Velas Vallarta Mom Blogger Camp

Parent bloggers, travel bloggers, and bloggers of all types have conferences they can attend. Some are strictly business, some lay on the after-parties and fun without putting enough emphasis on solid speakers and panels, and some strike a great balance between meaty topics and the parties — er, networking opportunities — that follow. There’s a new, one-off mom blogger mini-conference/camp coming up that I’m hoping to get you excited about. It’s at the Velas Vallarta Suite Resort & Convention Center in Puerto Vallarta and it’s happening January 5-8, 2012. I believe it will perfectly balance the professional needs that parent bloggers have to optimize their careers, and the lounging poolside needs that families have when they’re staying at an all-inclusive luxury resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. At least, I sincerely hope it will: I’m the conference organizer, and I’m incredibly proud of the hugely talented experts who are going to share their knowledge and expertise in a relaxed setting.

The friendly and casual environment will make it great for beginner, intermediate, and advanced parent bloggers to all learn and network. Soak up the warm Pacific sun in winter, enjoy poolside drinks, and hang our with experts after they present their topics.

The Mom Blogger Camp at Velas Vallarta’s cost is contained within the resort stay. The conference seminars, all meals, nightly entertainment, poolside and beach waiter service (and more!) are all part of the all-inclusive camp tuition. The luxury resort has reduced its costs to $150 per person per night based on double occupancy, or $450 for the three-night camp. The rooms are one bedroom suites. I know several speakers are planning to bring their families; easy, since the one-bedroom suites sleep four (two in the living room area). More questions? Check out the FAQ page of our microsite.

The speakers at the Mom Blogger Camp at Velas Vallarta are incredible. I’m so thrilled to be able to meet them (those I don’t already know). Attendees will have plenty of down time, of course, as will they. Who knows who you might be relaxing next to at the pool? In alphabetical order, here are the speakers.

Adria Richards –Our  “Video & Technology” expert, Adria has provided technology training at many conferences already. Her expertise in video use on blogs will be seen in action during her session. Adria’s passion and excitement for her topic is contagious.

Amy Whitley — Many parents start out their blogs as personal memoirs. How much of our personal lives to make public can become an issue. “Blogging as Memoir” will be led by Amy; she was one of BlogHer’s 2011 Voices of the Year for her essay blog The Never-True Tales.

Anne Taylor Hartzell — Anne has worked in public relations and marketing for over 15 years; her topic, “Working with PR & Monitizing Your Blog,” is very important for mom bloggers looking to take their blogs to the next level.

Aparna Vashisht-Rota –Aparna will lead “Teaching Kids about Their Digital Footprint.” She is the founder and CEO of Parentella, which famously bridges the parent-teacher gap online. Her topic is increasingly important as children grow up using the internet.

Deb Ng — Deb will be talking about “Community Management.” As well she should; Deb is the author of the book “Online Community Management for Dummies.” She’s also the conference director for BlogWorld and New Media Expo.

Jenny Lawson — Jenny’s topic is “Famous on the Internet.” She is, of course, otherwise known as The Bloggess. Jenny is one of the Top 50 Most Powerful Mom Bloggers (Nielsen), an “internet rockstar,” (MSNBC) and has one of Forbes’ listed Top 100 Websites for Women the past two years running.

Mary Jo Manzanares — Mary Jo’s suited for discussing “Legal Issues in Blogging,” as she is a lawyer with 30 years of experience in the field. Reviews, giveaways, contests on blogs will be covered, as well as other legal issues as they pertain to blogging.

Peter Carey — Our “Photography” expert-in-residence will show us how to use all those other settings on our digital cameras (besides “automatic”). He’s a professional photographer with lots of tips for incorporating photos into blogs.

You can read more detailed info about our speakers on the Velas Vallarta Mom Blogger Camp microsite. This site has their bios, frequently asked questions about the conference and the resort, the schedule, and links to some resort photos that will make you swoon.

A long relaxing weekend at a luxury all-inclusive resort at a greatly reduced cost is already enticing. Add in the professional growth and take-aways you’ll get for starting or improving on your blogging, and this seems like the vacation/conference combo you can’t miss. Hope to see you there!