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More me at SXSW

Just a little snippet of me at SXSW on the Dad is the New Mom panel.

If anyone filmed the whole session and posted the video, please let me know.

Dad is the new mom at SXSW '09

Bonin Bough from PepsiCo DM’d me on Twitter that he had put up some video from the Dad is the New Mom panel.

All you can see is me and Chris Brogan, and it’s just a few minutes' worth of what turned out to be a pretty enjoyable and informational panel. Still it’s nice to have a record of the session.

Come see me speak at SXSW '09

Pepsi invited me to speak at a panel at  SXSW. I had hemmed and hawed about going to SXSW because it would mean a week away from family and work. With the invite – which was too good to pass up - I’ll only be going for a few days.

The panel I’ll be speaking on is Dad is the New Mom on Monday, March 16th from 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm. (Add this to your SXSW Calendar)

Here’s the panel description:

While 'MotrinGate' and other recent events have demonstrated the power of mom bloggers around the world, the other side of the parent blogger coin is also developing an engaging and influential voice. Dad Bloggers are sharing thoughts and ideas about parenting - and news and reviews about parenting-related products - at a rapidly increasing rate online.This panel provides an opportunity to connect with today's leading Dad Bloggers as they share their thoughts about tapping online communities centered around fatherhood and their insight into the future of social media as a whole.

• Bonin Bough PepsiCo
• Chris Brogan Pres, New Marketing Labs
• Brad Powell COO, IFC/DadLabs Inc.
• Jory Des Jardins Co-Founder, BlogHer LLC
• Anne-Marie Nichols Blogger/Publisher, This Mama Cooks!

Hope to see you there!

How companies find bloggers

Six Apart’s Blogs.com featured my blog post, How Computers Have Impacted My Family's Life on their Top Ways Technology Impacts Moms page. It even made the front page of Blogs.com.

My post is highlighted in yellow.

The latest July/August 2008: BlogHer 08, BlogTalkRadio interview, upcoming workshop, MOM CENTRAL CONSULTING, and The Big Tent at the DNC

BlogHer08

I was quoted on the CNET, Blogging and bringing home the bacon about BlogHer. They took a picture of the podium during my session, which was lived blogged very thoroughly at Free and Flawed by Jenn: Live Blogging from BlogHer ‘08 - DIY Content Syndication & Promotion and at happykatie: Blogher 2008 - DIY Content Syndication and Promotion. It was also followed up with a much better picture at our moderator, Krista’s blog, Kribaby: 5 Tips from BlogHer08 DIY Content Syndication. (That’s me seated in the middle, talking with my hands as usual.) Here's another picture of me from the Web Teacher.

I’ve been reading the other posts in the blogosphere about the session and either it was too advanced, too easy or full of good stuff. This leads me to believe that BlogHer needs better session descriptions. Since many people came up to me with compliments or questions, I believe I did a good job at least introducing people to the concept of social bookmarking.

I meant to write up a BlogHer post, but it’s been done by dozens of other bloggers who were there. All I can say was that seeing old friends was terrific, the sessions were fantastic, the networking was awesome, the keynote speakers amazing, and I am still learning so much at the sessions I attended. The only complaint? We need eggs and yogurt in the mornings at breakfast, not just pastry and fruit.

blogtalkradio: Motherhood Uncensored

I was recently on the Motherhood Uncensored BlogTalkRadio podcast, Back to Preschool: Getting Our Super Little Ones Prepared for Their Big Day. You can listen to the archived show here or click on the badge to the right. We talked about book you could read and activities you could do to prepare your child for that first day of school.

Workshops

I will also be teaching another blogging workshop, Beyond Blogging Basics, through the Northern Colorado Writers on Saturday August 23 at the Windsor Rec Center.

Mom Central Consulting

I’m now officially the Social Media Manager at Mom Central Consulting. I got to meet several of the women from Mom Central at BlogHer, which was fun because I’ve only worked with them on the phone. I hope to go out to their offices in Newton, MA soon.

