From Association for Women in Communications annual Get Smart conference presentation.
Strengthen Your Online Writing: A 5 Step Workout
Category Archives: Events
Websites under wraps; 3 good meetups ahead
Welcome! I am happy to report that I have been getting paid for doing challenging and enjoyable work. Editing, writing, organizing and meeting interesting people! I’ll let you know when the website goes live.
Web building adventures
Been working on MY new website lately and almost ready to launch. Stay tuned for that big announcement.
After using WordPress for this site, I decided to try some other programs for non-html site building. Nothing wrong with WordPress, but there are restrictions on e-commerce and I’d like to have a platform that allows growth in that area.
I’m no expert, but I want to have the skills to change and adapt anything I launch
First I tried Yola.com. It’s free and easy enough, but not as intuitive as I would have liked. I built a spec site for a business a friend might start. Sorry I can’t show it to you, but I can’t spill the beans.
Next I tried an offer that was too good to resist. Texasgetonline.com offers a free domain, free hosting for 
a year, an Intuit website and plenty of templates. Add more than three pages or additional domains and you will have to pay a few bucks a month, but so far this has been a good deal. I’m using it for my biz site and helping a friend get hers set up, too.
a year, an Intuit website and plenty of templates. Add more than three pages or additional domains and you will have to pay a few bucks a month, but so far this has been a good deal. I’m using it for my biz site and helping a friend get hers set up, too.Karl is helping me with my metadata and indexing for SEO, too. I am learning Google Analytics and I love it. (Is anyone surprised?)
More to do:
Meanwhile, here are some events I recommend. Not sure I will make all of them, but they all sound good.
Content Marketing Group — Friday June 22.– Can Paid Advertising Work for Small Businesses? Getting Started with PPC & SEM. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but I have enjoyed learning more about marketing and its juncture with journalism. (PPC is pay per click, but I dont know what SEM is.)
Online News Association— Monday June 25 — Secrets to Online Writing with Tolly Moseley and Omar Gallaga. Can’t believe they aren’t charging admission! Should be great.
Professional Writers of Austin — Wednesday June 27 — This is an interesting and diverse group of writers that I have enjoyed getting to know. No agenda, just networking.
Maybe I’ll see you at one of these meetups.
Filed under Content, Events, Kleinsasser & Co.
I learned a thing or two
One of the most encouraging things that I’ve learned during my transition from journalist to business owner is that content is king in the non-newspaper world, too.
Sure, social media, apps and analytics get a lot of attention, but the smart people always remind you: If your content isn’t good, you are wasting your time.
That’s a heartwarming message for someone who values accuracy, credibility and clarity (not to mention spelling and grammar).
This week was a busy one, but somehow I managed to make it to three professional events.
Here are some tidbits I’ll share.
How does this fit in an iPhone?
- At Get Down to Business at the Pickle Center, one speaker’s content stood out. Ruben Cantu of Core Media not only reminded us that video is today’s Web gold, but he gave us practical tips for affordable equipment and basic strategies. I’ll share the slide show when I get a copy. Also, I learned that I can get the iMovie app for $4.99 and should be able to edit video on my phone. I haven’t tried yet.
- One evening I met some fellow writers and editors at the Professional Writers of Austin Roundtable. PWA is cohost of a Deadliners panel discussion on Thursday, May 31. They’ll be talking about risks of wildfire coverage and it looks like Jay Janner if one of the panelists.
- Finally, I sat in on the monthly Content Marketing Meetup where Nando Caban-Mendez broke the blogging process into around 27 parts. Now, you know I love a system, but today I am only using two of them. Nando is creating a Do-It-Yourself Internet Marketing Club. It hasn’t launched yet, but here is the website. I’m looking forward to taking a look.
If you get a chance to hear Ruben or Nando speak, you should take advantage of their generosity.
Random event:
The next Women in Communication webinar is June 5 at noon with speaker Anne Witkavitch presenting “Repurposing Written Material for Social Media Content.” Registration links for this webinar will be available on the AWC website June 1.
PS
If you like this sort of info, encourage me by following this blog. Thanks
Filed under Content, Events, Kleinsasser & Co., Uncategorized
Check out these writing and editing updates
Thanks to Kathy Warbelow for writing with authority about Writing with Authority. She was a guest blogger for the Professional Writers of Austin blog.
Stay tuned to see posts from Lana Castle, Karen Aroian, Raeanne Martinez and more Austin writers and editors. (I’ve been the guest blog editor for May and it’s been fun working with pros from all over town.)
Here are some upcoming events that sound interesting. Maybe I will see you there:
How to use video to market your business with Ruben Cantu, Wednesday May 9. This is a lunchtime session offered by Freelance Austin. Free for members, check out the website.
Ignite Your Inner Bombshell – In Business and Life, Friday May 11, Ellie Scarborough, former NBC reporter and owner, Media Bombshell and Pink Kisses Website. This one is a Women’s Chamber of Commerce luncheon and isn’t exactly cheap, but the Italian food is good at Maggianos and Ellie is an informative and entertaining speaker.
