On the Web with Kim Vallee » conference

My Blogging Tips Sessions at PodCamp Montreal 2009

Kim Vallee — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:35:17 +0000

I had a great time at the second edition of PodCamp Montreal. I am happy with all the sessions I went to. The exchanges provide great food for thought both from the presenters and the participants. People discussed several ways to stay authentic and transparent in CT Moore’s talk about transparency and personal brand. It was fun that it used Donald Drape as a reference character.

My two own sessions went well. I believe that you should review your blog 3 to 4 times a year and make adjustments. Preparing my Top Tips for Better Blogging session gave me the opportunity to review what I am doing. To answer Julien Smith’s question: doing it helps them and me.

I am also thrilled that our “Top Blogueur” panel was about design bloggers. Social media unconferences are not only for the earlier adopters of social media. Everyone is welcome. But people outside the social media crowd seem hesitant to participate and even more to submit a presentation. Having speakers that are not part of the usual circle is showing that things are changing. If you speak French, you can watch the panel here.

Video of Top Tips for Better Blogging

The sessions were recorded on live streaming, which is not always reliable. A little bit more than half of my presentation was recorded. Since it is the first half, you will not be lost.

PHOTO CREDITS:
+ Eva Blue and Jerome Paradis

Sharing My Top Blogging Tips at PodCamp Montreal 2009

Kim Vallee — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:31:03 +0000

I will be a speaker at PodCamp Montreal that will happen this weekend. In fact, I will be in two sessions.

Top Tips for Better Blogging

First, I will share my Top Tips for Better Blogging at 10 am Saturday, September 19th in room DE-3230. The blog universe has evolved and we have to adapt to the new reality. Based on my experience running At Home with Kim Vallee, my talk will focus on what it takes to create great content. I will tell you what works today to grow your traffic and free ways to monitor the social conversations.

I designed this session for all levels of bloggers. I made it so that recent bloggers can learn and seasoned bloggers can brush up their knowledge. I guarantee that you will learn a few new tricks or that attending will put things in perspective to address to current trends and challenges of the blogosphere.

If you cannot make it, my presentation will be live streamed. See you at 10 am this Saturday.

Top Bloggeur Panel

Right after lunch Saturday, I will be a panelist with the talented Éric Bolduc, Gabrielle Chalifoux and Cindy Laverdière. The talk will be in the language of Moliere (French). Michelle Sullivan will be the host of our Montreal-based design panel.

I am thrilled that lifestyle, fashion and art bloggers are represented at PodCamp Montreal. I said many times that design bloggers should mingle more often with geeks. We will exchange on our approach to blogging, the importance of networking, our strategy to build trust and awareness, plus our views on monetarizing our blog.

Panel ‘Top blogueur’ will start at 13:30 in room DE-3240 Saturday, September 19th. If you live out of town or are unable to go, our panel presentation will be live streamed.

It costs nothing to attend PodCamp Montreal. You simply need to register online first. Check out the schedule to discover the other awesome presenters; it’s should be great! If you wish to tweet about PodCamp Montreal, the official hashtag is #pcmtl.

Encouraging Women to Attend and Speak at Tech Conferences

Kim Vallee — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:02:46 +0000

If you follow the social media crowd, you probably have noticed the current campaign against the lack of women speakers and presenters at big Tech conferences. Allyson Kapin summed it up on Fast Company when she wrote Where are Women in Tech and Social Media? yesterday.

There was an improvised discussion on that topic at PodCamp Boston 4. There were good comments. I agree that we are missing the input of women at conferences. Now that women are very active on social media, it makes sense that things change. It is also up to us to take our place. The heart of the problem does not necessarily start at the big events.

Participation Outside the Usual Crowd

I always try to encourage women, for most part women bloggers that are not social media consultants, to attend tech and social media conferences and unconferences. Sadly, many women do not attend conferences that are work related. I guess it is either by lack of time or because they are unsure that they fit in.

Last year, I spoke at PodCamp Toronto and PodCamp Montreal about how women are shaping the Web. I felt it was important to show how the non-tech women blogging universe is diverse, creative and bring innovative ideas. At WordCamp Montreal last June, we were only three women speakers. I wonder why no more women – in fact, I could say the same about the design crowd – spoke at WordCamp Montreal.

One Step at a Time

Before we get invited to speak at big events, we have to learn public speaking. More women should take the opportunity to be known and get public speaking experience by attending and presenting at smaller conferences. It is one simple way to invade the boys’ club.

