BlogHer 2008 Annual Conference

Blogging creates communities, and they can take action for the greater good. But they can also take action to support individuals. Susan Wagner moderates this discussion with a trio of bloggers who have experienced the healing force of a community of blog readers who hang on their every word, and talk right back…always right when they needed to hear a voice come back out of the wilderness. Hear powerful stories about how Susan (aka WhyMommy), Laurie Kingston, LoveBabz and Christine (aka Flutter) feel the healing force of their blogging communities. Share your story too.

 

 What We Believe: Blogging Community as Healing Force [68:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Marnie Webb will lead this conversation about what tools are out there to help you, the individual blogger, raise funds and galvanize action around the issues you are most passionate about. Catherine Connors, who has been at the helm of the BlogHers Act Canada initiative since its inception will discuss how they created their monthly challenges, and how they keep momentum going. Donna Callejon will highlight the flexible features of Global Giving, the online fundraising service working with BlogHer on our BlogHers Act Mother’s Day initiative and leading social media consultant to non-profits, Beth Kanter, will talk about what has worked for her on her personal sites and for the organizations she has worked with.

 

 What We Believe: Tools for Online Fundraising and Activism [69:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It sounds a little odd coming form us, given BlogHer has an ad network, but in fact there are other ways to make money via blogging, and this year we’re going to explore some of them. Join these bloggers who have gone off the advertising path: Stephanie Agresta is an affiliate program expert, Kristen Hammond has become an e-commerce queen, Lynn Truong started her own blog network and is wiling to share the rather unusual business model she came up with for her and the bloggers who joined her, and Dana Loesch has started a local blogger network that can co-exist with her other blog advertising (OK, yes, the last two do make money from advertising, but the point is that they started these networks, they are their babies and a new business for each of them…and one could probably be started in other regional or content areas, so why not by you?):

 

 What We Do: There is More to Monetization than Advertising [76:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Engaging those outside the political blogosphere in political discourse…and action…

Is 2008 the year when every blogger is a proof point for the old battle cry that “the personal is political”? We are seeing a tremendous amount of interest and action around political issues and causes from bloggers who usually steer clear. They are galvanizing their readers to be more engaged and get more involved in a variety of ways. We’ll talk about some of those ways with Twitter rabble-rouser Erin Kotecki-Vest, Momocrat Joanne Bamberger and a woman who exhorts us all to exercise the Power of our Purse, Diane MacEachern.

How do we win in November? Conservative women talk brass tacks (and tactics).

Conventional wisdom predicts that Republicans will have it rough in Election 2008, but the Party is known for being expert at rallying the troops, energizing its base and defying conventional wisdom. Join this discussion about the Republican Party’s strategies to win in November and how bloggers…political bloggers and non-political bloggers alike, can help the cause. What is the message? And how can you help the party mobilize? RNC Online Communications Director Liz Mair will lead this discussion, along with conservative podcaster Fausta and Elizabeth Blackney (aka Media Lizzy).

 

 Conservatives [60:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Progressives [50:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download