2012 Conference Link Round Up

Admin1 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 04:27:40 +0000

Many thanks to all who attended the 3rd annual MN Blogger Conference in Minneapolis Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. We’ll use this post to share links to all the slides from speakers and round up posts from attendees. We’ll update as often as possible.

Speaker posts/slides:

Blogging to be Found and Hired – Sara Kerr
15 WordPress Plug Ins - Mykl Roventine
Behind the Scenes Brands and Blogger Relations Programs – Lauren Melcher
Podcasting Panel Resources - Steve Borsch, Patrick Rhone, Albert Maruggi and Kate O’Reilly
Moving your blog to WordPress - Grant Landram
Peel a sticker from your phone… - Julio Ojeda-Zapata
Content is a Banquet: Is Your Audience Being Served? – David Hedrick Skarjune
Not Just for Words: Make Your Blog More Powerful with Images – Teresa Boardman
Building Credibility with Audiences Through Writing – Trent Kays
Blogging for a Strong and Diverse Community – Eric Hare

Attendee posts:

The MN Blogger Conference Recap in Photos by Arik Hanson
complete :: 3rd annual blogger conference :: by Missy Berggren
MN Blogger Conference Speaker Notes by Sara Kerr
MN Blogger Conference Charity Recap by Stacy Pearson
MN Blogger Conference recap – Toys in the Dryer
MN Blogger Conference Recap: Part 1 – Amanda Ingle
MN Blogger Conference video clips – Joel E. Carlson
MN Blogger Conference 2012 Recap – Helmet or Heels
4 Things I Learned at MN Blog Con 2012 - MaKenzie Wangsness

If you have a relevant post you want us to list here, please send us a note to mnblogconf at g mail dot com.

Q & A With Past MN Blogger Conference Attendees

Admin1 — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 01:30:50 +0000

I attended my first MN Blogger Conference in 2011, and was inspired by all of the amazing people in attendance. I met the following bloggers last year and wanted to share their stories with you. Enjoy this question and answer with three great bloggers, and be sure to add their blogs to your blog reader.

AMANDA INGLE – MS. GIGGLES

http://www.msgiggles.com

Tell me about your blog – when did it start, what is the intention/purpose, etc?

I started my blog last year after the Minnesota Blogger Conference. When I started I was full of motivation and excitement from all the wonderful bloggers I had met, plus I had prior blogging experience being the blog manager for Anytime Health (a health and wellness blog).

I knew I wanted to start my own blog because I have so much to say. Plus, this

blog would be mine. Ms. Giggles is all about inspiration and education with a little

random mixed in. I talk about life, design, travel, fashion, and more. It’s a true

lifestyle blog covering anything that inspires me.

I love being able to share my experiences with my readers, especially my Grandma

who is an email subscriber. She loves reading them and I know that I will continue

writing, if just for her!

Where do you see your blog in five years?

I see it growing with the next generation of the web. In regards to blogs, we don’t

know exactly where content will lie in 2016. It might still be with blogs, or it might

be something really cool that we don’t know about yet. All I know is that I intend on

making my content stand out on whatever platform it is best suited for.

Why did you decide to attend the MN Blogger Conference? Had your blog

really started then, or did you find inspiration to really get it going?

I attended the bloggers conference to grow the multi-blogger platform I manage,

Anytime Health. I always am looking to further my education and knowledge

especially when it’s something I deal with every day! I love all of my bloggers

on Anytime Health because they inspire people to change their lives…which is

hard enough! The MN Blogger Conference really opened my eyes to creating a sense of community with the readers on AH!

What inspires you in relation to your blog?

The better question is probably what doesn’t inspire me…I love so many different

things and that makes it easier to write. Whatever you’re passionate about is what

you should be writing…it makes it ten times easier. I get inspired by other bloggers.

I love to see what they are doing in their lives and that inspires me!

Did you catch any inspiration at last year’s event?

I will bet that I was the MOST inspired person there! What an amazing group of

bloggers we have in this state. Everyone is always willing to help out with advice,

guest blogging, and more! I love that the “Minnesota Nice” translates to bloggers.

Are you hoping to attend this year? Anything in particular you’re looking

forward to/would like to learn about?

I will be attending this year, if I can get a ticket. I am always looking for how people

cultivate their communities and how they keep them in their circle.

