I lost my BlogCamp Cherry…

BlogCamp; Not as easy shot to take…there were always people in front of this stuff!

This time last week I went to BlogCamp.

I wore a dress, slipped on a pair of comfy shoes and went to meet some people that actually knew what blogging was really all about. Oh, and to eat some cake.

I wasn’t disappointed. There were bloggers a plenty, cake, lovely free pens from Cross Pens and a few rather attractive young men thrown in…well one extremely witty one in particular, Stuart Heritage. He has rather a naughty blog. I can’t link to it here on this parenting site though, someone might see….

I was a BlogCamp virgin, but now I have lost my cherry.

I was a little bit sad, it was scarey to go; but it wasn’t really that bad in the end. No-one ran away screaming when I said who I was. And someone even said, “Ah, the reward charts lady” so maybe I am even doing something right.

Or maybe….I am just being annoying.

Nobody said that either, though. So thankyou for all being stunningly polite. I met all the wonderful people behind the Twitter handles; Mammasaurus, Actually Mummy, Dear Beautiful Boy, JBMumofTwo, who has written rather an awesome blog on the experience to remind me what actually happened, Romanian Mum, looking gorgeously preggers, Rollercoaster Mum, and Yellow Days. There were even a few people there that didn’t blog regularly. *fallsoverinshock.* Naturally, I also caught up with Bizzy Mum; and we discussed her acceptance speech for the MAD Blog Awards in great detail *justkiddinglove.*

However, they all liked cake (phew), and seem to know an awful lot more about blogging than me, but then that’s not a massive surprise as I am a bit of a newbie.

Which, I guess, was why I was there, so here goes…

BlogCamp; I wanted to understand…but I think my inner Geek had left the building…

Google Plus – Ade Oshineye

I was hoping to get some good stuff out of this; but I think that it all went a bit of my head. The gentleman presenting was a very nice man, but perhaps I just wasn’t geeky enough. Or there was just to much to take in and we needed a bit more focus on what would work for bloggers. We were all interested in how to use Google Plus to increase traffic to our blogs, and get a bit of benefit from search. There was more relevance when Sally Whittle got off her train; and I am confident that Tots100 will follow up with some great stuff.

Stuart Heritage

All I can say is that a man that can make biscuits with a rude word on so someone doesn’t keep nicking them is a star. He reduced the room to a mixture of hysterics and intermittent swooning *hysooning?* His advice was spot on to; having dealt with trolls early on in his blogging career because of his controversial style, his main point was that generally its best to ignore it, unless it has a legal seal on it. A sensible standpoint methinks.

Keris Stainton from NaNoWriMo

We all have a book in us. Mine has got lost someone; probably on the top shelf next to “You Choose” by Nick Sharratt; which if I have to read one more time…

Keris talked openly about her journey to become an author. She had a great, “just sit down and chat to us”, style, which worked brilliantly; particularly for her subject matter. Basically we all just have to get on with it; stop avoiding starting and just sit down and dam well starting writing. *reaches for Cross Pen.*

StumbleUpon from Marcel Puppik

This was the final presentation I could stay for before I had to leg it to the train to pick up my abandoned children. It was a great way to end the day. Marcel focused well on what would interest bloggers, setting ourselves up, helping to promote our posts, and using it to find inspirational content to share and give us fodder for new posts. I have been stumbling ever since, not the drunken kind of stumbling home from the pub, but the in front of the telly kind, with a glass of wine and the iPad. I have found some great stuff; do come and join KiddyCharts on there if you want to share in the glory.

The only problem with StumbleUpon is that it’s yet another social media platform I need to get my ever expanding head around. I do wish someone would invent one that gave you extra time; perhaps a Google Plus hangout in a parallel world when time stands still….maybe that’d get people using Google Plus more… *hides*

All in all, it was so worth the childcare organising, the hubby persuading and the time. And of course it’s all free.

So thanks everyone at Tots100 and Sally Whittle for time well spent.

Gold stars all round everyone.

Did you go to BlogCamp – what did you think? Did you write a post on it? Do comment and share below – would love to hear from you.

Helen

Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine! Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time. KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10. It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania. Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on. Get in touch TODAY!

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