PureBlogging

Most of us who work on the web primarily write about things that we have learned about through the Internet. We write about new software releases, the art of blogging or the latest news on celebrities. Alternatively, we may blog about things from our real lives but not usually as they are happening. For example, we’ll review a book we’ve read or talk about restaurants in the city where we live. Although there are many live event bloggers out there, it’s not the norm to blog in real time from something that we’re attending.

Gain new blogging skills

Live event blogging is an interesting experience and one that you should try out if only to get a taste of different blogging styles. You’ll need different skills to blog from a real time event than you do when you’re blogging from the comfort of your own home. (Learn about the differences between live event and topic-based blogging here.) These skills may help to broaden your blogging experience even if you ultimately decide that live event blogging isn’t for you.

Live event blogging for your own blog

So, how do you go from blogging at home about your favorite topic to blogging from an event? The basics are simple; you’ll locate an event that you want to blog about, register to attend it, take your laptop and blog from there. However, there are some other tips that you should know:

• Choose an event that makes sense for your blog (unless you planning on starting a new blog around this topic). If you’re a fashion blogger, find a fashion event; if you’re a technology blogger, find a technology event. Alternatively, you may attend an event specific to blogging and share insight with your readers about how what you learn there applies to your topic.
• Ask in advance if there are any perks for bloggers. Take yourself seriously and sometimes others will as well. You may get a discount on your event ticket or at least a little swag from a conference. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
• Make sure you know the Wi-Fi situation where the event is being held. You don’t want to find out after you’re there that you can’t get connected.
• Set a schedule in advance for blogging. Ideally you’ll put up 5-15 posts per day when you’re at an event. This gives your readers a reason to keep coming back throughout the day and makes the live blogging worth the effort. Scan the program for the event in advance in order to outline your schedule.
• Brainstorm a list of things that you want to cover at this event. For example, for a fashion blog, you’d want to cover who is there, what designs are catching your eye, and any mishaps that happen. Keep this list handy so that you can re-focus yourself during the hectic pace that is a live event.
• Try to get an interview. Interviews are always good and live events provide you with opportunities to meet people. If you can interview someone that’s well-known in your industry, great. If not, just get some comments from whoever you do meet for the blog. First-person quotes really spice up a live event blog and show off the benefits of being there.
• Network. Meet people. Make sure to take business cards with your blog URL on them. Blogging from a live event doesn’t just make for a great fun retreat from your house; it’s a way to meet real live people and get some new readers for your blog.

Even if you never end up doing live event blogging again, it’s something that can bring immediate readership to your blog while providing you with new skills that can make your blog better.

Getting paid for live event blogging

What if you find that you actually really like live event blogging but you can’t afford to keep attending the conferences and events that you’d like to blog about? Here are some tips for getting paid to do live event blogging:

• Make sure to monetize your blog.
• Look for sponsors interested in sending you to an event. Often sponsors will foot the bill in exchange for specific advertising on your blog throughout the duration of the event. Look for sponsors who would have buyers interested in the topic of your event. For example, a mobile technology blog would benefit from sponsors who sell mobile phone accessories.
• Ask your readers for help. Put a PayPal widget on your site and ask your readers to donate to send you to the event. Running a contest as incentive isn’t a bad idea either.
• Create a live event blog portfolio. Keep your eye out for advertised event blogging opportunities or be proactive and do some direct mailing to businesses and other blogs that you think might pay you to blog for them.
• Network at the blog events that you do attend. Be outgoing and let people know that you’re a live blogger for the event. Ask them if they’re interested in hiring you to blog about the next event that they’re going to attend. This could turn into a great long-term relationship which allows you to do live event blogging for someone else and maybe even drive traffic back to your own blog with links.

And don’t forget that you might be able to use some of your expenses at events as a tax write-off!

Question of the Day: What would you say is the hardest part about breaking into live event blogging?

Related links: Live Blogging 2.0 @ Read, Write, Web and Tips for Conference Bloggers @ Lunch Over IP