Category: Chickity check it!

The idea is pretty simple.  I study the statistics that I am privy to at the end of each day on who is clicking on which posts here on GMG. 

Whenever there is a storm or an event in which I can direct people to the few webcams around town that are up and running like we have done with RunGloucester, The Fiesta and Schooner Fest, and Celebrate Gloucester at Lat 43 the numbers of views from people who like to view these webcams are substantial.

I contacted my buddy PR guru John McElhenny who does incredible things promoting Gloucester in the National media and my Tech Hardware advisor Tim Blakeley from www.GloucesterBytes.com and ironed out the details.

So having just a few connections around town I thought that a great way to leverage the daily 25-35,000 viewers per day we get here on GMG would be to take advantage of what we have in mass abundance here in G-Town- the Views!!!

So I bought the url www.gloucesterwebcam.com and set out to inform local businesses and community organizations to get a ton of webcams up and running.

In just two days since sending out the email we have 19 different cams signed up.

Here is the initial email sent out to DiscoverGloucester and The Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce–

OK guys after testing and figuring out what works best and consulting with my main PR consultant John McElhenny and Tech Guy Tim Blakely and securing the Domain http://www.gloucesterwebcam.com I feel confident that we have an incredible opportunity to drive a ton of traffic to our local business websites and help each other out.

The idea goes like this.

GoodMorningGloucester gets between 25 and 35,000 visitors a day.

Each Gloucester business with a view or one that wants to install a webcam inside of the scene at their restaurant or wherever they’d like puts one online and we put a screenshot of that webcam’s view on http://www.gloucesterwebcam.com/

There will be 5 or more categories-

Accommodations, Restaurants, Community and Working Waterfront and Attractions

What I’ve found is that people absolutely LOVE webcams.  GMG gets a ton of traffic when there is a storm or an event of people that just like to view what is going on.

So we have one page that lists 20 or more webcams from Gloucester and Cape Ann. 

The way they are listed to be fair is in order that people commit to go online within each category.

So for example, Blue Shutters Beachside Inn is already up and running so they get listed first and the next hotel/motel/inn that sends me a link to their running web cam get listed directly under theirs.  Same with restaurants and community organizations.

The beauty of the page is that it will only show a picture of that business webcam and when the viewer clicks on the picture it will bring them to that business website.  Many businesses have websites but don’t really offer people a reason to visit their site to see what products  or services they offer.  This would drive traffic to their site and it is only a one time cost to set up.  The Dropcam’s seem to be the best webcams to use.  This is the webcam that Blue Shutter’s Beachside Inn uses and Discover Gloucester.  They are easy to set up and only require a wireless signal and a power outlet.   The ones being used by Discover Gloucester and Blue Shutters is The Dropcam.  I can get them for you for $200..  You can get your own or I can get them for you.  You can try to set it up yourself or you can have the guy I personally trust and have had a lot of great experiences as far as computer services- Tim from GloucesterBytes.

So imagine this-

There is a webcam or two at Cape Pond Ice.  One facing down Harbor Cove toward Lat 43 and/or another one facing across to The Paint Factory or The Coast Guard Station.  The webcam view screenshot is listed on Gloucesterwebcam.com and when someone clicks on it it brings them to the Cape pond Ice website where the webcam is embedded.  While there they learn all about Cape Pond Ice and possibly buy a tshirt from their online store or whatever.  Likewise Lat 43 has a webcam pointing toward Cape Pond Ice and when someone clicks on that at Gloucesterwebcam.com they go to the Lat 43 website where the webcam is embedded into their website.

Every time a new webcam gets listed I highlight it on www.goodmorninggloucester.com and its 25-35,000 viewers get directed to www.gloucesterwebcam.com where they see EVERY WEBCAM that has already been listed!  So every one that goes live drives more traffic to everyone else.  Its a case of everyone doing a little to help make everyone succeed!  

Every webcam that goes live also gets a link in the www.gloucesterwebcam.com blogroll as well.

Once we have about 20 webcams live this is where it gets really really good!

John McElhenny at Matter Communications has had a stellar track record in getting National recognition and placement in Magazines and Newspapers.  Once we get about 20 webcams live we market Gloucester as webcamcity and drive a ton of traffic to each other’s business because we are so progressive and have so many incredible vistas to share.  Can you imagine how stunning it will be to have all the views from all around the harbor and Main street and the Back Shore,Rocky Neck all driving web traffic right back to each other’s businesses?

So for a one time cost you will get something that will run all the time.  This is less than the cost of an ad in a newspaper and up online all the time and gets driven to 25-35,000 people every time we highlight it on GoodMorningGloucester not to mention any time there is a storm or an event in which I can highlight one of the webcams so people will go to look at it.  Brilliant, right????

So I’m sending this to you both at the same time so you both have the same opportunity to get it in front of the people you think it would benefit most and get them the best visibility highest in the listing order on www.gloucesterwebcam.com.

Feel free to share this email with the people you serve through the Chamber and the DMO

I can get folks Dropcam for $200 you can read about it here and Tim from GloucesterBytes can set it up for you or you can get your own and send me the link.

The webcams will be listed from top to bottom by the people who commit to it first.  So let me know and I’ll order your cam and save your spot highest in the listings in order that you let me know

if you have any questions you can call me at goodmorninggloucester@yahoo.com -Joey

Feel free to forward this to anyone you figure it could benefit.  the more interesting cams we get listed, the more viewers it will get to drive people to each other’s websites and increase business.

If you think about the one time cost of this being less than the cost of a one time ad that gets thrown in the wastebasket after one day in a local paper and your cam would be running 24/7 365 , to me it’s a no brainer.

If you have a webcam and want to be listed fill out this form-

GloucesterWebcam.com Application

Here is a list of The Webcams that Should Be Live within The Next Two Weeks! 19 Signed On In Just Two Days!!!

Lat 43
Cruiseport
Cape Pond Ice
Schooner Lannon
7 seas whale watch
Toodeloos
Island Art & Hobby
Cape Ann Marina
Mile Marker 1
01930.com Cam Sponsored By North Shore Kid
CutBridge Cam Sponsored By Patty Knaggs Real Estate
Blue Shutters Beachside Inn
Discover Gloucester
Atlantis Oceanfront Inn
Atlantis Oceanfront Breakfast Cafe
Ryan and Wood
Bass Rocks Ocean Inn
Vista Motel

Rocky Neck Accommodations

UP WITH GLOUCESTER!!!!!