Our Attendee Spotlight is:
Mariama Todd who's blog is 40Muse.com
What do you hope to experience at BWB 2013?
I hope to learn how to monetize my blog (to at least, offset my annual hosting expenses!), brand myself and my blog to be seen as as authorities in this space, drive traffic and learn how to engage users. I am blogging while working full-time, so learning how to balance all of this would be helpful.
Why did you decide to start a blog?
I have been a media glutton since I was a kid. There was always a copy of Ebony ,Black Enterprise and Essence in our house. As an adult I have worked on the finance side of the media business for the last 15 years. I became frustrated with the lack of content for and acknowledgement of Black women over the age of 35 in traditional media. The lack of acknowledgement from larger media companies and marketers make it seem like Black women either die or don't have money to spend once they hit 35. I know that is not the case! I created a business plan for a print version of 40Muse.com 10 years ago while in graduate school. Print is no longer a financially viable option for a start-up, so I decided to get to the public via a blog instead.
Are there specific types of bloggers you are interested in connecting with at the conference?
Women's lifestyle bloggers. I want to include fashion and beauty on my site and need to align with fellow bloggers that specialize in this area.
What are your top blogging tips for other bloggers?
1. Be consistent in posting. This is something that I struggle with and am trying to rectify.
2. Social media dashboards such as Hootsuite and Bottlenose help you maintain your sanity!
3. Be selective about the brands and writers that you align your blog with.
Where do you see you and your blog in 5 years?
I want 40Muse.com to be a self-sustaining business in 5 years. I want us to be known as the authoritative voice for mature Black women; when someone thinks of older (35+) black women, I want 40Muse.com to immediately come to mind. I would like to see the blog provide live events for women in our demographic and provide research insights for marketers and journalists.
Do you need something from your fellow bloggers to take your blogging to the next level?
I need help distinguishing between my voice, and that of the blog. I want to be known as the "go to" resource for the mature Black woman. How can I make that happen?
Do you have something to offer bloggers to help them take their blogging to the next level?
My professional background is in finance within the media industry. I'm damned good at analysis and financial planning. If you have a business plan that needs to be reviewed, I'm your person.
Welcome to BWB !
