communicate my feeling over this project or maybe I’m just a little loopy after going through all of the blogs featured on Forum Communications company websites over the past week or two. How many blogs is that, you ask. More than 400!!!!  That is 400 different blogs with information ranging from opera to astronomy, from Minnesota Twins to Wisconsin wildlife, from knitting up north to knoephla in North Dakota. All that, plus news and information from schools, businesses, cities and counties in our region. Check out the areavoices directory either at www.areavoices.com or by clicking on Directory link right under the titles “Featured Staff Blogs” or “Featured Area Voices” on the newspaper home page.

The directory has been out for a couple of weeks now and in that time, I’ve fielded some questions which I’ll address here:

1. Why isn’t my areavoices blog on the list?

Remember this is a featured blog list. That means at least one Forum Communications newspaper or broadcast website has chosen to feature you. In all, there are more than 2,000 areavoices blogs. These are the 400 that have been pulled out to be featured. Of course, all areavoices blogs can still be found at www.areavoices.com.

2. How can I get my blog featured?

Your first step is to make sure we know about it. I’m amazed at the fantastic blogs I’ve just stumbled upon as I look through areavoices postings. It’s my job to recommend you to the newspaper and broadcast editors, publishers and news directors. I can’t make that recommendation unless I know about you. Once I do, I can forward your blog address to the editors. In the end, it’s their decision whether your blog is appropriate for their website.

3. I’m not sure if I’m a featured blogger. How can I find out?

First, look on the directory. If you’re in the directory, you’re featured by at least one property. If you’re not on the list, you can certainly email me and I can doublecheck whether you’re a featured blog or not. tracy.briggs@fccinteractive.com.

4. I know I’m a featured blogger, but I’m still not in the directory. What’s going on?

A couple of possible things. First, I’m human. I might have messed up and for some reason not typed you into the directory. Of course, after I profusely apologize I’ll make things right. The other possible reason is more intentional. To keep our featured blog list as up to date as possible, we take blogs out of the directory if you have not made at least one post in that blog in the last 3 months.   It was our decision to do this to make sure the directory was not bogged down with blogs that are no longer active. I am more than happy to put your blog back in the directory once you start posting in that blog again. Just let me know.

5. How can I get a  next to my blog?

We put the  next to the blog if it has been created in the last 2 weeks or so. If I missed a , please let me know.

So that’s it. And while I said earlier that I was excited by the completion of this project, the fact is it will never be completed. The directory is almost a living, breathing entity. Okay, I’m being a little dramatic. But the fact is, I’ll be monitoring and managing this directory from now on. It will evolve and change. If you have questions, problems or suggestions I’m ready to hear them. I have time now that I’m no longer a Pointer Sister.

Areavoices Digest #18 – Feb 9, 2011 – Have you seen these blogs?

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Thanks for your feedback about the areavoices directory. I’m still wading through it blog by blog, revising and updating information. You can now see the directory on the blog sections of your home pages as well as on the areavoices homepage. I realize we still have featured blogs that might be missing. If you notice a blog that is not in the directory please shoot me an email. I will make sure to get it on the directory as soon as possible. As I said last week, this process is giving me the opportunity to find some wonderful blogs that might be deserving of a second look.
 
Powerful Perspectives – http://powerfulperspectives.areavoices.com – When I asked everyone for feedback on great bloggers this is what Phil from River Falls told me, “Sam Bluhm’s Powerful Perspective’s blog is by far the hottest of the 25 local bloggers we have at the River Falls Journal. She brings a life coach perspective, is a professional business writer and weaves some heartwarming stories that generate lots of feedback.”  I looked through the blog and found it well written and interesting.
 
Rambling River Repair – http://ramblingriverrepair.areavoices.com – Sue and Bill Kropelnicki are fairly new to blogging, but I think this auto repair blog has a lot of potential. They own and operate their own shop in Farmington, Minnesota. Their last post addressed keeping tires in top shape during winter driving, so obviously, something we can all relate to.  The focus of their blog is to make cars and car repair understandable to the average Joe and Jane.

