Pete Schultz wins designation for webpage that markets Rainy Lake area
More than a year ago, Pete Schultz, director of the local Convention and Visitors Bureau, became intrigued by referrals to the CVB website from a “Squidoo lens” promoting Kabetogama.
After doing some research on the free web-publishing platform Squidoo, he began thinking about ways he could use the site to market the Borderland area.
Schultz was granted permission from the CVB board to create similar webpages, called lenses, to promote Rainy Lake and the Borderland area. He has since created eight lenses related to things to see and do in the area.
His lens entitled “Things to see and do around Rainy Lake, Minnesota” was recently awarded a purple star by the editors at Squidoo. Purple stars are awarded at the discretion of the site staff to lenses they feel are exceptional.
A lens is a webpage that discusses one particular topic. Lenses have been created about nearly every topic — from television show characters to business etiquette. They represent the varied interests of the Squidoo community who post these pages based on their hobbies, experiences and knowledge.
Schultz’s lenses include photos, detailed descriptions and interactive features such as polls and comment boards. Schultz said he tries to update the site at least seasonally with fresh photos of the area and the latest information.
The Rainy Lake lens has received more than 1,300 visits over the last year. Schultz said it is hard to gauge whether the site is bringing traffic to International Falls and the Borderland region, but is pleased more people are able to learn about the area and have shared positive comments on the site.
Schultz said this site is a supplement to the main CVB website for the Rainy Lake region, and that it allows him to expand on topics he otherwise cannot fully develop on the CVB site.
For example, he is able to put more photographs up on Squidoo that would otherwise clutter the main site.
“It’s a great way to augment the current site,” he said.
He also uses Squidoo lenses to direct traffic back to the main CVB website.
“It fits in as an evolving portion of a marketing plan we’re watching,” he said. “It’s an ever-evolving portion of marketing.”
Schultz said the Rainy Lake lens has received more traffic since earning the purple star designation.
The Rainy Lake lens was the first Schultz started to market the area. He since added lenses about Rainy Lake gold mines, the Lost 40, Vermilion Falls, Minnesota lakes, ruffed grouse hunting and identifying location in a forest.
“I’m very pleased it’s available to us as a tool,” he said. “Not all (free publishing sites) offer polls and photo like Squidoo.”
Schultz’s Squidoo lenses
• Things to do at Rainy Lake: www.squidoo.com/things-to-do-RL
• Favorite Rainy Lake photos: www.squidoo.com/my-favorite-photos
• Rainy Lake gold mines: www.squidoo.com/rainy-lake-gold-mines
• Day trip to the Lost 40: www.squidoo.com/daytriptothelost40
• Day trip to Vermilion Falls: www.squidoo.com/day-trip-to-vermilion-falls-in-minnesota-
• Minnesota lake names: www.squidoo.com/minnesota-lake-names
• Ruffed grouse hunting: www.squidoo.com/grouse-hunting
• Identifying location in forest: www.squidoo.com/how-to-identify-locations-in-the-forest
