This is the first in a very exciting series we’ll be bringing to you on IFB in anticipation of the upcoming #IFBcon. Each day in the month of August, we’ll have a different post designed to help your blog become – you guessed it – bigger, better and bolder in anticipation of the conference.
It seems like such a simple question, doesn’t it? Why do you blog?
Just try to answer it, though. You’ll probably find that the answer is deeper, more personal and more complex than you thought. Many of us probably started our blogs without giving long, contemplative thought to exactly why we started. That’s definitely okay. Sometimes you just want to do something, it feels right, and you jump in with both feet and decide to figure it out later.
Later is now! Before you walk through the shiny, promising doors of 82 Mercer on September 4th and 5th, you need to know exactly why you’re there. To figure it out, consider what your end game is. Not only will it help you fine tune your content, but it will allow you to get the most out of the conference! If you don’t know want in the end, figure out what you want now. From your master vision to having a purpose for each, individual post – give your passion direction.
Most likely you can categorize yourself into one of three broad purposes:
- I blog because I want my site to become a self-built business.
- I blog because I want to sharpen my skills as a writer, photographer, stylist, or social media genius, and use these skills in a professional capacity, for a larger entity.
- I blog because it’s fun, and it makes me happy – that’s enough.
Once you know why you’re spending hours nurturing, tinkering, writing, editing, photographing, tweeting, pinning, posting, designing, emailing, scrolling, trolling, commenting… I could go on… it will be like a light switch has turned on right above your computer.
Keeping your goal and your ambition in mind will allow you to understand not only your own purpose, but understand who else you’re producing this blog for. Most likely it’s not just you. And most likely, some of the people you’re blogging for will be at the conference.
Do you want to network and meet brands to build relationships? Do you want to make new friends amongst your blogging peers? Do you want to ask your favorite bloggers questions about their experience? Do you want to sit silently, glued to your chair taking diligent notes? (That sounds kind of boring, but it’s okay.)
Having a clear idea of why you’re blogging will allow you to stride into the conference ready to accomplish all that you want in those one or two days. You’ll have a direction for each conversation, a reason for each note, and come away from our fabulous event ready to make your blog even – you guessed it – bigger, better and bolder.
I blog because it helps me express myself internally and externally. I view it as an online diary…I talk about my outfits, the events I went to, the people who are important to me. I cannot wait to be 65 and look back at my blog – that in and of itself is SO amazing to know that I have documented my life with beautiful images and insightful inspiring words.
xo
Emily Jenny
http://www.stilettobeats.com