Rural Reflections – http://rreflection.areavoices.com – Grant Nelson writes about rural life and farm projects. His column is featured weekly in the Northern Watch newspaper in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. His Radio program is also posted on his blog every Thursday by noon.

 
Music Moves – Perspectives & Insights from a Local Music Therapist – http://musicmoves.areavoices.com -  Natasha Thomas is a board certified music therapist. She says the purpose of her blog is “for any individual looking to learn how music can enhance their own life or the lives of their loved ones, co-workers, or friends.  Weekly posts will include such topics as “how music can aid academic learning”, “using music for stress relief”, and other perspectives on the many ways in which music can impact your life.”
 
Who Needs Who? – Stories of love from a special needs mom – http://whoneedswho.areavoices.com – Kerri Kava is blogging about her life with her special needs son. He has Williams Syndrome or WS. But she writes, “I’m an extremely positive person and in no way am I wanting this blog to be a “poor me” bucket. But rather, a place to share, vent, and brag about the love and joy brought, as well as the everyday journey we experience.”
 
And finally I just wanted to point out two of our newest education-type blogs.
 
Detroit Lakes Public Schools is now blogging – http://detroitlakesschools.areavoices.com. They’ve used their blog to make school announcements and deliver other news. It’s a great use of blogging.
 
And Dr. Christopher Markwood, Interim Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Superior, has started a blog for UW Superior. I was really excited to see this one. I believe he’s the first Chancellor to blog with areavoices.  Very cool! http://uwsuperior.areavoices.com. 
 

Areavoices Digest #16 – January 26, 2011 – A nod to Art Linkletter!

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 Remember, that old Art Linkletter TV show, “Kids say the darndest things?” Well they do. And we love to read about it. That’s why I’m excited to recommend the following new blog by Shane Mercer, followed by 4 others.  Enjoy!
The Crazy Things Kids Say – http://thingskidssay.areavoices.com -   Readers are invited to share their cute kid stories with Shane Mercer. Shane will then review the stories and post them to the blog. I found myself smiling as I read the blog today. It’s a very cute FAMILY blog that I think would work for everyone.
 
Cute Kids Pics Submitted by Our Readers – http://kidpics.areavoices.com  Readers are asked to send photos of their kids. Shane is the author of this blog as well. People love to show off their kids. Why not on our platform? It’s appropriate region wide as well.
 
The Old Nichols Farm – http://oldnicholsfarm.areavoices.com  -
This blog is written by a stay-at-home mom of three living on a hobby farm near Jamestown, ND. She’s also an amateur photographer and former microbiologist.  She says, “mostly I blog about the simple chaos around here, and the way I see the world through my camera.” She’s written this blog on blog spot for a year-and-a-half and has built a nice following. While she lives in ND, she doesn’t talk about the area, so I think it would be appropriate region wide.
Coach Carolyn – Happiness and Success are up to you – http://carolynbaana.areavoices.com Carolyn Baana is pursuing her certification with the International Coaching Federation, a group which trains life coaches.  Carolyn says of her work:
“Ultimately, the simplest explanation is that if you’re looking for someone to help guide you to get to your goals and dreams more quickly – and someone to hold you accountable in the process of moving toward them – then a coach would likely be a benefit to you. When my clients find the actions they need to take based on our conversations, then follow through and see progress which strengthens them to keep progressing toward their final destination, it energizes me. And that is why I coach.”

And finally…congrats to Melissa Schmalenberger. She writes a blog called MS Simplicity – http://mssimplicity.areavoices.com  Melissa Schmalenberger just started her blog on areavoices in the fall and she has quickly become one of the most popular bloggers on the platform. She’s consistently in the top 20 among the 2,600 areavoice bloggers. Way to go Melissa!

