Bloggers’ Workshops for 2015 – all the details to keep your blog on track and network with fellow bloggers in Perth

This one’s for all my Perth (and near Perth) bloggers, because due to popular demand I’ve set up a series of Bloggers’ Workshops for 2015 so that you can all learn (or refresh) some important skills, meet new blogging friends (or see old ones again), and keep getting regular doses of input and inspiration so that your blogging goals stay well on track this year. Many of you who attended the “Get Your Blog Ready for 2015” workshop last year were asking for an opportunity like this, and of course, ask, and you will receive! (Well, sometimes, anyway!)

How will the Bloggers’ Workshops work?

Workshops will run on Thursday mornings in North Beach, Perth. I have planned out 11 different workshops (see all the topics below) and each session will run for an hour and a half. Approximately the first 45 minutes will cover training for the particular topic, and the second half will run like a mini-mastermind format where bloggers can get help and advice about both the topic we’ve talked about and any struggles they’re having with their blog.

You can sign up to individual workshops for $39 (via the Eventbrite links below), or you can buy a “five-pack” for $160 or a “ten-pack” for $300 – you can choose which five/ten sessions you want to attend (email me and I’ll invoice you then send a link to pick your sessions).

Everyone who joins any of the sessions will have access to my new Bloggers’ Workshop Facebook group where you’ll be able to stay in touch with your fellow bloggers (and me) for support and advice throughout the year. Maximum group size for each session will be 10 bloggers – 12 was a couple too many at our Beach Boardroom (North Beach) workshops last year.

What are the Bloggers’ Workshops topics and dates?

All the links here will take you through to the booking pages if you want to book an individual workshop or two – if you want to use the ten-pack option for $300, or the five-pack for $160, email me and I’ll invoice you, then send you a link to pick your 10 (or 5) workshops.

Workshop 1: Big picture social media strategy for your blog

Thursday 5th March (9.30-11am)

Everyone knows that using social media effectively is essential for promotion these days, but have you stopped, stepped back, and tried to create a big picture strategy for how it can work for you and your blog (without leaving you no time to blog, eat or sleep!)?

In the training half of this meet-up, we will cover:

• A quick overview of which social media platform works best for what (including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram)
• An audit of what social media you’re using now, and what would actually work best for your audience
• Setting sensible goals for your social media use and figuring out your over-arching strategy
• Planning out your social media promotion for the next month

Workshop 2: Making the most of Facebook for your blog (pages and profiles)

Thursday 19th March (9.30-11am)

Facebook is THE social media platform because it has well over a billion users – chances are very high that your target readers are on Facebook. It’s true that Facebook pages have faced some challenges in recent times but it’s still possible to reach your readers if you’ve got a good strategy and great content.

In the training half of this meet-up, we will cover:

• The pros and cons of both Facebook profiles and Facebook pages
• How to set up your own Facebook page, in brief
• Using your Facebook page insights to improve your reach
• Identifying what kind of content works best (for you) on Facebook
• Developing the best plan of attack for promoting your blog on Facebook

Workshop 3: Reader avatars, surveying your readers and building community

Thursday 23rd April (9.30-11am)

Every blogger wants to have more readers. But do you know who your current readers really are, and what kind of future readers you’re trying to attract?

In the training half of this meet-up, we will cover:

• Ways to find out who your current readers are
• Developing reader avatars – a profile of exactly who your readers are, or who you want them to be
• Targeting your blog posts to your readers
• How to turn individual readers into a community of readers

Workshop 4: Optimising images for your blog posts

Thursday 7th May (9.30-11am)

Gone are the days when beautiful words were enough to attract readers – today’s internet readers expect beautiful pictures as well. Images are also very useful for promoting your blog post on social media, as well as breaking up the text and making your blog post more readable.

In the training half of this meet-up, we will cover:

• What kind of images would work well for your blog
• Sources of images
• How to use tools like Canva to create great images
• Different strokes: tips on images for different social media platforms (especially Pinterest!)

Workshop 5: Sponsorship and advertising for your blog

Thursday 28th May 2015 (9.30-11am)

If your blog is more than a hobby, you’ve probably dabbled in sponsorship or advertising, or at least thought that you’d like to get some income for the many, many hours you’ve spent working on your blog. Fortunately, more and more brands are noticing just how influential bloggers can be, so the potential is really there.

