Transcription of the #socialwine chat with Sean Sullivan

craigsutton: Welcome to #socialwine tweetchat with special guest @wawinereport. Need help? Click here http://ow.ly/1yCpn

craigsutton: Tonight we’re talking “how to blog about wine” discussing keeping it relevant while in the public eye

craigsutton: Don’t forget, you are welcome to comment between questions using the #socialwine hashtag

nwwines: @craigsutton , thx, you already started #socialwine?

craigsutton: If you have ?’s for the guest please DM me or email craig@ikonmg.com, Im checking and will credit you

craigsutton: @NWwines just starting now :)

craigsutton: Hey everyone, whats in your glass? #socialwine Olsen Hills 2007 Malbec for me!

craigsutton: Q1: Hi Sean! Tell us about your introduction to wine…

wawinereport: First thx to @craigsutton for the invite. I’m drinking an 04 Rioja Riserva. Decided to venture out of WA for our discussion.

craigsutton: RT @RedMtnSongbird: @craigsutton Barnard Griffin Chardonnay 2008

wawinereport: A1: Was introduced to wine early in life. Often had wine around the table I would sip. Didn’t get serious until 10 yrs ago tho>.

craigsutton: Q2: When and why did you first start writing about wine?

wawinereport: A2: Started writing probably 2005. I always take a lot of notes. Circulated those to my friends who circulated them to theirs.

wawinereport: A2: The blog started more out of seeing so much #wawine on the shelves I wasn’t reading about..

wawinereport: A2: I still do see a lot of wine on the shelves I don’t read about. So much out there! >

craigsutton: Q3: So why blogging?

wawinereport: A3: I started blogging mainly to experiment with a different medium. Early stuff had been .pdf docs (which I still do). I liked.

wawinereport: A3: the immediacy of the medium. You can get things out there as fast as you can type them. >

craigsutton: Q4: What was the most important benefit you offered to readers to encourage them to read?

wawinereport: A4: What I’ve focused on is trying to dig deeper into areas, people, vineyards. Tell an interesting story.

wawinereport: A4: In WA there are so many great stories. Great stories w great people making great wines. Ive tried to bring those to people >

craigsutton: Q5: How do you view the competition in wine blogging, is there enough?

wawinereport: A5: There are an abundace of blogs out there. Seems to grow by the day. Main thing is to know what you want to do and how you..

wawinereport: A5 you want to differentiate yourself from the thousands (thousands) of wine blogs out there. So I think there are a lot…

wawinereport: A5 of wine blogs out there. I’d personally like to see more depth and differentiation. Also a bit less navel gazing. >

craigsutton: Q6: Ok, gotta ask, describe “naval gazing” please :)

nwwines: RT @craigsutton: @NWwines just starting now :) #socialwine this is what I’m drinking http://twitpic.com/1fntck

wawinereport: A6 Navel gazing. I see a lot of wine blogging about wine blogging. I don’t entirely get this because there is so much content…

wawinereport: A6 to write about. Writing about writing has its place but I see a lot of people responding to the criticism of whether blogging

wawinereport: A6 in general or wine blogging in particular is relevant and interesting. To me, that discussion is not interesting…

wawinereport: A6 Blogging about wine and things related to it are interesting. Less navel gazing, more high quality content.

wawinereport: RT @Catie: @wawinereport It depends on what navel you are gazing at. <-You bring up an important point Catie. :)

craigsutton: What do you do to separate your blog from the pack? Something specific?

craigsutton: @nwwines OHHH A Lemberger :) #socialwine #lucky

wawinereport: A7: Pick something specific that you are interested in and excited about. Passionate about. Learn as much as you can and…

wawinereport: A7: Share it with others. What that specific thing is matters less than that you are passionate about it and learn about it….

craigsutton: That was Q7: by the way :)

wawinereport: A7: There will always be folks w similar interest. Find a singular passionate focus & dedicate yourself to it…

wawinereport: A7: For me, it’s Washington wine. > #wawine

craigsutton: @wawinereport Amen brother :)

craigsutton: Q8: One of the most difficult tasks in blogging is consistently writing content, do you have a road-map for delivery?

craigsutton: @nectarwine DM me or email to craig@ikonmg.com , i will credit you for the ?

wawinereport: A8 I do have a roadmap. Of course, I drive off it occasionally! I remember @garyvee saying once that you should be able to…

wawinereport: A8: generate a list of 50 topics you want to write on. My list is several times that. Part of why I enjoy it so much. >

CUVEE_CORNER: RT @craigsutton: Q8: One of the most difficult tasks in blogging is consistently writing content, do you have a road-map for delivery?

