Comments on: Blogging – Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time http://www.traveltrends.biz/ttn555blogging-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time/ Incorporating TRAVELtech and No Vacancy Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:24:32 +1000 http://wordpress.org/?v= hourly 1 By: James http://www.traveltrends.biz/ttn555blogging-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time/#comment-620 James Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:59:46 +0000 http://www.traveltrends.biz/?p=1641#comment-620 It doesn't matter how many content channels you open, if you have nothing pertinent or of value to say to people (other than subverting social network platforms for poorly disguised advertising and SEO brownie points), then it creates the same guaranteed result: multiply zero by anything the result will always be zero. It doesn't matter how many content channels you open, if you have nothing pertinent or of value to say to people (other than subverting social network platforms for poorly disguised advertising and SEO brownie points), then it creates the same guaranteed result: multiply zero by anything the result will always be zero.

]]> By: Scott McNeely http://www.traveltrends.biz/ttn555blogging-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time/#comment-617 Scott McNeely Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:57:03 +0000 http://www.traveltrends.biz/?p=1641#comment-617 Hi Martin. It all depends on what the purpose of your travel blog. At Viator (excuse my self-indulgence) we focus on 2 things. And 2 things only. Good writing. And stories / events / contests / photos / etc that directly relate to travelers and the broader travel community. This is partly why we've won numerous awards for our blog (http://travelblog.viator.com/). Do we try to make money from the blog? No. Do we worry if every blog post is helping to sell tours and activities (our core business)? No. This helps keep our blog fun. It keeps our blog topical. It keeps our interesting to TRAVELERS. And this, in turn, keeps our blog relevant to our staffers and writers in charge of maintaining the blog. A virtuous circle if there ever was one. I find most corporate-powered travel blogs, when they sputter and fail, are trying to accomplish too many things. They get too niche. They get too insular. They try too hard to sell things. They become brochure-ware. -Scott Hi Martin.

It all depends on what the purpose of your travel blog. At Viator (excuse my self-indulgence) we focus on 2 things. And 2 things only. Good writing. And stories / events / contests / photos / etc that directly relate to travelers and the broader travel community. This is partly why we've won numerous awards for our blog (http://travelblog.viator.com/).

Do we try to make money from the blog? No.

Do we worry if every blog post is helping to sell tours and activities (our core business)? No.

This helps keep our blog fun. It keeps our blog topical. It keeps our interesting to TRAVELERS. And this, in turn, keeps our blog relevant to our staffers and writers in charge of maintaining the blog. A virtuous circle if there ever was one.

I find most corporate-powered travel blogs, when they sputter and fail, are trying to accomplish too many things. They get too niche. They get too insular. They try too hard to sell things. They become brochure-ware.

-Scott

]]> By: Martin Kelly http://www.traveltrends.biz/ttn555blogging-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time/#comment-615 Martin Kelly Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:07:47 +0000 http://www.traveltrends.biz/?p=1641#comment-615 Thanks for the explanation Gemma. Thanks for the explanation Gemma.

]]> By: Craig http://www.traveltrends.biz/ttn555blogging-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time/#comment-614 Craig Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:29:23 +0000 http://www.traveltrends.biz/?p=1641#comment-614 Martin, I couldn't agree more. It takes both investment and discipline to build a strong blog. At TakeABreak we're as guilty of this as anyone, with our blog http://takeabreakaway.blogspot.com/ being patchy even though we have consistently invested in quality journalism which we publish regularly on www.holidayinspirations.com.au and in our newsletter. Building online brand is a long haul with both persistence and quality essential. Martin, I couldn't agree more. It takes both investment and discipline to build a strong blog. At TakeABreak we're as guilty of this as anyone, with our blog http://takeabreakaway.blogspot.com/ being patchy even though we have consistently invested in quality journalism which we publish regularly on http://www.holidayinspirations.com.au and in our newsletter. Building online brand is a long haul with both persistence and quality essential.

]]> By: Gemma Pitcher http://www.traveltrends.biz/ttn555blogging-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time/#comment-613 Gemma Pitcher Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:20:09 +0000 http://www.traveltrends.biz/?p=1641#comment-613 Dear Martin Just to clear up any confusion about the Ninemsn Travel blogs: the Malaysian Insider and the European Insider (plus another blog called the Ultimate Trip) are no longer being updated as their natural 'lifespan' has come to an end. However as much of their content is evergreen and still interesting, we have left them live for people to read. The majority of our content is found by users via internal and external web searches, allowing people to find relevant content in a blog via keywords, rather than needing to read chronologically. Our main blog, the Armchair Traveller, is the most popular section on our site, and a key part of our brand. It is updated by Ninemsn staffers several times a week and sometimes several times a day. We simply find it more effective to maintain a single primary blog and focus our energy on this, than to scatter material across several blogs. Gemma Pitcher Ninemsn Travel Editor Dear Martin

Just to clear up any confusion about the Ninemsn Travel blogs: the Malaysian Insider and the European Insider (plus another blog called the Ultimate Trip) are no longer being updated as their natural 'lifespan' has come to an end. However as much of their content is evergreen and still interesting, we have left them live for people to read. The majority of our content is found by users via internal and external web searches, allowing people to find relevant content in a blog via keywords, rather than needing to read chronologically.

Our main blog, the Armchair Traveller, is the most popular section on our site, and a key part of our brand. It is updated by Ninemsn staffers several times a week and sometimes several times a day. We simply find it more effective to maintain a single primary blog and focus our energy on this, than to scatter material across several blogs.

Gemma Pitcher
Ninemsn Travel Editor

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