Mini Bloggy Bootcamp NYC Recap + 3 Things I Learned
I was lucky enough to get an invite to a Mini Bloggy Bootcamp NYC this past weekend. I had already been salivating for my one day Bloggy Boot Camp in Charlotte, NC. So when I heard about this one I was all over it, especially that it was free and so graciously sponsored by Invisalign.
It was held at The Muse Hotel which is just steps away (6 blocks) from my job. I was a bit tardy because I was scheduled to usher the last service so I ran over there (church outfit and all) and walked in as the fabulous Tiffany and Fran (founders of the SITS girls) started dropping knowledge.
From the moment I sat down I was furiously scribbling notes. Usually I love to live tweet bloggy conferences but this one was so packed with so much good info that I simply could not get distracted or I might have missed something!
I’m no bloggy conference expert…yet. However, this mini bloggy bootcamp flipped all my bloggy knowledge on its head. Their expert knowledge on SEO had people oohing and ahhing, and having lightbulb moments! I have taken an SEO course prior at a conference and it came no where close to the hour we got with these ladies.
After that session (which had me reeling) we got a really good presentation from our sponsors Invisalign. We had live patients before and afters, and by the time we  were done I think I wanted some Invisalign for myself! (I certainly needed it as a teen!)
When we were done with that we had some nice cocktails and appetizers. I only had appetizers and ice water but the selection of drinks looked pretty fab.
some eats
During this time we also got to mingle and I finally got to give Michelle from A Dish Of Daily Life a big hug (I told y’all I was a hugger!) and we got to take a picture. And in case you were wondering she is just as sweet in person!
I got to meet a few new bloggers and Marie from Raising Great Men. She and I exchanged very similar stories of our male children and it was nice talking to someone who got it. Even if it was for 15 minutes 🙂 (she runs a really great twitter chat on Fridays for moms with boys!) so even though we didn’t know each other blog wise, we were connected through twitter. Proof why twitter is my favorite social media platform by a million. Even if I stopped blogging twitter will always be my BFF, it was there for me wayyyy before blogging but I digress.
Next after eats was how to write a killer sponsored post. This session was filled with little nuggets on what brands are looking for including the fact that you do that’ve to be the biggest blog, brands often want blogs who are very engaged with their audience.
Top 3 Things I Learned from Mini Bloggy Bootcamp NYC
- If its not a hell yeah then it’s a no. – if it makes no sense for your blog don’t sell yourself out just for the opportunity which leads me to the next–
- Pay It Forward: if you get an opportunity that does not fit your brand, refer another blogger in your network. Example: you get a pitch from a maternity company but you aren’t pregnant. I’m sure you know someone in the bloggy world that’s pregnant (is it me but it seems like somebody is always with child?!) so you can send the brand their information. Makes perfect sense. I have had some (a good amount) of pitches that just didn’t fit me…next time I will pay it forward.
- Go back and SEO your old posts: This is a seriously good tip. WordPress users if you use Yoast make sure you are going back tweaking, creating new images, using the alt tags in your images, tracking titles, even reposting old posts your newer bigger audience.
I felt like getting up in the middle if the conference room and singing in my best Jennifer Hudson voice “and you , and you, and you gonna lovvvvvvee meeeeee (google)”
We wrapped up close to my bed time, I introduced myself to our lovely presenters and headed home.
Thanks so much to the SITS Girls and Invisalign for such a wonderful event! If its coming to a city near you don’t hesitate!
43 comments
First off, quit blogging…don’t you dare lady! Second, I’m so jelly pop! Two of my favs in the building. Cute picture of you and Michelle. Glad it was worth your time being free and all…major score!
SEO and I are not buddies yet, but I do a good job ( I think) of naming my pictures with the appropriate tags. I’m torn but twitter for blog friends and FB for readers, then there’s IG for personal but can’t quite figure out how to make it work for the blog.
I just *recently* started adding tags to my pictures, I have so MUCH old pictures like 2 years worth, that I need to tag. I need an intern LOL Instagram is great but i don’t do it to promote the blog…instead I use it to make new bloggy connections. Instagram is way more personal than any other network. but I do see bloggers take a pic of their website on a laptop or something promoting new posts.
I’m with you Twitter is hands down my favorite! This looked like such a great boot camp. I still have not been to any I’m thinking of going to the blogging while brown conference we’ll see.
It was pretty awesome! You should come! I will be there and the agenda is simply OFF the chain. I don’t know what i’m going to do when I get there, SO many choices!! plus its in our backyard!
The SEO thing is genius. I looked at my stats and realized that over 50% of my traffic came from Google searches. Now I never leave a post without it!
I’m learning that Eva! I am stunned at the increase just since I started doing it! Thank you so much for stopping by.
Ok, so I am sooooo sad I won’t make it to BBC! Gosh! Maybe next year! I’m glad you had a great time and learned so much, I definitely need to go back and SEO some of my pictures. Especially from when I first began blogging!
OMG Britt you aren’t coming?! *insert sad face* We shall meet some other time! I am trying to go back and SEO but its so hard to find the time!
