10 Things I Learned at the BlogIndiana Conference 2008

I was able to attend the BlogIndiana Conference a few weekends ago! Had a great time meeting and greeting with local Indiana bloggers both big and small. Also learned A LOT from the many great speakers. The conference was the weekend of August 15th, but we just went over so much content in those 2 days that it has taken me this long to let it all sink in (if that tells you at all how great it truly was!).

Here is a rundown of the things that I will be ruminating over now that I've had time to let it sink in:

What Makes a Great Corporate Blog by Douglas Karr
Doug writes a great Marketing Technology blog that focuses on marketing, social media, development, and wordpress. He talked about so many great key points when it comes to blogging. Here are just a few:

1. Being transparent
2. Being consistent
3. Having and maintaining momentum
4. Coordinating your blog with existing email communications, etc
5. Having a purpose for your blog

I am very excited to start looking at how to implement these tips into our new blog.

He also talked briefly about the future of the web (very exciting!)- Web 3.0 which involves micro networks. I can definitely see the web evolving in that direction - especially with the emergence of micro networks such as Smaller Indiana and FohBoh (both of which you should check out if you a.) live and work in Indiana and b.) if you work in the restaurant and hospitality industry.) Micro networks are a great way for industries and communities to connect with each other - sharing news and resources.

Corporate Blogging 101 by Krista Neher
Krista talked about how blogging is a relationship and not a one night stand. What a way to put it! However, that concept is exactly what we are trying to accomplish with this blog. We want to create a relationship with our members beyond our website, newsletters, and events - to get to know us here at the Indiana Restaurant Association and what all we do. We shouldn't just post about upcoming events, we want to create a conversation. We hope to learn how we can grow and better our association so that we can become an even greater resource and benefit to our members. We want to know what is on the minds of our members, not just what we already hear about in the news and at meetings, because that just scratches the surface.

So here are a few key items I gleaned from the great information Krista gave us that day:

1. Writing content that matters
2. Building a PLAN
3. Understanding expectations of a blog
4. Aligning objectives upfront
5. Being purposeful with posts

Wow! And that was just two of the sessions! Lots of great information was given out that weekend - kudos to Shawn Plew and Noah Coffey for putting together such a great conference (the first of it's kind in Indiana!).