This week I received an excellent question from a reader asking how to find out about blogging conferences in her area. Attending a blogging conference or a local blog meetup or tweetup is a great way to meet others who share your interests (blogging and social media), network, and learn new skills. Here are several resources I’ve found that list blog conferences in 2010:
- Blog Conference Guide
- Blog Conference Newbie
- Blog World Expo
- Dave Rohrer
- Mom Bloggers Club
- Mom Central
- Mom It Forward
- Social Media Biz
Still can’t find something in your area? If you haven’t already, try engaging with other bloggers in your area. You might try finding a hyperlocal blogger (someone who is blogging specifically about your city or area only) in particular and ask them if they’ve heard of any local get-togethers. If no one has taken this on yet, do it yourself! I bet there are several other bloggers out there wishing there was a regular meeting where they could share ideas.
Also, if you are at all interested in moving to WordPress, there is usually a WordCamp in most major cities/areas during the year (just Google wordcamp and you’ll see). WordCamps are put on locally and focus on using WordPress effectively (but they also just offer great info on blogging better). They offer lots of help and are very welcoming of new users.
My favorite blog conferences to attend are
- I_Blog Conference in Perry, IA. November 5-7, 2010. First of all, my family is from Iowa so if there’s a conference there, I’m going to try to make it because I love Iowa. Second of all, Jody puts on a great conference in a beautiful, relaxed venue (the Hotel Pattee) that offers real learning experiences. It’s a very small conference (my favorite kind) so you really get to know the other attendees. I especially loved that everyone who attended last year (whether a new or seasoned blogger) learned something new. All of the presentations were relevant to what people are doing regardless of their level of blogging. I highly recommend this conference.
- Blissdom in Nashville, TN. It’s possible that I’m biased here because my friends Alli Worthington, Barbara Jones, and Paula Bruno put on this conference, but you’ll find that it’s a phenomenal event. It’s limited to 500 attendees so it feels more intimate than some of the larger conferences. What I particularly like about Blissdom is that there are very few cliques; I feel like I can approach any group of women and introduce myself and join in the conversation (and, as an introvert, I’m here to tell you that can be tough). I’ve explained my thoughts on Blissdom before; I recommend attending if you can.
- Blog World and New Media Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. October 14-16, 2010. I usually try to keep to the smaller conferences because I like that vibe. I like to connect with people on more than a surface level. However, sometimes you have to jump out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there. BWE is the place to go to meet the movers and shakers in the blog world, meet the marketers that want to work with bloggers, learn new skills, and hear about where the Big Guys (i.e., Chris Brogan and Darren Rowse among others) think social media is headed. If you want to see the lay of the land and maybe meet your blogging heroes, this is the conference you have to attend. If you do decide to go, understand that there’s a lot happening and you should have a good idea of what you’re there for. I go to learn every new skill I can; I’m less interested in theory and more interested in hands-on so those are the sessions I focus on. If you can attend with a friend, divide and conquer! Take notes so you can share them with each other later.
I haven’t attended SxSW yet, but that may change in 2011. If you can’t make it one of the three conferences above, SxSW in Austen is your next best bet from what I understand.
So, tell me:
- What conferences have you attended in the past?
- Which are your favorite(s) and why?
- What are you looking for in a blogging conference?
- Do you have regular local get togethers that you attend? How do those compare to the national conferences?
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So far my conference have all been in the Southeast.
My first experience was at ConvergeSouth which takes place in Greensboro and has returned for the 2010 year. (I can’t wait!)
Then I became involved in CREATESouth which takes place in Myrtle Beach in April (if you’ve never been to MB, it’s still off season, but the weather is gorgeous, which may make the family more interested in the city as a destination)
TypeAMom in Asheville, NC is women focused, but has plenty for whether you’re looking to polish your writing skills or figure out the more blog specific skills. I believe this year Kelby Carr is adding a track for Dads.
and of course I second the Blissdom is amazing.
This year I’ll be trying out BlogHer (which I admit intimidates me), hopefully BWE, and SXSW on top of the ones listed.
With the book coming out in March, this is my year to put myself out there, even if it wears me out.
Thanks for the information and reviews!
I have yet to attend a big conference, only local meet-ups. I so want to go to a bigger one though. I need the inspiration!
Thanks for adding those conferences (and your input) on the SE conference options. Your neck of the woods is gorgeous and would be a great family destination. Personally, I prefer to leave the family at home when I attend conferences because a) it’s cheaper and b) I miss them more when they’re with me b/c I can’t do the fun vacation stuff they’re doing while I’m in the conference. Weird, I know.