craigsutton: Q9: Do you measure your traffic by post? If so what do you hope to learn?

nectarwine: @wawinereport #socialwine dude, you are a stud! – I’m planning my week on Monday, just to figure out what’s going to post Wed

wawinereport: A9: Honestly, I pay attention to metrics somewhat but not as much as one might think (or as much as I should). I do look at…

wawinereport: A9: overall trends of visitors and how people got to my blog. The analytics you can look at is frightening by the way. But it’..

wawinereport: A9 interesting to see what someone was searching on that brought them to the blog. >

craigsutton: Q10: @ACCQueen asks, Can u provide advice for a winery trying to get noticed by top Bloggers?

wawinereport: A9 I will say that I would write this blog even if no one read it. I love doing it. Hopefully that comes through in some way. >

nectarwine: LOL Q9 @wawinereport #socialwine – for a while there ppl were getting to my site searching for naked taylor swift b/c I posted a pic of her

wawinereport: Q10 Winery’s should definitely consider sending samples to bloggers. However, know that bloggers do get samples from many…

nectarwine: RT @wawinereport: A9 I write this blog even if no one read it. I lv doing it. Hopefully that comes through #socialwine << it does, friend!

wawinereport: Q10 wineries so the question is, again, how to differentiate yourself from others. What do you do to get yourself noticed….

wawinereport: Q10 Establishing relationships where people know who you are is always more successful than cold calling. Like anything else. >

craigsutton: Q11: from @TheTroyBarrett When do you tell a winery / tasting room staff you are a blogger. Especially when you getting started.

wawinereport: Q11 When I started out I enjoyed being able to go to a tasting room and just take in the experience as a consumer. I think that.

wawinereport: Q11 does have value for writers, consumers, etc. However, after a point, it’s not practical. Writing lots of notes and asking…

wawinereport: Q11 lots of questions brings attn quick. People used to think I was from the health board. So I would say, everyone will…

wawinereport: Q11 find the right time to decide to tell people when they are coming or when they get there. >

craigsutton: Q12: @nectarwine asks What are the next steps for you to build @WAwineReport

nectarwine: Q12: @nectarwine asks What are the next steps for you to build @WAwineReport #socialwine < I ask b/c you rock and deserve more attn

wawinereport: A12 I wld like to continue to offer more in-depth writing on #wawine. Beyond that, all I can say is stay tuned. :) >

wawinereport: Thank you @nectarwine

craigsutton: Q13: Q13: @ACCQueen asks for your thoughts on the free wine controversy. Can you tell us about it b4 answering?

nectarwine: RT @wawinereport: A12 Beyond that, all I can say is stay tuned. :) > #socialwine << so coy, my friend…hmmmm

wawinereport: A13 Lot of discussion out there about bloggers receiving ‘free wine’ and thinking that people are doing this all for freebies…

wawinereport: A13 I’m not saying those folks aren’t out there. However, it should be pretty apparent if you look at what they are doing…

wawinereport: A13 whether they are serious or not. Does that answer the question @ACCqueen? >

craigsutton: Q14: Last one from me, What intrigued you about social media, and do you view it as a way to drive traffic?

wawinereport: A14 I love the ability with Social Media to talk and hear directly from people you might not be able to interact with on a…

wawinereport: A14 daily basis. I have learned so much about what is going on in WA from Social Media. I view it as about relationships. If…

wawinereport: A14 it drives traffic great. But I don’t see it as about that. More about Meeting and interacting with people. >

craigsutton: Thank you very much Mr. Sean Sullivan from @wawinereport. Be sure to check out his blog here: http://ow.ly/1yDHl

craigsutton: This was my favorite interview to date and thought your answers were all spot on!

craigsutton: I hope all of our follows had a great night! Would love your feedback

wawinereport: Thank you very much @craigsutton. Folks, do feel free to reach out to me at any point with questions, comments, even critiques! >

craigsutton: Until 6pm next week, im out #socialwine feel free to talk amongst yourselves (like I could stop you!)

simplealcohol: RT @nectarwine: Q12: @nectarwine asks What are the next steps for you to build @WAwineReport #socialwine < I ask b/c you rock and deserve more attn

wawinereport: Thanks again to @craigsutton for the invite and Qs from @ACCQueen @nectarwine @TheTroyBarrett tonight at

onerichwineguy: got into a discussion with a client and missed #socialwine. Dang it!!

wawinereport: @onerichwineguy We missed you!

onerichwineguy: @wawinereport Just reading it now! Great stuff!!

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 at 1:48 pm and is filed under socialwine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.