I attended my first blogging conference this past weekend and I just can't wait to share what I learned with you. If you're a blogger, I highly suggest checking out a conference in your area and if you're in the Houston area and didn't attend the Thrive Blog Conference you HAVE got to come next year!
{Photos by Meg Cady at Everyday Meg she was all over the conference getting some great shots}
I was lucky enough to attend the conference with some veteran Houston Moms Blog contributors because in case you haven't heard the exciting news I talked about in my last post...I was recently asked to join their contributor team! I'm literally blown away by this opportunity and can't wait to grow, learn and share with these great moms and with the amazing city of Houston!
I could go on and on about all of the great things I learned but instead I'm going share the highlights and takeaways I got from each speaker.
Ashley Lemieux-The Shine Project
1. Believe you are enough
2. Stay on your path and have a plan
3. Don't be afraid to fail because you're going to
4. Be Patient-Sacrifice now for future rewards
5. Educate Yourself- Study like it's your job or like you want it to be your job
Audra Kurtz-The Kurtz Corner, Taking over Youtube
1. Why Vlogging? 1 billion unique YouTube visitors
2. Be relatable {Being authentic was definitely a theme among all of the speakers}
3. Natural light is your best friend {truth}
4. Find your niche and do your research
5. Catch and ride the trends
Caroline Harper Knapp-House of Harper, Building your Brand
1. Strategize from the start
2. Do your research-know your competition and learn from them
3. Consider the Future-build a brand that can grow with you
4. Be proud of what you put out-Quality over quantity
5. Be consistent across all channels {Blog, social media, YouTube, etc}
Ashley Lastovica-Fancy Ashley, Compelling Content
1. Blog about what you love
2. If you're relatable and authentic your readers will drawn to you
3. Only tell as much of your story as you're comfortable with
4. Know your audience
5. Make a wish list of sponsors you'd like to work with and tackle it
{Ashley was super nice and just like you'd expect her to be my friend Chelsea and I even grabbed a picture and had a little chat with her after she spoke.}
Monetizing:
Sarah Skaggs- Pretty Providence
Megan Silianoff- Greetings from Texas
Megan Owen- Meg O. on the Go
1. Media Kit-get one, asap
2. Join media company for sponsored posts opportunities:: Pollinate Media, Weave Made Media, Izea, Social Fabric, Tap Influence and Socialspark were mentioned.
3. Use your blog as a catalyst to earn income elsewhere, selling products, writing books, making clothing, etc.
Rachel Mathews-A Southern Fairytale, Pinnable Pictures
1. Set the stage by shooting the ingredients/supplies of recipe, craft or even outfit.
2. Creative Cloud monthly subscription for photo editing that automatically updates when new software is released. {Glad I am re-reading my notes because I am totally going to sign up for this}
3. Foam boards, vinyl backdrops, placemats and trays will help balance and reflect the light for the image you're trying to capture. {I'm pretty sure her wording made a lot more sense but not being very camera savvy that's the best I got for ya}
4. Follow the rule of thirds
5. Shoot tethered or upload straight to your computer screen so you can quickly make adjustments to your setup.
Kristyn Merkley-Lil' Luna, How to Skyrocket your Page Views
1. Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle
2. Focus on keywords and know what's trending
3. Plan ahead and avoid the stress of creating content
4. Network with other bloggers on Facebook and join sharing groups with bloggers at the same level as you
5. Share your content on all relevant pinterest boards
And this isn't even the half of it! I hit the table jackpot and met some great local bloggers as well as Jenny Collier from Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was a wealth of knowledge and I've already implemented some of the great advice she gave me. We shared business cards and connected on social media and she's sure to be a go-to person for me on all things blog related. So, if you're even the slightest bit hesitant about signing up for a blog conference. Ask yourself, do you want to miss out on the chance to sit next to an accomplished blogger like Jenny? If the answer is no then what are you waiting for. Take the leap of faith and sign up already!
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