Therefore, I invite women, and men, to come to the upcoming PodCamp Montreal on September 19-20, 2009. I already selected my topic. I will be sending my conference proposal shortly. If you want to, this is your chance to present. Take it!

Matt Mullenweg Talked about His Open Source Story to Christian Aubry

Kim Vallee — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:10:36 +0000

This is the follow-up interview realized by my friend Christian Aubry with WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg. In this second segment – a third is coming – Matt Mullenweg talked about how he started WordPress and how the open source community swelled the popularity of WordPress. It is a case where the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts.

Over and over at WordCamp Montreal last weekend, people talked about the fact that WordPress, WordPress MU and BuddyPress are platforms, an infrastructure of which you can build upon. The added values emerged from what you can do with it. WordPress is used to achieve different objectives, to suit an infinite number of markets and is applied in many creative ways. You benefit from not reinventing the wheel. Instead, you concentrate on how you can serve your community. In fact, this is the main reason why I migrated At Home to WordPress.

Matt also talked about the importance of helping each others. If you think about the unconference movement and about blogging, it is mostly people sharing their expertise for the good of others. At the end of the day, it makes a better world where we feel empowered. Be prepared to be inspired.

You see in the background, a group of partcipants at WordCamp Montreal. A third part of this interview is coming soon. If you are looking for a guy to hire for your video reportage, put Christian Aubry on your short list. He has many years of experience.

A Quick Recap of My Experience at WordCamp Montreal 2009

Kim Vallee — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:48:56 +0000

I had a great time this weekend at WordCamp Montreal. The conversation with the founder of WordPress Matt Mullenweg was inspiring and calming. Matt was really zen while he answered questions from the crowd. In the after-talk, many people pointed out to me his soothing voice. Amongst other things, Matt shares the core value of his company. To give you an idea, check out this short interviewed realized by my friend Christian Aubry.

About Our Presentation

I like going to this type of conference because you always get back from them with some ideas. Several talks gave me food for thought. Plus there is the fact that being a speaker forced me to reflect on my blog design and features. Jerome Paradis and I talked about my migration from subText to Wordpress.

We devised the presentation to highlight the perspective of the blogger and the preoccupations of the developer. I am happy because people seemed to appreciate that duality. I made the envy of a few bloggers to have free access to such a talented developer. Without Jerome, I would have never been able to have made this transition as perfectly as he did.

Now that I migrated to WordPress, I can envision the future. What to do next? I started by increasing the width of the pictures on posts. A lot is more to come. And I think it will be exciting for you.

I cannot recall the name of the caterer but the food was excellent. It is the best food I ate in an inconference in Montreal. Thank you to the organizators and the participants for making it a success.

PHOTO CREDITS:
Except for the laptop image, all the images were taken by the extremely talented Eva Blue. I invite you to see her WordCamp Montreal 2009 photo set, you will not regret it.

Blog Out Loud Event in Los Angeles

Kim Vallee — Sun, 31 May 2009 12:35:05 +0000

If you are a blogger living in Los Angeles, make time to attend the first Blog Out Loud event on Thursday, June 4th, 2009 at Patio Culture. This is a concept by Megan Arquette and Rebecca Orlov to encourage and inspire creative people to start blogging. From what I heard about the event, it is something you put on your agenda.

Megan and Rebecca planned an evening where you will be able to chat with 5 design bloggers who have learned the ropes of creating an online presence through blogging. They want to gather creative people around a glass of wine. Few goodies will be given for the first attendees. Beside the panel and great conversations, they are giving away 2 amazing door prizes: a design consultation with designer Kelly Van Patter and a vintage print donated by Vanessa De Vargas. I read on loving. living. small. that they have 50 goody bags to give away at the door that include gifts from ferm living, Urbanic and Patio Culture. I am sorry that I live so far away.

The panel of 5 bloggers will composed by:

Rebecca Orlov of loving. living. small.
Megan Arquette of Beach Bungalow 8
Audrey Woolen of Parcel Post
Jonathan Lo of Happy Mundane
Richelle Silva of Richie Design

Read on the Blog Out Loud blog how this idea is born.

Measuring Your Social Media Influence is Key | Webcom 2009 Wrap-Up

Kim Vallee — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:05:39 +0000

Let’s look at what I see as the key elements of the latest Webcom, which happened May 13, 2009 in Montreal. Several subjects were covered. Privacy, identity, authenticity and transparency in social media have occupied a part of the debate. Except for one session that I left in the middle, all presenters did an excellent job talking about their topic. Analyzing and capitalizing on the influence you have on the different social networks is what captures my interest.

