BarkWorld Expo – Day 1

I arrived in Atlanta late Thursday night and headed straight to the Westin Buckhead. The Howl-o-ween Charity Pawty had already concluded, so I called it a night. The better to get up early for the MeowWorld kickoff breakfast!

The morning keynote speaker was Matt Meeker, co-founder of Meetup.com and BarkBox.com. Matt shared how pet-related groups can use Meetup.com and discussed the benefits of building and sustaining an online community.

The first session I attended was “Showcase Your Influence: How to Make the Most of a Blogger to Brand Relationship” with Jaime Derringer, Kat Smith and Danica Kombol. They discussed how bloggers can work with key brands and what the brands are really looking for when working with a blogger.

The next session I attended was “Name that Price! How Much is Your Tweet Worth?” presented by Ted Murphy, founder of IZEA. Ted provided detailed information from their 2012 State of Social Media Sponsorship survey.

Next I attended “Blogging Up the Right Tree: Exploring Your Inner Bark” presented by Dr. Pia Salk. She discussed tools to help bloggers define their true inner voice, evaluate various opportunities and ensure that they align with their true blogging identity.

Then a workshop on Google + for pet influencers and brands was presented by Lindsey Marshall of RedClay Interactive. Lindsey presented information about who currently uses G + and where it fits into your overall marketing plan.

Next up was the afternoon keynote presentation by Ed Sayres, President and CEO of ASPCA. He spoke about the ASPCA’s social media efforts and how all animal welfare organizations can use social media to engage, inspire and educate their supporters.

The next session was “The Social Good: Key Marketing Strategies for Shelters & How Bloggers Can Help” presented by Kim Clune. Kim presented great ideas on how animal shelters and rescue groups can ignite their creativity and excite their audience.

The final session of the day was a panel discussion called “From Blogger to Entrepreneur” that included Amy Burkert, Wayne Chan, Aaron Hirschhorn, Matt Meeker, Ted Murphy, Beth Stultz-Haiston, and Denise Quashie. The panelists shared their success stories and answered questions from the audience.

The day ended with Themed Sponsor Block Pawties. Key sponsors hosted parties in various conference rooms giving attendees the chance “blog hop” in person. Attendees enjoyed the opportunity to network with vendors, speakers and other bloggers.

I fell into bed that night exhausted but excited about another day of great sessions and speakers to come on Saturday. Thanks again to Barkworld Expo and Natural Balance for sponsoring me at this year’s conference!

Image via pinterest.com/thesocialpetwrk/