A week ago, I visited BlogWorld and NewMedia Expo in Las Vegas.
BlogWorld (or BWE as its known) has a special place in my heart: it was the first tech conference I ever went to, way back in 2007, when my career as a blogger and all-around Internet person was just starting and terms like monetization, social media, and SEO were a different language. I knew the definitions, but not what to call anything.
The show had plenty of parties and kicked off with a lively, crowded affair at the gorgeous Bank club at Bellagio sponsored by Techset. You know it's a recession when a tech party has no open bar, but the sponsor-provided beer worked out just fine.
The second night had the official party at the Jet club at Mirage, which provided more opportunities for dancing to Black Eyed Peas and Journey. Unlike that first year at 2007, where the party had a chocolate fountain, and a prime rib carving station, this was again, another Bud-Light sponsored affair, with an emphasis on dancing versus talking.
The show floor was a mish-mash of sponsors geared towards PR professionals, content provider companies like Examiner and Associated Content, non-Internet companies like Healthy Choice, and a "lounge" sponsored by the Army. BlogWorld provides a Military Blogging track, so their inclusion was not that odd. I was grateful for the water they provided, considering concessions closed at around 4, while the show went on for longer.
This being BitchBuzz, I sniffed around for the ladies and found a few: there was BitchBuzz friend Hannah from affiliate marketing provider Skimlinks, who was smart enough to provide Guitar Hero at her booth; Nelly Yusupova from WebGrrls, who interviewed me for her future women in tech video interview series, and I was able to meet Kathleen from a really cool company called Women's Online Media.
They're a media company that hosts a directory of women's events called Women's Calendar, and is the parent company of Women's Radio, an Internet radio station with content created by and for women. What struck me about this company was that Kathleen told me they looked for women leaders aged 40-65 to host their own content and radio shows on the site.
Tech is definitely a youth-oriented space, so I thought it was fantastic that they were actively looking for leaders who were not necessarily 25. Women's Radio also features its own proprietary audio software called Audio Acrobat. In addition, the Nevada based company also hosts IndieGrrrl, a directory of independent female artists.
The conference, like BlogHer (the only other blogging-centric conference I can think of) is geared towards the entrepeneurial sort. In a sense, discussions of content are almost secondary to discussions on how to market your work and get paid. And, honestly, there is nothing wrong with that. But, if you're not a marketer or you're not interested in social media for business, this show might alienate you.
As a long time blogger of many years, I find that the obsession with marketing can derail us from the reason many of us came here in the first place: to find a place to write and be creative. However, expressing yourself creatively doesn't pay for trips to Vegas, so monetize we must.
I would recommend this conference to the beginning blogger, especially if you are serious about turning your blog into a business. Most of the sessions are geared towards beginners, and if you've been around the block a few times, you'll probably spend more time hanging out and getting to meet your fellow attendees than actually attending sessions.
What concerns me about the show is the high cost of entry; almost $700 dollars for a full-access pass. I was grateful to be comped in as media, but not everyone can pass their test.
Image via Michael_Lehet's Flickr