Wendi and I had the chance to attend our first blogging conference, aptly titled The Bloggy Conference. Bloggers, particularly those who operate within the politics space, have been criticized as basically being people writing in their pajamas in their parents’ living rooms or basements. That stereotype certainly was not on display at #BloggyCon16, which was held at the conference center at Cedar Point, not too shabby. I’d like to share five insights from the conference:
1. The Bloggy Conference is a great first conference
One of the things I heard from someone at the event was how BloggyCon was a good conference because it was not so big that it was overwhelming. I have been at conferences in other industries where there are so many attendees that it becomes difficult to talk with presenters. That was not the case here. All of the presenters were accessible.
2. Blogging is more than writing
There is so much going on behind the curtain with successful blogs, and it includes things like sales funnels, search engine optimization, affiliate links, monetization, sponsored content, page speed, page loads, image optimization, backing up blogs, security and privacy. For the past year, Wendi has focused on her content. Now, it is time for her to begin to look at other factors to help increase traffic and look for ways to monetize the blog.
3. Blogging can be rewarding
Many people who get into blogging do so because they have passions and want to share with others. But in talking with bloggers who are trying to improve their sites, it can be daunting. Part of it is trying to drive traffic to the sites. So, people have wonderful messages to share, whether it is advice for moms, how to live a simple life, how to cook, where to travel and so on. But, to make sure the message gets out there, they need to drive traffic. That seemed to be the mystery of the conference: How do you drive traffic to your blog.
4. Blogging can be financially rewarding
It was nice to hear people are making good incomes blogging. I was surprised to hear one person earns between $500-$1,500 per post. I have no clue how this is done, but when one of the presenters asked if anyone was making that kind of money, a hand went up. I had a chance to spend some time with a woman whose main blog earns six figures a year. She has another blog that brings in another $50,000.
5. Blogging requires hard work
None of the presenters or attendees pretended you can make a lot of money without putting in the effort. The hard work you put in can pay off and make life easier, but it will not happen by magic. This conference opened our eyes as to what the potential can be, and I am looking forward to seeing how Wendi’s Weekend Trips & Whatnot will grow this coming year.
Were you at Bloggy Conference? What was a highlight for you?
