I started Virginia Bloggers in 2012.
It was the early days of social media. Blogs were how we connected online, how we shared what we were eating, where we were traveling, and what we were thinking about. Fourteen years later, I look around at this community, and the internet has changed just a little. (Ok fine, it looks completely different.)
We’re still creating here, but the content creator world has expanded past blogs. We’re hosting podcasts. We’re building communities on Instagram and TikTok. We’re writing newsletters on Substack. We’re shooting Reels and editing YouTube videos and engaging audiences on platforms that didn’t exist when we started. Some of you have left blogging behind entirely. Most of you do five things at once, on five different platforms, all while juggling day jobs and family and everything else.
“Blogger” doesn’t capture it anymore, so we’re evolving and rebranding!
Welcome to Virginia Creators
Starting today, Virginia Bloggers is becoming Virginia Creators.
New name. Same community. Same focus on connecting and supporting the people building creative platforms across our state.
If you’ve been here for a while, nothing about what you love is going away. If you’re new or have held back from joining because you didn’t think of yourself as a “blogger,” I hope this makes it clear that there’s a place for you here. Whether you’re writing, filming, photographing, podcasting, posting, or some combination of all of the above, if you’re building a community online, you’re a creator. And if you’re doing it in Virginia, this community is for you.
What’s staying the same
The heart of what we’ve built isn’t changing:
- In-person meet-ups across the state, where we gather, eat, and connect in real life. Since 2020, we’ve primarily been doing these in Richmond, but I would love to get back to hosting these in other cities as well!
- Educational content that helps you grow your platform, work with brands, and build something sustainable. I’ll continue to share the latest news and updates here and on Substack.
- A welcoming community that’s been one of the things I’m proudest of for the last 14 years. You don’t need to have a certain amount of followers or influence. We welcome anyone who is working to build their online community.
If you’re already part of this community, you don’t need to do anything differently. The Substack, the Instagram, the events — they’re all still here, just under a new name.
What’s coming next
The new name is also a chance to do more. A few things I’m working on for the months ahead:
- More events, including new workshops with industry pros covering things like how to pitch tourism boards, work with restaurants, and turn what you’re building into real income.
- Sponsored opportunities, including paid gigs, press trips, and brand partnerships, shared with the community as they come up. We’re really excited to help you monetize!
- Deeper resources for creators who want to grow and monetize their work, with more practical content rooted in what’s actually working here in Virginia.
The goal is the same as it’s always been: to make this the best community in the country for content creators living and working in Virginia. The new name just gives us more room to do it.
A few practical things
- We switched our Instagram to the new handle: @virginiacreators
- Our Substack is now Virginia Creators
- Same email list, same in-person events, same me running it
If you’ve ever shared this community with a friend who said, “But I’m not really a blogger,” please share it again. Tell them we changed the name. Tell them they belong here.
Thank you for following along
When I started this in 2012, I didn’t expect to still be running it 14 years later. The reason I am is because of the people in this community, the ones who showed up to the first meet-up not knowing anyone, the ones who became real friends, the ones who’ve watched each other grow from hobbyist bloggers to working creators with real audiences and real businesses.
This community is what it is because of you. The new chapter is going to be the best one yet, and I’m so glad you’re here for it.
See you at the next meet-up.
-Liz
