Why Bother Going To BritMums Live? Five Good Reasons

You saw the last tickets get snapped up, watched as #britmumslive trended on Twitter and then heard tales about how amazing it all was. If you weren’t there, you may be wondering what all the fuss was about. So was it worth it? Here’s five good reasons why you might want to bother going to BritMums next year. 

1. Grow Your Blog

If you are serious about your blog and looking for a way to grow or improve it then it is must. If your company was having a national or global conference would you miss it? This year one of the highlights for me was Emma Freud’s keynote speech. Seeped in self-deprecation, she was funny, engaging and bigged us all up to make us feel (as we are) very important. Plus, her lovely partner Richard Curtis was there for all the celeb spotters out there. As a travel blogger I got a lot out of the travel session chaired by the lovely and knowledgeable Steve Keenan alongside The Independent’s Simon Calder and travel bloggers Trish Burgess and Emma Raphael. Then there was  the Women’s Voices in the Media discussion which inspired my last post Stop The Angelina Jolie Bashing & Unite. There were lots of respected people giving tons of information and ideas to make your blog even better.

2. Networking

Where else are you going to hobnob with around 600 people under one roof who are  all doing the same as you? This is the opportunity to chat in an informal environment and build friendships with others who are genuinely lovely, positive and interesting people! It was wonderful to finally put faces to domain names and Twitter handles and hear about them, their lives and their blogs. It certainly opens your eyes to what is going on in the bloggers sphere and how important it is in keeping the conversation going. Plus, getting tips, advice and also getting YOUR blog out there to others too. Unless you tell people about you and your blog, they aren’t going to know it is there! Face to face contact is just as important as an online presence (something I was reminded of at Jo Turnbull’s SEO session).

As well as other bloggers, BritMums Live gives you the opportunity to talk to the sponsors there and potentially build relationships with them, expanding your reach and helping you generate an income from your blog.

3. Inspiration

The whole two days is simply one big inspiration fest which can be overwhelming and exhausting but SO worth it: from the speeches, the people, the sponsors and the various workshops – I left with tons of ideas – many of which were so simple I felt stupid I wasn’t doing them already! Being amongst successful women (and the odd man) and those who have their own brilliant and influential blogs and hearing their stories is wonderful and not only inspiring but makes you realise you are part of something bigger but you are certainly not on your own. I found that BritMums Live had a great vibe with everybody willing to help others.

4. Learning

So the sessions and speeches were inspiring but they were also very informative and there were so many, there really was something for everyone –  whether you are a veteran blogger or have just written your first blog post! If we don’t learn, we don’t grow, so for me I wanted to get as much information, tips and advice as possible. Whether you want to know how to use instagram better and improve your technical knowledge to getting ideas on how to make money from your blog and collaborating with others to build followers,  BritMums Live had it all. The only problem was I couldn’t split myself into several parts and go to them all!

5. Goodie Bags

If the above points have failed to get you excited then how about getting a goodie bag with enough gifts that they more than cover the entrance fee? Nobody warned me about this perk so I was very impressed to get a heaving goodie bag which I (gladly) lugged across London. It was filled with items such as a bottle of wine, a scarf from Joules, body lotion, baby gifts and a ton of sweets (which Wander Dad happily scoffed).

Of course, if you go to BritMums Live and don’t talk to anyone then it is bit of a waste of time. Or, if you listen intently and make lots of notes but then fail to put any of that knowledge into practice then it is a bit pointless. To stop me falling into that trap, I have made a vow to go back next year with a bigger and better blog. Who wants to join me?  Give me a shout if you are going -be great to meet face to face.