Tips from Bloggy Boot Camp Philadelphia #BBCPhilly

Erica and I spent the weekend with over 150 amazing women in Philadelphia at Bloggy Boot Camp.

We adore the two powerhouses behind SITS – Tiffany and Francesca.

They will always have a special place in our hearts, after all that’s where Erica and I met and how the idea for GLO was born.

We left the conference feeling inspired, fulfilled and with a ton of new ideas!

The sessions were chock full of information! If you weren’t there no worries – we took lots and lots of notes!

Here are a few things we learned from each session:

Top Ten Tips For Bloggy Success

Laurie Turk {@TipJunkie}

1. Set a 3-month goal for yourself and your business/blog.
2. Track what’s important to you. It may be page views, Twitter followers, Facebook engagement, etc.
3. Establish yourself as an expert. Educate yourself, keep up with industry news and learn the rules.
4. How much does your blog cost per day? Include hosting cost, newsletter fees, web design, etc.
5. Have office hours. This teaches your family and business partners what to expect. Only check email two – three times a day.
6. Establish an end game. What do you really want to accomplish?
7. NEVER second guess a fun idea. If you like it, then chances are others will love it as well.
8. Grab your name on all social media sites including URL, Facebook, Twitter, Google +, etc.
9. Post same time every day. This will give your readers an idea of when to come to your blog to check out your new content.

And the best piece of advice:

      10. If you SOLVE a problem, you’ll make money!

Video Unveiled: Getting Views on YouTube

Colleen Padilla {@ClassyMommy}

1. YouTube is one of the LARGEST search engines. This means that when it comes to search for answers, online users are going straight to videos for the answers.
2. There are 4 billion views a day on YouTube. Wowza!
3. Don’t be a talking head. Give your videos some personality. Show yourself in real life, in different places and moving around.
4. You don’t need to edit every video. Colleen takes videos right from her iPhone and uploads to YouTube. What’s important is tagging and using key words.
5. Best place to take videos – in broad daylight.
6. The best way to get views is to use keywords, description and tags.
7. There are lots of opportunities from doing videos.
8. Keep your video short – under one minute.
9. Share, share, share! Make sure to share your video on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, etc.

And the best piece of advice:

      10. Have fun with your videos and let your readers see the real…YOU!

Expanding Your Platform Beyond Your Blog

Audrey McClellan {@AudreyMcClellan}

1. Expand your platform – jump off-line.
2. 4 main platforms – digital, print, events, and consulting.
3. Get off-line – this helps tap into your local community and reach others that do not blog.
4. Spokesperson – work with brands that are a good fit for you. Start a dialogue with them via twitter.
5. TV – reach out to your local TV station for extra exposure.

And the best piece of advice:

      6. We all have experience and are an expert in our own fields….find your passion!

Business of Blogging

Laurie Turk {@TipJunikie}, Tiffany Romero {@TiffanyRom}, Allison Tallamantez {@AzTalamantez} & Danielle Liss {@Danielle Liss}

There are different ways to make money:

• Traffic – ad networks
• eBook
• Brand campaigns
• Consulting
•  Endorsement
• Collaborating with other business women
• Live events

1. If you go into partnership – have an exit strategy.
2. Media kit vs. sell sheet – list out what you can do for companies, your strengths and past experience.
3. How do you set yourself apart from others? Combine your off-line and on-line experience.
4. Figure out how to be a brand’s hero – what is their mission? Who are they trying to reach?
5. Think outside of the box – put a new spin into a campaign idea. This will set you apart from others.
6. The phone is NOT dead – yes email is quick, but a phone call is personable and will leave a lasting impression.
   
7. Make a pitch calendar – just like a content calendar, create a pitch calendar. Plan for holidays and big events. Start a few months in advance when companies are making their decisions.
8. Ask questions – find out what a brand needs and how you can help them.
9. Follow up – if you send a proposal, follow up in a few days.

And the best piece of advice:

      10. Don’t bet again yourself!

Writers Workshp

Jill Smokler {@scarymommy}, Francesca Banducci {@SITSGirls} & Cecily Kellogg {@CecilyK}

1. 6-word sentence exercise- create a 6 word sentence or bio to describe who you are. Earnest Hemingway had this great exercise: “For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn.”
   What would be YOUR 6-word bio?
2. Morning Pages – every day, before you do anything, write three pages (longhand) a day. Why? Clear your head from clutter, find out what you want to write about, hone your craft.
3. Let your audience tell you what they want – not sure what to write about, or what your blog represents? Ask your audience! They will tell you ( and might surprise you too!)

And the best piece of advice:

      4. Give your readers a call to action in every post!

SEO: 10 Things to Make Google Love You

Dali Burgado {@DaliBurgado}

1. Create sharable content – and make it easy for people to share on your blog.
2. Use Google AdWords Keyword Tool – it’s free!
3. Create a juicy title – include keywords, make it compelling!
4. How to get people to click on your post? Create an enticing title and description using SEO.
5. Don’t over use keywords – Google doesn’t like this.
6. Writing about a product? Use SKU #’s – will help pick up traffic.
7. Link to yourself  – link back to old posts and make sure to hyperlink key word phrases. Make sure it’s relevant content and makes sense.
8. Don’t be stingy – link back to others, this helps your traffic!
9. Use long-tail keyword phrases - Google prefers longer phrases.

And the best piece of advice:

      10. Create your Google+ account and get active!

Proven Methods to Grow Your Site and Increase Your Influence

Sharon Rowley {@SharonMomof6}

1. Link up – find weekly memes and link up!
2. Guest post – best way to work on your writing and get your name out there is to guest post. Don’t be afraid to approach your favorite blog and ask.
3. Find a tribe – choose people you feel comfortable asking questions to and those that will support each other. This is a great way to amplify posts too.
4. Content will always be king – without good content, why would readers come to visit?
5. Start small – don’t expect this to happen over night. Baby steps.

And the best piece of advice:

      6. Set a goal, make a plan, and do the work to reach that goal!

It’s all about supporting one another and being happy for the successes of others.

When one blogger gets an amazing opportunity, it opens the door for everyone else.

This is why we started the GLO network. To build a supportive network and help create meaningful connections.

Interested in learning how to get off-line and build your community? See tips for building your off-line network.

Thinking about starting a blog and not sure where to start? Read more on how to start a blog.

And it’s important to learn why people may not be reading your blog.

Do you want to guest post more? Here are our tips on how to guest post.

After this weekend we all learned that Google+ is where it’s at! Read why you should use Google+.

Need advice for attending a conference? Then you should read tips for attending a conference.

Subscribe to the RSS feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Tina

Tina Seitzinger is the Co-founder of Girls' Lunch Out {GLO} and part of the social media team for BabyCenter. She is also the Trend Trio family expert from P&G's Have You Tried This Yet? program. She's a mom of two boys and the voice behind Life Without Pink, a personal blog about motherhood and raising all boys.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook