November 11 Neighborhood Blogging event

[Cynthia Closkey]

We had the idea at the PCPGH3 Rust Belt Bloggers session to encourage everyone to blog about their neighborhood on a single day, and we chose November 11, 2008 as that day.

On another thread, someone asked how we'll promote this concept. This thread is a focused home for that discussion.

Some things we should do:

0. Come up with a short, clear name for this. Is "Neighborhood Walk" a good name? (I like it, but I'd like to hear opinions and alternatives if anyone feels creative.) At the same time, choose a short tag to label media/posts on this.

1. Create a logo or graphic to represent the neighborhood view concept -- maybe something that includes a footprint or vision theme, and using whatever name we choose in step 0.

2. Create a boilerplate announcement that explains the concept, gives the date, and links back to this Ning site for more details (we can draft the boilerplate in this discussion thread, then create a page or event that will be the linkable hub).

3. Each of us post an announcement on our sites, including the boilerplate and adding our own plans for that day plus why it's important, etc.

4. Create a press release, again working from the boilerplate, and encourage everyone to send out to media outlets with your contact info for followup details. (Need a volunteer to draft press release.)

5. Follow through and do the walk/tour/post on 11/11, tagging media and send a message with link to someone to gather.

6. Monitor all posts and media that use the tag, and provide some central place or page to make them easy to find/tour. If someone could write up a summary afterwards (like we do for Mixology Monday), that would be ideal.

Those are the basics. What other promotion ideas do we have? Who can volunteer for any of the above?

[Cynthia Closkey]

One additional idea: For those who don't have blogs but would like to contribute to the event, it would be neat to offer them a way to post for the event.

This might be a central Neighborhood Walk blog that people could easily join. (See DrawMo for an example of a similar project and blog.)

Method 1: Use this Rust Belt Bloggers site for it. Good because we wouldn't have to create yet another website, bad because people outside the rust belt wouldn't be encouraged to join in the fun, and because if it becomes a recurring thing (as I hope it will) it might overwhelm the other things we're doing here.

Method 2: Create a WordPress.com site (like DrawMo's). Good because it can become its own independent activity with a possible life of its own. Bad because it would be yet another site.

If we go with Method 2, I volunteer to co-manage that. I'd like to have another co-manager with me, to share the load.

Either way, we can put a Flickr badge in the sidebar to show recent photos, and create a Flickr group for everyone to share their images. We'll need to manage that group too.

Thoughts?

[Cynthia Closkey]

I confess to not being crazy about 11/11 because it looks too geeky to me. But if the majority of people like it, so be it.

Before we talk about sponsors, do we have any expenses we need to cover? I think we don't, so no need for sponsor money.

[Mike Munz]

I am a wordpress blackbelt and can help with visibilty (even by 11/11) let me know ASAP i have a meting tomorrow all day but I work round the clock and have thurs and fri and sat or sun to volunteer.

[Cynthia Closkey]

Mike, are you still available to create a WP site?

I see that the domain name neighborhoodwalk.org is available (although the .com is not). I can register that and point it to a wordpress.com account.

Or would you suggest a different approach? If we wanted to host the site ourselves, does anyone have space and bandwidth to share?

[Mike Munz]

I agree that 11/11 is pseudo cheesy. But, could we take the 11 further to the "11 neighborhoods" of PGH? or 11 reasons to come top my hood. I think that local coffee shops and libraries could help promote this event.

[Mark Rauterkus]

Another item (while not mission critical) for the 11/11 real world project: Design a map database graphic to show where tours are slated / done. The fist part of that means getting folks to opt-in with a URL and a zip code. (see the other thread)

[Mark Rauterkus]

Good start.

Tip1:
First draft had: .... your probally in the rust belt.
Should be: .... you're probably in the rust belt.

Tip2:
The announcement / press release needs a closer that is a call for action. To participate, do X.

For further information, visit the Rustbelt Blogger site: http://rustbelt.ning.com. To participate, request and obtain a gratis user account at Rustbelt Bloggers. Then read and assist with the 11-11 project that is posted and being developed there and among various sites throughout the region. For interviews, contact ....

[Cynthia Closkey]

This is a good draft. Thanks for kicking off the writing process! The first drafts are the hardest.

I would like to suggest some edits -- I'm a little tight on time right now (due to client deadline) but will be able to send my suggestions Saturday.

We should be able to send it out Tuesday morning, with the plan of catching a good moment in the weekly news cycle.

[Tea Pittsburgh]

What was the video you talked about that someone made about walking around their neighborhood? Could we refer to it in the press release?

Do you think we should use Google maps? My zip code is 15217 and I will only cover a few blocks. I don't know a lot about Google maps but it could show the streets I cover. It could also draw a line around the "rust belt." It can also show a symbol for blogs and a symbol for videos and a symbol for pictures. It also already has a lot of the streets in pictures. The videos might have to be in a special format.

What do you think about a theme song? James Taylor: You've got a friend, Billy Joel: Allentown, Joe Cocker: Help from my friends, Beatles: All you need is love...

[Mark Rauterkus]

IMNSHO, any tune should be more original, not from a band 20+ years ago.

I've got a suggestion, Johnsmith has a tune, "Kicking The Stone."
It was on iTunes a while ago, but I'm on a PC that is without iTunes now. So, I can't check it out.

http://rauterkus.blogspot.com/2005/03/johnsmiths-music-on-itunes.html

[Tea Pittsburgh]

I like "Kickin' This Stone."
http://www.johnsmithmusic.com/media/KickinThisStone.mp3

[Mark Rauterkus]

So glad you like the song. I'd love for everyone to give it a listen. It fits the mission of the 11-11 project so well.

Johnsmith is a friend of mine. He played a couple of house concerts that I sponsored in the past. I'll upload some images of him singing next.

Give it a listen.