Sarah Wohlner, Author at International Food Blogger Conference

How to overcome your fear and get into YouTube already! – Recap

February 24, 2021 by Sarah Wohlner

For the IFBC21 Social Media Virtual Summit on January 15, 2021, we had an informative session with YouTube expert Lorena Graeter from Green Healthy Cooking. Read on to learn specifics recording techniques to get you started on YouTube. *This is a summary of her talk. You can view the full video session by registering now.*

1. No one cares about you

We mean this in the nicest way possible! They care about themselves and what they will get out of the video. No one notices the little things that you notice. Immediately after the video, viewers will go about their day while you spend the entire day stressing about something no one noticed. Don’t let that happen! Have some confidence!

2. Techniques for recording video

Look directly into the lens and imagine someone you trust sitting on a little chair in the back on the lense (don’t look at yourself on the side view)
Take the recipe step by step if you feel overwhelmed having to record the entire thing. You can stop and start as many times as you want and edit.
Film your videos where ever you have the best natural lighting, even if it’s not in the kitchen. Natural light is the best, much better than cheap lights.
Experiment with different videos to see what your audience wants. Are they looking for a short concise video or long stories about you and the recipe? Find out and stick to that.
If you write out a script, write it in a conversational tone. Include things like, “Yeah!” or “Yumm!”
3 Second Rule: People get bored if they view the same things for longer than three seconds. You can show the same ingredient, but change up the angle.

3. Recommended equipment

External microphone
Camera
Recorder
Tripod
C Stand

4. “Your first video on YouTube should be horrible!”

If you’re already proud of your nice, well-filmed video, you started too late. You’ve missed six months of practicing in front of the camera. The more you practice the better.

Register now to get more information and listen to the full video session from Lorena Graeter! To view all sessions from the January 15, 2021, Social Media Virtual Summit check out our Agenda Page. Registration for our next Website + SEO virtual summit is now open! Register Now.

Website + SEO Virtual Summit Registration Opens Today!

February 22, 2021 by Sarah Wohlner

We are back! On March 18, 2021, The International Food Blogger Conference is partnering with Jenny Melrose for the second of four virtual summits! We are talking about everything Website and SEO and how you can see success for your brand.

Agenda

View the full agenda and session descriptions!

Speakers

We have an all-star line-up! Seven expert speakers are set to join us next month. Read more about them on our speaker page.

How to Register

All sessions will be live and you have the option to select individually through the a la carte option ($7 per session) or make it easy and register for all the live sessions through the All-Access Pass ($25 total). Recordings are included in the price.

A La Carte Individual Sessions

Pick and choose the content that interests you.

What’s Included:

Pick and choose from nine individual sessions ($7 per session)
Access to selected session recordings
Access to session chat

All-Access Pass

It’s hard to pick and choose sessions so if you’re interested in three or more, you might as well go for our All-Access Pass.

What’s Included:

All live sessions ($25 total)
All session recordings
Access to session chat
Access to Private IFBC Facebook Alumni Group

Create a Strong Community and Grow Your Influence by Going Live – Recap

February 17, 2021 by Sarah Wohlner

For the IFBC21 Social Media Virtual Summit on January 15, 2021, we had a motivating session with live expert Kathy Hester from Plant Based Instant Pot. Join us to talk about how you and your business can stand out amongst all the competition. This is a summary of her talk. You can view the full video session by registering now.

1. Benefits of live video

You can be authentic and casual
Better engage with your audience
You’re able to address questions right away
The ability to tell longer stories
Create and connect with your community
You do it, you’re done. Don’t need to spend time editing
Can repurpose live video

Think Julia Child, she dropped stuff and made messes. She was human and peopled loved her!

2. Ideas for going live (9 ideas!)

Unboxing
Checking in (ask your audience for questions and thoughts)
Show and tell (show off some of your favorite gadgets or products)
Cooking class
Ingredient spotlight (choose one ingredient and talk about it, recipes, how to prepare, how to store, etc.)
Cocktails (or Mocktails)
My favorite…. (pot, vegetable, spice, candy, etc)
Compare different things
Tell a story

3. Tips

There is no right or wrong way. Experiment with what works for you. Be okay with not being perfect. No one is! “What’s better than being perfect? Being Personable.”

