The Blog Workshop Blogger Conference

****This post is written by MommyTeaches/Eileen thanks to the generosity of The Blog Workshop. The Blog Workshop allowed me to attend the conference free of charge, asking that I provide my readers with an honest recap of my experience.  All views and opinions are 100% my own****

 

The Blog Workshop (that’s really a conference) has concluded and the experience was beyond words. Why? What better way to learn about blogging, than from the comfort of your own home? You have heard me brag about the fact that The Blog Workshop is entirely online in my last two posts but it’s really the truth! I was able to educate myself at a time that was convenient for me, wherever it was convenient for me! What’s more, I walked away with so much information! Here are some tidbits I gleaned from the conference that really resonated with me:

 

Blogging Basics:

Laura Summers did a magnificent job reminding bloggers to stay focused and consistent. I have heard a lot of talk lately of, “I just don’t have time to write and I know that I am not being consistent.” For every dream we have, we have to invest time in it. Map out a period of time during the day that works well for you. If it works better when the children are sleeping, well then you have to sacrifice that time to do so–if you want it that bad. Writing once a week just isn’t enough anymore! Also, make goals for yourself for blogging. You should have a three month goal, a six month goal, and a nine month goal specific to you as a blogger so you know exactly where you want to be and in which direction you are going.

 

Thinking before I speak and NOT being a “Wildcard”:

Yes, I am who I am and I am authentic BUT that doesn’t mean I have to rant and rave online, swear on Twitter or Facebook, and discuss other racy topics. I always remind myself that people and brands are looking and I should think twice before posting anything that might be misconstrued, hurtful, or offensive. Of course, we all want to say a few things that run through our minds in the heat of the moment but I always remind myself NOT to stoop down to the level of the offender and that I am a professional who must represent herself as such! I always remind myself, as Holly said, “Remember why you got into blogging in the first place! Have FUN and support your family while you are at it!”. Although you may want to trash your family or someone else in your life, remember that you are being watched and your blog is NOT a place to air out your dirty laundry, especially if you want to work with brands. If you talk about people poorly and bad mouth them on your blog, you could do the same for a brand and you simply won’t be trusted!

 

The advice was phenomenal!

 The advice throughout the conference left me feeling confident. There were a lot of great reminders like: don’t purchase followers and traffic clicks, don’t burn your bridges,  don’t DELETE people or bad mouth them if they disagree with you, respond in a timely fashion with brands, always remain professional, always be yourself and AUTHENTIC, and the one that really hit home for me was have FUN!!! I love to have fun with what I do and believe that, the moment I am NOT having fun, I need to reevaluate what I am doing. Why? We only get one life to live so why not make money and LOVE what you do? In my opinion, it’s important for me to work with brands that I am passionate about and that I believe in! I have said it once and I will say it again, “I will NOT be a brand whore!” It means more to me to write from my heart than to say, “I am working with XYZ company and I am getting paid this huge amount!” I have passed up many gigs and the money was good but it didn’t feel right to me, and I value most my dignity and my integrity as a writer! I love that The Blog Workshop supported and affirmed that in me and I’m incredibly grateful to have been able to attend the conference!

 

Disclosure: All views and opinions are my own here at MommyTeaches. 

 

Would you like to attend a conference from the comfort of your very own home?