How Network Bloggers Can Benefit from Conferences

Did you know there are many conferences you can attend to network and learn? SOBcon, BlogWorld Expo, BlogHer and SXSW are just a few. There are conferences popping up every month, it seems, to connect the Web 2.0 generation. This is a very good thing.

Here are a few ways you can benefit from attending conferences:

• Network – Spend time talking and sharing ideas with other like-minded people. I came back from last year’s conference with a pocket full of business cards as well as an army of new friends. These friends and I have traded guest blog posts, interviews, and ideas.
• Learn - There are classes for all levels of bloggers. Learn everything from adding fun and creative elements to your blog to social networking to traffic building to monetization.
• Discover – At BWE last year I learned about some great tools to help me take my blogging to a new level. I discovered Twitter, Windows Live Writer, Red Lasso and BlogTalkRadio.

One network blogger told me she wanted to go to SXSW but felt it was for “hardcore” bloggers and not for bloggers for hire. Conferences are especially great for freelance bloggers because you learn the tips and techniques needed to succeed: How to bring in traffic, how to build community, business and blogging  – these are all areas beneficial to network bloggers.

Granted they’re expensive, but they’re also a tax write off. See if there are any blogging or social networking coferences in your area. Attending locally means you’ll only have to pay the cost of admission. The reason I enjoy conferences such as these is because I get to talk blogging and social networking with people who get it.

I’ll be attending and speaking at BlogWorld Expo this year. How about you?