The Big Tent

I will be representing the National Association of Mothers' Centers and MOTHERS at The Big Tent, the media tent for bloggers covering the Democratic National Convention. I’m the MOTHERS E-newsletter Author and Coordinator and blog at their book blog, MOTHERS Book Bag, and probably will be blogging there, having dispatches posted on the MOTHERS website, or both.

What’s up next month? For start, BlogWorldExpo 2008 in Las Vegas!

The tools I use for Blog Promotion

For those of you attending What We Do: DIY Content Syndication and Promotion, here are the details on what tools I use to promote my blogs.

Social Bookmarking

There are numerous sites out there and new ones being added every day. Here are the ones I’ve found most success with, though that can change from week to week and with different types of posts:

• StumbleUpon – Great for a quick burst of traffic.
• Digg – Crowded but it works, especially for backlinks. (See Wendy Piersall’s post at Problogger, The Ultimate Guide to Getting Lots of Link Love for more info on why you want backlinks and how to get them.)
• Mixx – A new contender and getting popular.
• Reddit – Not a lot of features, but that’s its strength. May be giving Digg a run for its money according to Chris Garret (Why Reddit is Better than Digg).
• Propeller – Another popular site for bookmarking.

Niche Social Bookmarking

• Kirtsy – Best for posts and blogs with a women or mom focus. Once they get their Google ranking fixed (due to their recent name change) Kirsty will be good source for backlinks, too.
• HealthRanker – Good for promoting health, diet, fitness and exercise posts. No page rank yet, but I’m hoping that will change soon. Getting more popular, too.
• Care2 – A very popular “green” social networking site with passionate members, and a great place to bookmark your green, eco-friendly content.
• FoodBuzz – If you’re a foodie, you must set up a profile here. Not only is is good for networking, but you can automatically promote your posts via RSS feed.

Here is where I'll be at BlogHer 2008

What are your plans for BlogHer? Yes, there are all kinds of talks and seminars to attend. But BlogHer is also about networking at the parties and meeting all those fabulous bloggers you’ve only know via their blogs or traded emails and comments with.

Here are my plans. No stalking, O.K.?

Thursday

I'm coming in EARLY, so I'll be hiding out at my hotel's spa and workout facility. If I get a chance, maybe I'll head to the art museum or out to Chinatown for lunch.

There's speaker training and a reception in the early afternoon and evening. Then I’ll be at Mom Central and Johnson’s Baby’s “First Drink On Us” party.

This event is only for Mom Central and MotherTalk review bloggers and those who attended Johnson’s Baby Camp. If you haven’t received an invite (and are a Mom Central reviwer of Baby Camp attendee) email me at am at the-write-spot dot com, and I'll pass it on to the folks at Mom Central so you can get your “First Drink On Us” ticket and a button to place on your website.

After two receptions, hopefully I'll be sober enough to attend The People's Party, too. (Note to self: eat throughout and stagger the booze with sodas.) The People's Party is hosted by several bloggers I admire along with colleagues at the Parent Bloggers Network, 5 Minutes for Mom, and Mommy Bloggers. (Colleagues = bloggers I review for, attended the Sony Blogger Event or worked with at ClubMom. Boy, do I get around or what?)

Friday

I'm attending MommyBlogging: Is MommyBlogging Still a Radical Act?

If I can manage, I'm going to run over to the BlogHer Bookstore to between 11:45AM -12:15PM to meet Mona Gable of The Maternal Is Political: Women Writers at the Intersection of Motherhood and Social Change. I'm reading the book now and hope to review it at MOTHERS Book Bag.

However, at the same time I'm scheduled to have lunch with Chef Rocco DiSpirito who will be demonstrating how to use the new Bertolli Premium Pasta Sauce in a pouch to put a little sizzle back into date night at home. I'm sure there will be a zillion adoring food bloggers attending the lunch, too.

