This is the second of a series of guest blog posts by Don Baumgardt about taking his business from a mostly print-based business to a digital business.
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Six years ago I launched the first version of GeoBetty.com. The “plan” was to create a web site with outdoor hiking and biking info for El Paso and the surrounding region. Because I still had a full time job this effort never received enough attention. Goals, plans and resources were limited. Still, between the online version and a paper trail map that followed, I built a following of outdoor enthusiasts in the area.
Now it’s time to put nearly full time efforts in to building this business. One component of the new and improved GeoBetty is a completely new version of the GeoBetty.com web site with a contemporary design using today’s technology, not the ancient tools from just six years ago. So much has changed in just a few years. The site has to work well using present technology and for a high percentage of users on mobile devices.
With help from the team at Phidev I developed lists of what the various user groups of the site want to find. My job is to think about who to reach, what to say and and where we can build value. Only value will lead to long term success and revenue.
Locals need details on routes to hike and ride as well as info on upcoming events. To keep them coming back we need to create a site that attracts and repeatedly engages the local outdoor adventure community.
Visitors and potential visitors to the region need more than just the content locals want. These adventurers also require details on how to get to and around the region. It’s GeoBetty’s job to make them choose the El Paso Southwest as a destination and help them maximize the enjoyment of their trip. Travelers also need advice on other local activities along with where to stay, shop and dine.
Goals, Goals and more Goals
The goal is to have a site that has travel advice for El Paso and surrounding destinations in southern New Mexico and west Texas. This gives our audience more options on where to go. And, it gives us a larger list of potential advertising partners, including chambers of commerce, gear shops, lodgers, etc. in a bigger geographic area.
At our most recent meeting with Phidev we reviewed my outlines of what information needs to be at the site. Now I get to sit and relax (or go for a mountain bike ride or two) and wait for them to come back with a plan of how the site will look and function.
