I am no longer a Blogher Virgin!

I went to Blogher this year for the first time. I have to give a lot of credit to my sister in bloggerhood @LosingCity who not only let me know when the conference was but also reminded me that the early bird rate was ending (way back when) and that I better get on the ball (and when she speaks I listen!). Thanks boo!

Fast forward about 6 months and we were Blogher 2012 ready. I had very specific goals:

1. Better understnd the key metrics I should be using for my blog?

2. Media kit: do I need one and what should a media kit for a blog look like

3. How do I work with brands?

  
I was so excited and overwhelmed at the same time. There were expo booths everywhere, swag dripping from every corner, food at every single turn (check my Instagram @chicbusymom to see how much I OD'd), interesting funny and inspiring keynote speakers (insert Martha Stewart and Katie Couric here). 

Keynote Highlights:

@KatieCouric 'just block his ass'-discussing an annoying person on Twitter. This phrase inspires me to finally curate my Twitter followers and block a few asses (hehe).

@MarthaStewart gets asked is there anything you aren't good at? After a volleyball like pause she says 'I guess anything I haven't tried yet?' How amazeballs is that? I am definitely using that

I also...

1. Learned some key Media Kit tidbits from @Marcymassura during an intimate sesssion at the Geek Bar. Eight people in a group getting all their questions answered. Focussed and awesom.

2. Met @IssaRae the genius creator behind the Awkward Black Girl web series and @Chescaleigh creator of Sh&t White Girls Say to Black Girls, and a bunch of bloggers  I speak to on Twitter like @SayitRashay (hey boo!) and in general was pleasantly surprised by the number of bloggers of color in attendance. 

3. Ate my weight (damn that's a lot) in chocolate in the Hershey\Walmart  suite. I think I got sucked into the S'mores track below. It was like a big girls dream. 

By the end of the first day I was so tired that I didn't have any energy to go to the parties (there is a benefit to having a hotel room for the very necessary disco nap.). 

4. Scored this mammoth sized recipe book from the Reader's Digest Suite where I had a tasty and slightly weird Banana and Avocado smoothie:

5. Got to root and cheer for all the Voices of the Year winners (awesome program). Shout out to @NoShoppingLiz (you had me cracking up! She curses and I like it!!), my girl @IssaMas and @WhatNowandWhy who shared her Trayvon Martin story with us.

I mean that's a lot right? My brain was swimming with information but my life in the blogersphere had been renewed and re-focussed. I honestly have to thank Blogher 2012 for  job well done. I have a very high bar when it comes to event user experience (you better recognize) and I was impressed and would definitely recommend it to other blogger virgins like me (blushes and waves her Blogger Freak Flag).

Smooches,

chicbusymom