November 23 saw one of the most epic and engaging Blogapalooza events to date. This year’s influencer and content creator gathering—titled BlogaFest 2019—made for an eventful day filled with lasting insights and a newfound passion for growth in each platform. Just like last year, BlogaFest never failed to reignite the fire.
There were a lot of milestones achieved during the event. For one, attendees were able to rouse the Twittersphere and make it to the Trends list. And if niche fandoms and k-pop stans taught us anything, it’s all in how you contribute meaningful noise on the platform. For two, Blogamomma Ace Gapuz shared that the BlogaFest had the most number of influencers, bloggers, content creators, and artists in any Blogapalooza event to date—a whopping 2,021 passionate hearts and minds. That’s something to be proud of, even as this only marks the Pilipinas Popcorn team’s second foray into the event.
But apart from these significant accomplishments, the value that BlogaFest offered proved to be more than a cause for celebration (as its carnival theme suggests). This year’s Bloga event came packed with practical advice and the technical know-how to break ground in the influencer and content creator territory.
BlogaFest 2019’s Star-Studded Panels That Made Us Go, “Hell Yeah!”
There were no solo talks at the BlogaFest this year, but it was filled to the brim with panels that stripped social media platforms to its core—leaving it exposed and open for probes. JF Escobañez of The Red Whistle, YouTube EduCreator Lyqa Maravilla, and Brazillian model and actor Daiana Menezes offered great tips on how to be an authentic influencer as well as sharing their creative process in working with and as an influencer. It was a nice exchange that kicked things off and set the overall tone for the day. I mean, in the end, we all want to exchange value and conversions with our clients, right?
Twitter got a significant highlight as Twitter gurus Justine Chua, Saul De Jesus, and Regis Andanar broke down the interesting sphere of online conversations that go through the social media platform every day. We all love to tweet, but not everyone knows how to use it to their advantage in terms of elevating a brand and sparking meaningful conversations.
Another interesting panel caught our team’s attention as Tita Belay of Titas of Pageantry, Chris Alarcon of PGAG.ph, and Mark Anicas of Filipino Tweets That Matter shared their experiences in creating content for their audience and how important it is to recognize the shifts and trends that go along with one’s dedicated audience.
And since this year’s BlogaFest had a lot of influencer and content creator newbies, blogger Karina Ramos, ABS-CBN Starmusic Artist Miko Manguba, beauty and lifestyle influencer EJ Nacion, and Lifestyle and Entertainment Blogger Rod Magaru came packed with practical pieces of advice for OG and noobs in the influencer industry.
Perhaps one of the most entertaining segments of the BlogaFest was the Influencers of Radio panel with Yes FM DJs Rico Panyero, Maria Morena, Sexy Megan, and Ganda Wanda. As someone who works both on the radio and in the digital marketing industry, what these lively bunch shared helped me understand that there are so many ways that the radio and influencer can intersect—just like how things work for the latter on social media.
Pro gamers and casual players like me were also given the awesome spotlight as key personalities from the pro-gaming industry discussed the future and the growing community of the Philippine eSports. Rumble Radio Show Host + LOL Gamescaster Ben Joel Naval, Emile Tanglao of Rumble Royale, Jab Escutin of Bren eSports, and Overdrive Studios Owner and Founder RD Rogacion gave an engaging panel about how you can break ground in the pro gaming industry as well as sharing the challenges and excitements in eSports that they face on a day to day basis.
Bringing Color to the Festival
A handful of celebrities also made their appearances to make the BlogaFam experience more memorable. Celebrities from GMA and ABS-CBN graced the stage to hype up the crowd, something that made the electrifying experience well worth it. But if there’s one thing that makes BlogaFest a smashing great time, it’s the opportunity to connect and forge new partnerships. The friends we made during last year’s Blogapalooza event tripled this year and made our bonds stronger.
Indeed, BlogaFest 2019 was a festival of all sorts. It has become a yearly thing that not only brings us together for connection and learning—it’s a gathering that celebrates creativity and meaningful relationships that make brands stronger.