BUSINESS
BLOGGING AT ITS BEST:
Meet Vancouver’s Top Online Influencers [ BY KRISTEN MCKENZIE ] T
hey share the latest news, post the coolest photos and run drool-worthy contest give- aways—there’s no denying the local blogger has come to play a significant role within the community. To celebrate the digital correspondents who keep the public in the know every day, Vancouver View recently spent some time with the cream of the town’s
blogging crop to find out what makes them tick. What we encountered were enthusiastic entre- preneurs with genuine affection for their city, their readers and even their rival bloggers. Touching upon everything from umbrella etiquette to long work weeks, our interviews with these innovative individuals prove that with a little grit and determination any project with passion can succeed.
MISS 604: THE PIONEER WEBSITE:
WWW.MISS604.COM
AKA: REBECCA BOLLWITT, OWNER AND OPERATOR
Credited with paving the way for today’s numerous Vancouver bloggers, Miss 604 is a revolu- tionary site that first recognized the potential of posting content beyond the diary genre. “I realized it’s about more than crazy cat photos and sharing what I had for breakfast,” Boll- witt explains. Up next for this savvy businesswoman? A potential Miss 250 spinoff—Bolwitt has already purchased the domain name in hopes of one day invading Vancouver Island’s blogosphere.
PHOTO: REBECCA BOWITT | CREDIT: NORDICA PHOTOGRAPHY
VV: WHAT WOULD BE YOUR BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE TO ALL THOSE UP- AND-COMING BLOGGERS OUT THERE? RB: Persistence. Keep at it, even if your mother is the only person who reads your site. You won’t shoot to the top right away…there is no formula for a blog and I think that’s what makes many blogs so unique.
VV: BESIDES YOUR OWN, WHAT OTHER LOCAL BLOG DO LIKE AND WHY? RB: I love Vancouver is Awesome. Tey are a non-profit group blog that has original content.
40 VANCOUVER VIEW May 2012
VV: WHAT’S THE BIGGEST
MISCONCEPTION ABOUT BLOGGERS? RB: Bloggers have come a long way from be- ing seen as ‘single, alone, on the computer in their parents’ basement’. Also, most reputable bloggers do not break embargoes and tweet off-the-record conversations—they can be trusted and responsible without losing their personal voice.
VV: WHICH LOCAL VANCOUVER PERSONALITY INSPIRES YOU? RB: I have two icons that I look up to in Vancouver who are unfortunately no longer
with us. Te first is E. Pauline Johnson, who brought the stories and legends of local first na- tions to the masses. Te second is Chuck Davis. He worked for years to document Vancouver history and provided an amazing online re- source (
VancouverHistory.ca) and his last book, Te History of Metropolitan Vancouver.
VV: WHAT’S BEEN THE WEIRDEST COMMENT EVER LEFT ON YOUR WEBSITE? RB: People sometimes Google something and think that when my blog post about that event or business comes up, it means
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