You can click the schedule tab at the top of the page or just click here to open the schedule in a new window.

What session are you looking forward to most?

Please consider taking one of the I_Blog badges to help spread the word!  Just add your affiliate code where it says http://iblogconference.eventbrite.com/ and it will take your readers to your sign up page!

Affiliate payments will be made the 15th of every month with the final payments being made November 15,2010.

Registration is $199 for a full conference ticket. The following “a la carte” tickets are also available: Saturday only, $100; Friday evening social, $50; and Destination Midwest Saturday evening event, $50.

This year the conference will feature two tracks of classes: one for the beginning blogger and one for individuals who have more experience in social media.

Some of the scheduled classes and speakers include:
• Blogging Basics — Melanie Nelson, co-author Typepad for Dummies
• SEO and Why It Matters — Angela England, editor Blissfully Domestic
• How to Utilize LinkedIn — representative from LinkedIn
• How to Use Social Media to Build Your Online Presence — Claire Celsi, the PR Princess
• Pitch from Your Passion: Get Paid for Writing About What You Love — Beth Blair, freelance writer and member of The Vacation Gals
• Intellectual Content vs. Owned Content — Brett Trout, P.C.
• How to Make Money from Your Blog — Melanie Nelson and Angela England
• How to Use Your Camera to Add Great Content to Your Site — Darcy and Randy Milder from His N Hers Photography

Specially priced rooms are available at the Hotel Pattee for conference attendees. To make a reservation, attendees should call the hotel at (515) 465-3511 and use the code “iblog conference” for that weekend. Reservations must be made by October 23 to receive the reduced rates.

Halsted said that unlike other social media conferences, the focus of I_Blog is on the sessions, “not the swag.” She said, “Our goal is to build a community of Midwest bloggers; to give them the knowledge to create a social media presence that will help achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams!”

Melanie Nelson, owner of Blogging Basics 101 and co-author of Typepad for Dummies, highly recommends attending I_Blog. “I especially loved that everyone who attended last year (whether a new or seasoned blogger) learned something new,” she said. “All of the presentations were relevant to what people are doing regardless of their level of blogging.”

Please watch this site more details, schedule and speakers!  It's going to be a weekend filled with networking, education and fun!

Tickets will go on sale June 26 with a few options for attending available.

Be sure to watch this website for updates on the schedule and speakers and follow @I_BlogConf on twitter!

Hotel rooms can be booked now!  Choose your room before it's gone!

Kings Daughter's Room

The Hotel Pattee has 40 rooms, each with a theme.  Depending on the room you can sleep 2-5 people.

If you want your choice of room might I suggest you book early?  To view the rooms in 360° virtual tour and get more information visit the Hotel Pattee Rooms Themes page on their website.   To book your room call 1-888-424-4268 and ask for the I_Blog Conference rate.

Need a roommate?  Join the discussion on Facebook!

Rooms and Rates

Standard Rooms   $129.
WELSH  -  1 QUEEN BED / SHWR TUB COMBO
ANGUS & MORAN -  1 QUEEN BED / SHWR TUB COMBO
ITALIAN  - 1 KING BED / WINDOW SEAT / SHWR TUB COMBO Booked
BOHEMIAN  - 1 QUEEN BED / SHWR TUB COMBO
WOODWORKING  - 1 KING BED / SHWR TUB COMBO
NEEDLEWORK  - 2 QUEENS / WINDOW SEAT / SHWR TUB COMBO Booked
AFRICAN  - 2 QUEENS / SHWR TUB COMBO Booked
QUILT  - 2 QUEENS / SHWR TUB COMBO
MARCHING BAND  - 1 QUEEN BED / ADJOINS #308 / SHWR TUB COMBO
TELITAL  - 1 QUEEN / ADJOINS #304 / SHWR TUB COMBO
CENTRAL AMERICAN  - 1 QUEEN BED / ADJOINS #224 / SHWR TUB COMBO
IRISH -  1 QUEEN / ADJOINS #226 / SHWR TUB COMBO
RUSSIAN  – 1 KING BED / WINDOW SEAT / SHWR TUB COMBO
ALTON SCHOOL ROOM  - 1 QUEEN BED / WINDOW SEAT / SHWR TUB COMBO Booked
BETTE MAE HARRIS  - 2 QUEENS / SHWR TUB COMBO
RAGBRI / BRR RIDE  - 2 QUEENS / WINDOW SEAT / SHWR TUB COMBO
GUSTAV STICKLEY  - 1 KING BED / SHWR TUB COMBO
WILLIAM MORRIS  - 2 QUEENS / SHWR TUB COMBO
CREAM 'N' EGGS - 1 QUEEN BED / ADJOINS #208 / SHWR TUB COMBO
RM HARVEY  - 1 QUEEN BED / ADJOINS #204 / SHWR TUB COMBO

Premier Rooms  $159.
BARRY KEMP  - 1 KING BED / ADJOINS #202 / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWR
1913 FARM HOUSE  - 1 KING BED / ADJOINS #206 / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWR Booked
SWEDISH  - 2 QUEENS / ACCESSIBLE / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWR
SOUTHEAST ASIAN  - 1 KING BED / ACCESSIBLE / ADJOINS #218 / SHWR ONLY
CHINESE  - 2 QUEENS / ADJOINS #216 / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWR
AMERICAN INDIAN  - 2 QUEENS / ADJOINS #225 / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWER
MEXICAN  - 2 QUEENS / ADJOINS #223 / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWR
VT SNICK HAMLIN  - 2 QUEENS / ADJOINS #302 / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWR
BILL BELL  - 1 KING BED / ADJOINS #306 / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWR
KING'S DAUGHTERS  - 2 QUEENS / ACCESSIBLE / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWR
CHAUTAQUA  - 1 KING BED / ACCESSIBLE / SHWR ONLY
AMANA COLONIES  - 2 QUEENS / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWR Booked
JAPANESE 1 KING BED W FUTON MATRESS / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWR
DUTCH 1 KING BED / JET SPA TUB W WALK IN SHWR

