A big part of a blogger’s life is attending at least one of the hundreds of blog conferences and social networking events put on every year by the big names in the online industry.

Some of you have been going to these conferences for many years now, some of you may be going to your first conference in 2009, and some of you may not be planning on attending a conference at all.

For those of you not ever planning on attending a blog event, I’ve got a future post with your name all over it.

For those of you who have been going to blog events for years, you already know alot of the tricks of the trade. But for those of you who are going for your first time, here are 5 tips to help you survive your first blog, social media, or internet marketing conference.

Attend Panels and Keynote Speeches

Some of these blog conferences can have so many different speaker panels and keynote speeches that it can be overwhelming when deciding on which to attend.

The easiest way to decide is to get the agenda as far in advance of actually attending as possible.

Make sure you look real close at the list of who is speaking and what they are speaking about. Try to attend the most important ones to you. The ones that deal with what you’re doing with your blog.

If you’re interested in everything, then do some research online. Find out who is attending what panels and keynotes. Find out what the most talked about and anticipated ones are. Then go to those.

Attend After-Parties & Gatherings

The point of attending a blog conference or social media conference isn’t to rush back to your hotel room as soon as it’s over, lock the door, and play on the internet the rest of the night.  You can do that when you get back home.

The biggest part of these conferences is the networking.  Schmooze with others.  Build relationships with people that could benefit you down the road.

Just like with the plethora of panels and keynotes, there are just as many after-party events to attend.

The easiest way to choose which to attend is to ask around, both before and at the conference.

With any get-together there is gonna be the elite crew that go to all of the greatest parties.  Find out who they are, and find out where they’ll be going.  I guarantee these will be the biggest most talked about parties years later.  Placing yourself in the same crowd as the who’s who of the internet will put you in a place for success.

Arrive Early & Stay Late

There will be literally hundreds of different people at any given conference.  Sometimes thousands.  Chances are that any big-shot you’re interested in meeting face-to-face, is going to be swamped with others wanting to do the same thing.  The chances of getting more than 5 minutes with them is probably really slim, especially when you attend a conferences with large numbers of attendees.

So how do you get their attention for any long length of time and still have them remember who you are a couple of months or even a year from now?

Show up a day or two early for the conference, and stay a day or two after it ends.

The big names on the internet will most likely arrive early and stay late as well.  They’ll be looking for other bloggers to get something to eat with or just hang out.

This is your chance to really sit down and get to know them, and have them get to know you.

Stay As Close As Possible

Many new attendees of blog conferences or social media conferences don’t always pick the best hotels.  I’m not necessarily talking about luxury as I am about commuting distance.  You’re probably not gonna spend much time in your hotel room anyway.  At least you shouldn’t.

If you don’t feel like treking 100 miles before the conference is over, I suggest you find a hotel that is within a short walking distance from the conference location as well as the big after-party events.

If you don’t find a hotel close, your legs will hate you by day two.

A Few Short Suggestions

There are so many different tips and tricks for each individual person that I cannot possibly list them all.  What works for some may not work for others.

A couple of other important things to keep in mind though, are to:

• Talk to others – Don’t sit in the corner being shy.  If you’re going to do that, then don’t even pay the money to go to a conference.
• Ask questions – You don’t know everything and neither does anyone else. The only stupid question is the one not asked.  Don’t go home regretting that you didn’t get an answer you came looking for.
• Be nice – Don’t make rude comments to anyone, even if you’re not fond of them.  If you don’t like someone in particular, simply do not talk to them.  They won’t feel bad that you didn’t.  They’ll be too overwhelmed with everyone else who does want to talk to them, that they won’t notice.

What tips and tricks do you have for making the most out of attending conferences?