Yasmen is the founder and editor of MixMatchMom, a mommy and lifestyle blog where she shares her experience on parenting two tween girls and her first son, who’s now a preschooler. Learn more about her at http://www.mixmatchmom.com and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube at @mixmatchmom.

 

As a newbie blogger, I have a ton of questions about how to put my best foot forward in the blogging world. So, I decided to attend the highly-recommended BeBlogalicious conference here in Atlanta and I have to tell you, it was the best decision for my blog. BeBlogalicious holds conferences for influential multicultural women who are social media enthusiasts and that alone set my mind at ease about if this conference was for me. Here are my top five reasons why you should consider going to a conference and why it will not be a waste of your time or money:

The Swag: The sponsors of a conference will load you up with goodies. At this particular event, I received a duffle bag full of Dove products, Domain.Me sunglasses, a Wells Fargo water bottle, Southern Breeze Sweet Tea samples, a AARP travel coffee cup, and a Kia tote bag and smartphone gloves.

The Information and advice: I can’t begin to tell you the value of the information and advice I received. Being at this conference put me in the same room with successful bloggers who were willing to answer questions about their best practices. I attend workshops about strategies to networking, steps to monetize my blog, attracting brand partnerships, how to get free publicity, and how to shoot my own stock images.
The Content: I’ve been worried about creating content that will be relatable and engaging to my readers. As a conference attendee, there will be no shortage of content to share with your audience. At BeBlogalicious, I was able to test drive the new Kia Sorento, taste for the first time Sprite Cranberry from Coca-Cola and try on the lastest computer eyeglasses for people like me who spend a lot of time on the computer. As a mommy blogger and a product reviewer, having the opportunity to test out Hasbro’s new fire-breathing dragon toy, Torch gave me beneficial information to share with my mom readers.

The Networking: Not only did I meet new friends but I connected with women who I could possibly collaborate with in the future. I met Chanelle Schneider (writerchanelle.com) who blogs about reverse ageism and Dr. Jessica Shepherd, founder of HerViewpoint, who is passionate about all things related to women’s health. These women may not know it but I will be picking their brains about future content for my blog. I also was under the same roof as Rhianna’s hairstylist, Ursula Stephen and New York Times best-selling author, Luvvie Ajayi! I probably wouldn’t have made these connections without making the good decision to attend the conference.

Outside of the scheduled workshops, I had the chance to rub elbows with other bloggers I follow on social media and who follow me as well. If you’re anything like me, I blushed a little every time someone mentioned that they are following me. #celebrity

The Fun: I indulged in mega self-care at the conference. There were complimentary facials, foot massages, makeup artists, a photo booth, a braid bar, a masquerade party, and a closing rooftop party hosted by Dove. I even was featured on a LoveAlways YJE video about love!Oh and the food! Anyone that knows me knows I can’t pass up a chance to dive into something delicious and this conference did not disappoint. I don’t know if this is specific to BeBlogalicious but the food was incredible!

All in all, BeBlogalicious felt like a party where you learn valuable information and make powerful connections. As a new blogger and an over-worked mom, going to this conference gave me a much needed mix of business and pleasure.

Don’t count out the next conference coming near you, my friend.