Getting Started:BloggingCreated For:

By: Blotner Social Media

Why Your Hotel Should Have A Blog

http://blotnersocialmedia.wordpress.com/2010/03/07/how-to-create-a-successful-company-blog/

Getting Started & Registering Your Blog

Go To www.WordPress.com “Click” sign up now (orange tab, upper right) Create ID & Password “Click” register a blog Input blog domain & title

See next page for set up >

Set Up (con’t) Go to “My Account” (Top left) Go To “Edit Profile”

Wordpress blogs have lots of bells & whistles (many will soon come in handy). I recommend setting up a basic “shell” of your blog so that it will function properly and have a very professional look. The following are the finishing steps to get

your blog up and running>

Set up: Edit Profile Go Settings:

-Tagline: Fill In Hotel slant, or tagline

-Blog Picture/icon (top right)

-Date format

-Time format

Appearance Go Back to Edit Profile Go to Appearance drop down menu Select a template (you have 83 themes to

choose from)

Post Content Go To “New Post” Copy/Paste or type in Headline Copy/Paste or type Body and content When finished, Type “Publish” Post: articles, “Happenings” in the Hotel, Promotions,

industry news, Travel tips, menuFor more ideas, see the promotions section in this

Guide

Posting Content-Before ……

Posting Content-After……

Advance Settings Go to “Edit Profile” Widgets: Set up a calendar, Twitter and Facebook

account (Blogroll) Add Pages tabs: “About” “Contact Us” “Mission

statement” Media or Links: Add Photos and videos (highly

recommended)Note: There are other bells and whistles you can use, but if you set up the

basic settings and or advanced settings you should be fine. Most of my clients have the advanced settings and their blogs do well and many have commented on how professional and how easy they are to navigate. As always if anyone needs assistance, please contact me at any time.

Promoting Your Blog (In House)Post on Facebook twitter page: Tip: -After posting content on blog, copy and past the link (found in

your search bar) -Go to your Links Tab in your Facebook page. Paste the link in

the http: space provided.Example:Turn this this:http://www.officialwire.com/main.php?

action=posted_news&rid=116473&catid=10 Into This…(See top post)

Promoting Your Blog IISubscribe to Some of These Sites:

List of Top Blog Directories with Page Rankhttp://www.bloglines.com 9http://www.technorati.com 8

http://www.blogpulse.com/index.html 7http://www.blogdigger.com/index.html 7

http://www.getblogs.com/ 7http://www.blogarama.com/ 7http://www.blogcatalog.com/ 7

http://www.blogrankings.com/ 7http://portal.eatonweb.com/ 7

http://blogstreet.com/ 7

Practical Uses For Your Blog Weekly Rook specials & packages (If apply) Hotel Restaurant specials Create regular “Columns” (Example: “Day

Tripping-Things To do in Naples, Florida

Sample Weekly ‘Blog Log’ Monday-Post past weekend activities. Include written content, photos and

video (if available). Guest reviews & Comments (Screen by the Hotel) Tuesday: Weekly Hotel & Restaurant specials. Weekly columns.

(Wedding Guide: Planning your wedding on a challenging budget [This promotes your catering and banquet business]

Wednesday: Upcoming weekend happenings (Example “Concert in the Park”, art gallery shows). Post interesting articles

Thursday: Restaurant specials, Hotel/staff promotions. Feature employee (“Joe Smith celebrated 10 years with Peachtree Corners…”

Friday: Upcoming events for the weekend.

Keep it light, fun, informative

Helpful Articles & Resources http://marketingforrealresults.com/why-your-

business-needs-a-blog/ http://www.wordtracker.com/academy/

business-blogging-reasons http://en.wordpress.com/features/ http://www.hotelmarketingstrategies.com/

layana-resort-tripadvisor/