Look directly at the camera, not at the screen
Don’t look at the number of viewers
Be flexible
Think about viewers as friends
No need to practice a run-through beforehand
Know why you’re different and unique
Test light and sound
Ideas:
- Have a rough script of things you want to cover
- Prep ingredients

4. Next Steps

Go Live!! Then repost and tag @kathyhestercooks and @foodbloggerconferece so we can see and support.

Register now to get more information and listen to the full video session from Kathy Hester! To view all sessions from the January 15, 2021, Social Media Virtual Summit check out our Agenda Page. See you at our next live event!

The 2021 International Food Blogger Conference Will Take Place As Planned in El Paso, TX

February 11, 2021 by Sarah Wohlner

The 2021 International Food Blogger Conference, October 1-2 in El Paso, Texas, will take place as scheduled. We are confident in saying this based on a predicted improvement in the pandemic, the outdoor location we have secured, and a policy of requiring all attendees to have a negative COVID test or vaccination.

We are still in the midst of the pandemic and, in fact, things could get even worse if the new virus variants take hold in the US. We urge everyone to stay home and stay safe during this dark time. And if we still happen to be in too risky a situation in October or if the Texas governor has not opened up the state sufficiently to allow us to proceed, we naturally will not.

However, we are confident by October that with an improved situation and our safety policies we will be able to hold the conference in person.

The conference will take place outside, including sessions and tastings, with spacing in between tables.
We will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test from all attendees.
We have an array of safety procedures in place.
It is possible everyone in the United States will have access to a vaccine before the conference, which should dramatically decrease the spread of the disease.
Airline travel has proven to be quite safe already thanks to airline practices and will get safer with continued testing and the onset of vaccinations.
Testing has improved dramatically, including at-home testing, which we can potentially employ at our conference.

Our capacity at this conference is limited to 141 people, which is lower than in recent years. However, this is the number we can safely handle and we think it will make for a small, intimate, and awesome conference. Please join us for what should be a momentous event as we thrive in the food scene of El Paso, rejoice in seeing old friends again, and look to the future with an excellent array of content and speakers.

Advanced Content Marketing for Bold Businesses – Recap

February 10, 2021 by Sarah Wohlner

For the IFBC21 Social Media Virtual Summit on January 15, 2021, we had the awesome brand guru Phil Pallen from Phil Pallen Collective join us to talk about how you and your business can stand out amongst all the competition. This is a summary of his talk. You can view the full video session by registering now.

1. 2021 is a new year. How should you approach it?

James Clear says “Every day, you should try and do something 1% better.” Why? Because it has a compounding effect. That means if you get 1% better each day for a year, you will be 37x better by the end. The trick is how. Phil says you don’t need more information to get better, you need a better strategy.

2. Be experimental.

There is no right or wrong on social media. Different strategies work for different people. “You won’t know what works until you experiment.” This doesn’t mean it will take a lot of work but it will take time. Phil also recommends not hiring outside help. For examples and case studies, register now for the full session.

3. Be consistent.

A little reminder from Phil: Being consistent is important but it’s not more important than life. Create a balance. Prioritize your mental health.

Understand the algorithm and how to create content that is shown in front of more people.
- Relationship: How well do you know each other? The better you connect directly with people more your content is shown to them.
- Interest: What content interests your audience? The algorithm gives users content they are interested in.
- Timeliness: How recent is your post? More recent posts are more likely to be seen.
How do you be consistent?
- Recycle posts. You can turn a photo into a video, you can do a slide show of photos, update an old photo, use #throwbackthursday to repost, etc. Instagram posts don’t have a long life so reuse!
- Encourage quick and easy engagement. Use Instagram stories or DM to make it easy. Check out Jenny Melrose’s session for more information on how to easily engage your audience in Instagram Stories.
- Add hashtags and locations for your stories. Some people have access to these features, some don’t. Utilize them if you do.

4. Be intentional.

Phil uses Instagram in many of his examples but he’s not saying to only use Instagram in 2021 but be aware of your time. Realize where your time is best spent. Go on platforms where you can surround yourself with things that inspire you and make you better.

Create content that people will like.
- Research keywords and trends.
Plan your content ahead of time.
- Write it down. Create a template and plan it out for the week. It will help you experiment and stay consistent.

5. More information!

Register now to get more information and listen to the full video session from Phil Pallen! To view all sessions from the January 15, 2021, Social Media Virtual Summit check out our Agenda Page. See you at our next live event!