Insider Info about BlogPaws Conference: Is It Worth It?

by: Carol Bryant

The
road to my success has not been easy. I didn’t wake up a successful pet blogger;
in fact, pet blogging is
one part of what I do. There are ways to become a professional full-time
blogger or make it a part-time hobby, a way to channel a passion for pets, or a
way to promote other things like writing a book. I don’t go to the BlogPaws
conference once a year and then stop the learning process. I engage with the
online community that BlogPaws has year-round. 

“How
am I supposed to afford $199 to come to a 3-day conference?” My retort to about
the price is “How can you NOT afford to go?” With room sharing options
available, the ability to bring your dog/pet with you,  and most meals are provided in your ticket
registration— you just need to get yourself there. The $199 for the education
and networking I’ve received over the years is, well, as the commercial says,
“priceless.” If you want to know why $199 is worth it, here’s blow-by-blow of the
facts:

What You
Get For the Price

The cost of a 3-day pass to the BlogPaws 2013 Conference,
taking place May 16-18, which is totally pet-friendly, is $199. The conference
is on the border of Washington D.C., which if you haven't heard is a mecca of
culture and things to do – including with or without your pet(s). I digress.

The Blogger Full Conference Pass includes:

• Admission
  to Thursday afternoon workshop or other sessions and the evening reception
• All
  Friday General & Breakout Sessions
• All
  Saturday General & Breakout Sessions
• Full
  weekend access to all meals, break areas & sponsor exhibits

Three Days of this:

* First-rate social media
educational seminars delivered by experts in their respective fields

* Meeting celebrity dogs and their
owners in person

* BlogPaws “Nose-to-Nose"
Social Media and Pet Blogging Awards done red carpet style with a celebrity
emcee

* A bag of goodies galore filled
with pet products (dog or cat)

* Additional access to a
world-renowned video director and producer of pet videos, Kenn Bell, with a
special Thursday workshop

* Meeting many of your Facebook,
Twitter, and blog associates and friends in the pet world

* Access first hand to pet product
sponsors and brands

* A weekend of pet-friendly fun and
networking

* Breakfast, lunch, and snacks from
a finely selected menu

* Ideas to launch, continue, or
escalate a business involving animals whether for or non-profit, on a blog or a
microblog (like Twitter or Facebook)

* Spread the word about your cause,
business, rescue, or group to key players and community

* Prizes galore

* Memories, video and images,
friendships, contacts, business cards exchanged, laughs, too!

* All in one place, a grand hotel in
a beautiful location

Having taken many seminars and
sessions in my life, I can honestly say they cost much more than $199 for ONE
session not including all the extras mentioned. If you've ever planned a
wedding, BlogPaws event planning is the equivalent of being a wedding planner
times ohhhhh, 1,000. It is work, a labor of love, but oh-so-worth-it when
everyone comes together in the name of animals, being the change, learning and
growing, and paying it forward.

So to the average person who might now know what BlogPaws or
has been to previous conferences and wonders whether or not to return, here are
a few facts:

The Facts/ “The Stats”

• According
  to the American
  Pet Products Association (APPA) 2013-2014 National Pet Owners Survey,
  68 percent of U.S. households, or 82.5 million, owned at least one pet in
  2012, the highest percentage ever. The report counted 83.3 million dogs
  and 95.6 million cats.
• The
  APPA forecast more than $55.5 billion in spending in 2013 across all
  segments of the pet industry, surpassing the $53.33 billion spent in 2012
  by 4.1 percent.
• In
  a study released by Trone Brand Energy, a reported 20 percent of pet
  bloggers are considered highly influential and have monthly readerships of
  at least 10,000 readers.
• The
  Wall Street Journal reported U.S. pet-supply
  giant, PetSmart, logged its 10th quarter in a row of double-digit profit
  growth and treats pet owners as pet parents.
• Between
  73% and 81% of BlogPaws attendees expressed an interest in working with
  brands.
• BlogPaws
  conferences donated over $45,000 in cash and pet-related items to groups
  in need.

These are some the things we know, here at BlogPaws, and
which keep us motivated and going forward to share our skill set, dynamic speakers,
educational opportunities, monetization offerings, and more.

BlogPaws
conferences deliver educational sessions on topics ranging from finding content
for your blog, to search engine optimization (SEO), to turning your blog into a
business or a book, to holding fund raising events called
"Twitter-pawties," to using specialized contest apps on Facebook, and
much more. While some of the attendees publish about — or in some cases AS
their pets — the topics apply broadly to anyone who wants to
learn more about effective use of social media and blogging. You don’t need to
be a pet blogger to attend BlogPaws.

What sort of training takes place?

There are a variety of custom-designed tracks, including 101
(Beginners), 201 (Intermediate), and PRO (Advanced). There will also be
exclusive tracks for those interested in animal rescue and advocacy,
understanding copyright and the legal responsibilities around social media, and
pet lifestyle. That’s right: Choose your tracks and customize your
educational goals.

Bonus

Washington
D.C. is nearby, and there are a plethora of things to do that include your pet
if you want to make a mini vacation from the BlogPaws experience. (note: did
you know Arlington National Cemetery allows leashed, well-behaved dogs to walk
throughout their grounds? My dog, Dexter, and I have hiked it twice!)

How can you afford to miss it? Join me: http://www.blogpawsconference.com