I have been lucky enough to be included in the hullapaloozsa that is the Kidspot Voices of 2013 Bogging competition and yesterday it all started with a bang.
Now before I go on let me just tell you that I'm really freakin pregnant, like due-next-week-pregnant and in the past month I have been seriously doubting if I would be able to go to the masterclass and launch party. Needless to say I was pretty excited to be there.
The line up of speakers was super impressive and the topics covered ranged from blog design to motivation and self doubt. To have the opportunity to sit in a room with so many other she-nerds and drink in the awesome was...well pretty damn special.
Personally, I got the most out of the Blogging and Brands panel. Sponsored posts don't sit that easily with me. I am all for making money out of your blog, I don't think it should even be a debate - and I'll go as far as to say that it wouldn't be a discussion if blogging was predominantly a male domain. It would be an expectation. For me, monatising the blogosphere is a feminist issue - But that's a whole other post.
It is how you actually approach sponsored posts that doesn't come naturally to me and yesterday, thanks to the great panel of speakers, I realised that the bit I was getting stuck on was how to benefit my fan-tab readers with these posts. Sure you can do a giveaway for one reader but I don't want to post anything if everyone can't get something out of it. Now I'm thinking along the lines of sneak peeks of new collections, discount codes and introductions to great new products. It's nice to have a bit of clarity on that issue.
I wish I could attribute these ideas to individual panelists but there was such a lovely consensus between the thinkers that I am having trouble remembering who said what exactly. (The journalist within has apparently left the building) Everyone seemed to collectively share the same message - That the integrity of your blog is always paramount.
And if that wasn't enough, then came the launch party. Every one got all shiny and mingled, there was yummy food, some pretty swanky cars that provided a backdrop for photo-shoot shenanigans and of course - cake pop decoration. Because we wouldn't be bloggers without cake pops. Thanks to Kidspot and all the sponsors for two wonderful events. It has just occurred to me that throughout the day and night I didn't feel a sense of competition between the nominated bloggers who, in reality, are pitted against each other for some life changing prizes. Isn't it nice when people are just nice?
P.S how awesome is the A Beautiful Mess App? I used it to create the images above and I think it's pretty safe to say I'm hooked.
xoxox Babs