Dawn,
I highly recommend attending a larger blogging conference. The learning opportunities (not to mention the networking) are numerous and I think it offers a little larger scope than a local gathering. Local gatherings are excellent as well, though, and I think it’s important to know the other bloggers in your area. Try both and let me know what you think!
Oh, I don’t bring the family, but I know there are a significant number of people out there who won’t.
I went to Blissdom ’10 in February. I learned a lot about blogging and bloggers and I met a number of bloggers whose writing and photos I enjoy, which was exciting. I hope to be there again next time. I’m going to Type-A Mom in September and I’m really looking forward to it — particularly because I’m now not SO much of a blogging newbie, and I think that will help me be more assertive and seek out answers to my own specific questions.
I live in Nashville and I’ve gotten together a few times in the last year with other bloggers. Our agenda mostly is social, but there’s sometimes a little business of blogging thrown in there. I hope that continues and I think it will.
Thanks for including Blog Conference Newbie on this resource list!
Tamara
Thanks for including Mom It Forward on your list.
I wish you were coming out to the Evo Conference, but it was great seeing you at Blissdom. Hope to see you at another blogging conference soon!
Thanks again for the shout out!
xoxoxo
jyl
Jyl, I wish I were able to attend EVO this year! It’s going to be a great success and looks to offer some real learning opportunities. I’ll see you again next year at Blissdom.
Rebecca,
You’re so right: Once you’ve attended that first conference, the next ones are always easier. The first conference can be daunting if you’re a newer blogger, but I’ve found that attending the more intimate conferences (like Blissdom and I_Blog) aren’t quite as overwhelming as the super-big ones (like Blog World Expo) and they are great confidence builders.
Thanks for including I_Blog on this list (I’m blushing!) I’ve been to Blissdom twice (Alli, Barbara & Carla know how to put together an event!) and I attended Type-A-Mom last year in beautiful Asheville (but won’t be able to attend this year due to travel). I would love to do Blog World one day but October is the busiest month in my world.
Also look for niche conferences. I’ll be attending TBEX in New York this month. It’s the Travel Blog Exchange conference, for those of us who focus on travel. I’m looking forward to it!
I attended the inaugural TBEX (Travel Bloggers Exchange) Conference last year and appreciated its focus on one particular niche of blogging. Sometimes it’s hard for a conference to be relevant to everyone, so a focused conference can be very informative.
I also went to the first I_Blog in Iowa last year and I absolutely agree with your assessment. From new to seasoned bloggers, there was something there for everyone, and the location was fantastic. I’m already registered for this year’s event.
It’s interesting how different conferences use different formats. TBEX is almost entirely panel discussions, while I_Blog had a variety of speakers/experts. If you prefer one format over another, be sure to choose a conference that you’ll like.
Sorry for late ‘Thank you’. I have been out of commission for a while. Hopefully, Blog Conference Guide will be back with update information on blog conference and social media events again.
My first experience with blog conference was at Type-A-Mom and I had to say it exceeded my expectation. I was able to learn a lot from the conference and make a lot of connection and lead to more opportunities.
This is a great list! I’ve tried doing an online search and only found a few in my area. I’m surprised that in a state the size if Texas there aren’t more conferences here! BTW, what’s the really big deal about SXSW? I’ve tried reading up on it a bit and it looks like it is more geared towards music and social marketing in general rather than blogging specifically–it’s really pricey so just wondering. Thanks!
I haven’t attended SxSW yet, but I’m seriously considering going in 2011. Like all conferences, you need to know what you want to get out of it before you commit to attending. After all, it’s a lot of money to plunk down (airfare, hotel, meals, registration, incidentals) only to come home without the info you wanted. To that end, make sure you’re perusing and voting on the panels to be presented at SxSW and then keep tabs on what makes the cut so you’ll know if it’s for you.
I hear great things about SxSW: that’s it’s huge, it’s a networking party 24/7, and it’s a place to learn. If you want to see the movers and shakers of the biz, SxSW is one of the conferences you don’t want to miss. This is a big one and lots of companies not only attend, they present. It really depends on what you’re wanting to get out of the conference. I’ve shied away from it until now because it’s big and I prefer small. However, one of my personal goals is to brush up on my coding skills, then attend some of the hands-on panels to see what else I can learn. I probably won’t attend a lot of parties or karaoke until dawn, though, because that’s not me.