Wednesday, 30 December 2015
Tuesday, 29 December 2015
Blogger Conference Dublin 2015
Back in November I had the pleasure of attending my first blogger event, the 2015 Blogger Conference in the Marker Hotel Dublin - A much needed girl's day out with my sister and fellow blogger at Mamavoom, with a lot of learning thrown in for good measure.
With so many interesting speakers sharing valuable insights on their areas of expertise, it's hard to choose what to share with you here. So, having gone through my frantically written notes from the day, I've put together a top ten list of tips you might find useful.
1. Build a brand:
Research your competition and current trends;
Identify your brand elements such as uniqueness, personality and benefits;
Set brand targets and draft a content plan.
2. Be yourself:
Remember to be authentic, relevant, flexible, and above all, passionate.
3. Don't be afraid:
Find your unique voice and your own style of writing. If you find your work interesting, others will too.
4. Find your own USP - unique selling point:
Find your own area of expertise and stick with it. Don't copy or repeat content from other blogs.
5. Speak the truth:
Don't confuse the truth with the opinions of the majority - remember to check facts, back them up and avoid misleading information. Remember false information affects the lives of others.
6. Gather your material:
Take note of everyday events, stories and anecdotes to use as material for future content.
7. Choose your social media platform:
Keeping up to date on all platforms is near impossible these days, so choose your favourites and focus on them, such Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
8. Be mobile friendly:
Most of us browse, read and share on the go thanks to busy lifestyles, so make sure your blog is set up for mobile access - via Google's page speed insights.
9. Invest in quality images:
Using a good quality camera will allow you to take and upload professional images and photos to your blog and social media pages. This is one I'll be working on for the new year!
10. Be aware of image rights:
Always remember to ask permission before using others' images in your content.
These are just a selection of the great tips shared by industry experts at the event. I for one will be referring back to these and others over the coming months in my quest to improve my little blog and get the best from my blogging experience!
Do any of these stand out for you?
Have you picked up any other tips you'd like to share? :-)
Monday, 23 November 2015
Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Diversity Fashion Show
Organised by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, the event marked the official launch of their Festival of Social Inclusion.
The show featured models from all areas of the community, as did the audience, at the Dundrum Town Centre.
Of particular interest to myself, for obvious reasons, was the inclusion of people with disabilities as models. Something I have been working on in the past with a charity fashion show, this is an issue you could say I feel strongly about.
Great as it is to see events like this happen, I live for the day that these shows are no longer needed as we've already achieved inclusion within all areas of the fashion industry. No harm in dreaming right?
Set near the ground floor entrance of the busy shopping centre, the show was well placed for optimum exposure, and audience participation certainly reflected this.
The pink ground level catwalk succeeded in catching attention, though the unfortunate addition of two steps up to a platform caused me some concern given the nature of the show and the participants involved.
A very engaging and positive event however, the show certainly lived up to its aim of community involvement and participation.
Clothes and accessories were provided by stores of Dundrum Town Centre, such as Penneys, Best, Coast and Lifestyle Sports, and outfits were put together by stylist Roxanne Parker.
MC for the event was Andrea Hayes from Sunshine FM. Hair and make up was taken care of by Hair and Beauty students of Sallynoggin College of Further Education.
The models certainly gave it their all, and evidently enjoyed their modelling experiences. With an inclusive mix of males and females, age groups, ethnic groups and abilities, community groups were well represented, with the inclusion of members of the local Garda Siochana for good measure!
With stellar modelling debuts, we saw some serious moves on the catwalk with enthusiastic support from audience and passers-by.
Having been involved in a similar show last year for Social Inclusion Week, I was delighted to see the move to a new venue and wider participation both in the show and by onlookers. The increase in both participant and audience numbers can only signify a positive result and provides encouragement for future inclusion initiatives.
I've included below some of my favourite photos from the event, after some tough decision making.
Congrats to all involved in creating this event, I'm already looking forward to seeing what next year's show has in store!
Do you have a favourite pic? Would you, or do you know anybody else that would love to participate in future shows such as these? Ah, go on, go on, go on.....
Monday, 7 September 2015
Museum of Style Icons
Well, finally I made it, after months of promising myself the time out to visit the Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge Silverware.
Not one for driving long distances due to fatigue, I tend to postpone such outings for a time when I’ve more energy. Whenever that arrives!
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