It’s now even easier to start your own blog

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It’s easier because we’ve produced another video that takes you through the process. Check it out. It’s in the sidebar to your right. The “starting your areavoices blog” is a 20 minute video tutorial in which I walk you through setting up an areavoices account and blog. This video joins our first video, “areavoices walkthrough” which gives you an overview of what blogging on areavoices is all about. That video is just 6 minutes long. We hope to produce more videos to help you familiarize yourself with areavoices blogging.  As always get in touch with me if you want more information.

Areavoices Digest #12 – Dec 8, 2010 – Great Blogs for the Holidays!

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Maybe I’m  all about the Christmas spirit today or maybe I just can’t get last night’s Glee Christmas special out of my mind. Whatever the case, this week’s recommended blogs have that holiday feel.

First a couple of fantastic food blogs:

 
GOT SOUP? http://gotsoup.areavoices.com. Sara Watson and her husband Eric are the chefs and owners of Mosaic Foods Catering www.mosaicfoods.net and also co-owners of Maxwells Restaurant in West Fargo www.maxwellsnd.com.  Sara will be the primary writer. She is bubbly and fun and full of personality. Their food is amazing! They used to be guests on my radio show and I think I learned something new everytime they came on. Sara says, “ I feel like I dedicate much of my life to food; whether it be cooking, creating recipes, talking about of food, reading about food, teaching our children how to cook and eat healthy etc…. I’m looking foward to sharing knowledge I come across and hope others who are as passionate about food as I am will also share their knowledge with me.”  
 
ARLENE COCO’S PRAIRIE KITCHEN – http://arlenecocoprairiekitchen.areavoices.com  Arlene Coco runs a food segment on WDIO-TV in Duluth. She hunts for local culinary stars and treasures. She says her writings follow the seasons so look for recipes and information about local food events, chefs and all things food related in the north land. She says, “ I will also share my culinary travels with you as I am a frequent visitor to Australia and recently to Southeast Asia.” I really liked the look of Arlene’s blog and I think it relates to all of us.
 
But Christmas isn’t just about the great food, it’s about shopping and our next blog will help you keep your budget in check.
 
REAL MONEY – http://realmoney.areavoices.com – Financial counselors from The Village Family Service Center offer tips on how to save money, how to get out of debt and set up budgets. Their last post was about the 5 things you should know before heading to the mall for Christmas shopping. It’s a practical money blog where people can get valuable information.
 
GOOD PEOPLE GOOD BUSINESS – http://goodpeoplegoodbusiness.areavoices.com   Darrin D. Tonsfeldt is the director of in-office and organizational service at The Village Family Service Center. He is the lead blogger for Good People Good Business. Darrin will write about human resources including how to have a healthier work environment for your employees.
 
HEALTHY TIDBITS – http://peggysue.areavoices.com Peggy Anderson is a breast cancer survivor and retired Duluth school teacher who talks about community events and other health-related issues. I think it’s worth a look if you’re a Minnesota property.
 

Watch our new video!

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Over the past few months, I’ve met with a lot of individuals and organizations telling them about the benefits of blogging on areavoices. I’ve told them how their blog can be featured on Forum Communications Company newspaper and broadcast websites in ND, SD, MN and WI which is accessed by about 1.4 million people every month. Now you can learn more about it right here on this blog. I’ve posted a video I put together which gives you a quick overview of blogging and blogging specifically on areavoices. Watch for yourselves. It only last about six minutes. See what you think, then get in touch with me or just get started on your own. It’s easy to do.

Remember, it’s not too late to sign up for our areavoices walkthrough webinar on Tuesday at noon. We can help walk you through your questions and help you make the most of your blog.

Enjoy the weekend!

Areavoices Digest #11 – Bytes to Broncs (and looking for a few good cookie bakers!)

