8 Things I Learned at the Southern Bloggers Conference (and will do this week!) October 14, 2012
Greetings, blog sisters!,
I left the Haven Conference in June, with pages of notes, that I shared with you. A couple of the things I learned were put to use, but not nearly enough!
The SBC was shorter, smaller and not as slick, but I left with a few new friends and a short list of important upgrades to my blog, that I’m going to do now!
First of all, you may wonder what in the world the burlap bags I stenciled for the shop, to do with building a better blog. Good question. They lead to the first two items on my to-do list:
1. Start each blog post with your “beauty shot”. (Love that name!) Don’t lead off with a less-than-attractive “before” shot. Grab the reader’s attention with a pretty picture and follow it up with the details or how-to’s.
2. WATERMARK your pictures! I finally learned how to watermark my (own) photos, on my IPad, using a $2 app, called Impression. This way, everyone will know who did the work and took the photo, as it floats around on Pinterest or the like. See my beautiful watermark, 2 years in the making!
3. Start a blog series. I’ve done this before, with my “8 Tings You Might Not Know About Me” series, but it’s time to start another one!
4. Offer visitors to Pinterest and Facebook the opportunity to subscribe to your blog, directly from those sites.
5. Join HOMETALK. This is an on line site followed by home owners, contractors and bloggers, and is yet another place to gain exposure for your projects and blog.
Install WordPress plug-ins:
6. Project gallery- a simple way to add the all important Project Gallery to your blog.
7. Carousel widget allows you to display pictures from recent posts under your header.
8. Add “Pin It” (Pinterest) under at least your first photograph, so others can pin your photos, directly from your blog!
Did you attend the Southern Bloggers Conference? What was the biggest tip you took away from the event?
Shared at Wow Us Wednesdays, Savvy Southern Style
Barbara!
I wish I had these 8 tips when I started blogging!! I was so much fun meeting you and I had such an amazing time this weekend! So glad you got so much from the conference – and thrilled to share my blogging mistakes – and how I overcame them. I’m sure there will be many more mistakes to come – but that’s how we learn after all! Your blog already looks amazing – I think everyone could learn a thing or two from you! I think you won the longest distance traveled award too!
Kelly
These are all very good tips. Thanks so much for sharing them with us, and I’ve already bookmarked this page!
xo,
Ricki Jill
Hope they help, Ricki. Sometimes, I think I’ll never get there from here! Just taking one step at a time!
Hi Barbara, Great tips here and I’m taking notes. Know it must have been a fun trip and especially getting to meet other bloggers. Thank You……..
~Emily
The French Hutch
You’re right, Emily! Meeting other bloggers in person is always the best part!
Thanks for posting thi it is very helpful. I appreciate it.
Cynthia
We’re always learning!
Barbra these tips make all the difference. I must learn to water mark photos!
Xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
I found my solution by doing a YouTube search for how-two’s for the program I use.
Thank you so much, I have know I need to watermark! pin!and so many other things..I hope once the event in November is over!
But I am book marking this post…got to use that watermark site,
thank so much
oops forgot to ask, did you see the event request I submitted…did I do it right…thanks again
I didn’t see an event request.
I’m not watermarking my photos, I’m off to buy the Impression app. Thanks for that tip! BTW I love your blog.
Cindy
Hi Cindy,
Great to hear from you! I’m going to start using you tube more often. There’s a tutorial for just about everything!
Cheers!,
Barbara