You and Michelle are straight up adorable, and we cannot wait to meet both of you!! We really hope they cover SEO at the Charlotte conference, as we definitely need some help! 🙂 Thank you for this fabulous re-cap!-The Dose Girls
Can’t wait to meet you guys too! One more week!
I learned so much! Planning on putting together a post on my take aways as well…hopefully later this week! I learned SO much!! You hit it right on the nail…they covered an amazing amount of material in a short period of time! And of course it was so great to meet you! Thank you twitter…also my fav!!
Yes, BBCCHAR in just one week, woot!!
Sounds like great infortaion at the conference and a great time! I love reading posts by bloggers who go to the conferences, it gives us insight–especially those of us who can’t go.
Glad to hear it, I believe in sharing the info so you will always see it from me!
To meet the “bloggy friends” in person is unreal! I can’t imagine actually meeting up with you ladies. My conference dreams have been shot down at every turn. Oh well, I’ll continue to live through you.
You will one day just you see! Put it out in the universe!!
Sounds like you learned so much! LOVE conferences that are full of knowledge.
Yeah the SEO stuff I thought I learned at BlogHer didn’t really settle in until I moved to WP. Are you still coming over?? 🙂
This is great. Seems like really good info just from the little bit I read on the power-point screen.lol. Great summary Nellie.Thanks for sharing your learning nuggests 🙂
No problem 🙂 It was super easy to share, why hog all the knowledge for myself?
How fun does this sound! I need one of these! I’m loving how all my blog buddies get to do such cool stuff — I just write about me and my life haha nothing to major 🙂
You are something very major 😉 One thing I learned a while ago is that individually we all have so much to give!
What an awesome opportunity Nellie! I’m glad you were able to walk away with lots of new bloggy info! I can’t wait to attend my first blog conference.
Is it gonna be blogalicious?! 🙂 I can’t wait! I just booked my flight this week for super cheap.
Great tips I just referred someone in my group who writes book to someone since I am not an author. Make sure when you come down to Atl for the upcoming conference we get to meet up. I won’t be attending but I am meeting a few bloggers coming in from out of town.
Yes! Would love to, just make sure you send me the deets!
Hey Nellie! Sounds like you had fun…and right down the street from your job, how fab was that! Don’t you just love seminars that are so informative, you have to come up for air? 🙂 As far as SEOs…I.just.can’t.get.the.hang.of.it! I’m sure it’s so easy that even a caveman can do it! I guess I haven’t found an easy enough explanation/tutorial on how to do it. One day though…I’ll figure it out, lol! Thanks for sharing your experience Nellie…have a lovely evening!
Hey Michell! SEO is a tricky beast but once you get the hang of it, its pretty worth it!
I know zero about SEO. I get that there are key words and that’s about it.
Twitter. The answer is always Twitter. 🙂
Really like the tip on paying it forward for the sponsor contacts you decline. I need to do that more often.
Yes, I was able to that a couple of times this week, felt good!
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the event! It was such a pleasure to meet you.
Can’t wait for you to see SEO improve our traffic- especially Google+.
Hope to see you at a future BBC!
xoxo
Tiffany
Thanks so much for stopping by Tiffany! I will be at Charlotte on Saturday so see you there!
Oh boy! How exciting! I really would love to attend a workshop or camp in my area. So far I have found one. It would be so nice to connect with a blogger that I chat with on a regular basis, it would be like meeting a celebrity…lol. FREE is a great word for a blogging seminar. You came away with some great info and thanks for sharing!
Living F.A.B.ulously on Purpose
yeah it was pretty awesome, you should keep an eye out they are travelling all over the country!
I love an informative conference or workshop that gets you excited and actually has you walking out the door with all kinds of new ideas. Sounds like this event did just that for you. Wish I heard about this one. Glad you had the opportunity to attend. I learned some things just from your tips at the end. I have to stay on top of those alt titles/tags for images. Thanks!
I love conferences too! I am terrible at tagging my images, just one more thing to do!
Wow. This sounds like a hell of an experience! Glad you had a great experience. Sounds like you got a lot out of it.
My favorite is blogging but I don’t have a twitter account, so I don’t know what I’m missing out on.
twitter may or may not be for you, i’ve seen people join and love it and the opposite. Maybe one day!
I attended the Chicago one. It was amazing and I learned alot. I have a lot of work to do.
Great recap!
wasn’t it so much awesomeness packed in a few hours?! I’ve got a lot of work to do as well 😉
Oh Miz, if you used SEO even a little you will have world domination, isn’t that tempting?! 🙂
Love these tips. I am in the process of going back to my old posts and SEO ing ( is that a word?) them. It’s hard. I don’t like SEO, don’t understand it and need a whole class on it. Maybe Blogalicious will have one!
[…] shoot a few videos. One of the key messages that  I learned from The SITS girls when I went to the mini bloggy bootcamp in Manhattan, and when I went to bloggy bootcamp in Charlotte–EPIC recap forthcoming–is that its a […]