I particularly enjoyed the session given by Caroline Allard on how Exvisu measures and analyzes what it is said about a brand, a concept or a person on the Web. They create portraits of digital conversations from what it is said on blogs and Twitter. We will see more and more tools and services like that appearing on the market.

If you are a big participant in social media, it is important to know how well you do. So far, I took baby steps by visiting Twitlyzer and joining the newcomer Viralogy in hope to get some feedback on my social media influence. It is also great to see how you perform over time. I am looking to try more sophisticated solutions in the coming months.

Clara Shih’s session was also a treat. I chatted with her the night before. Clara is the author of the Facebook Era, a book about tapping online social networks to build better products, reach new audiences, and sell more stuff. I bought it. I believe in the power of its social graph of Facebook. I received my copy of her book Tuesday and I did not have the time to start reading it. I also bought the Tribes, the book of Seth Godin.

For many, Facebook is the place where many people talk about their private life versus Twitter, where they communicate on a public forum. Facebook changed the definition of a friend. For many bloggers like me, a Facebook friend may be a reader that never commented on your blog or all the persons you meet in conference. Clara Shih mentioned that we often do business with people that we vaguely know. Keeping a link with them on Facebook extends your connections.

It is to address the privacy issue for family that Cyrille de Lasteyrie alias Vinvin launched Hellotipi, a secret garden Facebook where you connect only your close friends and family members. For the moment, Hellotipi is launched only in France. If things go well, expect Hellotipi to expand their reach in other countries.

Sylvain Grand’maison praised the power of the niches. I cannot agree more. To succeed in a crowded market, you need to differentiate your product or your blog, concentrate on R&D and communication and more importantly be agile. For that kept team small; small is beautiful. Brands should use social media to communicate, interact, and add value by giving time, content and advices. Plus take the time to evaluate who follow you and who stop following you. Again, we are talking about analyzing your social media influence.

Finally, Jessica Lipnack of Net Age showed us an impressive dynamic organizational chart of the chain of commands at the White House.

The Webcom was well-organized. Except for one session that I left in the middle, all presenters did an excellent job talking about their topic. Congratulations to the team and the speakers!

My husband, who sits next to me on the top picture, posted the pictures he took during the day on Picasa.

MORE:
+ List of official bloggers for the 6th edition of Webcom
+ Photo courtesy of Adele McAlear – see Adele’s photo album of Webcom on Flickr

Official Blogger at Webcom Montreal 2009

Kim Vallee — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:34:05 +0000

The 6th edition of Webcom Montreal is scheduled for Wednesday, May 13th, 2009. This is a bi-annual one-day conference. I am writing a quick note to tell you that I will be publishing posts live (assuming no technological problems) one week from now. Readers of On The Web will be lucky since you will get more than one post next week.

I am one of the 5 official bloggers of the conference. The other official bloggers are Bertrand Duperrin, Frédéric Harper, Philippe Bonneau and my husband Jérôme Paradis. Since Jerome is an extraordinary software developer, our coverage should be from a different angle. As you can see, I am the only woman in the group. Note that 6 speakers out of 32 are women. I wish to concentrate my coverage on topics that will interest you as bloggers and participants in social media.

Being hosted in Montreal, Webcom Montreal has the particularity of having sessions in French and sessions in English. About 40% of the sessions are in English. The 32 speakers are from Canada (many from Quebec), the United States and France. All conferences from 3:30 pm to 6 pm are free. Places are limited.

If you wish to know more, visit the Webcom Montreal conference Web site. The event will take place at the head office of the ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organization.

+ Webcom Montreal
+ Blog of Webcom Montreal – in French

Talking Blog Monetizing on my Updated Look at Women and Social Media Presentation – Part 3 of 3

Kim Vallee — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:12:19 +0000

We ran short of time for that topic during my presentation. Let’s further examine key elements.

If you are serious about attracting advertisers and sponsors, start by keeping a writing schedule. Consistency is important to build traffic. You wish to create a routine with your readers. Establish a schedule that is compatible with your agenda. The more you post, the more pages views you will get.

Ideally, you should aim to publish at set time. I am not there yet. With Wordpress, you can schedule in advance the date and time a post will be published. Try to always keep a few posts in backup for when you are too busy.

One advantage for bloggers in the women and mom category is that advertisers wish to connect to women. This is because women are responsible for most of the shopping in a household. We are in the best position to attract advertisers and are often asked for product reviews.

