Best Little Blogging Conferences
My friends who don’t work in Social Media ask me, “But where do you GO when you travel? I thought you did everything on your laptop?” Lord knows I’ve had my share of carpal tunnel from overactive laptop usage, but I do travel, a lot. While most of my travel is to visit my clients, I also travel to blogger conferences, frequently and often.
When I do travel for fun, I like to find one cozy village or spot and camp out there. There’s nothing better than staying at a historic boutique hotel in a big city or finding a village where you get to know the restaurant proprietor and frequent the same café every morning. I have the same feeling about blogging conferences and we do go to the big ones like SXSW and BlogWorld. And while there, we believe in living large. While the huge blogger conferences provide for great story-telling, (Think “Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.”) it’s the smaller, intimate conferences I prefer.
One of my favorite little blogging conference is coming up in a week. Blogalicious bills itself as a conference celebrating “diversity” in the blogosphere. I like to joke that when I go, I’m the diversity. I’ve gotten to know the organizer of the conference, Stacey Ferguson well and ended up working with her on a few of our client campaigns. I met an amazing woman who runs something called the Digital Sisterhood at Blogalicious named Ananda Leeke. Ananda practically bowled me down at the Miami Ritz at Blogalicious last year when she learned I was involved in the Macy’s Heart of Haiti campaign. That chance encounter blossomed into a rich friendship and Ananda and I ended up going to Haiti together earlier this year. Another relationship fostered at Blogalicious was with this amazing Californian named Tracey Friley. Tracey calls herself “your every day brown girl culturalista celebrating culture, diversity, humanity and travel.” Recently Tracey traveled to Atlanta from San Francisco and we had her in for an afternoon chat we affectionately call #WiseWoman sessions with the team. We’re still referring to Tracey’s witty and wise commentary. Better yet, Tracey and I are scheming on going to Haiti together this January.
One day at a Blogalicious lunch, I sat next to a woman named Jewel Figueras and somehow our orbits kept colliding over the next year. Jewel is based in Miami and when I was there last year on a layover from Beirut, Jewel picked me up and took me out for Cuban food and Sangria.
For me, social media has never been about the technology. It’s all about the relationships. Blogging conferences are the same. They foster a connectivity that can blossom and explode into a business relationship or a new friendship. Small blogging conferences allow for a kind of intimacy and opportunity to sit down and really explore synchronicity. In just over a week, I’ll be there, at Blogalicious at the Gaylord, exploring synchronicity with friends new and old.
Awww, Danica. How nice. *blush* The team at beEverywhere treated me like a princess! What a pleasant surprise and a pleasure to meet everyone. But OMG, wise? That’s a lot of pressure to live up to. =) Looking forward to a lifechanging journey to Haiti. You already know I’m all in…
What a beautiful post! I am so excited to be attending this year! I am learning so much from you wonderful ladies and I have not even arrived to DC yet! See you there!
Great post. This will be my first Blogalicious conference and I am looking forward to connecting with you and many more. EXCITED!!!!!
Thanks Danica. I feel the same way. See you in a few days!
Okay, I know I should be serious here and we should all discuss the value of attending a blogging conference like Blogalcious, but truly ladies. What are we going to wear? And which events should I put on my ABSOLUTELY do not miss list? Look forward to seeing you ALL!!
Hugs!
what a wonderful post! we’re so glad to have met you and to call you a friend. see you SOON!!!!!!!!!
Hats off to you Stacey (aka Justice Fergie). So you REAL soon!
Isn’t Blogalicious wonderful??? I’ve developed so many great relationships over the past three conferences. I can’t wait to see you in DC. (BTW, I’ve had my share of carpal tunnel syndrome, too)
Krystal see you soon!
Danica…oh this sounds like a great little conference. I, too, love the smaller hotels or B&B’s when traveling. Now I am all in for the Digital Sisterhood and cannot wait to have a wise woman session with you!! Have fun, tell everything and travel safely!!! XOXOX
If you love the idea of Digital Sisterhood follow @beblogalicious & great Twitter stream now. #blogalicious11. Some good takeaways.
Blogalicious is always on my list of a conference I must attend but I never plan enough in advance and miss it. One of theses days I’ll get there!
Melinda, come next year. I’m here right now and it’s phenomenal. Putting up pictures on the Everywhere Facebook page today!