BritMums Live… A thought or two…

 

I wasn’t sure what to expect of BritMums Live if I’m being totally honest.

I’d loved Cybher and had come away with my head buzzing full of ideas (which I’ve been working on- watch this space!) I was worried I’d be all blogged out, if you know what I mean? Learning much of the same that I’d learned before, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

Thanks to the lovelies at Tesco I was offered sponsorship last minute and put up in a rather lovely hotel right next to the venue! This meant no carrying of a heavy bag of swag to the pub after the event (Just the one bag ladies – I learned well from Cybermummy not to go crazy for stickers, pens and general swag!)

So what did I learn?

1. What I’m doing is not what everyone else is doing.

I’m not obsessed with SEO, rankings, linkies, awards, and such like blogger things. (But it’s OK if you are – that’s totally cool- it’s your blog!) But I do now know how to do all of those things should I want to. (for the record – I don’t want to.)

2. My website and blog is loved. (Yippy!)

How lovely is it when someone comes up to you and says “Oh you’re Fi from Childcare is Fun! I LOVE your ‘top tips’ posts!”

3. The FREE parenting advice service I was going to stop, needs to carry on.

I had several lovely bloggers come up to me and thanks me for all the advice I had given them. It was so lovely meeting them face to face and hearing a thank you. I know now that it’s an important part of Childcare is Fun -so no ditching planned anymore. It’ll just take me longer to get back to you!

4. Dawn from Knees up Mother Brown is ace.

We’ve not really ‘hung out’ together at blogger events and conferences. This is weird because there are so many

similarities in our lives it was a pretty sure thing we’d get on!

Dawn made me giggle, gave me some free accounting advice, and made me laugh so hard at the photo booth I thought I might choke! She’s also convinced me to buy a slow-cooker. This has made my husband very happy (I don’t cook!)

5. Photography! I now know how to make lemons look fabulous.

I’m kidding! The lovely Julia Boggio gave some great advice about lighting and other wonderful things that I came away with a head-full of ideas to practice at home! I loved her wedding dance video too – it got me all emotional actually (but don’t tell anyone that OK?)

6. Apparantly I look like Sian. (Or she looks like me.)

For the record I’m not Sians sister/twin/cousin/stalker. We just have the same haircut. That’s it.

7. There are some awesome bloggers out there!

I loved the keynotes at the end. They made me laugh and they made me cry. My favourite was Seven days of special love. I was creased up and laughing away. Lady – you are funny!

I’ve also discovered some blogs I didn’t know existed! Some fab reads to take time over with a cuppa and cake!

8. Don’t feed the trolls!

I’ve had quite a lot of nasty comments all over the world regarding my twitterbirth. It’s taken me a long time to get thick skin and get over the comments as some sink deep. The workshop at Britmums was fab in the fact that I heard others had suffered the same.

I knew most of the basics that the panel shared, including not responding (don’t feed the trolls!) However, when it comes to newspapers writing nasty stuff, I didn’t take it lying down! I wrote complaints and even though I didn’t get anywhere, it made me feel a whole lot better.

9. Don’t let stats get you down.

You know what? There are so many bloggers obsessed with stats and rankings that I think they forget what blogging is really about – Writing!

I started blogging in 2000 – I started writing for others, to share my expereince and knowledge (I’m actually a qualified Nursery Nurse you know, with a degree and a list full of childcare qualifications, not just a professional cake-eater and mum of two!) I’ve not ever worried about rankings.

I admit, I check my stats every now and then for interest, but I don’t panic if they are lower than the month before. I overheard some lovely bloggers chatting sbout how many page hits they had that day – I had no idea you could check that on your phone!

I know there are ‘top bloggers’ out there that seem to worry everyone else with their status, but are they top because they write ‘amaze balls’ posts or because they know how to work google and SEO and all that jazz? (Before I get a gazillion nasty comments I’m not implying anything – I’m just try to get you to think about it all differently.)

I’d say do what works for you as a blogger, as a parent, as a person! Don’t have time for all that stuff? Don’t worry! Neither do I and I do pretty well. I write for my readers, not for rankings, not for hits, not for money or ‘stuff’. I write to make a difference – and I found out at Britmums that I do. (Make a difference!)

10. Ruby Wax is as funny in real life as on TV

But. She has a sad story behind her. I’m half way through her book, and listening to her talk about depression at Britmums was humbling. She’s a powerful lady that makes a difference.

11. Photobooths are great fun!

I loved the Orlando booth in particular – I want one in my house! (See top right photo!)

 

12. The TK Maxx lounge at Britmums – I want ALL of it!

I’m hunting that footstool down. It totally rocks and I need it in my life!

And finally…

 I learned that going to blogging conferences are brilliant fun and you learn quite a bit.

You meet all those who read your blog, who you Tweet with each day, who you moan to about your rubbish day, or share your exciting news with.

You get to be yourself for a whole weekend. Not a mummy, not a wife, just yourself, with hundreds of other women who are there to do the same thing.

Huge thanks to my sponsor Tesco Baby club for my ticket, travel and accomodation. And huge thanks to all of you that made Britmums fun.