Black Social Media Summit: A Black Blog Conference

Did you know?

The Average African American spends 55 hours per week engaging with media content across all screens, compared to 35 hours for Hispanics, and 27 hours for Asian Americans. (source)

African American women ages 18-35 are 72% more likely than the average US adult to publish a blog or express their preferences on social media. (source)

28% of online African-Americans use Twitter, compared to 14% of Hispanics, and 12% of Caucasians(source)

I definitely did not know any of this! But I knew that with the right strategy and the right content, I could potentially use this information to make my blog more popular and well as make more cash. But I knew that I wanted to reach more people like me. I searched Google for a “black blog conference” and came about the Blogging While Brown Conference, but I knew that I wouldn’t be able to go this year…its the same weekend as my birthday (and I have an event I’m working) and it’s in New York (this college girls budget is tight). Luckily, Vernetta of Women Are Gamechangers shared that the organizer, who is from Texas, would be holding a Black Social Media Summit in Austin, Texas! What? A one day conference for black bloggers, just 5 hours away? I knew I had to be there!

So the weekend came where I’d be heading to Austin! I was super excited! I was going to be staying with my friend Paige, who goes to the University of Texas. We were going to go to a probate, the after party  and then in true college fashion, I was going to wake up at 9am and head to the conference. Didn’t work out as planned. I got in accident ( I was not at fault) with an 18 wheeler and my new-to-me car was wrecked! (Soon as my lawsuit/ insurance stuff is cleared up, there will definitely be a blog post!) I was delayed on highway 71 for hours while my friends were at the probate, living life. I ended up making the party, but I was not lively.

I’m super glad that I made it to the conference the next morning! The location, The Oasis on Lake Travis was beautiful and the food–both breakfast and lunch was delicious!

Not only did I get some good munchies, but I met some awesome Bloggers and picked up some knowledge that I know will help me in my blogging career!

Here were some of my major takeaways from the one day conference:

1. Even before your blog is a business, treat it like a business. –Black and Married with Kids
2. The quickest way to gain more traffic, is to produce more content. -Black and Married with Kids
3. Posting longform content on Google Plus is better for engagement.-Ashley Small
4. Add Email to Linkedin Headline-Crystal Washington
5. “Get Yo Money” and Have A Written plan to get said money –Tamara Floyd of Natural Hair Rules
6. Protect Your Personal Brand At All Cost-Benjamin Floyd

This conference was everything I needed to be. I got so much information from it and met a ton of influential people! This conference was not a “racist” conference as some people on Twitter decided to tweet me and say. It was a summit designed to stregthen and build the Black Blogging Community in Texas as well provide them with information to help target their Niche.

Thanks for stopping by today!

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