Introduction:
The Content Management System (CMS) that hosts your branded partner page lives on the backend of montereyinfo.org and allows you to serve the most relevant and up-to-date content to users who are actively searching for information about your company and Monterey County. Keeping the content on your page current is important to the overall user experience. This document outlines how to access and maintain the content on your branded partner page once the interactive cooperative program is launched.
Have a question not answered here? Please contact Dominic Gregorio, Director of Membership at 831-657-6420 or [email protected].
Accessing your Branded Partner Page:
To view and/or edit your branded partner page, click on the custom link provided by the MCCVB and login using the assigned username and password. Click Here to access the log-in page directly.
Once you’ve logged in you will have access to the following templated sections that house your branded content: General Information, Documents, Media Gallery, Content, Events Calendar, Special Offers, RSS Feeds, Postings and Signup Form.
• General Information – This section holds the contact information for your company including company name, logo, address, up to two phone numbers, fax number, website URL, email address and the option for a reservations URL.
• Documents – This section provides the option to upload brochures, maps, direct mail pieces, etc. that can be downloaded by users. Please note the total maximum storage capacity for ALL items uploaded to your partner page is 25MB. Therefore, all files should be saved down to web quality.
o To upload documents follow these very simple steps: (1) Click on the “Add New” button. (2) Create a title for the document in the “Document Name” form field. Please note this title will display when users scroll over the document when viewing your partner page. (3) Add a description of the document in the “Description” form field. Please note this section is for internal purposes only and will not display on your partner page. (4) Click “Browse” and search for the file you want to upload using an existing file path from your computer and/or network. Select the document file (Excel, PowerPoint, Word or PDF only). (5) Once the document is finished uploading click “Save.” (6) When your file is saved you will receive the “Upload Successful” confirmation at the top of the page.
• Media Gallery – This section allows you to upload images, podcasts and videos that represent your company or property. As mentioned in the “Documents” section, you are limited to 25MB of space for your entire partner page, so in order to showcase a variety of media options in the gallery, please use web quality files.
o File Specifications:
-Only JPG and GIF image files are accepted and should be saved as web quality at 72 dpi resolution
-Only MP3 and WAV files are accepted for podcast/audio
-Only MPEG, MOV, MP4, WMV and AVI files are accepted for video
o To upload media files: (1) Click on the “Add New” button. (2) Insert the title of the image, podcast or video in the “Media Name” form field. Please note this title will display when users scroll over the image, podcast or video in the media gallery. (3) Include a description of the media file in the “Description” form field. Please note this is for internal purposes only and will not display on your partner page. (4) To upload the media file, click “Browse,” and search for the file using an existing file path from your computer and/or network. Select the media file. (5) Once the file is finished uploading click “Save.” (6) When your file is saved you will receive the “Upload Successful” confirmation at the top of the page.
• Content – This section includes two large form fields: “Intro/Description” and “Hours of Operation.” The “Intro/Description” section displays in the main body of the partner page and should be used to provide an overview of your company or property. While this section can accommodate images it is not recommended.
The “Hours of Operation” section displays underneath the “General/Contact Information” section on your partner page. Though we realize the “Hours of Operation” for all partners may not be useful information for the consumer, we urge you to enter something into this form field so that it does not appear blank on your partner page. For instance, lodging partners may choose to enter in check in/check out times instead of typical business hours.
o To copy and paste text from another document into either of these sections, copy the text as you normally would and then instead of pasting directly into the form field, click the “Paste as Plain Text” icon so the text is formatted properly. Basic formatting options are also available such as bolding fonts, changing font colors, etc. providing the ability to enhance titles, etc.
o To add links to copy or images, highlight the text or image, click on the “Insert/Edit Link” icon, make sure the “Link Info” tab is displayed, enter the URL into the appropriate form field, and click “Ok” to save.
• Events Calendar – This section allows you to promote special events that are unique to your company or those your company may sponsor in/around Monterey County. The event listings will display in their own section on the top right of the page under the “Calendar of Events” title.
o To add an event listing click “Add New.” Fill out the form fields as they apply to your event. Please note this section does not allow for image uploads.
• Special Offers – This is the section to include promotional information or offers for your company. Please note when start and end dates are included, the system automatically pulls the offer off the page after the offer expires.
o To add a special offer, (1) Click “Add New.” (2) Fill out the form fields including “title,” the “start” and “end” dates that apply to this offer, and a website URL that users can click for more information on this promotion/offer. You also have the opportunity to include a description of the offer which will display on the partner page. As in the “Content” section, to copy and paste text from another document, copy the text as you normally would and then instead of pasting directly into the form field, click the “Paste as Plain Text” icon so the text is formatted properly. Basic formatting options are also available such as bolding fonts, changing font colors, etc. providing the ability to enhance titles, etc.
• RSS Feeds – This section allows to you to display RSS feeds or links from your company blog or other relevant websites you wish to display on your branded partner page. To add a new feed, visit the “RSS Feeds” section and click on the “Add New” button. There are two available RSS feed options:
o (1) Blog Area – Allows you add a feed that will display the desired number of articles within the feed as a list of titled news links. For this option, you may enter an optional description (for internal purposes), the URL of the feed you wish to display, and the number of articles within the feed that you would like to display on your branded partner page. Please note that you are limited to a maximum of 25 articles per feed.
o (2) Linked RSS Feed Area – Allows you to upload a link to your RSS feed that visitors can download and add to their own RSS aggregator. For this option, enter a descriptive title for the feed you wish to display and URL of the feed you wish to make available for download. If your company does not currently offer a blog or news feeds, you may wish to post and feature relevant company news on your partner page. For more information on this, see the Postings section below.
• Postings – This section allows you to create and post news articles to your branded partner page. To create a news article, visit the Postings section and click on the “Add New” button. To create your article, enter a descriptive title and add the body of your content to the description area as explained in the “Content” and “Special Offers” sections. To remove and automatically archive a news posting from your partner page, select your desired Auto-Archive Date. You may also manually archive or activate your article at any time by checking the “Active” or “Archive” box.
• Opt-In Database Form – This section provides you with the opportunity to grow your company’s opt-in database. In order to activate this form, check the box titled, “Enable Signup Form.” To glean additional information about these opt-in subscribers you also have the ability to ask up to three questions.
o To export the opt-in database click on “CSV Download,” enter the dates and click download.
Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau P.O. Box 1770, Monterey, CA 93942 1-877-MONTEREY [email protected]
In partnership with Monterey County and the cities of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas,
Sand City, Seaside, Soledad, Pebble Beach, Moss Landing, Carmel Valley, Big Sur, and Salinas Valley.
© Copyright 2008 Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau
