Robin Horton, Blogging With The Stars: Snapshots of Four Successful Blogs

Creative mix of urban style, design, and nature from around the globe.

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Act One

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Analog.

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Creating desiredconversations around

the brand.

Brand Storytelling

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Birth of Concept

Urban Gardens

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1998: Urban Gardens as Print Concept.

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Purpose Then and Now

To create, find, inspire,connect, and share

the things I love.

Act Two

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Digital.

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4/18/2009

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Original Goals

Driven by purpose.

1. Become go-to resource for designs,trends, and ideas for indoor/outdoor

2. Connector

3. Make money doing what I love…?

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Huh?

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Stayed @ #Free#Paris Apartmentvia Twitter

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July 20, 2012

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4/2010

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Product and Delivery

Evolves. Be like digital:nimble, agile, and adapt.

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Offline Presence

Designer Show HouseCreative Garden Retreat

Pop-Up ShopDYI Lab

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Creative Garden Retreat Press

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Before

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After

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Designer Evenings

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“Coolspotting”

Offline ScoutingProducts and Trends

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ConnectingMakers, Brands, Consumers.

Consumers 71% more likely to make purchase based on social media referrals.

(via Hubspot)

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36”“

Meet MakerGeoff Fisher,London

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Meet MakerMarc GrañènGirona, Spain

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What bloggerscan do for brands.

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Leads GeneratedMedia• 5 television interviews (Israel, Brazil…)• 4 major European magazine interviews• Citröen-sponsored van for film festival• Blogs from US, UK,Germany, France…

RFPs • 1 van: theater company in Scotland• 1 van: event company in Amsterdam•10 buses: engineering company in India

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Reach: 21, 707 Views. 224 Shares.

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Influence

People view more contentthrough social web

than through website/blog.

(Jonathan Perelman, VP Strategy, Buzzfeed)

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Ad Networks

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Write for others.

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Branded Content

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Affiliate MarketingGift Guides & Roundups

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Align Goals With Purpose.

Lead generation?Build platform?

Snag a book deal?SEO/traffic to your website?

Brand positioning?

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Be a Good Storyteller.Long or Short Form.

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Don’t be a Keyword Whore.

Think about SEO, butwrite for people, not robots.

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Headlinenot great for

search…

But generatedstrong reader

responseand sharing.

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Don’t get all hung upon the numbers.

Think quality engagementwith your targeted audience.

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Act Three

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Hybrid Analog and DigitalOffline pop-up brand storyexperiences: mashup of event/social web/social

commerce

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Cultivate your relationshipsas you would your plants.

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robin@urbangardensweb.comTwitter @urbangardens

Facebook.com/urbangardensPinterest @urbangardens

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