If there was an overarching theme for me at Problogger 2016, it was “keeping it real”.
Other attendees might have a different take on it, but this was the message that I received loud and clear – and it really resonated with me.
Blog conferences sometimes leave me feeling depressed and overwhelmed. Everybody else seems to have such ginormous followings, with success after success, on a constant upward trajectory to the bigger and better.
It just isn’t something that I, as a blogger or as a person, can relate to.
This time, it was different. The presenters shared the failures, disappointments and mistakes – as well as the awards, the highlights, the boosts in earnings and recognition. They were Keeping it Real – and I liked it!
Lyndall from Seize the Day Project, Leanne from Deep Fried Fruit,
Deb from Debbish and me 🙂
I also found that the presenters were incredibly generous with their knowledge, especially when it came to sharing practical tools, tips and tactics. I don’t know about you but I’m much more used to others – whether they be bloggers or business professionals – jealously guarding their secrets, so this was a refreshing change.
Keeping it Real When You Blog
From the very first session, I was reminded that keeping it real is what matters in blogging. “Storytelling isn’t about bragging – it’s about sharing the why and how,” said speaker, Brian Fanzo of isocialfanz.com, during his opening keynote session.
Not sure if that’s Brian on stage or not, sorry – keeping it real guys!
He also recommended having a “Stuff I don’t know” page – as well as skiting about what you do know, on your website and blog. Being open and honest like this helps build trust – it’s about keeping it real.
Colin Gray’s session was entitled “Escape the Treadmill: how to create regular (and amazing!) content without killing yourself”. Yet he too emphasised the importance of keeping it real on your blog: “If you show who you really are, quite a few people won’t like you – but quite a lot will” – and they are the ones you want to attract.
Copywriting Workshop
After all, “when you write for everybody, you write for nobody,” said Ed Dale in the copywriting workshop I attended. “Sharing (your) faults, humanises you” – and means that you are keeping it real.
Sharon Gourlay from Travel with Kids, and Digital Nomad Wannabe, shared a brilliant session on Affiliate Marketing. She reminded us that there is no such thing as an overnight success. Although she might be making $25K a month now from her blogs (wow!), she has been running Travel with Kids for 11 years – and it has only been as she has been focusing deliberately on creating an income from her blogs in the last two years, that she has achieved this goal.
It is pretty hard to begrudge the success found by somebody working so hard, and so generously sharing how she has managed to get there!
Keeping It Real by Sharing the Setbacks
One of the highlights for me was hearing Daniel Flynn from Thank You Water on turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones. Daniel received a standing ovation, after sharing how his bottled water business came to be – including numerous setbacks, such as:
- Having an agreement with a big retailer to stock their product – until the category manager changed, and the deal fell through;
- The first batch had misprinted labels so they had to recall the product, a move which has broken bigger and far more established companies;
- When the fledgling company pitched their product to a particular retailer, their product idea was stolen – not only did they not gain a deal, but the retailer rushed through their very own range of bottled water to raise funds for a good cause!
Despite this, Thank You Water has gone on to raise over $4 million for projects to provide clean water in developing countries.
I heard similar stories about the ups and downs of the blogging business from Sam Jockel (Aldi Mum/School Mum), and Mr Problogger himself, Darren Rowse (pictured leading a session, below).
Why does keeping it real work? According to Emily Toxward from Have a Laugh On Me and Write Styling, “blog readers are searching for a connection, not just information”. They want something that’s authentic, they want to see you keeping it real!
With Jess from Peachy Keen Mumma
Problogger 2016: The Closing Session
And finally, I loved Emilie Wapnick’s closing session, because she told us to forget that old chestnut: “choose a niche” for your blog.
She encouraged us to remember that we are all multifaceted individuals (or multipotentialites, which she blogs about at Puttylike). Why shouldn’t our blogs reflect that?
Instead, why not have a common thread, an overarching theme, that brings your blog together? (Of course, this is exactly what I am doing here at Middle Aged Mama – blogging through the lens of a middle aged woman). As Emilie said, “Your personality is the ultimate overarching theme – so put it out there”!
But perhaps the best blogging advice of the whole weekend came from Brian Fanzo, when he explained that the best way to stand out among all the digital noise is to “be the one thing others can’t be – yourself”.
Have you ever been to Problogger or any other blog training or event? Have you ever felt it was all very fake (I know I have) – or were the presenters keeping it real?
Linking with Kylie Purtell for IBOT.
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