Today was full of great information! It’s sometimes difficult to tell how much you’re going to learn at blog conferences. Some of them are mainly social opportunities, some are learning camps and some have both!
Blogher Food definitely is both so far.
I assume most of you don’t have blogs, is that right OR random of me?
Anyways, I took notes to share from this morning’s session in case you were into the whole blogging thing…
The first session I went to was Traffic Building: Using the Latest Social Tools
It had panelists Jeantte Chen (www.jeanetteshealthyliving.com) , Kalyn Denny (www.kalynskitchen.com) , Neysa King (www.keyingredient.com/blog) and Stephanie Stiavetti (www.theculinarylife.com)
The ladies went through and announced their greatest sources of social media traffic. Google Searches seemed to be the #1 searches for most but after that comes Pinterest, Stumble Upon and Facebook.
Twitter surprisingly wasn’t that great as a source of traffic! I still think it’s the most fun 
Kalyn shared her 5 4 Golden Rules of Social Media:
1. Promote Others Generously
2. Reciprocate when others share your stuff. Reciprocating reinforces their desire to share.
3. Use social media to give compliments.
4. When people mention you on social media – respond!
Someone on the panel also said a big “no-no” is posting something more than once to promote and saying, “In case you missed it… look at my post that you ignored and I don’t know why so I’m making this desperate attempt to make you look at it again.”
They also said you should make sure that it’s easy for people to share or link to your posts.
The entire session in a nutshell was: PINTEREST ROCKS!
After the session we had a break and then it was lunch time!
Then menu included a selection of sandwiches, spinach salad and sweets.
The spinach salad had the coolest presentation – just a stack of it on a long toothpick. It was a very fun, bright presentation in person (even though it looks messy here).
I also grabbed some of this rock salad…
I grabbed a turkey sandwich, curry chicken sandwich, gazpacho and salad.
Spinach salad drizzled with dressing
The curried chicken salad was the highlight of the meal. So so good.
Tina was raving about the cookie she grabbed for dessert so I had to get one too. I said this wasn’t really a cookie since it was so thick, but it was delicious. 
I also stopped by the Chobani booth to partake in their awesome yogurt and toppings bar. It was just like fro-yo but without the “fro”.
Yogurt, fruit, yogurt, fruit GRANOLA (<— obviously my fave part)
We made these in jars so I was able to put a top on it and save it for after the next session.
From there I headed to How Cookbook Photography Differs from Blog Photography. I was live blogging this event as a volunteer so I have a ton of notes. Let me know if you’d be interested (but I’m not going to do it right now because I’m pressed for time).
I took a little field trip with Tina and Kath this afternoon too
We visited the Five Bamboo office and got lost took the scenic route 
The first Starbucks!
After the sessions there is a cocktail hour. Actually it’s more like a foodtail hour! I half of this mac n’ cheese appetizer…
And a few bites of this pulled chicken sandwich. I don’t know how I can still be hungry after all of today’s great food – but I am!
Now I’m trying to rest for a few minutes before tonight’s events! I got slammed with fatigue around 5pm today and I can’t shake it. This happens most days between 3-5pm. I know it’s somewhat normal, but I literally feel like I can sleep when that happens – is that normal?
I probably won’t be blogging again tonight – my favorite little peep has an open room with unlimited wine and champagne!!! Wine girl wasted.
That’s so interesting because I believe — and I have the analytics to back it up — that when done WELL (not spammy, ICYMI links), posting the same link multiple times during the day can drive audience.
I just think of it, especially on Twitter, as posting to people who are on at different times of day.
Yes, (especially being on the west coast) I agree that posting at different times of day is effective. But those on the panel HATE it.
I’d love to hear more about the food photos. I do a lot of work in my offseason (basically, not wedding season!) for different restaurants, and a lot of my work for them ends up in ads and on their websites. 🙂
Wow kath is getting so big 😀 and the food looks amazing, i love th cho jars!
I would love to see some of those cookbook photography tips!! I’m new to blogging and relatively “young” for blogging (I’m 20!) but I am in lurrrrvvv and trying to soak up all the advice I can!
Thanks for sharing those tips you learned! Blogging tips are always appreciated 🙂 Glad you’re having fun! I seriously want to go to one of these conferences sometime.
I love that they mentioned not linking back a million times to the same post. I do link back sometimes when what I’m talking about really connects to something else I’ve posted. But maybe once or twice. Not repeatedly, forever and ever.
I love the point about not linking back to old posts ‘in cased you missed it,’ that really is annoying. Looks like such a funny and yummy event!
Wow, Blogher looks great! Lesson learned, start pinning more often, asap!
I have a blog! I kind of assumed most of the readers would have blogs, but I’m not sure why I assumed that. Also, that cookie thing literally made me drool all over my key board.
unlimited champagne are my favorite words. i regret not going now.
I regret you not coming too 🙁 But, it’s nice and drizzly for your race coming up…
The food looks AMAZING!!! Can’t wait to hear all about the rest of your trip!
I hit a wall at 3 most days. I normally crave sugar…so for me, I assume I am addicted to sugar..
I’m brand new to this whole blogging thing. I started a run blog to keep me on track and am enjoying it tons. However, I know nothing about blogging. The first 4 tips I kind of figured out on my own, but I totally broke the no-no this week. I am doing a free t-shirt giveaway and I am pretty sure I put it up on Twitter like 5 times. Whoops. Guess you live & learn.
P.S.- The food looks amazing. I am having former fat kid food issues just think about it and looking at your pictures. I may start drooling any second.
Sounds like a really interesting trip! Thanks for sharing about social media. I’m just starting a blog and am learning something new every day! There’s so much information out there, it’s great!
3-5pm on weekends are snooze time for me!
Sometimes my afternoon sleepy feeling is from mild dehydration. Just like a flower I start to wilt. Often a big glass of water recharges me.
I’m not going to lie, 3pm has hit and I have legit closed my office door and put my head down. I’ve read that our bodies release melatonin around 3 in the afternoon (the same hormone that kicks in at night to put us to sleep) – and that getting out in the daylight or moving a bit like taking a walk can help combat that.
I have noticed that I barely get any traffic from Twitter (and not a lot of traffic total, lol) but you’re right, it’s the most fun to interact with. Have fun in Seattle!
Looks like a great event with interesting panels and amazing food!
Um…I just wish I could be there to eat all that! Delish!!!
That mac n cheese looks amazing. Yum!!!!
A Chobani Station? That sounds amazing. I might one at my next parrrrtay. I don’t get a lot of traffic from Twitter. *unfortunately*
Great tips & have fun!
So, I’ll admit that blogging isn’t really my thing, but those 4 golden rules just sound like 4 different ways to suck up to other bloggers. Yikes!
I think the point is more that you should use social media to pat others on the back – not just promote yourself?
Yeah, I would probably buy that if the panel weren’t titled “Traffic Building.” Sorry, I don’t wanna be that person, but these tips just rubbed me the wrong way.
Yeah, I see your point.
I think getting sleepy around 3-5 pm everyday is normal, because it sure happens to me a lot… unless we’re both just weird. I can’t speak for you, but that’s definitely a possibility on my part. I give in to sleep’s siren song more often than I’d like to admit in the form of a two hour nap. I let myself take them when I have the time, because I know I could probably use the sleep since I go to bed at 11 pm most nights and get up at 5-5:30 am.
Mine is from 2-4 and if I sit/lay on the couch to read or watch t.v. I cannot stay awake. Glad I am not the only one :/
Yeah, I always get annoyed because whenever I try to read or watch a movie around that time I pretty much just pass out if I haven’t been doing it for a while.