JOSH BRAATEN – BIG PICTURE WEB

http://www.BigPictureWeb.com

Tell me about your blog – when did it start, what is the intention/purpose, etc?

My blog is BigPictureWeb.com. It started about three years ago with a pretty loose

goal of learning and talking about online marketing, but I’ve narrowed the scope

considerably since and now provide tips for folks using the Squarespace content

management system. I’ve also recently started ContentScientists.com to blog about

inbound marketing.

Where do you see your blog in five years?

It would be nice to expand into tips in the design and development arenas, as I’m

primarily a marketer. I see growing Big Picture Web into a blog with multiple

authors, who would each bring their unique community and style.

Why did you decide to attend the MN Blogger Conference? Had your blog really started then, or did you find inspiration to really get it going?

I think it was a mix of both. The first MN Blogger Conference occurred right about

the time I was starting to get the hang of things, and it was energizing to meet so

many like-minded people. The conference really helped validate certain things that

were working with my own blog, and alert me to a few things I was doing wrong

that prevented my blog from growing.

What inspires you in relation to your blog?

I can try anything I want on my blog and I learn a ton in the process. We have

constraints in so many areas of our lives. My blog has been my chance to learn so

many amazing things by trying them out and seeing what happens. I believe this

type of kinetic learning is a valuable skill in this era where the future seems closer

every day.

Did you catch any inspiration at last year’s event?

Always. I got to know a little bit about each blogger and why they were successful.

I’m inspired that what makes each blog worth reading varies greatly. Some blogs are

amazing because they’re visual. Some because they’re articulate and verbose. Yet

some still are all of those things. Every blog is unique, so it’s inspiring to think about

what one might create.

Are you hoping to attend this year? Anything in particular you’re looking forward to/would like to learn about?

Absolutely! I’m most looking forward to connecting with the Minnesota blogging

community throughout the day. I’ve developed friendships with a lot of the

attendees over the last two years, and it will be lively and fun to connect with

everyone through the stellar presentations at the MN Blogger Conference.

JAMIE AND LINDSI – TOYS IN THE DRYER

http://www.ToysInTheDryer.com

Tell me about your blog – when did it start, what is the intention/purpose, etc?

ToysInTheDryer.com went live on September 5, 2011. We had both been blogging on other blogs that took up a lot of our time with little reward. We were talking one day about ideas to help us spend more quality time with our children. We decided to start a blog together to help us do just that. (We know, it’s technically counter-productive, however, it really hasn’t been for us!) Toys In The Dryer was started with purpose of being a “business” blog while helping us spend more time with our children. We are rewarded not only with money, products, and opportunities, we are also rewarded with memories of time spent with our children!

Where do you see your blog in five years?

We would love to be big enough to have more people writing for us. We would like to be making a minimum of $500 dollars a month. We hope to have a large community of interactive readers.

Why did you decide to attend the MN Blogger Conference? Had your blog really started then, or did you find inspiration to really get it going?

We wanted to network with other MN bloggers. Toys In The Dryer had been live for five days when last year’s conference took place however, people knew our name because we had marketed ourselves and interacted with our future readers for several weeks via Facebook, Twitter, and our other blogs prior to going live. I’m not sure if we found inspiration, per se, at the conference however we did educate ourselves and found great enthusiasm through networking.

What inspires you in relation to your blog?

Our children. Toys In The Dryer is about spending quality time with your children and making memories. Our children’s interests inspire us to become creative with ideas for them. Our blog helps us build our relationships with them as well.

Did you catch any inspiration at last year’s event?

Meeting bigger bloggers at the conference help us see our goals for our blog and what we want to become in the future.

Are you hoping to attend this year? Anything in particular you’re looking forward to/would like to learn about?

Yes, we are planning on attending this year’s conference. We would love to see a session on the legalities of Pinterest. Last year’s session on Facebook and other social networking sites was eye opening, however Pinterest was not as popular back then. It has since become a huge part of gaining traffic to people’s blogs (including our own).

Get a new headshot, help a charity

Admin1 — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 03:48:49 +0000

A first-rate headshot that captures your current look can add a personal and professional touch to your blog and your entire online footprint. Don’t miss your chance to update your headshot this year at the MN Blogger Conference.

Get Your Best Shot!

