New SBS Paradigm Proposal
1. Move site to WordPress
Reasoning:
1. WordPress is the defacto-standard for building websites. It’s not only ubiquitous but is familiar to many people and it would be far easier to find people who can work on it.
2. It’s easy enough that I can teach anyone how to work on it.
3. It will also have the benefits of a Blog as well, with older evergreen content, and always current newsy content in the Blog section being added constantly.
2. Move the focus of SBS from the Newsletter to the Website.
Reasoning:
1. It’s become an online world. People consume not only music but their news and information online. That’s why newspapers are going out of business. A website is always available as a source of information and people would not have to wait months for the next newsletter.
2. By expanding the content of the website to include music and video, (as well as educational articles about the blues) we can increase the value of membership.
3. The newsletter can still be published but expanded versions of all articles would first appear on the website, then slimmed down to fit in the newsletter. An online article can be of any length and not limited to “fitting” in the newsletter. Also articles can be multi-media and include more pictures, audio, and videos. Website pages really have no limitation and can be far more engaging than simple text on a page.
4. Unlike a local newsletter, a website is not limited to any location. Our audience could be the world. If we establish enough value on the site, we can get members from just about anywhere.
5. With lots of quality content on the website, Google will index articles and pages so that the site will attract visitors form all over the world. The more pages on the site the better chance that people will find the site in Google searches and over time this will greatly increase the traffic to the website and therefore membership.
We can use past content to initially create pages on the website. As you say, Franc Robert has old issues back 5 years. That’s probably at least 5x4x5 artlcles per issue equals 100 pages of content.
Too bad we hadn’t been doing this all along. We could have thousands of engaging pages by now instead of the current 20 or so on the site.
I will offer the content on my website about the blues to help get us started as well. www.bluesguitarinsider.com
6. We can teach people not only about the blues about the modern ways to consume the blues. I haven’t bought a CD in years but I listen to the blues all the time on Spotify. Music streaming is the way of the future. We can provide a service and teach people a better way to enjoy what they love!
3. The SBS experience can be Interactive
This is an important difference between a newsletter and a website and one that surprisingly few people “get”. A newsletter is one-dimensional and people just look at it.
With a website, people interact with it. That means they comment, they click, they watch and they engage with it! It’s a living, breathing, constantly changing thing.
That means we can offer new ways to engage:
1. Surveys and contests
2. Videos and music
3. Education – we could have guest educators teach The Blues to new members. This will increase their appreciation and understanding of the blues.
4. Member submissions directly on the website.
5. We can ask for content submissions from people anywhere in the world.
6. We could even add a radio station to the site and constantly be playing blues music from an automated playlist. Now that would add value.
4: Final comments
Of course this is a big change. Establishing a new paradigm will take time. Converting the website from Weebly to WordPress will take a little time. I think about 30-40 hours.
Benefits:
The big benefit is that SBS will be ready for the future.
But there are other benefits too once there was enough traffic.
1. We could sell merchandise online — to anyone in the world.
2. Once we had enough traffic, we could sell online adverstising.
3. We could develop an Affiliate Marketing model and promote products in return for commissions.
Sooner or later CDs and newsletters will be gone. Why? Because there’s a better way to consume music and information. And sooner or later that better way will win.
Sooner of later there will be no need for the current version of SBS. Time to move to SBS 2.0 before it’s too late.
I propose we have a meeting to discuss details ASAP. I’m ready if you are.
More on 11/15
Comments:
• The timeframe for completion of this phase is 30-60 days.
• Any major decisions will require Board approval – This requires timely responsiveness from the board to keep project moving forward
• This invoice does not include adding new content to the site, just transfer of existing content and functionality. New content addition and additional functionality will come in Phase 2. The membership management plug-in and testing may require additional time and testing due to its critical nature.
• Reaching optimal completion of “new paradigm” as suggested in my Proposal will require a team of people with various skill sets. The development of this team will be ongoing and may require finding team members from various sources (within and without the current membership and local area). This is not a “one-man” project! However, I will take responsibility for management and development of that team.
• The long-term goal is to create a “virtual” blues society with enough value to attract members from around the world. Also, to establish various revenue opportunities, online and offline, within the boundaries of a 501 c3 framework. What will be required to make this happen will be a work-in-progress and subject to team decision-making and some trial and error as we go.
• All of the above is subject to change as new developments emerge. This is a “best guess” as to what will be required to achieve the goals in my proposal.
More on 1/4
Comments:
• Most of the contents from the old site has been moved to the new site.
• Additional content for blues history, blues musicians, podcasts, and other miscellaneous content has also been added. More content will be added during Phase 2. Goal is 100 new pages during Phase 2.
• The Membership Plugin from WooCommece has been added to the site. We are now cleaning up the previous database in preparation of bringing into new system. Hope to have this completed by mid-January. Once this is ready to go we will aggressively try and bring lapsed members back into the fold! Goal is 200-500 “new”members within 6 months.
• The new email marketing system from GetResponse has been purchased and I’m in the processing of setting it up now. The system will be much more comprehensive (it is actually a CRM system) and will require management. An explanation of capabilities to follow.
• Subscribers from the old system will require “reengagement” from the previous email system on Weebly. That process will take 2-6 months to complete. We can use the Weebly system to do that with new subscribers going into the GetResponse system.
• I recommend we go live with the new site as soon as possible. Much of the re-engagement process will require sending people to the new site so we need to be online soon so links work properly and the SSL is in place.
• One area that has not been discussed is what to put in the online store. This could be a profit center soon if we set it up correctly. Right now the only items on sale is membership and Rag advertising.
• Advertising is another area that has not been discussed. We can add value to the Rag advertising with online ads and sales funnel setup for potential advertisers.
