IndiBlogger.in and Microsoft – blogger meet at Bangalore
IndiBlogger.in embraced the opportunity to connect to bloggers, outside their comfort zone (which is typically a laptop, an internet connection and a stimulative beverage). We did achieve most of what we set out to do. Our first priority was to help bloggers realize the power of collective efforts towards common goals and IndiBlogger.in would help them achieve that. Bloggers are a very diverse community and the bloggers in the meet were no different. This posed a challenge with respect to the type of content that we were going to showcase during the meet. We decided to go with Leadcap (http://leadcap.org/), an NGO with the promise of a unique leadership movement in India. We did expect bloggers to be patient but intent listeners on the subject, but instead there were immediate questions that required rather intelligent answers. What transpired was a huge discussion, with the bloggers coming out with different views. We then realized that there was much more to this blogger meet than expected.
We did have the bloggers introduce themselves and their blogs. There was nice variety in the 50+ bloggers who attended. The point most interesting to note here was that everyone had a passionate view of their blog and also a deep sense of pride. It gave IndiBlogger.in an opening to connect to these bloggers on a more personal level. With the expectations that come with a web 2.0 initiative, it was important for us to serve as a networking platform for these guys to exchange information/ideas/ideals and we did just that! We also prepared a skit to encourage the bloggers to join our fight against spam and entertain we did! Renie, the founder of IndiBlogger.in has already implemented some ideas/suggestions from the bloggers. Some of these ideas were so insightful that we had a new respect for the level of experience and initiative that these bloggers had.
Microsoft supported us with the environment for the meet. This gave Microsoft an opportunity to stretch out a hand towards the blogging community, and spread awareness on their blogging tool Live Writer. There was a lot of feedback that Microsoft took home and it gave them a first hand experience in understanding their position in this intellectual and diverse community.
All said and done, the efforts of IndiBlogger.in were very well received. Several of the bloggers took the time to blog about the meeting and what they learnt from it, which has sparked off a slew of registrations for the next meeting at Hyderabad. We left the venue with a sense of quiet satisfaction, fully aware of an even greater responsibility on our hands. Every blogger had something to say to us at the end of it all and some of them held onto that line on the IndiBlogger.in T-shirt – “We blog, therefore we are”
Anoop Johnson, the IndiBlogger Team
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