As I promised, I wanted to do a full recap of my very first blog conference that I attended last weekend. Since I am still a newb to this whole blogging venture, I had so many people dumbfounded when I told them I was heading to a blog conference for the weekend. I got reactions like “Wait, bloggers have their own conventions?” or “What do you do at these things?”. I know it might seem like us bloggers just hop on any old computer and spill our guts on whatever tickles our fancy for that day but that really could be further from the truth. I used to think the same thing 6 months ago. Then once I actually embarked on this blogging venture I quickly learned that it takes a lot more behind the scenes work than you could ever imagine. I even did my research before I started this blog and nothing could have prepared me for how much work, knowledge, technical skills, creativity, and upkeep goes into a blog. So yes, it did take a full day to cram a whole lot of blogger tips and tricks into one conference and I’m sharing my biggest takeaways.
Megan Weaver– Photography speaker
Ashley Rose-Growing Your Social Media
Photography by: Meg Cady
There were so many great speakers and I learned something from every single one of them. That just shows you how much there is to all of this blogging stuff! The speakers covered topics such as social media growth, blogger photography tips, working with sponsors, Google Analytics, SEO, and how to use Pinterest. My journal was torn up with notes on all of the things I should be doing yet had no idea were even a thing! Being a newb in this blogging game is overwhelming at times with there being such a steep learning curve but that’s what drives me to keep learning and improving. I have something that I have created on my own and let’s me share with the world something I otherwise wouldn’t have the chance to do. So here are my biggest takeaways from the conference.
- Remember why you started– Alissa Circle hit us with this thought right off the bat. It’s such an easy thing to forget when things get overwhelming and stressful but at the end of the day I love being able to have It’s All Chic To Me as a creative outlet and source of passion.
- Big things have small beginnings– Started from the bottom now we here? Don’t tell me you didn’t think the same thing. Well it’s true. You aren’t going to gain 100k followers overnight or suddenly become “blog famous”. It takes time, diligence and consistency. I can hear my mother’s voice now chiming in “patience is key”. Yea yea yea.
- Be authentic– In a world so saturated with bloggers and information being thrown at you from every form of social media, people crave honesty and someone they can connect with. Transparency is key, yet finding some sort of balance between perfect and imperfection.
- Saying no is ok– This one is a hard one for me. I like to think of myself as a “yes girl”. I try not to say no to many things. Why? Because YOLO, thats why. Well when it comes to blogging I’ve learned that you become a source for advertisement and that means all kinds of brands and companies are going to want to use your platform as a place to advertise their products, whether thats something you would normally support or not. It is then my job to say if I want that product or content on my blog. Saying no to new opportunities, free products, and potentially some sort of payout are hard, but in the end well worth it if it means not supporting a brand you don’t believe in and in turn saving yourself from sacrificing your authenticity.
- Stay humble– It’s funny how so many of my friends and peers have already jokingly told me “Don’t forget me when you make it big”. This baffles me because I know how much support all of you give me to keep writing and posting and it is that motivation alone that keeps me going on this crazy venture So don’t worry, I plan on bringing all of you with me, maybe virtually, but I promise you that WHEN I make it big, you guys will be the ones making it with me!
- Community over competition– I know I’m beating a dead horse here (if you’ve read any of my recent posts) but it really is true. It is amazing to me the depth of knowledge that some of these ladies are packing. I could have sat in that conference room and just absorbed every bit of information each girl spewed out. The ladies that I have had the privilege of meeting and doing life with are the ones who have helped me get to where I am. There is room in this world for all of us to thrive, so let’s get out and do it! O and check out my Thrive Tribe 🙂
Make sure to check out my Thrive Tribe and their blogs for more details of their outfits and their experience at their first time at Thrive.
Roselyn – The Style_Lynn Kind | Brittany – Hello Honey | Hope – Tassels and Tabbies | Erin – Style Spies
Margret – Style the Girl | Sara – Haute and Humid | Dede – Dress Up Buttercup | Me – It’s All Chic to Me | Dawn – Dawn P. Darnell
Dress (similar) | Shoes | Necklace | Earrings | Clutch | Sunglasses
*Thank you Kendra Scott for sponsoring this post*
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