Panel discussion on “From Inspiration to Perspiration: The Drafting & Revision Process” from the Texas Writers League. May 17 at BookPeople and it is free.
July Writers retreat in Alpine, also from TWL. Discounted rates to stay in dorms at Sul Ross! Here’s the link.
OK, that’s good for now. Get out there and use your words!
Filed under Events
Snippets from BlogathonATX
I had a fun time at Saturday’s BlogathonATX at Tech Ranch in North Austin. It was a daylong learning experience with plenty of suggestions from established bloggers. I met a lot of new people and I’ll share some of their stories later on.
Meanwhile, here are nuggets from some of the official speakers:
Everyone writes lists and they are very popular, but “Six and a half ways to wash a car” will get more clicks than “Five ways to wash a car.” — Crystal R. R. Edwards @CRREdwards
@IleenieWeenie and @GivePinkKisses - at #BlogathonATX
Video doesn’t have to be fancy to enhance your site. But bad video will hurt it.
The why video is better than the what video. — Ellie Scarborough @mediabombshell and @GivePinkKisses
About writing often: “I don’t know if my (blogging) voice has changed over the years, but my writing has improved.” Lauren Modery @Hipstercrite
You can find a recap and lots of comments by checking out the Twitter feed at #blogathonatx.
Filed under Events
Sandra’s latest list of things to do
Learning, networking, sweating…
Networking event tonight at a gathering of the Professional Writers of Austin group. You’ll need to RSVP here.
Learn about blogging and meet bloggers, Saturday, April 28 Blogathon — All day event organized by Ilene Haddad (aka: IleenieWeenie) a 2012 Statesman Social Media Award recipient for her work with #BlogathonATX. At Tech Ranch, with afterparty at Cover 3.
Online bidding to benefit Austin Women in Communications. Good stuff. Don’t outbid me, please.
Here’s a list of free workouts courtesy of the fabulous Pam LeBlanc and FitCity. I’ve watched the folks at Frame and it looks like a great workout. Afterward, you can limp over to the Burnet Road Farmer’s Market and buy some beets, then have some coffee and New Orleans trailer food to get back in balance.
Filed under Events
Today’s list: Media, music and chickens
More learning, doing and networking events I am looking into:
Future of Digital Media from an advertising perspective. Wednesday, April 18, lunch with Austin Ad Fed. I have a conflict, though.
All Content Matters Presents: The Creative Journeyman’s Guide to the Small Business Online Marketing Universe. Sounds interesting.
Half-day yoga retreat at Soma Vida coworking. April 24
Business Legal Basics. I took this FREE class at BiG Austin and it was excellent. Lots of takeaways for understanding small business in Texas. May 4.
Free music Saturday April 21:
Southwestern University Symphony at 7pm Saturday in Georgetown. Conducted by Dr. Lois Ferrari and includes Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel” Prelude and Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “New World”. Also my favorite cellist, initials KK.
Free music Saturday and Sunday:
7th Annual Texas Music Festival at Central Market North. 11 am- 9pm. Scroll down to the events calendar
And about those chickens:
A chickenkeeping tour and workshop that includes fresh eggs! What a deal. Sunday April 22.
OK that’s all I’ve got for now. Tune in next time and let me know if you like the list.
Filed under Events
More events from Sandra
Hi folks, Here are a few opportunities that you might want to add to your calendar:
The Austin chapter of the Online News Association will be talking about online video and Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon is one of the panelists. The meetup is April 23 on the UT campus.
http://journalists.org/event/ona-austin-producing-great-video-for-the-web/
Check out Lana Castle’s workshop for help getting your book written and published. It’s on Saturday afternoons starting in June and is only $60. Here’s the link: http://castlecommunications.com/?page_id=65
Filed under Events, Uncategorized
Sandra’s list of things to do
Hello friends. More than a few of you have asked me to keep you posted about some of the interesting events, classes, and professional opportunities that I have been enjoying.
There are a million things going on in Austin, so I thought I would start sharing some of them with you. Let me know if you like the idea.
Here are a few to start:
April 28 Blogathon — All day event organized by Ilene Haddad (aka: IleenieWeenie) a 2012 Statesman Social Media Award recipient for her work with #BlogathonATX. At Tech Ranch, a tech incubator, which is a very cool idea. http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1339216633
Online bidding to benefit Austin Women in Communications. Good stuff. http://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/AuctionHome.action?vhost=awcaustin
Small business classes from the City of Austin. Austin has a ton of resources that make sense for anyone who might be considering growing a business. Free and low cost. http://www.austinsmallbiz.com/WebCOE/new-sbdp-calendar.htm
Internship fair for local college kids. Sunday April 29. http://www.interninaustin.org
Filed under Events
Sandra Kleinsasser 