Archive for 2014

Some Projects Are Like Snow Globes

Monday, November 17th, 2014

snow globeNovember saw great change to our editorial calendar. Eliminating eight publications will do that.  Along with the removal of tens of articles, I also made some small tweaks to make sure that our articles were geared toward our female audience.  Columnists’ assignments were changed, a couple new topics were added, and sections were realigned.

When November began, I watched as the team adapted to the change. I watched our publications and our readers’ reactions.  With everything moving along smoothly, I decided that it was time to implement even more change to our publications.  If we are going to be a whole new PeKu, then we need to do that across all of our publications. Thus, I decided to dive into each publication and determine what we did well and what we could do better.

As I worked on the editorial calendar for December, I made a great number of changes. New categories were created.  Old topics were removed. Different styles of articles were added.  As I got ready to publish the calendar for the team, it occurred to me that the work on this calendar was like a snow globe.  I shook the calendar quite a bit, there was snow flying everywhere, but now as everything was settling, I thought it looked amazingly beautiful.  This new PeKu is glittering and bright.

Of course, the beauty of a snow globe is that I can shake it again.  I can make other changes, and it will astound and amaze again.

The transition in November has been nice, calm. I am excited to see the beauty of our calendar in December. I think it should delight.

Version Y- Questions & Answers

Monday, November 10th, 2014

PeKu Twitter profile pic 400x400We are now one week into our female-focused orientation at PeKu. Thankfully, the transition has gone well for the team.  Our writers are producing terrific articles for their new assignments (as well as their pre-change ones). Our editor has mastered the new editorial calendar and all of its intricacies.  Our marketing team is busily promoting PeKu (and Peku the penguin) to our audience. And of course, our engineering and design team has all of PeKu looking great!

With everything going smoothly, I am excited to write about this change and answer questions as promised last week.

Q: Why did PeKu decide to focus on the female audience?

A: I look at the stats for PeKu all of the time.  In September, I was reviewing our numbers, which were still solid, but I did notice a trend. The publications with the biggest numbers and the most interaction were the sites that were the most female-centric.  I thought about it- I could keep building 21 good publications, or I could pivot and build 12 fantastic publications.  It truly felt like a lightbulb moment to me.

Q: What do you envision changing in the coming months?

A: I plan to spend a decent amount of time refining the editorial calendar. Instead of trying to be a little bit of something for everybody, I now will plan on making a calendar that is focused on an audience half that size. I also look forward to creating article series that run over several weeks and among a handful of our publications. I also hope to create more engagement with our audience.

Q: What was the best thing about this change?

A: I was able to brainstorm and envision a whole new PeKu.  It was great to expand my mind and consider all different things that PeKu could be and how we would get to that point.

Q: What was the worst thing about this change?

A: Letting team members go.  In the past I have had to remove team members, but those were due to issues. This time I simply had to let people go because there wasn’t as much work.  Although we work remotely, I feel like I know a good portion of my team, and it was hard to say goodbye.

Q: What will happen to the 9 dormant sites?

A: For now they’re just hanging out. All of their material is available for reading and viewing.  My writers spent time and effort to create excellent content.  It seems only right that for now their work stays where it can be seen.

PeKu, Version Y

Monday, November 3rd, 2014

rsz_peku_penguin_printIt’s a whole new PeKu today, and honestly, I don’t know what version number to call it.  We transformed from Wasabi Media Group to PeKu Publications in November 2012, so I guess that was version 1.  Since that time we’ve made tweaks and changes to PeKu.  We have changed our tagline (version 2?); we’ve removed a few sites (version 3?); we’ve reorganized our sections (version 4?).  During all of those rebrands and relaunches, I didn’t bother to number the changes.

However, this change that we’ve made is huge.  I have been working on it behind the scenes for the past two months.  It feels like it deserves to have a name.  Since I don’t know exactly what number we should give to it, I have decided to call it Version Y.  How did I come to choose such a name?  Y is a reference to the direction in which we are headed.  PeKu has changed from being a little bit of something for everyone to a publishing company that is focusing on the female demographic.

In order to make this happen, we needed to let nine of our publications become dormant and switch our attention to the twelve that best align with our female audience.  It also means refining the editorial calendar, finding more opportunities for collaboration among the twelve.  While the biggest change took place today when we published new articles on a lot fewer publications than usual, there will be many more changes in the coming months.