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Here are some of the newest blogs you might want to check out this week on areavoices. They range from new social media to rodeo bronc riding. How’s that for variety? And after you read about some of our newest blogs, read on as to why I’m looking for a few good cookie bakers!
Bytes Blog: Technology from the trenches geared for the rest of us – http://budsandbytes.areavoices.com 
The Bytes Blog was created by Chris Buckley, co-owner of Buds and Bytes, Farmington, MN.  The blog highlights technology issues that affect the average consumer.  Providing an easy to comprehend guide to the pitfalls and powers of modern technology in an entertaining format, the blog seeks to reach a broader audience for technology news and information.
 
Midwest Media in Motion – Because sometimes life needs more than 140 characters – http://newmedia.areavoices.com
Gia Rassier is a communications specialist at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.  She says “when I’m not at work – I like to continue working, maintain my mayorships on foursquare and try to convert the nonbelievers in the social media revolution.” If you’re like me, you might ask, “what is foursquare?” Well, apparently it’s a social media platform where people can share their location with their friends via the GPS on their phone. Gia’s blog has not been up that long but her posts are very well done and original.
 
The Mommy Minute – http://themommyminute.areavoices.com. Stephanie Lauritsen is a hockey mom living in West Fargo, ND. She has a 5 year old and a 2 year old. She’s fairly new to blogging, but I found her writing very entertaining.
 
Grand Forks Salvation Army – http://gfsalarmy.areavoices.com – I think it will be particularly relevant during the holidays.
 
Rodeo Life with the Stroh’s – a journal following pro saddle bronc rider Shaun Stroh – http://shaunstroh.areavoices.com  This blog details behind the scenes of the rodeo circuit written by Shannon Stroh as she travels with her husband Shaun. I thought this was a fun idea. How many of us know what life in the rodeo is all about? Her last post was from warm and sunny Las Vegas.
 
 
And finally, are you the world’s best Christmas cookie baker? Or do you know someone who is? We would love to start a few baking blogs here on areavoices.  Consider sharing your favorite Christmas baking recipes with your own blog. Just go to www.areavoices.com to get started and let me know so I can share the blog with Forum Communications websites across the region. And of course, I would be happy to sample anything you bake. It’s a sacrifice, but I’ll do it.
 

The best way to get your blog seen by more people

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How’s that for enticing title? Getting your areavoices blog seen by more eyes is really pretty simple. It comes down to one word: TAGS.

The best piece of advice I can give to you about extending the reach of your blog is to effectively use TAG words. Let me illustrate. Let’s say we have a featured blogger who writes about her family’s recent trip to Disney World. Normally, she might use the TAG words “family” or “moms” to describe her blog posts. As you know shortly after she makes her post, that post will appear on the home page of any FCC website in which she is featured. And if she used her regular tag words of “family” and “moms” she’ll also be seen under the tab “Life” and the sub tabs of “family” and “moms.” (If you’re not sure what I’m talking about go to the top of whatever FCC website you’re reading this post from. You’ll see a number of tabs across the page. They represent the inner sections of the newspaper).

Now let’s consider how else she might tag her content to get even more coverage. In addition to “family” and “moms” she might want to use these additional tags:

TRAVEL: she’s sharing her travel news about Disney World

MONEY:  she mentions how she budgeted for the trip

FOOD: maybe she writes about some grand Mickey Mouse ice cream sundae she had at the resort

K12 EDUCATION: maybe she writes about how her son’s school is assigning a writing project for class to make up for lost school time.

That would get her blog posted on 4 additional pages within the website and opens a whole range of possible searches from Google. My point is to think broadly and completely about what you’re writing about. Look at those tabs at the top of this page. Do they fit with what you talked about? Each blog post can have very different tag words.

Now you can go too far. A few months ago, I met with the director of a local theatre. In talking about the broad use of these tags, he jokingly said, “Okay, so if we put on the play “Arsenic and Old Lace” in addition to tagging our post “entertainment” we can tag it “crime?”  Not exactly, but I like the way he thinks.

When it comes to tags, think it through. Assess exactly what you wrote about and apply those tag words. In so doing, there is a good chance you’ll be read by more people.

