Rome Bloggers February 2018 Meetup

We kicked off the new year with an exciting presentation made by Sian and Lorna from The Roman Guy and Katie from The Hostel Girl at the brand new hostel, The Rome Hello, located in the center of Rome, just a short walk from Repubblica metro station. February’s meetup was all on brand and influencer collaborations with Katie sharing her tips and advice on the influencer side and Sian and Lorna sharing their advice on the brand side. They spoke about their experiences working with brands/influencers, the right way on approaching collaborations, and do’s and dont’s.

The evening started with a brief introduction by everyone. We had a full house this evening with a total of 25 people present! The Rome Hello was kind enough to offer those attending complimentary wine and prosecco to start the evening off. After the initial introduction, we went straight into the presentation with Sian, Lorna, Katie, and Estrella answering questions and speaking on their previous experiences with collaborating.

Some of the points discussed during the meetup were:

1. The Different Ways to Collaborate
   1. in return for product/service testing
   2. sponsored posts and affiliate programs
   3. social media takeovers
   4. co-creating content together
2. How to Find One Another
   1. How do bloggers find brands? Try reaching out to brands that you are already a fan of, download apps and join influencer programs, hashtags, join affiliate programs.
   2. How do brands find bloggers? communities, hashtags, location, blogs, SEO, Facebook groups.
3.  Best Practices from Brands
   1. Do make the first move
   2. Do go to conferences/meetups and network
   3. Do work on your social media accounts
   4. Do check the brand’s press pages
   5. Do know your SEO
   6. Do follow-up
   7. Do ask about affiliate programs
   8. Don’t be demanding
   9. Don’t go back on your word
   10. Always under-promise and over-deliver

At the end of the meetup, Katie, who is the Social Media Manager for The Rome Hello gave us a tour of the hostel. This hostel is completely inspired by street art. Artists flew in from Mexico, Spain, France, and Ukraine before the grand opening to paint beautiful, inspirational murals all over the walls. There are private rooms, girl-only dorms, and mixed dorms available to reserve. There is plenty to do here as they have social spaces for guests to hang out and relax, both outside and inside. There are also yoga and cooking classes available. The Barrel Bar & Grill will meet all your culinary needs with a good selection of beverages and food to choose from.

Street art by Addi Fernandez aka Facte

Thank you again, The Rome Hello, for hosting us for this meetup! If you would like to learn more about this hostel, you can find them below via their website, Facebook, & Instagram. Also, make sure to follow Sian & Lorna from The Roman Guy to keep up with their adventures in Italy and beyond! You can also find The Hostel Girl, aka Katie Dawes on her blog and Instagram, which is the perfect resource for solo, female travelers in Europe. 🙂

The entrance of The Rome Hello

If you live in Rome and would like to join us for future events, make sure to follow us to be in the know of everything happening in the eternal city. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

We hope to see you at the next event!

Estrella