August 9, 2010

Bloguera Power!

For thousands of female bloggers who descended upon the streets of New York City last week, BlogHer 2010 had the buzz and feel of the “big dance,” the Super Bowl.

That’s because BlogHer is the largest blogging conference for women who breathe all things social media through vehicles like blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr, among many, many others. This yearly extravaganza brings together an army of women with names like New York City Mama, SpanglishBaby and Bilingual in the Boonies – influential bloggers valued by PR firms for their ability to act as ambassadors to a brand.

Since first reaching out to the so-called mommy bloggers more than two years ago, I’ve witnessed firsthand the Latina social media explosion and ever growing presence of Blogueras on the blogosphere. I remember the surprise of one Latina mommy blogger when I invited her to a Licuado/Milkshake event after reading about her children who she endearingly called: Mexipinitos. Apparently, she had never been approached by a PR firm because she responded with a, “You’re inviting me, really?” Today, she’s seen as one of the founding Latina mommy bloggers.

These ladies, wielding their laptops, blackberries and iPhones to tell a story, have become a strong force to be reckoned with. Today, these Latinas are celebrating their success outside of the World Wide Web and attending conventions like BlogHer, being interviewed by major newspapers, and acting as guests on TV where they talk about the way they’ve shaped marketing to women.

On the first day of the three-day conference I spoke with Ana Flores, the woman behind http://www.spanglishbaby.com/. She had just enjoyed a stint on the Today Show wearing a bright red shirt complemented by a toothpaste smile. She had come along way, but she’s not alone. Latinas are outpacing the general market in the growth and use of social media. Plus, they are now seeing much more interest and engagement from big-name brands and companies. Still, she tells me, I was “her first.”

Ana was one of seven prominent Latina bloggers who were fully sponsored to attend this year’s BlogHer conference in the Big Apple. This, she said, represents the most bloggers from any market ever sponsored by ONE single company. Blogging has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Nowadays, there is money to be made, fame to be earned and influence to be gained.

At BlogHer 2010, the Latina influence was palpable, very prevalent with more Latinas attending than ever before; In fact, BlogHer featured  its first-ever all Latina panel and it was no coincidence that it also included a big social fiesta hosted by Latinas in Social Media.

Why is all this happening now -- According to Sophia Mind, Hispanic women in the U.S. are one of the fastest-growing online demographics, and more than 85 percent of Latinas visit social networks on a regular basis. U.S. Hispanics are tech-savvy and love the Internet. The AOL Hispanic Cyberstudy reveals that online Hispanics tend to be young, affluent, with large households and are “more enthusiastic about the benefits of the Internet than [is] the general market.”

And if you’re still asking yourself, why PR practitioners including those at RLPR yearn to be featured in stories by Latina mommy bloggers, that’s because word of mouth is king among Latinas. More than 90 percent of all consumers report that the recommendation of a friend, family member or expert is the leading influence on their purchase behavior. And with 77 percent of Hispanics engaging in some kind of online socializing, social media is quickly becoming the battleground in which brand allegiances are won or lost.

So who are the Latina Bloggers that received the full “scholarship” to the big dance?

Ana Lilian FloresSpanglishBaby

Carol CainThe Adventures of a NYCity Mama

Carrie Ferguson WeirTiki Tiki Blog

Melanie EdwardsModernMami.com and 40weeks Plus

Rory LassanskeMamá Contemporánea

Roxana A. SotoSpanglishBaby and MimosBlog

Silvia MartinezMamá Latina Tips

This blog is dedicated to you FABULOUS SEVEN. Thank you for continuing to help brands spread the word in English, Spanish and Spanglish con sabor.

11 comments:

Yoly @ Cuponeando said...

Angie, Thank you for writing this post. I was very excited to learn that my 7 friends were being sponsored and therefore I had another opportunity to spend some time with them.

Ana Lilian Flores said...

Thank YOU for dedicating this beautiful post to us. I'm not kidding, YOU were my "first" and you continue to be one of the PR agencies that truly "get" how to reach out to Latina bloggers in a meaningful and respectful way.
I'm still in awe of the amazing week we had at BlogHer and so proud that I belong to the Latina blogger tribe.

Yakini said...

What a great post, and thanks for listing new bloggers for me to follow! Right now I'm only aware of Carol's "Adventures of a NYCity Mama" and I just love her - such an awesome resource for all things NY, and perfect for me as a mom to young boys as well. :-)

Congrats to all the ladies for being sponsored at BlogHer - how cool!

Carol @NYCityMama said...

Thank you for such a wonderful feature! I am proud to be one of the "Fabulous Seven"! The significance of this particular sponsorship is as Ana said, it is the first done by one major brand exclusively for a select group of Latina bloggers. We were selected for the things we have in common, as well as for those things we do not, which in the speaks as well to the diversity of our culture and people. I am excited to see more opportunities for us in the near future which cater to our blogging voices, from travel to parenting, we are representing it all and are happy to be recognized for it. Thank you again! --Carol

DawnSandomeno said...

Love NYCityMama, Carol Cain, whether shi is a Blogueras or Mommy Blogger. Her stories, photography and reviews are quality and always worth the read!

Silvia said...

Angie, tu siempre tan linda! Thank you so much for writing this post. We are living a very exciting time, and I'm so happy not just for being part of this wonderful group sponsored for this amazing company, but also for being part of the first BlogHer latina panel ever! It was so much fun!

Thanks for always being so supportive, I still remember my first pr event, and it was with you!!! I will never forget it. :)

Melanie (ModernMami) said...

I'm so happy and proud to have been part of the "Fabulous Seven" Vme team. It was a wonderful weekend and I can't wait to see what's in store for our Latina blogging community!!!

angelica @ Modern Familia said...

Beautifully told! Latina blogueras are rocking the blogosphere scene. So proud to be Latina (and a blogger) at this time!

Janis @ Sneak Peek At Me said...

Angie, Girl you sure get around because you were my "first" too! ;)
And I love you to pieces for seeing the power of the Latina. Not all PR firms recognize what you see. xoxo

Marcela said...

Ok! So you were first too!!!

You RL PR chicas are players!!!!

Mamá Contemporánea said...

Latina Bloggers write their stories in English, Spanish and Spanglish... Chevere!!!