Top 5 Reasons to go to Social Media Conferences and Why YOU should go too!

Conference Season is here and all these conferences are swirling around my head like little birds chirping wildly for attention! Yes, I want to go to each one of them! Why?!

Well, when I started blogging, I was oblivious to what goes on around blogosphere. Call me clueless! At that time, my focus was just on one thing: mastering the art of blogging. Which to this date, sadly, I still have not! I spent most of my time building a relationship with my blog because back then, it was all I know. I was blind to the rest of what wonderful things blogosphere has to offer.

In Denial. With the little knowledge I knew then, I took in a misguided concept that my blog will survive on it's own without outside influence. Thus my sphere of influence was limited solely within my blog and the few people I've met along the way. Social Media Networking sites, Conferences and bloggy events made no sense to me at all. I thought I can do without them...

But that was back then ( thank heavens! ) and this is now. As I got deeper and learned more about blogging, I realize that there is more to it than meets the eye! Just like education, it's a never-ending learning process. And to grow it, you need a community to nurture it. Best way to put it is the famous quote:  "It takes a village to raise a child". Your blog is your child...

My "Grow it and Grow you" Philosophy based on the 5 Top Benefits you get from conferences: 

• Connections - The very essence of "success" which most "popular" bloggers have. These are the ones that brings them endless opportunities. The ones that makes a blog elite and "big". When this grow, you grow. - I'm learning.

•  Opportunities - With connections comes opportunities. Conferences are the best place to create relationships with potential clients, brands or companies. Nothing beats face to face marketing. Establishing mutual trust is easier and gives you an edge to be chosen for a project over someone they only know online. 

• Friendships - Beyond online. Nothing is more rewarding than finally meeting that bloggy friend whose blog you so adore online. Or that Twitter friend whom you tweet with a lot. These are the people that makes up your community. Quoting Chris Brogan from his talk at Disney Social Media Mom Conference: "your community is what the companies want to get to - via you - the blogger!" Our community is what makes us tick!

• Experience - Going to conferences is like going on a first date. There is so much to learn and so much to do. The more you go, the better you get at it. Walking to a room, it's easy to spot who's a pro and who's not. Seasoned conference-goers carries themselves with utter confidence and good at it too.

• Skills - To acquire and enhance what limited knowledge we have. The very reason we need to attend these conferences. To learn the tools of the trade. So we can grow our blogs and grow us!

Yes, conferences can get really expensive and hard to afford ( I know that too well) but ponder on this: At which level do you want your blog to go? And which direction do you want to take it? Sometimes, in this bloggy game, it's not what you know, it's WHO you know, but attending conferences gives you that fighting chance! Would you give yourself that chance?



Sneak peek of what's to come: