What is Event Blogging?
Event blogging involves creating content about upcoming events, such as conferences, trade shows, and networking events.
By providing relevant information and promoting your event through a blog, you can increase visibility and attract more attendees.
Additionally, event blogging can help establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry.
In this guide, we will discuss how to create a successful event blog, how to promote your event through content marketing, and how to measure the success of your event blogging efforts. Let’s get started!
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Event blogging Overview
Event blogging, or live blogging as it’s also known, is a way of reporting on an event.
It is done by taking notes and publishing them on the web in real-time.
Event bloggers can provide their own commentary and context to events as they happen – ideally without too much newsroom interference.
That freedom allows live bloggers to work more like reporters covering a story and less like press release regurgitators.
And it is fast becoming the preferred (and easiest) way for large corporations and PR professionals to post information about an event as it is happening.
Event blogging allows events, such as presentations, speeches, seminars, panel discussions and debates to be live-blogged.
Event blogging is done using a standard web browser and an Internet connection.
Some live blogs are even created with the help of Twitter so that updates can be published automatically by smartphone.
Liveblogging software, such as Rock content (formerly ScribbleLive) allows users to quickly set up an interface on their website where readers can see the updates as they happen.
A new generation of mobile apps is making it possible to live blog from anywhere, using any device with Internet access.
How does event blogging work?
Event bloggers generally sit in a room where an event is taking place and use social media such as Twitter and Facebook to gather information about the event.
They also take notes on what is said and upload the updates in real-time.
A live blog can be edited so that corrections can be made after a mistake has been noticed.
In this way, event blogging differs from citizen journalism where anyone who is attending an event posts information about it without any editorial oversight or correction mechanism.
The advantage of having a professional take note and post the updates is that the events can be published at a regular pace and errors can be corrected.
However, the disadvantage of course is that it takes longer for an event to show up on a live blog than it does when regular attendees start tweeting about it right away.
Is there any money in event blogging?
Not really. Event bloggers are generally not paid for their work.
Large corporations and PR companies that use live blogs to post information about an event may offer
- a photo of the event
- some background information on some of the speakers and links back to their own website
- but usually, they do not pay or compensate bloggers in any way.
Event blogging can be a great opportunity for freelancers who are looking for an opportunity to expand their digital portfolio and make new contacts in the PR industry.
It can also be a low-maintenance way for the PR industry to get help with their social media needs.
One of the best parts of event blogging is that there are no start-up costs and equipment costs.
Just an Internet connection and a smartphone for tweeting photos and updates from the room.
Or anywhere else around town where you might find an interesting event taking place.
It’s easy to see why event blogging is becoming so popular.
To make sure that your live blog gets maximum exposure, it’s important to use an appropriate hashtag that will help people find updates related to an event on social media.
That can be a challenge because if you don’t know what hashtag to use, you run the risk of your updates getting lost among those from other people attending the same event.
For example, if you’re live blogging a conference related to digital marketing and social media.
Then using #digital marketing or #socialmedia (which are widely used) is not likely to make much of a difference.
At best, your updates will be seen by just a few people.
However, if you use #marketingtips or #socialmediamarketing instead, then your updates are much more likely to show up,
on the social media feeds of other marketers and PR professionals who want to keep up with what’s happening at marketing conferences.
Getting started with event blogging!
The first thing you need to do is go through all the social media accounts that you already follow and find out if any of them provide an up-to-date list of events in your area.
For example, most cities have meetup groups which are a great way to find out about upcoming business networking events, conferences, seminars, workshops and more.
Once you’ve done that, the next thing you need to do is get yourself a Twitter account and start following some hashtags related to the industry in which you hope to find work as an event blogger.
For example, if your objective is to break into marketing, then follow hashtags such as #marketingtips, #socialmedia and #marketing.
If you’re looking to work with a PR firm, then follow hashtags such as #pr, #socialmedia and #customerexperience.
In addition to following the right people on Twitter, it’s also important that you start developing your own social media accounts.
In other words, make sure that your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date, that you have a Twitter account with an appropriate bio and other social media accounts if you can manage them.
This will make it easier for people to find your name when they go looking for event bloggers who are available for hire.
Once you’ve done all that, then look out for ads or other opportunities that might be available for event bloggers.
