The Story of UncoveringPAAnd What You Can Learn From It

Speaker: Jim CheneyUncoveringPA.com

Finding My Niche

• No blog from visitPA• Only a few blogs from other visitor bureaus• No bloggers covering all of PA and just PA• Few print guidebooks for areas outside of Philly

Refining the Niche

• Asked what people thought of when I said “Pennsylvania”

• Travel experience gave me a unique perspective

• Honesty very important • Visual content was lacking on other sites

What’s Your Niche?

Problems I Faced in the Beginning

• Didn’t feel I knew enough to be an expert on PA travel

• No one else was doing exactly what I was doing

• Didn’t know anyone in the industry• SEO issues from established sites

SEO Problem

When I First Started…

• I thought videos would be very popular• I thought popular places would be top posts• I thought site’s signature would be honesty

However, I’ve Learned that…

• videos aren’t that popular• off-beat places do much better• outdoor attractions tend to be the most

popular• site is known for finding unknown places• the more in-depth the better

Adjust as You Go

• Always be willing to tweak your blog• Never be afraid to try something new• Conduct a survey to ask your readers what

they want• Targeted marketing is invaluable• Use Google Analytics, Facebook metrics, etc. to find out what your audience wants

5 Things I Learned

• Treat your blog like a business from day 1• Always be thinking about your niche and

audience • Maximize your strengths and overcome your

weaknesses• Marketing is important (and will be even more

important in the future)• Be persistent

Have Questions?

Jim@UncoveringPA.comTwitter: @UncoveringPA