SeasonsOnline: How One Publisher Went From Print To Web... And Survived!
It’s no longer a secret – the print world is in trouble.
We knew it was coming. Every week we hear about another magazine shutting down or newspaper staff cuts. The flexibility of the Internet is threatening old business models and distribution methods. The record industry alone has been going through a mini-revolution with the help of iTunes and other online services such as last.fm. The old fundamentals of distributing product are questioned on a daily basis. In a world where digital distribution is king, how can distributors and publishers compete?
Wood Lake Publishing is a trusted name in Christian Publishing in North America and various countries around the world. It has provided stimulating reading and lecture-based practical group resources for 25 years. Wood Lake saw the trends in the publishing industry and started to read between the lines. They needed to get online.
DCM: 6 Helpful Tips for Business Blogging
Blogs are an excellent way to communicate to your audience and they are also a great way to add loads of search engine friendly content to your website. Having a blog for your business; however, can be also be a headache. You need to research the pros and cons of blogging before investing your marketing dollars and time on this potential component of your website.
Here are some tips to help you determine whether a blog is right for you and your business and help you maximize the success of your blog.
- As with any type of marketing initiative, you need goals. Goals help keep you focused. At the end of the day you should be able to look at the time, energy and money invested and be able to measure the results. Make sure your goals are realistic. It's unlikely that a blog will single-handedly increase sales or revenue, but it may help.
- What underlying message do you want your audience to receive from reading your blog posts?
- Choose a solution that meets the needs of you and your business. There are plenty of options for blog software to choose from. These include everything from paying someone to customize you blog to free open-source solutions. Research these options carefully, check-out online reviews. What may seem like a dream solution for getting a blog started may turn into a complete nightmare in six months after you have invested significant time.
DCM: Hosting With Humans
Do you know who hosts your website? Is your website always online and easy to access? Is there someone you can phone if anything goes wrong with your website, and will the person you talk to have the skills to help? These are important questions to ask when choosing a company to host your website. Web hosting is important. It's the storage space on a server where your website and all files associated with it are stored. Every time a visitor comes to your website, they connect to your host server to view your site, send their personal information, make purchases, and send emails to you. If the server is outdated, poorly-maintained, or is just not equipped to handle large volumes of website traffic, your site will suffer. Visitors won't bother waiting around and they may not come back.
DCM: Month In Review
It feels like I write this “month in review” every week! Where are these months going? Things have been busy at DotCom over the course of April.
First, we are pleased to announce the new Mission Park Inn website. Make sure to check it out! http://MissionParkInn.com
Second, we are happy to donate our time to The Ayden Project. We helped them launch a new site to promote awareness about their cause and mission. Please make sure to take a look at The Ayden Project and offer your support! You can visit the site at http://www.TheAydenProject.com
We also have a couple quick new partnerships to announce.
We will be working with Sport Kelowna to help revamp their online presence and enhance the delivery of support services and programs within the sports community in Kelowna.
We will also be working with Rutland Waterworks again to bring their web presence up-to-date, allowing them to provide the best service possible to their water users.
We are very pleased to announce a new partnership with Dinoflex Group LP. DotCom Media is working with Dinoflex and designer Kari Toliver to design and build a new website experience that features the products Dinoflex manufactures. Dinoflex Group LP, recently awarded as one of BC's top manufacturers by the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association and the Ministry of Technology, Trade and Economic Development, is re-investing in its website as part of the company's continuing strategy to improve its current business footprint in domestic and international marketplaces. Be sure to check back with us in a few months and see Dinoflex's new website!
Lastly, we will be working closely with Legend Resorts over the next few months to help promote both their cottage rentals and cottages for sale at Veranda Beach. Veranda Beach is located a few minutes from Osoyoos and only a few hours from both Seattle and Vancouver. You can see their current website at http://VerandaBeach.com
Also, following Ryan’s footsteps last month, Dennis has jumped on the twitter band-wagon. You can follow what he is up to at twitter.com/dennispowers.
I was really hoping to be able to share a couple more sites that are looking AMAZING, but they are still a couple days away. Look forward to seeing them mentioned in next month’s newsletter!
Have a great May everyone!