BlogHer 2008 Annual Conference

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

BlogHer’s recent survey data indicated that the majority of women bloggers have been at it for three years or less. Do you see yourself blogging for life? And if so, how will you escape blogger burnout or, perhaps worse, boredom. Join some women who are in that rare pantheon of bloggers who have been at it five, six, seven, even eight years and more. We all know it’s best to blog what you feel passionate about, but as your life changes, do your passions? According to these bloggers, you can always adjust your blog to match the passions in your life. Maggie Mason moderates a discussion amongst long-time bloggers like Melissa Summers, Evany Thomas and Sarah Brown, and uses their stories to offer practical advice on how to make sure you’re always publishing what is best for you to give, not what you think others want to receive.

 

 What We Do: Pursuing Your Passion Never Gets Old [75:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Journalist, blogger, editor and consultant Amy Gahran will be conducting this workshop going over these basic of online writing excellence. Amy writes at her own blog, Contentious and edits the Poynter Institute’s group blog, E-Media Tidbits.

 

 What We Do: Writing Workshop [77:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

There are now so many ways to get your word out, that every blogger has to make the decision: how far and wide do I want to distribute my content? Do I want it to be automated or selective? When do I start to feel like a spammer, not a sharer? Which tools are really effective, and which are just taking my content for free? How do I track my words, once I’ve set them free? How do I still protect my content? What about audio and video? We’ll be talking tools like Twitter, Facebook, kirtsy, StumbleUpon, Digg, Qik, Utterz: all of which can be either well-used…or abused. Krista Neher moderates this discussion with avid users Anne-Marie Nichols and Gwen Bell who use the tools…and have opinions, backed up by data, about them all, and Esther Brady (aka faintstarlite) who will be on hand to talk video distribution.

 

 What We Do: DIY Content Syndication and Promotion [64:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download