A few years ago when I started my personal blog I had delusions of grandeur. I thought immediate success, fame and fortune were only a few keystrokes away. And I was convinced that I was fully qualified to publish a stellar blog — no training required.

As years have passed, I’ve come to learn that blogging, when done correctly, is hard work. The more familiar I have  become with blogging the more I realize how much I have to learn.

So, when I found out there was a blog convention happening just a few blocks away, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I knew immediately that this would be an ideal opportunity to spend a day learning from a handful of blogging experts.

The conference did not disappoint.

Here are five of the five hundred things I learned while attending Social RevUp’s Brand & Blogger Summit.

“If you feel like you aren’t getting where you want to go, ask someone who you respect, ‘Why not?’”

This little nugget of brilliant advice can be attributed to Connie Burke, GM’s communications manager. I will admit that the thought of asking the question Burke suggests is rather scary. Nobody really wants to hear what they are doing wrong. But imagine how valuable the answer could be.

“Remember, tax evasion is how they got Al Capone.”

Liza Barry-Kessler, discussed Social Media laws. One point she made was to consider your blog a business and be mindful of any income you generate – which includes any products you accept for review.

“Extra efforts spent on Social Media are an investment in yourself”

When you hit publish on a blog post, the work is only half done. Nancy Loo, an Emmy Award winning news journalist with WGN-TV, shared her thoughts on the power of social media to promote your posts. Loo suggests cultivating relationships through twitter and other social media channels and then sharing relevant posts with influential people at the appropriate time.

“With influence comes responsibility”

As bloggers we have responsibility to choose to work with people and products we respect and truly endorse. Our voice and our words become our capital. We must therefore use them with care. Niri Jaganath further explained that just because we have a sphere of influence, it does not mean we should abuse our power. Because you can bash people or brands online does not mean you should. She suggested taking specific complaints out of the public forum and to the party directly.

“’No’ is going to happen a lot and you’re going to have to learn to say it too.”

Andrea Metcalf, finished the day with an inspirational call to action. We all know the occasional rejection is inevitable. But one “no” doesn’t have to be the final answer. Metcalf focused on the power of persistence and the importance of putting yourself in front of the right people, repeatedly. A thick skin today may mean you are the one people are trying to get in front of tomorrow.

What is the best piece of blogging advice you have ever received?
Which of these suggestions will you put into practice today?