MN Blogger Conference

Are you a blogger? Do you live in Minnesota? Then you have to attend the MN Blogger Conference next year. No if’s and or but’s about it.

I happened upon this conference by fate when I added @MNBlogCon on Twitter. I then started to see posts about the conference and knew that I had to get a ticket. Since I am pretty new to blogging, it was a chance to see what blogging really looks like in Minnesota. I had no idea what an awesome community we have here.

The MN Blogger Conference is a gathering of bloggers and professionals who work with blogging products or with bloggers. The best part is that it is FREE. Yes, Free. Thanks to the many sponsors. (Allina Health, Pioneer Press, National Camera Exchange, Strother Communications Group, Mall of America, Plum District, Sleep Number, Padilla Speer Beardsley, Glimpses of Soul Photography, Art House, Muddy Paws Cheesecake )

Not only is this a great networking opportunity, this is a place where you can learn new skills to enhance your blog. I can say that I learned invaluable information at this year conference and met people who are helping me on my blogging journey. (Thank you Mykl Roventine, Grant Landram, Elan Karpinski, and Jen )

Whether you are a new blogger, a seasoned blogger, or someone who loves to write and is thinking about starting a blog, there is something here for everyone.

The first session I attended was Behind the Scenes: Brands and Blogger Relations by Lauren Melcher of Weber Shandwick. This presentation was about blogger relation programs. For Bloggers, it was a chance to see what these programs can look like and for industry professionals it was a view into what bloggers think about these programs. Lauren shared her knowledge and made me think about what I want to do in the future with my blog and what I should be doing professionally (Please hire me Weber Shandwick).

The next session I attended was about how to avoid being sued with Steve Aggergaard. It was very informative about steps you should take but left me with a lot of questions. I think next year we need a question and answer session with a lawyer. But, Steve’s presentation was a great introduction for someone who is just starting a blog.

Lastly, I attended Mykl Roventine’s 15 Essential WordPress Plugins- and 5 that will blow your mind. My mind was officially blown. I learned a lot about plugins and which ones to choose. Overall, it was great advice for someone who has been researching which plugins to use and can’t decide.

The keynote speaker was by Rick Kupchella who is now working on bring me the news. A new local news source. It is interesting how they are adding to the local news scene here in Minnesota.

Overall, this conference was something I can look back on and say that I am truly blessed to have a chance to be part of. I learned about how to further my blog, met wonderful people, and now have the confidence to move forward with my dream of reaching out and helping other Minnesotans with my blog.

I started my blog because I wanted to force myself to get out and try new things and encourage others to do the same. It is the best thing in the world to see others benefit from one of your posts and see local businesses and products gain new customers (contact me on twitter @mplsgossipgirl if you would like to be featured). I wanted to thank all of the fellow bloggers who have supported my efforts and sent me new readers.

The Minnesota Blogger Conference is something that I will be attending for many years to come, in hope that one day, I can be one of those people who helps a new blogger gain the confidence it takes to keep blogging.

http://mnbloggerconference.com/

because Minnesota Bloggers are amazing!

@mplsgossipgirl