I mentioned recently that this weekend I was going to one of the biggest conferences in the blogging calendar.
Fuelled by the excitement of meeting up with some of my blogging buddies at the Birmingham Blog Camp, earlier in the year, I booked my tickets to Britmums Live 2015 straight after and was so looking forward to it.
The night before I didn’t have any of the nerves I thought I’d have — instead it felt a little like Christmas eve — I was SO excited!!
I took the train into London on Friday and met up with some of my friends at the hotel we were staying at beforehand — cue LOTS of excited shrieking and lots of cuddles. I paid for early check in which was a godsend — so nice to dump all the bags and sort myself out before we went over to the venue.
We made our way over to the Brewery, signed in and signed up to the talks that needed to be booked in advance.
The venue was fabulous; a beautiful building laid out over lots of levels.
There was beautifully decorated outside area — a busy, buzzing, craft room — then the workshops and talks planned for the two days were held in four conference rooms plus there was ‘The Hub’ — a room that was almost laid out like a market place for the brands and sponsors of the event to show off their wares. This is where most people caught up between sessions too as there were free refreshments available.
I won’t bore you with every detail of the two days, suffice to say that I loved every second of it.
I met some fabulous brands, listened to some inspiring speeches, talked to lots of lovely like-minded people and met up with some of my blogging besties.
I chose my workshops quite carefully beforehand and packed in each and every learning opportunity I could and — as a result — I learnt SO much new stuff. Highlights definitely included the advanced SEO session and the Pinterest workshop.
Plus I went to a ‘Define Your Design’ workshop and spent a lovely creative hour creating a mood board.
For anyone toying with the idea of going next year I’d urge you to be brave and book a ticket! This time last year, the thought of attending such a big event with lots of people I didn’t know terrified me but having just spent such a lovely, busy two days putting faces — and voices — to the blogs I read, and learning more about the industry that I’m now a part of, I *almost* wish that I’d done it sooner.
I say *almost* because one of the reasons I felt so completely at ease was down to the fact that I had some lovely allies with me. Bloggers that I’ve been chatting to over the course of the last year who are now my friends.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m a pretty confident girl in a room full of strangers but making smalltalk over two days is tiring.
Having some people you feel really comfortable around — almost as a security blanket— is something I’d definitely advise for such a big blogging event. Blog Camp was a great pre-cursor — a more intimate environment to meet my buddies for the first time — and was definitely the way forward for me.
Cutting my teeth on a small event was perfect.
Despite what I (wrongly) thought when I published my very first blog post, blogging is an incredibly sociable business. I guess the clue is in the name ‘social media’ — particularly as it’s the social media platforms that give you the tools to get your blog noticed!
For anyone reading this who may be thinking about going to Britmums for the first time I’d say GO!
You’ve a whole year until the next one; plenty of time to make some good blogging allies and attend a smaller event beforehand.
Btirmums Live 2015 was fabulous. Such a great opportunity to learn, meet up with some great brands and mingle with the blogging fraternity. I’m looking forward to the next one already. Maybe I’ll see you there? :)
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
Thus is 2 events we have both attended and we still have met. Hopefully next year we can finally meet.
Although I did see you brief when you came to the talk table session because I was sat on Hayley’s table.
Aaah Nikki!! I WISH you’d said hello!!! :) Hopefully we’ll catch up next time :) xx
Wow it sounds amazing, I never imagined that such things existed lol, maybe I’ll be there next year x
Until you begin blogging you just don’t realise that these things even exist do you?! I had no idea!! So happy to be a part of it now though — it’s a brilliant environment to be in!! :)
Oh my goodness you are amazing and I am SO glad we got to spend so much time together. You make me laugh and you are infectious. Glad you enjoyed it and I did too. In fact I am exhausted as I had so much fun!!!! Here’s to the next one – yay xxxxxxx
Aaah pet — It was SO good to see you again!! I can’t believe what an amazing time I had!! No nerves at all this time — unlike BlogCamp. I can’t wait until the next time!! :) xxxx
Im still laughing at the mummies! ( the toilet roll ones)
Hahaha! That was HILARIOUS wasn’t it??? Bless them all with their arms up in the air!! I’m still amazed we broke that record!! ;)
that is the best photo ever! Love it. Such wonderful ladies all on one photo! Amazing. Bring on the MADS!
Aaah I WISH you’d been there!!!!!! We missed you. It was amazing to have most of the girls together — and I learnt SO much stuff too — my head is positively FIZZING over with knowledge!!! :)
Glad you had a blast. I’m putting my thinking cap on to work out how I can swing it to attend the next one ;-)
#twinklytuesday
It was fab — I really did enjoy it!!! SO lovely to see all the folk I’ve been chatting to online for so long!! :)
Love how supportive you all are over there, we just don’t have that here
Aaah that’s a real shame Mac? I’m surprised too. Maybe you can get a mega-generous sponsor to fund a trip from NZ to next year’s Britmums?! ;) We’d all LOVE to see you!!! x
Looks fab too. I hope to make it next year but will need some serious sponsorship to make it from NL. As a newbie blogger I am sure the advice would be invaluable. Very jealous! ;-)
Aaah!! You never know!!! Star hunting for those sponsors now!!! :) The advice was absolutely incredible — for me the SEO and Pinterest sessions were amazing!! I learnt SO much! :)
The venue does look amazing, I must say. Such a good idea to cut your teeth somewhere a bit more intimate first though. I think if I were to do a conference I’d only be able to afford to go once, so I’d probably have to jump in at the deep end with BritMums? There’s nothing really in the way of big blog events in the North East so there’s always travel and accommodation to consider and I wouldn’t leave Gwenn overnight so I’d have to bring her and I’m not sure that would be allowed (bearing in mind she’ll be 3 next June!). So I think I’ll just have to live vicariously through everybody’s posts! x
It was fabulous!!! Blog Camp was free (and there are quite a few popping up throughout the year, I think) but I paid for my Britmums ticket. A lot of bloggers managed to get sponsorship but I just felt too shy to ask!!! Sadly, you wouldn’t be able to bring a toddler — babes in arms were allowed but not older children. My boy looked after our sons for the weekend!! I got a pink ticket!! :)
I am so glad you wrote that the thought of going terrified you last year, as that is exactly what I was thinking whenever I saw all these photos on my twitter, going to this huge conference without knowing anyone – I am so shy in person, it really fills me with dread! But I see your tip about going to a smaller one first, maybe I will do that and hopefully be a bit braver to go to Britmums next year! It looks like there are lots of tips to pick up from going, and everyone seems to have had a laugh! Sabrina x
#twinklytuesday
I wouldn’t have gone last year Sabrina — not even if you’d have paid me to!!
But a year on, I’ve met such a lovely group of bloggers online and had met up with them at BlogCamp in April — which was only 100 people. MUCH easy to handle!! After seeing everyone in real life I couldn’t wait to book my Britmums ticket!! :) It was BRILLIANT!! :)