SEO Werkt!

If you’re a regular visitor to our site, you’ll know that we’re always banging on about how you need to integrate your search marketing with content and social media…

We persist with our ‘Content-driven Search Marketing’ mantra because, quite simply, it works, and is now the only effective way to get the best results online. Lee Odden has just published a book on the very same subject.

We’d like to take a moment and celebrate the achievements of one of our customers, Love Camping, an online business offering a huge wealth of information to the camping community – from campsite info and reviews to suggested destinations, activities, packing lists, user reviews, if it’s camping-related; they’ve got it covered!

We began working with the business in November 2011, creating news content for the website to support the wider online marketing plan. The news articles had to be of the highest quality to support the Love Camping brand and stand up to scrutiny by experienced campers and caravan/motorhome owners.

In just a few months, the news articles have made a real impact on the levels of visitors and engagement with both the company website and Facebook page.

You can read the full story in our case study.

So, to recap, to create a strong, effective and profitable online presence, you need search, you need content and you need to not be shy about using it (social media).

DIY and Household blogger Ana White’s site shares an easy-to-construct DIY sofa that offers 2 large storage spaces beneath the seat. Normally DIY sofas are expensive due to buying upholstery foam, but this design uses a 3-inch thick camping mattress as the seat. More »

If you like to fish when you’re camping or backpacking you can make an inexpensive and handy smoker using an 8-quart camping pot, a small steel grill or steaming rack, and a few basic hand tools. More »

When you’re home you probably have a decent cache of dining utensils, but when on the go you run the risk of being unprepared. If you’re looking for a way to eat while traveling, camping, or just anywhere that doesn’t provide the necessary tools, the Kung Foon Spork will have you covered. It even comes with an aluminum case for safer portability. More »

I signed up with Timehop Abe, which shows me pictures from a year ago each morning (I hope you can parse that).

This morning I actually glanced at the email for 6 April 2011, where I was speaking at the WeMedia event in NYC. The funny thing is that I am wearing the same outfit today — the same pants and black t-shirt. I would be wearing the same hat but I left that one on a train, and now wear a replacement that is almost the same. Hilarious.

I have a clothing theory: dress like you are going on a camping trip immediately after whatever is scheduled for you today.

European accelerator Startupbootcamp is launching in Berlin this week. Although there is no lack of startup activity in Berlin right now, Startupbootcamp thinks it can bring some special sauce to the scene, and let’s face it, the more the merrier right? They join other pan European programmes like Seedcamp, Springboard and Le Camping, to name just a few of the many now operating.

Adding to its locations in Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Dublin, Startupbootcamp in Berlin will be headed by CEO and Co-Founder, Alex Farcet and run for the usual three-month program providing seed funding, co-working space with other startups and a mentorship program.

Featured mentors include Eric Wahlforss, Founder & CTO of SoundCloud, Maria Lindinger, Founder & COO of twago.com, Edial & Floris Dekker, Co-Founders of Gidsy, Michael Jackson, Partner at Mangrove Capital Partner, and Peter Neubauer, Founder & VP Community at Neo Technology.

Visit http://www.startupbootcamp.org/berlin to get more information and to apply.

One item that we often mention should go into your emergency kit is some way to start a fire. Even if you’re in the woods and kindling is plentiful (or worse, it’s not and the old kindling around is wet), it always helps to have something that will give your fire a boost, whether you’re out camping or you’re in trouble and waiting for help. This simple trick involves a couple of cotton balls and some plastic drinking straws—in a few minutes, you’ll have tiny fire starting kits that fit into any emergency kit. More »

We’ve shown you how to make a fire with compressed air, with a cell phone battery, some dryer lint, even a bag of doritos, but when you’re out camping or lost in the wilderness, you may not have any of that stuff with you. You may, however, find some ice, and that’s just as good as anything else we’ve mentioned. More »

We first wrote about Suburban Camping in March last year, at which point the company, started by husband and wife duo Chris and Kella MacPhee in New Jersey, was preparing to launch its first backyard camping experiences. Nearly a year on, we’re taking a look back on the progress that has been made since then.

Officially launching in April 2011, Suburban Camping began by hosting backyard camping events in their customers’ gardens. Tents would be supplied and set up along with sleeping bags and lighting, and there was also the option to screen movies outdoors. The most immediate problem for the company, however, was spreading the word about their new service.

Reluctant to hire new staff at such an early stage, Chris and Kella decided to market Suburban Camping themselves, utilizing social media, local media, and newspapers. Of all these avenues pursued, Chris MacPhee told us of the particular success they experienced through social media, commenting that it “has been a remarkable way to reach out to potential new business. Posting pictures of our successful campouts and having friends able to view our work has been great, word of mouth has been key our first season. Customers and friends have been able to share their stories around the campfire to friends around the world!”

Looking to build upon this successful early marketing campaign, the pair decided to launch their own line of Suburban Camping branded tents, partly as a source of extra income, but also as a way to promote the brand nationwide. As Chris notes, “by offering our very own product line we will now have an opportunity to establish our brand name in the backyards of many homes outside of our typical service area.” Having already contacted a manufacturer, the range of tents are expected to be available for sale and rent for the 2012 spring season. However, this latest endeavour has brought challenges of its own. Introducing full e-commerce functionality to the website is an ongoing effort, as are the logistics of arranging delivery of the tents across the US.

As well as expanding with their own products, Suburban Camping are also looking to expand the range of camping experience packages they offer. This summer they will be offering pre-pitched campsites at many of the music festivals taking place on the US east coast — complete with a shaded lounge area and a camp store stocking camping essentials. They are also reaching out to local beaches and parks to offer camping experiences there, and are planning to introduce their packages at larger events and weddings. Of course, a further natural expansion for the company is to widen the area they currently serve. Originally set up to operate in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, the pair now see the company growing across the country.

Remarkably, until now Chris and Kella have not felt the need to hire any new staff, but to realize their expansion plans they have accepted that this is now going to be necessary. With the festival contracts now secured, the pair can begin to forecast financial growth, and are looking to assemble teams to assist with their festival operations this summer.

When we asked Chris what his key learnings have been regarding the differences between starting a project and developing it, he commented, “Our biggest learning experience is that just having a great concept does not make a successful business. We have had to learn how to get the service out there and how to develop it to keep it fresh and innovative. The business has led us on a new path and really told us how it wants to grow.” Echoing the philosophy of Coffee Joulies in our last Where Are They Now? feature, Chris implies that the decision to face this first year without extra staff has enabled the MacPhees to get to grips with every aspect of their business. Expansion may be a necessary step to move a company forward, but it should be remembered that lessons learned and mistakes made when developing a company alone can prove invaluable later on.

You can read more about Suburban Camping in our article here, or visit the Suburban Camping website here.

Microwave popcorn is ubiquitous these days, but if you prefer not to use a microwave or would like to make popcorn when the power is out or on a camping trip you can always make it in a wok. In addition to the wok and popcorn you’ll need vegetable oil and aluminum foil. More »