In the training half of this meet-up, we will cover:

• What forms of sponsorship, advertising or working with brands could work for your blog
• Putting together a media kit (and making sure you’re keeping track of the right numbers)
• Ways to approach a brand or company to work with your blog
• How to be professional and successful on brand work

Workshop 6: Promoting old posts successfully – what’s old is new again

Thursday 11th June 2015 (9.30-11am)

Whether you’ve been blogging for just a year, or for ten years, you will have some old posts that didn’t get the attention they deserved at the time. Many bloggers don’t realise that these posts still have plenty of potential.

In the training half of this meet-up, we will cover

• How to identify past posts that deserve a second chance
• Options for reincarnating old posts – editing, adding images, republishing
• Using social media to revive old posts (including scheduling – this will touch on tools such as Hootsuite)

Workshop 7: Writing better blog posts

Thursday 30th July 2015 (9.30-11am)

Writing for a blog is different from any other kind of writing, and since blogs are relatively new, a lot of bloggers struggle to find ways to write their posts so that their readers are clamouring to see them.

In the training half of this meet-up, we will cover:

• The characteristics of a well-written blog post
• Formatting issues – why good blog post writing includes headings and images 
• How to find your blogging voice
• Tips for writing a post that your readers will want to share

Workshop 8: LinkedIn for bloggers

Thursday 20th August 2015 (9.30-11am)

A lot of bloggers think LinkedIn is only useful if they’re looking for a new job. Not true! Making all kinds of connections on LinkedIn, promoting your blog, perhaps even blogging on the LinkedIn platform are all legitimate ways to help your blog grow.

In the training half of this meet-up, we will cover:

• The basics a blogger should include on their LinkedIn profile
• How to connect with the right people: readers, potential sponsors, guests and interviewees, and more
• Using LinkedIn to promote your blog posts effectively
• What LinkedIn’s native publishing platform is all about

Workshop 9: Using Twitter with your blog

Thursday 17th September 2015 (9.30-11am)

Twitter can be mystifying. It can also be fascinating! What’s more, you can definitely use Twitter to bring a multitude of benefits to your blog.

In the training half of this meet-up, we will cover

• The basics of Twitter and some demystification
• Using Twitter for networking and making contacts
• Taking part in Twitter chats
• Promoting your blog posts on Twitter

Workshop 10: Newsletters for your blog

Thursday 22nd October 2015 (9.30-11am)

Social media platforms are fabulous but things can change on them at any time. Getting the email addresses of your readers and being able to get an email right into their inbox is something you are more in control of. I’ll focus on using Mailchimp in this workshop but the principles apply to any mailing list platform.

In the training half of this meet-up, we will cover

• The pros and pros of having a mailing list
• How to get subscribers to your mailing list
• Developing a calendar of content for your newsletters
• Creating regular newsletters without giving up sleep

Workshop 11: Make 2016 your blog’s biggest year

Thursday 3rd December 2015 (9.30-11am) OR Saturday 5th December 2015 (10-11.30am)
Your blog won’t write itself … or promote itself, or get its own sponsors … it’s all up to you, the blogger! And the best way to make sure that 2016 is your blog’s biggest year ever is to have a really good think about how you can do that before the year hits.

In the training half of this meet-up, we will cover

• Analysing how your blog performed in 2015
• Using user audits to check the design and functionality of your blog
• Setting some key goals for your blog for 2016
• Brainstorming some completely new ideas and directions for your blog
• Putting together a plan for 2016

FAQs

What kind of bloggers are these workshops suited to?
From beginners to intermediate bloggers, using WordPress, Blogger or something else, and blogging on any topic.

Do I need a laptop computer?
Ideally, yes. We can use the Wifi at the Beach Boardroom venue and there will be sections at each workshop where you’ll have a chance to do something hands on. It will often be the case that what we do works better on a laptop than on an iPad/tablet. If you want to borrow a laptop (PC), let me know as a I have a couple of spares.

Can I get a refund if I can’t get to the course?
Full refunds are available up to two weeks before the date of the course, but not after that, I’m afraid, due to venue booking restrictions. Refunds for the ten-pack will generally not be given but I’ll look at them on a case-by-case basis.

Got another question? Let me know and I’ll add the answer to the FAQ.