Blogafest 2019 Experience

Last November 23, at City of Dreams Manila, I was able to join the largest networking event for bloggers and content creators in the country, Blogafest 2019! It was my first time joining and it’s something I am very grateful for such rare opportunity. For over 8 years in a row, it has been consistently growing and becoming the biggest gathering of social media influencers and brands from north to south! 

In this blog, I would share some of my candid experiences of the recent Blogafest 2019–why I decided to join, what are my key takeaways, and how you can participate as well. 

What is Blogafest?

Blogafest is an annual one-day business-to-influencer networking and marketing event of Blogapalooza Inc. that gathers bloggers, social media influencers, content creators, and internet celebrities from all over the Philippines in a day of fun, learning, interaction, and collaboration. If you’re a fan of comprehensive deets, don’t worry I got you.

READ | BlogaFest 2019

So why I decided to join Blogafest 2019?

One of the main reasons is to really connect and reconnect with fellow content creators. And of course for a semi-introverted guy, I was feeling hesitant at first. But hearing the experiences of my Iligan bloggers fam, I was thrilled to give it a try. 

My gratitude to the Blogapalooza team, especially to Blogamomma Ace Gapuz, whose hospitality is beyond measure! You guys are the epitome of “overachiever” in a good way. From pre-departure ganaps, flight and hotel accommodation at Belmont, to the event proper and post-event, you guys have shown us a different level of hospitality and generosity. I am overwhelmed by the passion you took care of us with. Thank you so much! 

Blogafest 2019 Key takeaways

Having the opportunity to attend this kind of event is something I am grateful for and a milestone in my digital career. Here are my key takeaways from attending Blogafest 2019.

• Opportunity to network

As first pointed out, my top priority really is to network. With over 50 brands exhibited at the venue and a whopping 2000+ attendees, it was a perfect opportunity to build a network for collaborations and partnerships. I tried my best to really socialize with lots of amazing people in the industry.

There are lots of booths that you can visit and register your contact information for future collabs. 

• Learn from fellow content creators

Aside from the goodies and stuff, I was able to catch some great insights from top influencers, celebrities, social media gurus, and other professionals in the digital industry. My favorite session was with JF Escobañez of The Red Whistle, YouTube EduCreator Lyqa Maravilla, and Brazillian model and actress Daiana Menezes. 

They offered us insightful tips on how to be an authentic influencer at the same time responsible sharers of information. I am an avid Team Lyqa fan, and she never failed to amaze me over and over with her amazing insights. It was good to start the event by asking yourself the right questions (1) who you are (2) what you stand for (3) Why you matter, before asking the Hows. It was a reminder for all of us that success doesn’t happen overnight. It requires persistence, honesty, and bits of authenticity. I am glad they arranged it that way to set the overall tone for the day. 

• Reunite with blogger friends

Another reason why I am excited to join Blogafest is to reconnect with bloggers friends whom I met somewhere for good. On the event, I got to meet my friends from CDO Bloggers, SOX Bloggers, DDI, and newfound friends from Bohol Bloggers, Tuguegarao Bloggers, Cebu Bloggers, BARMM, and content creators in the metro. 

• Enjoy and have fun

With its carnival theme, the Bloga team together with their partners and brands pampered us in the best way they can. I looked around, did some video ganaps, played some carnival games, tasted different food and collected freebies. I had the best time to learn and have fun at the same time.

• Reignite the passion

As a blogger for almost 2 years now, I must admit that I am overwhelmed by the flow of goods and freebies! But I realized that it’s not just about collecting stuff but it is actually about getting to know more about the brands, finding the ‘why’ and being responsible content creators in the blogosphere.

To sum it up, Blogafest is more than just an event— it is a total experience. It was a festival of all sorts. It gave me the opportunity to network with businesses and brands, to learn about content creation and social media, to reunite with blogger friends from north to south, have fun and of course, reignite a newfound passion for growth. There’s no event I ever attended as full-packed yet very successful and organized as Blogapalooza. It is definitely a go-to event for content creators and business people alike. 

How you can participate

I think it’s pretty clear that I had the best weekend with my Blogafam, and you should too! The application process is really easy. To join the Blogapalooza Community, you can register here: letsbuzzin.com 

But I would suggest you join any of area or regional Bloga community. Why? Because most marketing agency and PR will just directly connect with its regional partners. For example, in Iligan– we have the Iligan Bloggers Society (IBS). And good thing, we at IBS are currently looking for people with a passion for blogging to join us. We offer a lot of opportunities to expand your network, learn from fellow bloggers and partner with brands. Interested? Sign-up here.