As you look at today’s set of articles on the PeKu homepage and notice that there are only twelve boxes instead of twenty, know while that we may have reduced the quantity, our goal is to improve the quality.  Take a peek at what we’re publishing- it’s the same great, original content but with a bit more of a flair toward the female.

Return to my Editorially Yours column next Monday as I answer a series of questions about this transformation and give a little more insight into what to expect.

 

PeKu Targets Female Audience Through Rebrand

Monday, November 3rd, 2014

Manchester, NH- PeKu Publications is rebranding itself into a publishing company aimed at the female demographic. PeKu will continue to provide original, world-class articles, tips, and videos that aim to inspire and engage this new target audience. As part of this rebrand, PeKu is trimming its offerings from twenty-one to twelve publications.
The content on the twelve sites fits within five female-leaning sections: Family, Fine Living, Healthy Living, Home & Garden, and Style. These five sections will integrate with each other by providing articles on common themes.

According to CEO and Editor-in-Chief Michele Pesula Kuegler, this tighter focus allows for a more consistent reader experience. “With twelve publications that are focused on a similar audience,” she said, “I look forward to seeing the synergy we can create within the PeKu community.”
Also included in the rebrand are redesigned websites and social media accounts, with a soft-launch rollout of these designs occurring during the month of November. PeKu is also launching a brand new Twitter account (@PeKuPenguin) that will significantly increase fan engagement. In addition to the new account, PeKu has resurrected accounts for three of their publications—Parched No More, Think Tasty, and Your Parenting Info. These four will supplement the corporate PeKu Twitter account.
Readers can access the all of the publications and new content by visiting pekupublications.com.

About PeKu Publications

PeKu Publications is an emergent Internet-based publishing company, which is home to 12 niche properties, featuring content in 5 unique channels. For more information about PeKu Publications go to https://www.pekupublications.com or contact Michele Pesula Kuegler at michele@pekupublications.com.

Work in Progress

Monday, October 20th, 2014

Deep-in-thoughtIf you read my column regularly, you should have noticed that I haven’t shared any of my editorial reflections during the month of October. You may wonder why that is.  Have I been unwell? Am I tired of writing?

The answer is that we are working on some major changes behind the scenes at PeKu. Rather than taking time out of brainstorming sessions, hands-on projects, et al to write this column, I have decided to stay 100% focused on the task at hand.

On November 3rd please be sure to return to my Editorially Yours column for a personal introduction to the shiny, new version of PeKu.

Until then, please keep reading. Although we are focusing on behind the scenes work, we still are publishing original articles daily.

See you in November!

Meet the Specialist- BnB Finder

Monday, September 29th, 2014

bnb waybackAt PeKu we work with an assortment of specialists who provide knowledge in their area of expertise.  On Think Tasty we work with two- Elizabeth Skipper, a personal chef, and BnB Finder, which provides us with a weekly recipe from one of their bed and breakfasts.  We began working with BnB Finder in February of 2012 on a monthly basis. Their recipes proved to be so popular that we changed to the weekly format in January 2013.  We have published 112 delicious BnB recipes and look forward to many more.

I was able to speak with Mary White, CEO of BnB Finder.

MPK: Our readers know you as “BnB Finder”.  How many bed and breakfasts are in your business/family/group?

MW: Approximately 2,000

MPK: Where are your bed and breakfasts located?  All over the US? Beyond?

MW: We are worldwide with the majority in North America, primarily in the US.

MPK: You have such a wide array of recipes, from sweet treats to savory side dishes.  Do you have a favorite?

MW: WOW, I don’t think you could have asked a harder question.  If I have to pick, I think it would be Brownies on Steroids at the Andon-Reid Inn in Waynesveille, NC. (Click here for the recipe.)

MPK: What is the best part of your role as the CEO of BnB Finder?

MW: I enjoy many aspects of my role including helping innkeepers, small business owners like myself, to make their businesses more successful. However, I think my favorite part is spreading the word through the site and interviews about the unique features bed & breakfasts offer, and then hearing stories of wonderful guest experiences when they stay at a B&B for the first time.

MPK: What fun fact would our readers be surprised to learn about BnB Finder?

MW: Perhaps what the site looked like when it launched in July of 1999.  I’ve attached a screen shot.  The Internet has come a LONG way!

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