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Leah XL

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#BlogAtTheBeach Event with IceLolly – Round up

LeahXL/ Hobby blogger

It’s not often that events happen up north so when the lovely Hayley at IceLolly sent a tweet out asking if anyone was free to go to an event in Leeds I jumped at the chance.

As you know I am a Hobby Blogger, I do this outside of my current permanent job so I don’t get to go to many events so having opportunities like this is rare and I was intrigued to learn more from a brand and other bloggers who aren’t too far from me.

IceLolly 1

IceLolly.com are a price comparison site for holidays. A post will be coming up soon on them in more detail and the event #BlogAtTheBeach has been running for five years.ย  They invite bloggers to network with other bloggers as well as listen to guest bloggers present on different blogging know how.

When I arrived I was really chuffed to see that some of my favourite blogger pals were there and it was lovely to get to see them in real life. Since being part of the We Are Thirty Plus blogging movement I have made some lovely online blogging friends who I finally bumped in to including:

  • Pixie Tenebaum – Fashion Voyeur
  • Em – Oh Gosh Blog
  • Keeley – Phat Cupcake

I didn’t know they were going so it was such a lovely surprise and they were just as nice in real life as online.

The day was split in to 3 parts and a speaker in each. These included:

  • Kirsty from Kirsty Leanne – Pitching to brands
  • Bee from Queen Beady – Taking your blog to the next level
  • Kaye from Fordtography – Travel photo tips

All 3 were able to offer advice from their success which, for me personally,ย  makes it really credible as they can evidence and back up what they’re presenting. They all did incredibly well and were all wonderfully lovely when I managed to catch up with them in the breaks.

I thought I would summarise the useful tips I got from each of the talks.

Pitching to brands

IceLolly 2

  • Do your research – show your passion for their brand
  • Keep a spreadsheet of brands you are contacting
  • Don’t use a template email
  • Create and update your Media Kit
  • Tell them your ideas and show them evidence on how you have done it before
  • Think of 3 things your blog can offer (you don’t have to have a large following

Taking your blog to the next level

IceLolly 3

  • Use your skills from your 9-5 job to influence your blog
  • Re-invest in your blog – sponsorship or paid opportunities, use the money for something new, web host, domain, logo, camera, photo editing. Just keep it refreshed and updated.
  • Find your style, you have your own voice and style so highlight that difference rather than trying to do the same
  • Create community blogging hubs so you can take photo’s of each other on lunch breaks or weekends in your area

Photography

IceLolly 4

  • Try and find the photo from a different perspective
  • Use manual settings on a camera, YouTube has how to’s on the basics
  • Try and find someone who can take photo’s with you, especially when you’re travelling
  • If you are a lone traveller and want photos of yourself invest in a tripod
  • You don’t have to have an amazing camera but recommend one with basic manual settings

(trying to utilise some of the tips below!)

IceLolly 7

IceLolly 7

IceLolly 8

IceLolly 8

IceLolly 5

IceLolly 6

We were also given feedback on each presentation from IceLolly representatives about how, as a brand, they would want a blogger to pitch and what they expect from someones blog. This really cemented what the speakers were already saying.

All in all I felt that the event was really well planned and the speakers really delivered insightful and well needed advice.

I 100% intend to put myself forward to the event for next year, if it is still in the North!

Did you go to the event? What did you enjoy?

If you didn’t go and you would like to go what would you like to see?

Do you ever pitch to brands? Are you looking to take your blog to the next level? Have you wondered about how to improve your photography skills?

Have you thought about working with Brands like IceLolly.com?

IceLolly 9

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Eloise Wren says

    January 14, 2018 at 7:20 pm

    This was interesting, I’ve never pitched to brands but a lot of bloggers are doing it nowadays and it’s something I’ve been thinking about – I’ll have to get a media kit first though! xx

    Reply
    • admin says

      January 14, 2018 at 7:23 pm

      I make them with Canva – They are so much easier. Have you seen one before? x

      Reply
  2. Emily Richards says

    January 14, 2018 at 9:27 pm

    I loved this post! I’m still fairly new to blogging and I never knew how much there was to it especially with these events and communities! It’s all so exciting and I would love to eventually be a part of it!

    Reply
    • admin says

      January 14, 2018 at 10:23 pm

      Keep an eye out and follow IceLolly on twitter to see when the next event is ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  3. Christy says

    January 15, 2018 at 12:22 pm

    Sounds like a really good day out for bloggers. Hope I can make one in the future – I’ve never been to a blogging event but they look really useful and I’d love to meet some of you guys in real life.

    Reply
  4. Rhian Westbury says

    January 15, 2018 at 5:19 pm

    I really wish this event hadn’t been so far away from me as I’d have loved to go. I saw so many people’s tweets over the weekend about this x

    Reply
  5. Joanna says

    January 15, 2018 at 7:33 pm

    It sounds like it was an amazing event! Unfortunately I live too far away otherwise I would have liked to have joined. The talks were definitely very useful, especially the ones about photography and interactions with brands.

    Reply
  6. Sarah Bailey says

    January 15, 2018 at 9:24 pm

    What a great sounding event – it looks like they had really thought about the speaker they had, to include things that are very travel related and ones that aren’t. So awesome you got to meet up with some blogging friends as well.

    Reply
  7. Afshan Nasim says

    January 15, 2018 at 11:23 pm

    This looks like a great event and at least you didn’t have to travel to London and it was local for you. Some useful tips too. Great post!

    Reply
  8. MELANIE EDJOURIAN says

    January 16, 2018 at 8:09 am

    That sounds like it as a fun event. I am sure you learnt loads from being there. I’ve never been to any events like this myself but am sure I would find it very beneficial.

    Reply
  9. Jenni says

    January 16, 2018 at 8:50 am

    This sounds like it was really informative I like going to events like these, you meet some really useful people

    Reply
  10. Lynne Harper says

    January 16, 2018 at 1:14 pm

    I have never been to a blogging event like this before. I’m sure you learnt so much. its definitely something that I want to go to this year plus I would love to meet some new blogging girls:)

    Reply
  11. Kara says

    January 16, 2018 at 2:19 pm

    I really wanted to go to this but it was too far north for me. Looks like it was an interesting conference

    Reply
  12. Baby Isabella says

    January 16, 2018 at 9:19 pm

    Sounds like a great event and that you picked up some great blogging tips too. We’ve never heard of it but will look into it next time!

    Reply
  13. lisa prince says

    January 17, 2018 at 3:20 pm

    oh wow sounds a wonderful event i wish i could have been i bet it was so lovely and satisfying shame it was too far

    Reply
  14. Dannii says

    January 17, 2018 at 4:04 pm

    It’s great that brands are doing more events up north now. Us northern bloggers have a lot to give too!

    Reply
  15. Melanie williams says

    January 17, 2018 at 7:07 pm

    Looks like the brand offered some great tips and hints. I love pitching to brands, as it is exciting to brainstorm new ideas and take them from idea to an actual project x

    Reply
  16. Tanya Brannan says

    January 17, 2018 at 8:11 pm

    This was a fab post to read as even though I wasn’t there, I’ve learnt loads from the info you’ve posted.
    Leeds isn’t too far from me so I would love to attend if it happens next year.
    I need to sort out a media kit too :-/

    Reply
  17. Laura H says

    January 17, 2018 at 9:51 pm

    It’s so fun meeting people you’ve followed online for ages in real life! I’m always really nervous and never sure how to approach them haha

    Reply
  18. Louise says

    January 18, 2018 at 1:26 am

    These are really great tips. It seems you got a LOT out of the event, which is great. Did you read about the poor blogger who contacted a hotel in Ireland and got ripped to shreds on social media? That’s put me off pitching to brands for a while!

    Louise x

    Reply

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