April 17, 2004
BloggerCon: Blogging as Business & Wrapup
Jeff Jarvis powerhoused through this topic. No doubts that we explored the topics of making money via blogs to its fullest extent. The conversation started out with methods by which bloggers can leverage their content to make money. Some of the methods were:
- Sell ads yourself
- Join an ad network
- Sell items via a service like CafePress
- Request donations
- Charge for gated content
- Advertorial posts
- Sell books you've written
- Blog for a trade association
There are more than I can list here, you can view the full list of ideas at the wiki created for this session. There were some really fun ideas thrown out, like Iron Bloggers, action figures, and gathering bloggers as a special interest group to demand things. Most are far-fetched, but who knows what that kind of thinking can lead to.
For me, the most valuable thing I got from the session was a focused idea of the role blogging should play at my company. I used to think our blogs attempts were fitting a square peg into a round hole. But I think with a change of focus, we have have an incredibly dynamic resource on our sites.
Wrapup
Last year's BloggerCon, I was a newbie to this community (but not to blogging). This year, I got to meet many people who I've read about, corresponded with, and commented to. It always surprises me how warm and welcoming the members of the blogging community are. I met some fantastic new people, spoke with many bloggers with incredible ideas and managed to pluck a few insights and ideas of my own.
The next BloggerCon will not be on the East Coast, but be sure that I will make every attempt to be there.
Comments
*makes mental note that she NEEDS to go to Bloggercon*
Wow. Can you feel the envy from across the Atlantic? Sounds like you had a great time.
Sell books: Wow! I am glad it is featuring here. I do it by the way and have sold 4 copies (grins sheepishly).