For example, many PR and marketing firms post ads for freelance writers on Craigslist or LinkedIn in order to find people who are willing to work with them as independent contractors.
Event blogging by the numbers!
According to a study done by eMarketer in 2014, 60 percent of marketers plan to increase their use of social media for marketing events over the next year.
The same study found that 52 percent of marketers plan to use live blogging as part of the social media mix,
while another 32 percent are planning to incorporate live video streaming into their event coverage.
Other interesting findings were that 36 percent of marketers will promote an event on multiple social platforms before it occurs,
while 24 percent of marketers will promote an event on a single social platform.
Another 27 percent plan to post photos and videos from the event, with 12 percent live streaming video from the event.
Many people who choose to work as event bloggers either have a journalism or communications degree or they’ve covered events in some capacity as part of their previous work experience.
There are some event marketers that only want to hire experienced writers who have blogged about events in the past,
while others are interested in hiring anyone who wants to be an event blogger as long as they’re willing to learn on the job.
Key things you need to know about blogging events!
You’ll need a computer or mobile device with internet access in order to keep up with the latest news from your event.
In most cases, you’ll be expected to find at least three blog posts per day about the conference, post one of those updates every few hours and then another update or two later on each day.
In addition to being able to produce a certain amount of content over a short period of time,
event bloggers need to know how to write engaging headlines and be able to use a variety of social media tools in order to share those updates with as many followers as possible.
Some employers or clients might also expect you to track your posts on an online spreadsheet that shows the number of views each post has received,
how long it took the post to reach that number of views and other important metrics.
In many cases, you’ll be expected to present this information in a short presentation before your next assignment or when you’re looking for another job.
When it comes to event blogging, the most common challenge is finding an appropriate place to work.
This can be challenging when all of the event blogger positions are filled and you’re still trying to build your resume with other types of writing jobs.
Some common options for location include coffee shops, coworking spaces and the lobbies or hallways of large office buildings.
One option for those who can’t find a job as an event blogger is to start their own blog about any topic they’re interested in.
For example, if you’re passionate about tech gadgets, then you could start a blog about the latest smartphones, video games or streaming services,
and use it as a way to find clients and showcase your skills as an event blogger.
Another option is to write guest posts on other blogs that focus on events.
This can be a great way to get your foot in the door and show off your writing skills at the same time.
For those who want to take a more traditional approach, freelance work for web content companies can be an option as well.
It can often be tough to find these jobs however because there are many talented writers competing for a limited number of spots.
The most common reason to hire an event blogger is to save money over hiring a journalist or other type of writer.
In many cases, marketers expect you to share those savings with them by charging a lower rate per blog post compared to what a traditional writer might charge.
Some companies hire event bloggers as part of an overall strategy to improve their online marketing efforts and others do it exclusively for the purpose of improving their search engine visibility.
For those who want to be hired as an event blogger, it’s important to understand how your work fits into the overall marketing strategy and then do everything you can to fill that need on a consistent basis.
When looking for employment as an event blogger, it’s important to show that you’re willing to adapt your writing style to meet the needs of each individual company.
Some companies might want you to use a more conversational tone, while others might prefer a more authoritative or educational style.
No matter what their preference, it’s always a good idea to start by reading some of the blog posts they’ve already published,
and then ask for a list of their content marketing goals so you can start crafting posts that directly address those needs.
In some cases, event blogging is treated as a temporary assignment and the blogger is only expected to produce posts for a limited time before they move on to another job.
In other cases, it’s treated as a full-time gig and bloggers are either expected to maintain their presence at the event or take a few days off before beginning their next assignment.
Regardless of the expectations, it’s always a good idea to do your best work and have fun while you’re doing it.
Event blogging is a great way to hone your craft and show potential employers that you’re dedicated to helping them achieve their goals.
If this sounds like the type of experience you’re looking for, then it’s time to start looking for opportunities and learning how to become an event blogger.
Wrapping Up
That’s it! We’ve covered everything you need to know about event blogging.
Now, it’s time for you to get out there and start planning your next blog post around a live event.
Remember, the more prepared you are, the easier the process will be.
Do some research on upcoming events in your industry or niche, and start brainstorming ideas for content.
And most importantly, have fun with it!
Event blogging can be a great way to connect with your audience and create unique content that stands out from the rest.
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