Then I'll be talking at the What We Do: DIY Content Syndication and Promotion.

Afterwards, I'm going to attend What We Do: Writing Workshop with Amy Gahran who I met at BlogHer two years ago and see at The Front Range Blogger Meetups often.

I wanted to go by TypePad's suite for a party, but it conflicts with the closing keynote address. Darn it. I like TypePad and think they're doing a great job staying competitive with WordPress.

Then there's another chance to get "happy" at the Welcome Reception.

An Update on My Appearances in Print, in Person, in the Blogosphere and Online

In Print

Yours truly and my mommy blog, A Mama's Rant got a sizable mention in Beth Snyder Bulik's article at Advertising Age, Advertisers Promise You More Family Time. (If you want to see the post she referenced, click on The Dodge Caravan Dilemma.)

Stopping by Border's this weekend, I looked through a copy of The Rough Guide to Blogging, a book I've recommended to beginning bloggers just from the reviews at Amazon. In the back was a list of the author's favorite blogs including my food and diet blog, This Mama Cooks! Unfortunately, he spelled the blog's name wrong, but the URL will get them there just the same.

In Person

I recently gave a beginning blogging workshop, "Blogging at Breakfast" for members and friends of the Northern Colorado Writer's Association (NCWA). It was so successful that Kerrie Flanagan, the group's director, has asked me to do two blogging workshops at the NCWA's April conference.

I was already signed up to do one, but we both felt that there was enough interest for two - "Using Blogging and Social Media to Promote Your Book" and "Earn Money with Your Blog." If you're interested in signing up, go to the group's website.

My spin on BlogWorld Expo 2007

I'm glad to hear that BlogWorld Expo will be in September next year, because this year's conference almost collided with two major personal events - my birthday (that's my Ratatouille ice cream birthday cake on the right), and Thanksgiving (click here to see what I made).

Well those two events and a "Blogging at Breakfast" talk for the Northern Colorado Writer's Association that I had to prepare as soon as I got home for Veagas. (I'm not even going to think about the two week's worth of laundry my family made in the four days I was gone.)

Thus this wrap up post two weeks after I return from the Expo. Probably a good thing because I needed the time to think about everything I saw and did. (Next time I'll try to practice the 7 Ways to Keep the Post-Conference Buzz though I did start a good To Do list of things to accomplish when I got home.)

Some terrific round ups

• BlogWorld Expo Wrap Up podcast - by Tris Hussey and Jim Turner of the Social Mediasphere (BlogTalk Radio) Tris took a terrific picture of me that I'll have to make prints for the family.
• BlogWorld or Bust! - by StartUp Princess (I got to meet her at the session she blogged about. She gave me a wand that I gave to my own little princess - a great marketing idea and ice breaker!)
• All the interviews with the vendors and speakers that Jim Turner did at BlogWorld Expo Radio (BlogTalk Radio)
• Just Google "BlogWorld Expo" and do a search on it at Technorati - you'll find oodles

The lack of community

Trying to walk around Vegas and the Convention Center with a knee injury sucked. I was exhausted by the end of the day. I was even too tired to party much and had to leave the evening event at the Hard Rock Cafe early. This was a shame because I missed all the fun. Seems that Vibrator.com's owner, Keith Levenson, got kicked out of the party for handing out stickers. (You can read his side of the story at the Vibrator.com blog.)

What's a blog? BlogWorld Expo 2007

I leave in two days for BlogWorld Expo 2007. I'm furiously preposting on my blogs and stocking the fridge for the home team. I'm looking forward to meeting people and learning new ways to monetizing my blogs and use social media to promote them. Getting away from the household chores for some adult conversation will be nice, too.

I hope to report in once in awhile. Until then check out this video from the video crew at Smidgits.com. It's interesting to see who knows about blogs and who doesn't.

If you're interested in learning more about the speakers, my colleague Jim Turner has been doing a great job interviewing them at BlogTalk Radio.

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