I have a lot of favorite things: geeky girls who love tech; the early 20th century; Harry Connick, Jr.; True Blood; East of Eden; and Iowa to name just a few.
Wait.
What?
Yes. I said I love Iowa. I was born there, lived there for a short while as a baby, and try to return every year to visit my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I love that state. Like Oklahoma, where I currently reside, Iowa doesn’t get a lot of play as being a hub of technological innovation. In fact, both states are overlooked in general because people assume we don’t have a draw for the masses. And that’s wrong. I know for a fact that both Oklahoma and Iowa have some excellent and very successful bloggers. And we like to get together and share our knowledge and experience with others. And that’s what I want to share with you: the I_Blog conference being held in Perry, IA in November.
I love the I_Blog conference because I love Iowa, blogging, and learning and I_Blog gives me all of that. It’s a conference just big enough that you will meet and get to know everyone attending and have a chance to have your own blogging questions answered. Heck, you’ll probably have a one-on-one session with someone who can give your blog the once-over and boost you up to the next level of blogging!
I attended and spoke at I_Blog last year and I’ll be doing so again this year. I cannot wait. Last year I came away from every session with some new information and I know the new bloggers in attendance came away with an abundance of ideas and help that they’re still drawing from today! I’ve been fortunate enough to keep in touch with a few of the attendees from last year and I’ve been hearing from them even now that they’re using what they learned from I_Blog last year.
There are blogging conferences throughout the year and they all serve excellent purposes from networking to high-level discussions on various blogging topics. But if you’re looking for hands-on learning, discussions about your concerns and questions, or one-on-one help with your blogging needs (not just the theory of blogging), it can be hard to find those opportunities at large conferences. I_Blog is exactly big enough to ensure you come away with the things you’re looking for. You won’t be disappointed.
I’ll be speaking about blogging basics (of course) as well as on the panel about making money with your blog. You can find more information about the conference topics and speakers at the I_Blog website.
Here is some additional information about I_Blog:
Despite an intimate feel, I_Blog Conference, November 5–7, 2010, in Perry, Ia., will feature “big-conference” speakers.
Perry, Iowa – August 23, 2010 — Speakers for the I_Blog Conference, November 5–7 at the historic Hotel Pattee in Perry, Ia., include experts in social media, mobile technology, writing, vlogging, photography and more. Event organizer Jody Halsted, who has attended numerous social media conferences across the country in the past several years, says that she and her planning partners have worked hard to put together a lineup that packs a lot of punch without a lot of fluff. “This conference isn’t all about the swag,” she says. “It’s about helping attendees build on their knowledge base and build their community. It’s about coming away with stuff you can put into practice immediately.”
Among the speakers are Joseph Lundberg, LinkedIn Corporate Solutions; Melanie Nelson, BloggingBasics101.com and Typepad for Dummies co-author; Beth Blair, TheVacationGals.com; Carol Schiller, Cozi.com; Angela England, AngEngland.com and author of Making Money from Your Blogging; Claire Celsi, the Public Relations Princess; Darcy Milder, GraphicallyDesigning.com and His & Hers Photography; and Linsey Knerl, Wise Bread.com and TheFreelanceFarmer.com.
To see the full schedule of session topics, visit www.iblogconference.com.
Saturday evening will feature “Destination Midwest,” a first-of-its-kind event that will bring together Midwest destinations and Midwest bloggers to form relationships and work together to showcase the Midwest.
A full conference ticket can be purchased thru August 31 for only $149 using the code Back2School. The following “a la carte” tickets are also available: Saturday only, $100; Friday evening social, $30; and Destination Midwest Saturday evening event, $30. Tickets are available at iblogconference.eventbrite.com.
Specially priced rooms are available at the Hotel Pattee for conference attendees. To make a reservation, attendees should call the hotel at (515) 465-3511 and use the code I_BlogConference for that weekend. Reservations must be made by October 23 to receive the reduced rates.
I_Blog Conference also has sponsorship opportunities available at very reasonable prices for Midwest companies. This is a great opportunity to get involved with bloggers who know how to use social media to help promote your company. More details at iblogconference.com/sponsor-i_blog.
About Jody Halsted:
Jody Halsted has been blogging about traveling with kids since 2005 at HaveKidWillTravel.com and now FamilyRambling.com. She is a travel writer for a variety of other websites as well. Halsted resides in Ankeny, Iowa.
Contact:
Jody Halsted, I_Blog Conference Organizer
Phone: 515-707-6547
jody@iblogconference.com
http://www.iblogconference.com
[...] Melanie Nelson from BloggingBasics101 and the co-author of Typepad For Dummies said, "if you’re looking for hands-on learning, discussions about your concerns and questions, or one-on-one help with your blogging needs (not just the theory of blogging), it can be hard to find those opportunities at large conferences. I_Blog is exactly big enough to ensure you come away with the things you’re looking for. You won’t be disappointed." [...]