Keel Blogging | Tips on creating a great boating blog Three Sheets Northwest

1. Keel Blogging | Tips on creating a great boating blog Three Sheets Northwest www.threesheetsnw.com

2. Deborah Bach Marty McOmber

3. www.threesheetsnw.com The leading online magazine providing news, features and resources focused exclusively on boating in the Pacific Northwest. The site is both a trusted news source and a hub for local boaters to share information online.

4. Overview| Why blog about boating? Top reasons: • Update friends and family • Share your passion with other boaters • Blog for profit

5. Overview| Why blog about boating? It’s about having fun: • More than 70 percent of blogs are “just for fun.” • Self-expression and sharing expertise is the primary motivation for bloggers. • 70% say personal satisfaction is how they measure the success of their blog. Source: Technocrati | technorati.com/blogging/feature/state-of-the-blogosphere-2009/

6. Overview| Why blog about boating?

7. Overview| Why blog about boating? Can I pay for my boat by blogging? • Mean annual revenue from “professional” blogs is $14,477 for part-timers Source: Technocrati | http://technorati.com/blogging/feature/state-of-the-blogosphere-2009/

8. Basics |Where do I start? 59% of bloggers use a free, third-party hosting service: blogger.com (google) wordpress.com typepad.com Source: Technocrati | http://technorati.com/blogging/feature/state-of-the-blogosphere-2009/

9. Basics |Where do I start?

10. Basics |Where do I start? Many more exist, including boating related sites: Yachtpals Sailblogs Three Sheets Northwest

11. Basics |Where do I start? Other free options give you more control, but require more technical expertise: wordpress.org drupal.org (13% build their blogs from scratch) Source: Technocrati | http://technorati.com/blogging/feature/state-of-the-blogosphere-2009/

12. Basics |Where do I start? The average annual amount spent on a blog is: • $1,600 for hobbyists • $10,000 for pros Source: Technocrati | http://technorati.com/blogging/feature/state-of-the-blogosphere-2009/

13. How to | First things Picking a good name (it’s your URL): • Make it easy to say • Make it easy to remember • Make it easy to spell • Make it meaningful (Just like naming your boat)

14. Basics |Where do I start?

15. How to | First things Create a good “About” profile: • Tell us who you are • Tell us why you are special • Tell us why you are credible (Remember, good blogs reflect the personality of the people who write them)

16. How to | First things

17. How to | First things Include a way to converse with you: • Comments are conversations • Email contact is important • No means of contact hurts you credibility (Blogging is a conversation – don’t frustrate your audience)

18. How to | First things Picking a design for your blog: • Clean, simple, expressive • Keep the eye on the content • Don’t clutter the screen (When it comes to well-read blogs, looks matter)

19. How to | First things

20. How to | First things

21. How to | First things How much traffic can you expect: • 56 percent of hobby blogs get less than 1,000 uniques a month • 78 percent get less than 5,000 (Remember, the most important measure is personal satisfaction) Source: Technocrati | http://technorati.com/blogging/feature/state-of-the-blogosphere-2009/

22. How to | First things The most popular applications for tracking traffic: • Google Analytics (55%) • Sitemeter (15%) • Statcounter (14%) (Warning: stats can be addictive) Source: Technocrati | http://technorati.com/blogging/feature/state-of-the-blogosphere-2009/

23. How to | First things

24. How to | The art of boat blogging Tips on the writing: • Write tight • Write often (2-3 times a week) • Be honest • Find your voice (It’s a boat blog, not a boat log. Show us why you love boating)

25. How to | The art of boat blogging

26. How to | The art of boat blogging

27. How to | The art of boat blogging Deep thought: “The majority of bloggers describe their blogging style as sincere, conversational or expert. Snarky and confessional are the least popular styles.” Source: Technocrati | http://technorati.com/blogging/feature/state-of-the-blogosphere-2009/

28. How to | The art of boat blogging

29. How to | The art of boat blogging Making your blog sing • Pictures, pictures, pictures • Video and audio • Maps and charts • Keep your gadgets at hand (The web is primarily a visual media—and what’s more visual than boating?)

30. How to | The art of boat blogging

31. How to | The art of boat blogging

32. How to | The art of boat blogging Do it yourself: • 73 percent create the photos, video, or audio they post themselves about half of the time (This is your chance to be creative. Have fun doing it) Source: Technocrati | http://technorati.com/blogging/feature/state-of-the-blogosphere-2009/

33. How to | The art of boat blogging

34. How to | The art of boat blogging Updating your blog underway: • Wifi • 3G/4G • Cell phone (Keeping it fresh and real will make it more fun for readers)

35. How to |Boating blogs we like • bitterendblog.com • gigharborfishinginfo.blogspot.com • johnvigor.com • nomadness.com/blog • pugetsoundmaritime.com • shilsholed.com • svbellastar.com • threesheetsnw.com/lateentry • uscg13.blogspot.com • windborneinpugetsound.blogspot.com