And speaking of tag words, that will be the subject of our next Tuesday webinar. Every Tuesday at noon, some of us from areavoices gather to answer your questions regarding your areavoices blog or how to start your areavoices blog. All you need to do is call in and register. It’s free and you can stay in your own place to participate. Just shoot me an email if you’d like more information. tracy.briggs@fccinteractive.com.

Areavoices Digest #10 – Nov 24, 2010

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First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to all you! Before you head out for SAFE travels this Thanksgiving I have  a few announcements from the areavoices community.
If you still would like to weigh in on our Black Friday chat….go to http://topics.areavoices.com. People are sharing their favorite Black Friday deals. You might learn something
Now to our recommended blogs of the week:
 
Middle Minnesota – Views of a Moderate Poll – http://middleminnesota.areavoices.com  This is a blog written by State Representative Al Juhnke from Kandiyohi County in West Central Minnesota. He says “as an endangered species, that is a political moderate, I thought it may be interesting to publish my views from time-to-time. I Chair the House Agriculture & Veterans Affairs committee.The best overall description I can give you of myself is that I am a ‘Pro-life, pro-gun, pro-snowmobile, pro-scratching, pro-spitting rural Minnesota Democrat.’ Politics, Agriculture, and rural life views…stay tuned and enjoy.” 
 
Our goal on areavoices is to get more politicians to start blogs. Rep. Juhnke posts pretty frequently and usually links people to relevant news stories from his district. If you’re a lawmaker, I’d love to help you start your own blog.
  
So much to do in Grand Forks - http://novac.areavoices In a way the title of this blog is a little misleading. Writer Marie Strinden actually profiles entertainment happenings throughout eastern ND and western MN.Strinden is with the North Valley Arts Council. She is the site administrator of www.culturepulse.org, the free website with listings of every arts and culture event going on in North Dakota and near eastern Minnesota. This is a really good looking blog. It has sharp graphics and great photos and Marie is a good writer.
 
Ridgewater Voices – http://ridgewater.areavoices.com – We welcome Ridgewater College as our latest college news blog. Ridgewater has campuses in Willmar and Hutchinson. Their writers said they plan to write about campus happenings as well as goings on on the higher education landscape of Minnesota.
 
God Tracks – http://godtracks.areavoices.com – God Tracks author Julie Holmquist is a writer/editor with a passion for sharing stories about God. The award-winning journalist, wife and mother of four lives in Wisconsin and wants to know if you’ve seen God’s tracks in your life. I would compare Julie’s blog to Chicken Soup for the Soul or the popular book series, Small Miracles. Holmquist shares nuggets of coincidences and faith in everyday life. I think people will enjoy her uplifting stories.
 
Computer and Technology – http://computers.areavoices.com - Jeff Kuschel is the owner of computer business and has worked in the field for 15 years. His last post concerns staying safe while online shopping. Pretty relevant as we hit Cyber Monday. 
 
 
 
HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING AND SAFE TRAVELS!!!!!!

Black Friday Shoppers? Smart Bargain Hunters or Just Plain Nuts?

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Whatever you feel about Black Friday, whether you spend most of Thanksgiving combing through newspaper ads plotting your shopping strategy or you spend Friday morning snuggled in a warm bed puzzled as to why anyone would rise at 3:00am to battle the crowds, we want to hear from you!

We want you to use areavoices to share your Black Friday tips, pointers, and strategies. It’s the perfect use of the areavoices community, sharing ideas or maybe even venting your frustrations. Throughout Friday, you can weigh in on our Black Friday Chat. Click the link below to take you there. Access it as you shop for tips on what’s on sale where, what’s sold out and more info on the latest surprise bargain.

http://topics.areavoices.com/2010/11/23/talk-about-it-black-friday/

Shoppers, you’re going to be up anyway. You might as well use every tool you can. Sleepers, tune in and see what your neighbors are up too. You can always roll over and wait for Cyber Monday!