How to Host a Blog Meet

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For the final edition to our three-part blog event series we’re going to push the boat out and advise you on how to actually hold an event yourself. Now this post is aimed at you bloggers that have been around for a while, and have most likely attended a few blog meets yourself. If you’re new to blog meets and want to know more, see our previous posts: Why a blog event should be on your to-do list and tips for reducing first-time blog event nerves.

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!

The first rule of any event is to plan and prepare. What was that word your school teacher would consistently force into your mind when you used to do presentations at school? Prepare! Yes, we do know we sound like we’re nagging you to do your homework now, but it really is a must when hosting any type of event. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail, and all that.

Decide if you want to host it alone or with a friend

Some people are born entertainers, or love the challenge of organising an event themselves. If this is you – great! Go for it! However not all of us are gifted with such good organisation skills or a flair for capturing the attention of the whole room. In this case it might be a good idea to get yourself a wing(wo)man so that you can organise and host the meet together.

Get some feedback

Write a blog post detailing your plans for the event – you could also create a whole page if you prefer. Why not offer a choice of two dates so you can see which suits the majority of bloggers? Invite people to comment with suggestions and ideas so you can get some inspiration as to what your day should entail.

Set a plan for the day

Decide a rough plan for your day so you’re not struggling for something to do once everyone has arrived. This also means you won’t forget to organise anything crucial. Do you need to book a table at a restaurant? Were you going to organise a guest speaker?  Having said this, it’s good to leave some flexibility within the day in case anything doesn’t quite go to plan. You could all be really enjoying the coffee shop you met in and may want to re-schedule your timings so you can spend a little more time there. These are matters that won’t arise until the day, so it’s good to be flexible just in case.

Publicise your event

Most organisers will write a blog post with all the details, and then tweet about it in advance with relevant hashtags. Make sure the vital details (such as times, dates and locations) are clear. If your event is aimed at a particular category of bloggers (beauty, travel, parenting etc) then mention your event during hashtag chats on Twitter to let more people know about it.

Another really good way to get your blog meet out there is to advertise it on an events website. Here at CollectivEdge we have an events calendar which is uploaded regularly with upcoming occasions. This is a perfect way to keep potential attendees in the know.

Follow up after the event

Get some feedback: did everyone enjoy themselves? Does anyone have any constructive criticism or improvements for next time? Circulate a list of your attendees’ blogs and Twitter handles so that everyone can stay in touch after the event. If you asked any brands to sponsor the event, make sure you email them to let them know how it went.

Chances are, lots of bloggers will write about the event after it occurs so keep an eye out for posts and don’t forget to comment on each post and thank guests for coming.

Enjoy yourself

Last but not least, never forget that blog meets are there to be fun; you’ve done all the preparation so stop worrying, try to relax and have fun. Speak to as many bloggers as possible and enjoy reaping the benefits of all your hard work.

Have your organised a blog meet before? What tips would you add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments.