Blogging Basics I, Blissdom '10 Conference Recap

So I'm sitting down in a dark, crowded restaurant trying to corral the many, many things I learned at the Blissdom Blogger's conference. Currently, I have two personal blogs and I blog for two companies and I write in other forms (articles, emails) for three more companies. That's a lot of plates in the air. Too many perhaps. But I think there are a lot of bloggers out there just like me, little fish in big ponds trying to swim way too fast.

Hence the conference.

I was drawn to the conference for three reasons:

• Leveraging social media
• Meeting and picking the brains of blogging gurus like Liz Strauss, Susan Getgood and the unstoppable Alli Worthington
• Meeting and hugging Pensieve Robin (who got carried away with Elmers Glue and made several of us a special bookmark, very cool)
  

While the social media classes didn't fulfill all my dreams and give my customers 1000 fans on facebook with a flip of the wand, they did provoke me into action. The classes gave me a lot to think about and several clear-cut directives to act upon. So I packed my laptop & headed to my favorite wing place where I'm now trouble-shooting social media strategy for various customers. I think a sparkle and ting noise just went off in my eye as ideas began to form.

Two constant Messages from Blissdom:

1. Be yourself.

2. Have a Strategy.

Be yourself.

• Passion. Write about what you are passionate about.

• Don't Monitor. You can use google alert to monitor others, but it can be stressful. Kind of like policing the internet. There are going to be competitors and copycats. Don't waste your time and energy, play your own game.

• Edit, edit edit. ('cause sometimes “yourself” is hormonally directed)

• Your writing reflects on you -- Once its out there, it's there. No take backs.

• If someone else's post inspires you to write a post, link back to it.

• Be careful with snarky humor. You might want to speak to those people someday. Complain to your friend, not on your blog.

Strategy:

• Does it add value to you or the reader?

• Has it been discussed too many times elsewhere?

• Does it ramble?

• Does it resonate with readers?

• Be respectful. Ask family members if they want their lives out there. This stuff is out there forever. Will your kids mind having it there in ten years?

• Is this something you could say to your readers face-to-face? If not, don't write it.

This is an overview of the basic message I got from the Blissdom Conference. I hope to write a few more posts about some other hints and ideas I received. Stay tuned.

I heard most of this from a session led by the following: Emily Freeman (Chatting at the sky), Amber Haines (The Run Amuck), Isabel Kallman (Alpha Mom), Deb Rox (Deb on the Rocks)