Building a Better Blog: Part II

Day two of #IFBcon was a bit different than the first. Instead of panels with a number of people weighing in on a variety of subjects, there were workshops with one or two experts sharing their knowledge. A lot of day two was showing us how to put the advice from day one into practice.

We learned about photography from Lydia Hudgens, who takes gorgeous photos of bloggers like Cheetah is the New Black and The Style Scribe. Although I’m still working with a point and shoot, some of her tips were universally helpful: plan ahead, find a great background like a colorful wall, set up your tripod before using it by checking focus and lighting with an inanimate object. Lydia spoke with Jenny from I Spy DIY, and it was great to hear perspectives from both sides of the lens.

I also enjoyed hearing more about new technology like Shop My Label, getting tips on what to include in a media kit, and learning about basic copyright laws. However, the most useful workshop of the day (for me at least) was the one on SEO conducted by Erika of ELM Consulting. Although I knew some about SEO from working in marketing, I realized that I really hadn’t been making the most of it on my blog. Erika taught us a lot about tagging…the number we should have, length, how to determine the best words to use etc. I highly recommend seeking her out if you need help understanding the complex world of Search Engine Optimization.

On top of all that learning, we also had a lot of fun! I spent most of the day with [my new blogging bestie] Erica. When we weren’t taking in the panels, we were checking out the sponsor booths, taking pictures, and venturing to City Bakery for some espresso hot chocolate. Oh, and we made what I have dubbed our “awesomely awkward” animated gif!

Overall, it was an exhausting, but amazing two days at #IFBcon, and I’m so glad I went!