Whenever I'm unsure what to write about, I think about the messages I've received in my inbox and try to find a common theme. This one was a no-brainer — so many people have reached out to ask how to get invited to influencer events, and I wish I'd read a guide like this when I started blogging!
Many people assume I've been a Tampa blogger for a really long time because I spend a lot of time out and about in the city. Fun fact: Vagner and I moved back to Tampa after at the end ofMarch 2018. Believe it or not, we started out 2018 in South Florida! Nine months ago, I knew zero bloggers and had attended no events here. Today, I'm invited to so many events that I turn down about half of them — I have a full-time job and an introvert husband, so I have to prioritize well.
You don't have to blog for years to get invited to funtastings and spa days — you just have to approach things strategically! Let's look at how to get invited to influencer events, including my thoughts on the fastest way to become a "VIP" in your city. I also enlisted the help of the experts — the marketing gurus who plan the events and know what they're looking for!
1. Post Great Content
If you wanted to get on media lists for events, you need to get out there andstart taking good pictures. When you're out at a local restaurant, post a well-lit, high-quality picture of your meal on your feed and tag the restaurant on Instagram! DM them to share how much you enjoyed your experience. Go to public festivals and workshops and take amazing photos while you're there. Write up a blog post and email it to the host! Put yourself out there by showing them what you've got. At the end of the day, companies want you to create good content that'll make your followers want to stop in — so you have to show them what you've got.
2. Use Strategic Hashtags
I've heard from more than one PR person that they plan events in Tampa by looking at the #tampablogger hashtag and seeing who's using it.If you aren't using #[yourcity]blogger and similar tags, you're probably missing out on a ton of event invites.Do research. Which local tags do the huge bloggers in your area use? Also, geotag every picture you post! Getting to the top of your city's Instagram explore page is a surefire way to get people's attention.
3. Listen To The Experts
I'm smart enough to know I don't know everything about this topic — and lucky enough to have people in my network who are pros! I chatted with Brittany and Emilia, two Tampa-based marketing gurus who plan a ton of exclusive events every month, about what they look for when scouting out potential influencers.
