Why use a blog, promoting your blog, advantages, links to two blogs as examples.

1. Using a Blog to Reach
Extension Master Gardeners
Julie Weisenhorn
Assistant Extension Professor
State director – Master Gardener program
National eXtension Virtual Conference
October 20, 2010

2. UMN Extension Master
Gardeners
• 2025 volunteers
• 81 counties
• Economical
• Speedy communication
• Wide range of volunteer
opportunities and needs
• Need for supporting materials

3. Why a blog?
• Conversational, personality
• Fast, quick to post
• Photos, graphics, file attachment
• Provides commentary
• Easy, fun to read and create
• Once established, I can do it
myself!

4. Once you decide to blog,
You must promote your blog
• Connect it to your other social media
– Twitter, Facebook, Flickr
• Send out alerts when updated
• Encourage use of feeds
• Include it in your email signature and
profiles
• Make sure the content is relevant to
audience
• Make your site interesting, desirable
landing page

5. What to include in your blog
• Continuing education opportunities
• News Master Gardeners can use
• Comments on topics of interest
– Conferences
– Public gardens
• Promote volunteer opportunities
• Links to pertinent, helpful web resources

6. (My shameless self-promoting…)
• “Blog gets better and better.”
• “What a great communication tool!”
• “Keeps everyone up to date.”
• “Very interesting and useful notes.”
• “I love the article and pictures on bees! This will
help me recognize the different types of
pollinators!”

7. My director’s blog
• Choose a name:
– Over the Backyard Fence:
Connecting UMN Extension Master Gardeners
• http://blog.lib.umn.edu/efans/mgdirector/

8. National Extension
Master Gardener Blog
• Connect Master Gardener Programs
throughout the nation.
• Provide a forum for state programs to share
ideas, projects, news.
• Currently, state coordinators and eXtension
specialist blogging to get site established.

9. Extension Master Gardener blog
• http://blogs.extension.org/mastergardener/

10. Thank you for listening!
Julie Weisenhorn
weise019@umn.edu