I
was lucky enough to snag a room in the conference hotel. I did not have to worry
about transportation back and forth from conference to hotel and was able to
hop up to my room whenever I needed to – totally the way to go btw!
I
cannot tell you how many times people in the hotel and on the street stopped me
to ask what was going on and what the big conference was. Apparently my large
tag and lanyard gave me away as a conference attendee. My response was simple, “I
am here for #BlogHer12 a blogging conference. It is a huge conference for
bloggers to learn, connect, and share.”
That definition is simple enough, right? I mean… what do you say to a random stranger who is looking around at 4,000 bloggers who have taken New York by storm? Everywhere you looked in and around the Host Hilton Hotel in New York you saw men and women (yes, men go to BlogHer too) wearing BlogHer badges loaded up with bags of swag!
Obviously
that definition of BlogHer doesn’t
even begin to cover the BlogHer12 experience. There is so much to see and do
that if you don’t take the time to plan ahead you can get overwhelmed and miss
out on some great experiences. For example, a must for me was sitting in on the
BlogHer Voices of the Year and getting a front row seat at the BlogHer Fashion
Show. Both of these events were inspirational and highly entertaining.
Aside
from the fabulous speakers like Martha Stewart and Katie Couric, who were each awesome
in their own right, every seminar I attended had wonderful presenters. I learned
something new during each of the events and seminars I was able to attend. Be
it from the person sitting up front leading the panel or the fabulous fellow
blogger sitting right next to me.
My
number one piece of advice for anyone wanting to attend a BlogHer conference is
jump into the experience with both feet! Try to experience BlogHer completely. Go
to the official BlogHer parties, attend the key note speeches, talk to
companies you are interested in working with, talk to the other bloggers there.
Blogging
is fun; if it wasn’t fun I wouldn’t do it. I blog because I love it. I blog
because it is a way for me to feel like I have a voice and to share my
experiences (both good and bad) with others. I share my craftiness and I share
my opinions and although I may not always agree with someone about something I
try to keep an open mind and heart. Everyone blogs for their own reason and
their thoughts, opinions, and perspectives are all different and worth taking a
minute to listen to.
With
that being said, BlogHer is a platform for bloggers to interact with other
bloggers that they would otherwise never have had the opportunity to meet. It
is a chance at making new acquaintances and creates stronger friendships
between people who have only ever communicated online. It is a way for Brands
to connect with bloggers and bloggers to connect with brands. It is a way to
further the craft of blogging and to gain more knowledge from experts in the
field. It is also a very fun weekend!
