Get someone to blog your events. Give them internet access, passes to the conference — then get out of the way. Let them publish their unfiltered opinions.
Michael Rubin and I started doing this in 2005 at WOMMA. It was a huge hit.
Why live conference blogging is amazing:
- It creates a permanent record of the event, which generates demand for your next one.
- All the event content is useless as soon as it’s over. The blog turns it into a marketing asset.
- Your blog posts will get more visitors than any press coverage.
- No one will skip an event to read blog coverage of it – you won’t lose any money.
- Anyone who can’t make it can follow along – and they’ll be at the next one.
- Tons of bloggers will link to all those posts.
- The blog helps connect thought leaders and attendees together.
- You’re getting more people involved at a grassroots level. Transform the event from “just another conference” into a community.
- Find your next event’s speakers
- Radically expand your audience from a few hundred attendees to thousands.
- It’s easy and (often) free
- You get instant credibility
Josh Hallet of Hyku.com has become the king of liveblogging. He’s the master, and the first person I’d call if I wanted to have someone take care of it.
Watch this video interview with Josh:
We’ve had some really great bloggers at the WOMMA events, and I owe them a special thanks. (I know I missed a few … please email me!)
- Dana VanDen Heuvel, Made for Marketing
- Josh Hallett, Hyku
- Toby Bloomberg, Diva Marketing
- Marianne Richmond, Resonance Partnership
- Owen Mack, coBRANDiT (Video Blog)
- Jennifer Nastu, Fast Trike
- Olivier Blanchard, The Brand Builder