Be Picky with Your Reviews

In fact, brands solicit women and mom blogs for product reviews at an increasing rate. That is why you should be coherent and carefully select the products you will write about. Think about what your brand stands for and if the product fits well within that identity.

Take At Home with Kim Vallee. It is a collection of things I like. Negative reviews won’t fit within my concept. Therefore, the merchants send me the products without any guarantee of a coverage. Even if I like the product, I may never talk about it. They cannot interfere with what, when or if I will talk about something. I published a simple policy on my At Home blog. I encourage you to write your own.

It is important for bloggers to maintain a separation between editorial content and advertising. You wish to preserve the trust and credibility you build with your readers. Remember that you can only be an influencer if people trust what you say. It is not just your traffic but also your power as an influencer that attracts the right advertisers to your site.

Let’s watch my session.

Learning from Two Podcasters who Monetized their Shows

Matt Campagna and Anastasia Tubanos gave an excellent session on how to be considered a legitimate media. They talked about how to make money with a podcast. One of the income sources that grab my attention is sponsorship. For example, sponsored events would fit within the scope of my At Home with Kim Vallee brand.

March 10th, 2009 update: what was original intended to be part 4 was the question period. The participants did not a micro so we do not hear well their questions, so I decided to not publish it

Updated Look at Women and Social Media Presentation: Women blogs – Part 2 of 3

Kim Vallee — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:10:29 +0000

Now that you are up to date on the latest social media statistics, I explored the universe of women and mom blogging. I explained what differentiates this crowd from other blog circles. I also talked about the specificity of the women blogs versus the mom blogs.

Continue with part 3 about monetarizing a blog.

Updated Look at Women and Social Media Presentation: Statistics – part 1 of 3

Kim Vallee — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:50:24 +0000

I talked about the universe of women blogging and social media two weekends ago at PodCamp Toronto 2009. I split my recorded session in four 3 parts (March 10th, 2009 update: the last part was the question period but the sound is not great for the participant questions, so I decided to not publish it).

In the first part, I highlighted key statistics about women Internet usage. Learn why and how women use social media. These statistics will help any blogger grasp the extent of the women and mom social media universe.

Continue with part 2

Presenting at PodCamp Toronto 2009

Kim Vallee — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:17:40 +0000

I am returning to Podcamp Toronto. I attended one day last year since it was the same weekend as the Interior Design Show. Luckily this year, the IDS 09 will be 2 weeks later.

Podcamp Toronto is a FREE unconference for those interested in all things regarding podcasting, blogging and new media. Amateurs, pros, newbies and veterans are all welcome! The unconference is happening February 21 and 22, 2009.

I will also present a session. This is a follow-up to the PodCamp session I gave last autumn in Montreal. A lot has happened since then. We will have a chat on the current state of the women and mom blogging and marketing universe. Here is my session brief:

Updated Look at Women and Social Media by Kim Vallee — A look at the latest metrics and what is happening in the world of women and mom marketing and blogging. See how blogging and social media enhance the life and the daily activities of modern women. I will share great initiatives but I also want to hear about yours.

The session schedule is not done yet. I will keep you posted. There are plenty of topics covered by amazing podcasters and bloggers. It is a great networking and learning experience. Register online to assist at PodCamp Toronto 2009.

On the Web with Kim Vallee » conference

My Blogging Tips Sessions at PodCamp Montreal 2009

Video of Top Tips for Better Blogging

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Sharing My Top Blogging Tips at PodCamp Montreal 2009

Top Tips for Better Blogging

Top Bloggeur Panel

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Encouraging Women to Attend and Speak at Tech Conferences

Participation Outside the Usual Crowd

One Step at a Time

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Matt Mullenweg Talked about His Open Source Story to Christian Aubry

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A Quick Recap of My Experience at WordCamp Montreal 2009

About Our Presentation

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Blog Out Loud Event in Los Angeles

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Measuring Your Social Media Influence is Key | Webcom 2009 Wrap-Up

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Official Blogger at Webcom Montreal 2009

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Talking Blog Monetizing on my Updated Look at Women and Social Media Presentation – Part 3 of 3

Be Picky with Your Reviews

Learning from Two Podcasters who Monetized their Shows

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Updated Look at Women and Social Media Presentation: Women blogs – Part 2 of 3

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Updated Look at Women and Social Media Presentation: Statistics – part 1 of 3

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Presenting at PodCamp Toronto 2009

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