Question #1…You Are Here…What Next?
Question # 1: Okay, some how I ended up on www.synergystation.com. What next? How do I get around this website? How can I get the most out of this website ?
Well this is really three questions, and each question leads you to another question – which is why we called this series “20 Questions”.
Most people find www.synergystation.com either through our Facebook page, a random Google search about the Bakken, or by someone telling you about our website. I think the best place for me to start is to explain what the website is and how it works.
1. The homepage is simply one gigantic blog. Okay – what’s a blog? Without being too technical, it’s just a online (web) log of content. A web log is known as a blog. That content on the homepage can range from something about housing challenges in the Bakken, to environmental issues, to hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas, to business tips in the Bakken, to a funny little spoof column called, “What happened in the world this week while you were too fracking busy to notice”. Each blog (article) is only about 500 to 700 words long. Short and sweet. Some blog pieces have links to other content on the site as well as links to more information off the site.
2. You are free to roam all over the homepage (blog) at no charge reading various blog content. You can register / subscribe if you want – it’s free as well. Why would you subscribe? So you can receive our newsletter and updates. You will also need to subscribe if you want to comment on a blog you have read. We don’t automatically publish all comment. There is a delay, until the editor has reviewed your comments.
3. You can put key words into the search box (located on the right hand side of the home page). If you don’t find what you are looking for, email us (Contact on the navigation bar) and we’ll try to find the information for you, get it on the site, or email you directly the link.
4. Go to “About Us” on the navigation bar. It will tell you a little bit about us (the founders), why we created the site, our vision, our purpose, our mission, and who our bloggers are.
5. Our web site is a continual work in progress. We try to improve the site, add additional content (blogs) to the main website (www.synergystation.com) as well as add to other sections of our site: the Synergy Station Hiring Hall and the Synergy Station Business Directory everyday. So be sure to return to the site frequently for updated, expanded content.
6. If you want to follow a specific subject or blogger, scroll down to the bottom of our page. The home page is a lot longer than it looks. Down at the very bottom on the right hand side is the RSS section. This is where you can subscribe (free of charge) to content that interest you. Any new content in the category you are interested will automatically be emailed to you….until you unsubscribe.
7. When you look at the slider on the homepage (just below the navigation bar) you will only see @ 20 articles displayed. The slider plays the the latest six blog pieces and generally 14 of the most popular article. But there is a lot more content on the site. You can search with keywords, go down to the bottom of the page and click on an RSS category, or click on a particular blogger to view additional content pieces.
8. By cliking on the business show case logo you can quickly link to these businesses. Some will quick link to their directory listing, their blog piece or directly to their website. The business showcase articles are at the bottom of the home page (lower left hand side). Or you can RSS follow business showcase articles. Or you can type business showcase in the search box.
9. We put the latest two to three blog pieces on popular topics on the home page under category headings such as: housing, jobs, infrastructure, transportation, etc.
10. If you would like to follow a particular blogger…go to the bottom of the homepage and click on their photos in order to view the various blogs pieces they have written.
11. If I didn’t’ answer your question? or If the above answers lead to more questions? Feel free to either comment on this blog (this requires you to register / subscribe) or email us through our Contact page.
