Promoting OpenCaching US

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DudleyGrunt
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Re: Promoting OpenCaching US

Post by DudleyGrunt » Thu Apr 04, 2013 10:22 pm

Cool! Thanks!
Dave, OCNA Team Member
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Mr.Yuck
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Re: Promoting OpenCaching US

Post by Mr.Yuck » Mon Apr 08, 2013 12:06 pm

DudleyGrunt wrote:Cool! Thanks!
Wow, apparently Ithink is a real thinker. Now I can't say it will be like this forever, and I need to learn how to maintain it, but only 2 days after our sitemap was indexed, a Google search of the word Opencaching puts us first, ahead of Garmin.
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Mr.Yuck
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Re: Promoting OpenCaching US

Post by Mr.Yuck » Thu Apr 11, 2013 5:59 pm

I don't know if Ithink is still reading this thread, but this website had no Meta Description tag whatsoever! I made one up, basically copying the wikipedia definition of Geocaching, and adding stuff about opencaching and this website to the end. I just did it in one spot, and of course the PHP puts it on every page on the site.

Meta keywords did exist, but while looking at Garmin, Geocaching.com, navicache and terracaching, I noticed that RVRoadTrip basically copied them from Navicache. :mrgreen: I put in Opencaching and Open caching, as well as what Bing webmaster tools told me where the top 15 search terms for Geocaching (including common misspellings), and basically put all the ones "borrowed" from Navicache at the end.

So now I guess we sit back for a week or so, and see what happens.
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mstahl
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Re: Promoting OpenCaching US

Post by mstahl » Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:27 pm

First post here.

I wanted to connect up with some folks here and help promote geocaching. I am really new to it (I've found two caches with friends).

I am a writer/director and was working on a thriller/horror script at the time my friends introduced me to to geocaching. I thought it was cool so I've incorporated some into my script. We'll be shooting the film toward the end of the summer in California.

So a few questions...

1. Is opencaching interested in a project like this? People will find regular geocaches and then there is at least one surprise cache since it is a horror/thriller. We aren't trying to scare anyone away from the activity, but it fits in with the film and theme well.
2. If so, is there a logo, or app or something we can use in the film?
3. Is anything special you'd be interested in seeing?

I'd like to involve the community as much as I can and let more people know about geocaching.

Thanks!
Mike

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DudleyGrunt
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Re: Promoting OpenCaching US

Post by DudleyGrunt » Thu Apr 18, 2013 8:28 am

Welcome! Sounds intriguing. Mr.Yuck - What do you think?

You will find copies of the logo on our Downloads page.

We don't an "official" app, but there is discussion of various third party apps for iPhone and Android in the forums, as well.
Dave, OCNA Team Member
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Mr.Yuck
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Re: Promoting OpenCaching US

Post by Mr.Yuck » Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:06 pm

DudleyGrunt wrote:Welcome! Sounds intriguing. Mr.Yuck - What do you think?

You will find copies of the logo on our Downloads page.

We don't an "official" app, but there is discussion of various third party apps for iPhone and Android in the forums, as well.
No problem with anything here! I just tweeted the apps a couple weeks ago, and we do need a "button" with links to them. The top menu would be nice, but we're almost out of room up there, we could try the side menus.

No links handy but Columbus for Android, Geoaching Buddy 4OC for Iphone, and GeoBasic for Windows phone, that all work on the world-wide Opencaching network. Actually, the Windows phone one only works for us, Poland and org.uk, but I'm the only one who has a windows phone anyways. :D
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Re: Promoting OpenCaching US

Post by Mr.Yuck » Thu May 16, 2013 8:38 am

We've been talking about this in the top secret hidden OCNA team sub-forum, but with Google Webmaster tools and META tags, I've somehow amazingly got us on the first page of Google search results for the word "Geocaching", and usually third behind Big Green and the Wikipedia entry for Geocaching. This is more than I ever could have hoped for, lets hope we stay there! This just happened around May 10th or so, I would say.

With all the increased traffic there (and believe me, sign-ups have skyrocketed), I opened a Google Analytics account. You see how many visitors a day, where they're from (the City), all kinds of statistics. If anyone, and I mean anyone, would like "user" status to look at these stats, let me know. I know I'd have been interested back when I was a regular user and strong supporter of this website. Then again, I've always been a statistics geek since I was a child. :mrgreen: Oh, you must have a Google account. If you have a gmail.com email address, you're good.

I have not seen where RVRoadTrip or Coffee Peddlers ever had any kind of stats analysis or hidden counters on the website. I'm surprised it isn't one of the first things I did. But the offer is out there, let me know if interested.

EDIT: P.S. a few days in, it looks like they update the numbers every 24 hours, and it seems to be settling into about Midnight EST in our case. There is also a "live" setting, where you see how many people are currently on the site, and the State they are from.
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Re: Promoting OpenCaching US

Post by UMainah » Sat May 18, 2013 9:28 pm

Mr.Yuck wrote:We've been talking about this in the top secret hidden OCNA team sub-forum, but with Google Webmaster tools and META tags, I've somehow amazingly got us on the first page of Google search results for the word "Geocaching", and usually third behind Big Green and the Wikipedia entry for Geocaching. This is more than I ever could have hoped for, lets hope we stay there! This just happened around May 10th or so, I would say.

With all the increased traffic there (and believe me, sign-ups have skyrocketed), I opened a Google Analytics account. You see how many visitors a day, where they're from (the City), all kinds of statistics. If anyone, and I mean anyone, would like "user" status to look at these stats, let me know. I know I'd have been interested back when I was a regular user and strong supporter of this website. Then again, I've always been a statistics geek since I was a child. :mrgreen: Oh, you must have a Google account. If you have a gmail.com email address, you're good.

I have not seen where RVRoadTrip or Coffee Peddlers ever had any kind of stats analysis or hidden counters on the website. I'm surprised it isn't one of the first things I did. But the offer is out there, let me know if interested.

EDIT: P.S. a few days in, it looks like they update the numbers every 24 hours, and it seems to be settling into about Midnight EST in our case. There is also a "live" setting, where you see how many people are currently on the site, and the State they are from.
Well since you're offering, feel free to grant me access. I enjoy looking at stats and I'm already familiar with Google Analytics. I think you already know my gmail address.

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Re: Promoting OpenCaching US

Post by TermiteHunter » Sat May 18, 2013 10:14 pm

I was just checking yesterday where OCus appears in google.

Search for Geocaching found OCus at the bottom of the first page ahead of the Garmin cache site

Search for OpenCaching found OCus in the #1 spot

Looks like what you are doing is working

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TermiteHunter
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Re: Promoting OpenCaching US

Post by TermiteHunter » Mon May 20, 2013 10:50 pm

Thought I would let those here know what I recently attempted as a promotion of OCus (along with all the other sites)
Check my profile and pull up LOGGER II. It is located in a cache dense popular park in hopes of more traffic.
It is cross listed on GC, Navicache, GPSGames, OCus and OCom. It also contains a Munzee and an Ocus BIT cache.
It's not listed on Terracache as they don't permit cross listing.
There is a geokrety expected to remain in the cache. Another free trackable to remain with the cache.

The cache is hidden in the standard style next to a tree. (not my norm which seems to be throwing those that know me off when searching for it)
Inside is a separate log book for each of the sites clearly marked and colored. A large sheet with a brief detail of each of the alternative sites history. There is an envelope for those that "want to know more" inside that contains printouts of cache pages for other non-GC caches located in the park. (3 OCus, 1 Terracache, 2 Munzees) There is a bag of trackables from one of the free sites from which they can take one and scan to activate (plus I will know who scanned one and where it goes as the creator of the trackable but they will own it and can name it)

The photos in the logs show most of these items but not all (on the GC logs).

So far I had only one cacher that logged everything except the Munzee in the cache. The envelope with cache pages and free trackables are a more recent addition but was there before the May 4th event in the Park.
I have yet to have a log on any of the "extra" caches. And only 3 logs on OCus in spite of all the signatures that may be in the log(s). Only the one cacher logged on most of the other sites. The Most Diversified Cacher to date mentioned on the cache page.
At least they are aware that other sites exist now (assuming they took the time to read any of the contents other than the logs.

Those in the local club know I try to promote OCus but my hope is to catch a relatively new cacher before they become too dedicated to just the one site and offer the alternatives of which OCus would be the most relevant one in the area to participate in.

As of today: 25 finds on GC, 3 on OCus and 1 on each of the others.

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