Blog World Expo: Day 1

1:57p MT: Highlights from “Why blogs are your #1 search marketing tool”:

1st generation blogging: Citizen journalism
2nd generation blogging: Thought leadership
3rd generation blogging: Empowerment; all about search acquisition, about leveraging blogs to leverage search terms

3 ways to drive traffic: 1) Direction navigation; 2) Referrals; 3) Searches…

Bloggers can’t control #1 and #2. But they can manage #3. Searching is up 43% from last year; people are going to search engines more than ever before.
The key is keywords.
Problem with this talk: No recommendations on search engine optimization, optimizing keywords. Suggestions?
10:50a MT: Take-aways from 1st speech by Fitton, pictured right, who totally reminded me of Bonnie Raitt…

Fear is a terrible motivator. It causes procrastination. This hit home, because sometimes I get overwhelmed. There is so much news to cover that I become afraid to check emails, to check google alerts. I gave myself permission awhile ago not to cover it all, which was a hurdle. There are 2 good pro-life news sources that fulfill that role – LifeNews.com and LifeSiteNews.com. On a daily basis I think I cover 1-5% of what there is to cover. Even accepting that I know there is more I’d like to write on. Am still settling on my niche….

If you let your insecurities keep you from blogging certain things, something won’t happen in the world only you can make happen. Don’t hold yourself back, because you are cheating others out of something.

8:30a MT: Good news: We have wireless access. Bad news: My battery is acting up, and there are no outlets in sight. What a time to discover this. Have to hurry.
Was excited to open my convention packet to see, along with a deck of cards (this being Las Vegas after all), the book, Blog Blazers: 40 top bloggers share their secrets to creating a high-pro-file, high-traffic, and high-profit blog. Wow, what a title. Can’t wait to read it.
First keynote speaker is Laura Fitton. I’ve never heard of any of the presenters in the line-up. There’s a whole blog world out there of which I’m unaware. Fitton (@Pistachio) is called the Queen of Twitter. Her topic is the business use of Twitter. She wrote Twitter for @Dummies.
7:21a MT: Read prelude post here.
Rich and I got in last night to a 1st time experience: no room at the inn. Our hotel, The Renaissance, was overbooked. They said this always happens for large conventions. I asked how many people were anticipated for Blog World Expo and was told 9k, which surprised me.
We were nervous about the hotel anyway. It looked ok, but there were seedy people hanging outside, and our airport shuttle driver parted company advising, “Be safe here.” Yikes. So while the hotel was going to move us for 1 night only to nearby Embassy Suites, we pushed to move for the entire 4 days – at the same convention price. This is a very nice place. God is good.
It occurred to me this morning the Las Vegas Convention Center may not have wireless capabilities. I would think Internet service would be the 1st requirement on Blog World Expo’s list. But just in case, and as a back-up, sign up to follow me on Twitter or Facebook if you haven’t already. I know I can post from my phone.

Tags: anti-abortion, anti-choice, anti-life, Blog World Expo, blogging, direction navigation, Embassy Suites, empowerment, insecurities, Jill Stanek, Las Vegas Convention Center, Laura Fitton, leadership, leveraging blogs, Life Site News, niche, pro-abortion, pro-choice, pro-life, referrals, search acquisition, searches, Twitter, Twitter for Dummies

Oct.15, 2009 3:57 pm | Blogs |

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4 Comments on “Blog World Expo: Day 1”

carla

October 15th, 2009 at 10:13 am

So glad you are there, Jill! Soak it up!

Steven Ertelt

October 15th, 2009 at 3:32 pm

Credit where credit is due…. I appreciate the mention of LifeNews.com as a good place for pro-life news. Thanks for the props…
The fact of the matter is that I think there is a really good team of pro-life news sites.
The folks at Lifesite do a very capable job of covering pro-life news from the Catholic and international perspective. They have led the way in keeping Church officials accountable to its pro-life teachings and in exposing the international pro-abortion agenda. Good stuff.
At LifeNews.com, we exhaustively cover abortion in America and globally as well. We’re also trying to sine the light on the battles concerning euthanasia, human cloning and embryonic stem cell research. We’re also trying to expose the abortion movement on its lies and hypocricies and we try to provide very thorough coverage of pro-life legislative and political issues.
I think you complete the pro-life trifecta, Jill, because you hit at the abortion culture. While Lifesite and LifeNews.com are more hard news and features, you are the best at getting into the abortion mindset and culture and showing it for what it is.
I don’t know if you consider abortion and pop culture your niche, but it is one I’ve noticed you fill very well. For example, when the story came out of the woman who claimed 15 abortons, I knew you would have something insightful to say and, of course, you did.
For the pro-life people who have had their fill of the Times and Newsweeks of the pro-life news/info segment, you’re their refuge.
All things considered, keep up the wonderful work Jill, you have my full support.

Jill Stanek

October 15th, 2009 at 3:41 pm

Pop culture… interesting insight… maybe so… thx for insight, Steve.

Marie

October 15th, 2009 at 9:55 pm

I hope you’re having a great time, Jill!
On the “niche” thing, a suggestion? Pray about it, and see what God leads you to do. Success comes from Him when we go where He leads us, right?

Who Is Jill Stanek?

Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.

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