With many of our bloggers attending the BlogHer Conference this year, some with past experience and others enjoying their first time at a blogging conference, we thought we’d offer some helpful hints on how to make the most of your experience.

Keep in mind that it’s one thing to flip through your blog readers and enjoy the stories from your favorite bloggers on a daily basis. It’s a whole other ball game to see them all in person. It can be overwhelming and intimidating, so we hope that these little tips will assist you in taking it easy and enjoying yourself.

Attire: For the most part, people dress casually. Since I rarely get the opportunity to get out away from my kids, I tend to dress up more than I usually would. That’s not to say you need to do so. Just bring clothes that you feel comfortable in, and if you feel like dressing up for the cocktail parties, then know that you won’t be alone. But do bring comfortable shoes and something to cover up with. Not only is San Francisco chilly at night, but you just never know what the conference room temps are going to be.

And there’s nothing wrong with wearing a t-shirt with your blog name on it. Sometimes it makes it easier for other bloggers to approach you when they know who you are without having to stare awkwardly at your nametag.

Swag: Generally people come prepared with some type of swag, ranging from business cards to key chains to everything in between. If you write a lot of blogs, or for a lot of blogs, consider having one card or swag that you can hand out instead of trying to hand out four different things. I did that last year and it was incredibly difficult, especially since I was carrying a baby.

And along with being prepared to give out swag, keep in mind you’re going to get a ton, not only from your fellow bloggers but also at the conference itself. So leave extra room in your bag!

Computer: Don’t be surprised to see a sea full of bloggers with heads down at their computers for the entire session. It is a blogging conference after all. It’s not mandatory by any means, but it is nice to be able to check twitter and email during the day. You will have to lug it around with you, so make sure you’ve got a nice sized bag to bring along.

Socialization: The sessions this year look exceptionally interesting (okay, so I’m speaking and very biased), but that doesn’t mean you have to go to every single one. Pick and choose, and then enjoy the other aspects of the conference, or better, go sit down in a quiet spot with a few new or old friends and relax. It’s a hugely social event and it can get tiring and overwhelming, so don’t feel bad if you have to go lay down and enjoy your quiet hotel room during the day. You can always catch up later.

Also, there are a bunch of parties happening, particularly on Thursday, but also on Friday or Saturday. Most of them are NOT invitation only, so invite yourself and go! It’s a great chance to mingle and meet new bloggers and old favorites all in one place.

Every year people discuss the blogging “cliques” and the truth of the matter is, you’re going to feel most comfortable with the people you know or are friends with. That’s not necessarily a clique, it’s just how social networks function.

So, if you see a group of bloggers that you know and you want to go up and say “hi,” then just do it. Everyone is super friendly, and while you may not get to stand and have a 30 minute chat with them, at least you got a chance to introduce yourself.

Enjoy Yourself! If anything, it’s time away from your kids in a fantastic city, so enjoy it and take it all in. And make sure to write about it!

Feel free to share your own thoughts on the BlogHer conference in the comments here, or check out BlogHer’s fantastic post on the same topic as well. And make sure to find myself or Julie at the conference. We’d love to meet you!