#BlogOnMSI – My First Blogging Conference Experience

Next month I will have been blogging for 3 years but it’s only really the last 12 months that I have felt like an actual blogger, I’ve dipped my toes in and out so many times even closing my blog completely at one point  but I kept coming back to it which tells me that it’s what I’m meant to do, I love to write and after many years of shutting off from the world I love to share so this year I decided it was time to pull up my socks and attend a blogging conference for the first time.

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I had thought about going to Blog On in Manchester as it’s local to me and I thought it would be a great place to meet other bloggers and learn how to improve my blog, I kept putting it off but when I saw there were tickets left for this year I booked them without thinking twice and I’m so glad I did.

Blog On is run by Laura Seaton who blogs at Tired Mummy Of Two and her team of volunteers.

Last Sunday armed with my suitcase (for all the goodies) and a note of which sessions I wanted to attend I made my way inside the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester, I’m so glad it was held there as I’ve been visiting since I was a child and it feels very familiar to me.

I had been following the hashtag #blogonmsi all weekend and although a little nervous I was also excited, I was ready to learn new things that would help take my blog a little further and I couldn’t wait to meet the bloggers who I have only ever had virtual conversations with, I also couldn’t wait to meet Di Coke I’ve been a comper for almost 14 years and her advice and enthusiasm has been invaluable and has helped me win a few competitions over the years.

I headed straight for the loo behind two ladies and I recognised one of them from a picture of her shoes she had posted on Instagram earlier. She must have thought I was a right nutter when I asked her if she was the blogger I thought she was because I recognised her shoes!  She was lovely and friendly and told me there were a crowd of bloggers waiting in the museum coffee shop, it was in there that I met up with another lovely lady who takes part in the same weekly linky as me and I ended up spending most of the day with her which was really nice.

I can honestly say that even when I was standing alone every single person had a friendly smile or a hello and I also met some lovely bloggers who even knew who I was which shocked me as you never think anyone is reading really.

The sessions I attended included

  • How to make your blog attractive to brands (Portland Street)
  • Earning beyond the blog (Emily Leary-A Mummy Too)
  • Hosting competitions (Di Coke -Super Lucky)

Every single one of those sessions taught me so much, I have pages of notes and have already started implementing some of the advice. I wanted to attend a session about Pinterest but I got so distracted by all the wonderful brands and their very interactive stands that I missed it.

I was so nervous about approaching brands as it’s new territory for me but I needn’t have been worried as they were all so friendly and I came away feeling so much more confident, playing in the giant Swizzels Matlow ball pool certainly helped.

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As well as the sessions drinks, snacks and lunch were all included and even a glass of wine towards the end of the day and not to mention the amazing goody bags , I really don’t know how they pack so much value into the price of the ticket. You certainly get so much more than you paid for and the museum is a fantastic venue.

This amazing cake not only looked beautiful it tasted delicious too.

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I won a few prizes on the tombola and one prize on the raffle which I was delighted with, there were so many awesome generous brands who donated prizes and the items for the goody bags we were all really spoilt, I’ve included some photo’s but I took so many it would be impossible to show you everything.

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I could go on all day, I could include so much more in this post but what I really want to sum up is that if you have never been to a blogging conference before then Blog On MSI would be a fantastic place to start you really won’t regret it, there might be another one coming up for Winter this year and I will definitely be there.

Angela xx

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