Glimpses of Soul Photography will return to take professional headshot photographs at the conference this year. Mandy Dwyer, photographer and owner of Twin Cities-based Glimpses of Soul Photography will be on hand to take a limited number of headshots during the conference. Mandy is an accomplished photographer, who is highly skilled at capturing real life images while putting her subjects at ease.

We recommend a minimum donation of $25, but the amount you pay is up to you. All donations will go to Free Arts Minnesota, the featured charity for the 2012 MN Blogger Conference. Free Arts Minnesota brings the healing powers of artistic expression into the lives of abused, neglected and at-risk children and their families. The nonprofit is dedicated to healing young lives through artistic expression.

A Word of Thanks to Our Photographer

Last year the headshots provided by Glimpses of Soul Photography were wonderful and we heard fabulous comments from bloggers who were thankful for the opportunity to get a professional headshot for a fraction of the typical cost. Thank you again Mandy for your generous contribution of time! Your generosity is part of what makes the MN Blogger Conference a true success!

Sneak Peek at the 2012 Speaker Line Up

Admin1 — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 03:03:19 +0000

After getting input from past attendees, meeting with our core planning team of highly-engaged bloggers, and reviewing session submissions from some pretty talented Minnesotans, we’ve landed on a list of hot topics (and speakers) for the 3rd annual MN Blogger Conference.

For the last week we’ve been reaching out to these folks and are happy to share this first glimpse at how the agenda is shaping up:

Opening Keynote – Rick Kupchella, Bring Me The News
Behind the Scenes: Brands and Blogger Relations Programs – Lauren Melcher, Weber Shandwick
15 Essential WordPress Plugins (and 5 That Will Just Blow Your Mind) – Mykl Roventine, Designer of Things
Not just for words: Make your blog more powerful with images – Teresa Boardman, Professional Photographer
Blogging to be found and hired – Sara Kerr, Professor at St. Catherine University
Increase the visibility of your blog – Dave Folkens and Dave Schad, Padilla Speer Beardsley
Google+? The social network as a blogging platform – Julio Ojeda-Zapata, tech writer at Pioneer Press
How to gain credibility with your readers through writing – Trent M Kays, Graduate Instructor and PhD Student, University of Minnesota
Connecting: Blogging for a Strong and Diverse Community – Erik Hare, erikorganic.com

We’ll post full session descriptions and speaker bios soon. Meanwhile, we are working through additional topics and speakers, and have a few surprises up our sleeves. Don’t forget, registration opens Wednesday morning, August 22, at 9 a.m. The tickets moved really quickly last year, so make sure you are ready to register that morning if you hope to attend.

Registering for the conference – tips on how to get a ticket

Admin1 — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 18:48:50 +0000

Tickets for the 2012 Minnesota Blogger Conference will go fast. After all, the best things in life are free.

We’ve heard you say tickets are hard to come by, so we’ve done our best to make it as painless as possible. Those who plan ahead and are serious about attending will find a way to get their hands on a ticket. Here are a few simple steps to make your registration experience a better one:

Mark your calendar with ticket release days and times: Tickets will be available:

Wednesday, August 22 at 9 a.m.
Saturday, August 25 at noon
Wednesday, August 29 at 4 p.m.

Be ready at your computer, with the event ticket page already loaded, and hit refresh at the designated time to see the tickets become available.

Have your Eventbrite account ready before ticket release times. If you have never used Eventbrite, get started by visiting the Eventbrite registration page at https://www.eventbrite.com/signup/
Watch for ticket giveaways from our sponsors. Follow our sponsors on your social media pages for Facebook and Twitter. Our sponsors include Pioneer Press, Mall of America, Allina Health, Padilla Speer Beardsley, National Camera Exchange, Strother Communications Group, Plum District, Sleep Number.
As a last resort after attempting the above items 1, 2 and 3, you can always add your name to the waiting list. After all the batches of tickets are released, a waitlist will be started on eventbrite. Inevitably, people will cancel and their tickets will be rereleased.

Who Should Register

Because Allina Health is a secure space, all attendees must have a ticket and be registered 72 hours before the event. Please only register for the MN Blogger Conference if you know you can come to the event on Saturday, September 22, 2012. Tickets are non-transferable and must be registered in your name in order to attend the event. Switching tickets with friends, business associates or others under different names will not be permitted.
Speakers, the planning team and sponsors do not need to register. Separate tickets are on hold for you.

The generosity of our sponsors makes this free event possible. We appreciate your interest and hope that you will attend. See you at the conference!

Announcing the Featured Charity for the 2012 MN Blogger Conference

Admin1 — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 21:05:06 +0000

The planning committee has selected Free Arts Minnesota as the featured charity for the 2012 conference. Free Arts Minnesota is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the healing powers of artistic expression into the lives of abused, neglected and at-risk children and their families. They are dedicated to healing young lives through artistic expression. Free Arts recognizes that abuse encompasses a wide range of experiences such as trauma caused by violence, neglect, poverty, and homelessness. You can learn more about Free Arts Minnesota and their history by reading The Blogunteer’s full profile.

We will be collecting donations for Free Arts Minnesota at the conference. They will take craft supplies, recycled items, and variety of other items. I highlighted some of their top needs below, but you can find their full wish list here.

Below are their top 10 donation needs, you can find the full wish list here.

Model magic
Large Clear Bins
Glue sticks
Glitter glue
White and black cardstock
Face paint
Poster board
Sketch books (Journals with no lines in them)
Magnets!!!
Sharpies

Back by popular demand: Glimpses of Soul Photography will be returning to take headshots for a cash donation to Free Arts Minnesota.

- Stacy Pearson, Charity Manager

Blogunteer.com

Now accepting speaker applications, apply!

Admin1 — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 03:46:27 +0000

We are now accepting speaker applications for the 3rd annual Minnesota Blogger Conference, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012 at the Allina Health Headquarters in Minneapolis.

While we still plan to invite speakers, we also accept proposals. If you’d like to be considered as a speaker, download and complete the short application below. Submit your completed application to mnblogconf@gmail.com by 10 a.m. August 6, 2012.

If you have any issues/questions please email us at mnblogconf@gmail.com.

We’re looking forward to some really great speakers this year!

Announcing the 2012 Planning Team

Admin1 — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 04:01:43 +0000

As we’ve learned the past two years, a strong planning team is essential to a successful conference. After putting the word out we were looking to expand the team this year, we were overwhelmed with the number of people who raised their hands – ready to jump in, roll up their sleeves and get to work. As we head into our 3rd annual MN Blogger Conference, we’re excited to work with this solid team of professionals:

Speaker Manager – Sara Kerr

Speaker Consultants – Josh Braaten, Robert Dempsey, Teresa Boardman

Public Relations Manager – LeeAnn Owens

Interactive Manager – Grant Spanier

Community Manager – Ryan May

Pre-Registration Managers – Jen Westpfahl and Anna Rendall

Event Day Registration Manager – Leah Zins

Creative Manager – Jenny Huschka

Charity Manager – Stacy Pearson

A big welcome to this team – we’ll be posting their bios and blog information soon so you can learn more about them.

Arik Hanson and Missy Berggren, Co-founders and Directors

2012 Conference date announced

Admin1 — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 23:52:15 +0000

This week we announced the date and location for the 2012 MN Blogger Conference. It will be Saturday, September 22 at the Allina Health headquarters in Minneapolis. This is the same great location we had last year.

Arik Hanson and Missy Berggren will again lead the planning. The rest of the planning team is still being formed. Stay tuned for more information on speaking and registration.

Checking in for 2012

Admin1 — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:56:17 +0000

We’d like to extend a big thank you to all of you who attended the 2nd Minnesota Blogger Conference last September. There was a packed house of attendees and a solid group of speakers. Months later we are still hearing great things from attendees on things they’ve learned and connections they’ve made.

Lately we’ve been getting a number of inquiries from bloggers and potential sponsors/speakers on plans for 2012, so we thought we’d take a moment to address some of these questions. We don’t have official plans at this point to host another conference this year, however we are continuing to discuss it regularly and hope to have a decision within the next few months. Our decision is really pending a few things:

appetite from the local blogging community for another conference
interest and funding from potential sponsors to make an event possible
reliable and willing volunteers to serve on the planning team and work

Stay tuned and we’ll be sure to clue you in when we have something firm to report. If you’d like to get more involved or are connected to an organization who is interested in sponsoring the event this year in a significant way (and we aren’t talking product samples, yo), please give us a holler.

Thanks -

Missy Berggren and Arik Hanson