Suites $189.
EARL & VIRGINIA GREEN  - 1 KING BED / SOFA BED / PARLOR / WINDOW SEAT / FIRE PLACE / JET SPA TUB FOR TWO Booked
KIDS  - 1 KING BED / BUNK BEDS / WINDOW SEAT / JET SPA TUB
DJ PATTEE  - 1 KING BED / SOFA BED / PARLOR / WINDOW SEAT / FIRE PLACE / JET SPA TUB FOR TWO
GEORGE & AGNES SOUMAS  - 1 KING BED / SOFA BED / PARLOR / WINDOW SEAT / FIRE PLACE / JET SPA TUB FOR TWO
TRAVEL  - 1 KING BED / TRUNDLE BEDS / WINDOW SEAT / JET SPA TUB
LOUIS ARMSTRONG  - 1 KING BED / SOFA BED / PARLOR / WINDOW SEAT / FIRE PLACE / JET SPA TUB FOR TWO

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

Unfortunately many Midwesterners feel that a great vacation has to take place somewhere else- preferably someplace with a beach, a busy city or large cartoon characters- instead of looking at the amazing locations within a day’s drive.

I am working very hard to change the perception of the Midwest from a place to get away from to a place to explore and discover; one project I am working on, with my planning partners, is "Destination Midwest" at the I_Blog Conference.

Social media is a part of every smart promotional plan.  When vacationers research a potential destination they first turn to the internet- often to blogs they trust.  At I_Blog Conference 2010 we are bringing together Midwest destinations and Midwest bloggers for “Destination Midwest”, an evening for some of the Midwest’s best destinations to share what makes them great with over 100 of the Midwest’s best bloggers.   While this event is still in the planning stages I wanted to share the opportunity as there will only be room for a limited number of destinations.

The I_Blog Conference is being held at the Hotel Pattee in Perry, Iowa, November 5-7, 2010.   The cost to be involved in the Saturday evening “Destination Midwest”  will be $250, and an option to include conference sessions for social media training will be available for an additional charge.

If you would like more information on becoming involved in "Destination Midwest" please email Jody Halsted: jody@iblogconference.com.

Media portfolio available upon request.

Details are still being worked out but I can tell you that the entire hotel will be used for this event.

Planning is underway… Watch here for more information and be sure to follow @I_BlogConf on Twitter!

Conference dates are November 5-7, 2010.

1) I would like to stay away from a "typical chain" hotel.  I know Iowa has amazing hotels that are gems waiting to be discovered.  A great example: the Hotel Pattee, where I_Blog '09 was held.

2) The hotel must have wi-fi- and be able to handle the bandwidth of 100+ bloggers.

3) We will need at least 3 conference rooms, each able to hold 30-50 people.

4) While it's not completely necessary I would like to have the option of using the hotel for some of the meals so an enticing catering menu is a plus.

5) The hotel must be in Iowa.

If you have a suggestion please let me know in the comments or via email.  All suggestions will be considered.  If you are a hotel and would like more information be sure to email me the following information: contact name and number, name and location of hotel, and amenities offered.

Do download the entire video CLICK HERE. It is 57 minutes and may take a while to load, depending on your connection.

I've also broken the video into 7 parts to more easily digest:

Thankfully I was proved wrong.  Oh, it was small, don't get me wrong.  But I know that everyone met everyone else and that no one left feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of people.  Friendships were made this weekend- which accomplished my main goal: to form a community.

The speakers were amazing.  All were relevant, all were involved with the audience and questions were asked and answered easily.

I had only a few sponsors for this event.

Creative Memories took a big chance with me and I think it worked out well.  We were shown how to utilize the digital scrapbooking software personally and I know that created more fans than just handing out software for the attendees to take home.  HUGE thanks to Jenny, Creative Memories media guru, and Amber Gustafson, CM consultant in central Iowa, for their expertise and a fun evening.

Land O' Lakes Milk, a Dean Foods brand, was a huge supporter of the conference.  Land O' Lakes milk is available in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota & South Dakota.  Land O' Lakes milk recently began a program to benefit your schools.  Each cap from their milk is worth 5 cents if redeemed by your school.

Dexter PC in Dexter, Iowa provides computer repairs and can creat the computer of your dreams.  They brought in a few for us to play with and I know the pink netbook was added to a few Christmas wish lists.

BJ Weber spoke at the conference as well as sponsored it.  He was able to take the very dull information that is taxes and make it not only understandable but interesting.  If you are a blogger with tax questions BJ has an "Ask an Accountant" program that could benefit your business.

So, if you are wondering about I_Blog '10…  Yes, there will be one.  Tentative date: first weekend of November.  Location: Iowa.  I'll begin planning after the new year.  For now I'm just going to breathe…  Until then, why not read what others had to say about I_Blog '09.

Please link your I_Blog posts below so we can all visit & see what your "take aways" were!  One post, multiple posts…  List them all here.