I think it’s time I finally told you about Blognix. This is going to be an overview of the day and a few tips from my notebook. There’s lots of information over on the website and I’ll include links to speakers and blog posts. If you use #Blognix on Twitter people are always happy to chat.
I want to start by telling you that I had a fantastic day, enjoyed some really delicious food for lunch and spent time hanging out with Sophie from Onetenzeroseven and Sophie from Sophie Etc. If you’re looking for a fun, friendly and useful blogging conference then I suggest you think about going next year.
Blognix was held at The Custard Factory in Birmingham back in June. It’s an affordable (£50) blogging conference founded by the talented Elizabeth Sellers.
The day was kicked off with a chat about branding – Brand Link You Mean It. This is one of my favourite topics so I spent a lot of time taking notes and left with some new ideas to give Prettygreentea a fresh look.
In business we talk about a brand being a lifestyle. People don’t just fly with Virgin to get from A to B they’re buying into the lifestyle and feeling that goes with it. The same goes for your blog.
Tip – Make a list of 5 keywords that describe your blog and how you want your readers to feel.
We heard from the fantastic Emma Cossey. She spoke of the pros and cons of freelancing and offered lots of tips to potential and existing freelancers.
Tip – Know your value and create a personal brand.
Emma also introduced us to the idea of being a multipotentialite. This was something many of us connected with immediately and I’m sure many of you will. As bloggers our work can fall into many different fields. A lot of us freelance, work full time jobs and our blogs can be an outlet for the many different interests and skills we have. I urge you to read up on it.
Hayley Constantine talked about disclosure. This is a topic which I think is very useful for everyone in the blogging world. One of her key points was that readers shouldn’t have to look for it.
Tip – Make it easy and show your readers that you and your blog are trustworthy.
Ahmed Ahmed talked to us about offline events. He told us about the ones he has hosted and the benefits of of putting time and effort into them.
Tip – Don’t forget about traditional media.
There were bunch of different workshops to attend which included – podcasting, tax returns, photography tips, brand collaborations, alternative routes to make money from your blog (we all have to pay the bills) and creating a book. We picked 3 out of the 6 options. I was a bit gutted to miss Hayley Carr’s workshop on brand collaborations. If anyone went and has wrote about it please let me know.
Cathy Presland hosted a workshop with lots of advice on the steps needed to create blog from your book. It’s important to think about how you can stand out and make a difference with a book. I know a few bloggers have taken to publishing a book but one which sticks out in my mind is A Beautiful Mess.
Rosie Slosek talked to us about tax. At first you might think it’s a pretty dull topic but often the important things in life are. If you want to earn money from your blog or set up a business then it’s something you should start learning about.
One of my favourite talks of the day was from Kim Lawler. Kim discussed the various advertising streams available to bloggers including Ebooks, selling products and hosting virtual classes.
Here are a few things to think about if you want to profit from your blog:
– Who reads your blog and why
– Create a reader profile
– What skills can you offer – design/social media management
– Extra skills – baking – photography
– Be creative and think outside the box
After a motivating talk from Justice Williams MBE we all headed across the way to Alfie Birds for colourful cocktails, cheesy pizzas and the best chips I’ve had in ages. This gave everyone a chance to chat and discuss all things blog related.
Blognix are sharing lots of handy tips on improving your blog.
Thanks again for a fantastic day!