Social Media Marketing World 2014 , the largest social media conference in the world, was held Wednesday, March 26 through Friday, March 28, 2014 . I was able to attend and I've captured some of my key takeaways from the wonderful event below. I have both a podcast (created in the airport in Detroit, MI on a layover as I returned home) and an outline of notes.
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What's the ROI on your conference attendance?
Having the chance to meet IRL (In Real Life) can really be transformative! Face-to-face solidifies and binds social connections together in ways that cannot and should not be underestimated.
Social Media platforms cannot be your home online. They can be key assets but they should not be your foundation! Blogging is something you own and control and it should be the foundation of your online presence.
Social networks are merely land that is rented! You don't own the land there. It can change or be reclaimed, but a blog you can own!
While curated content is a key piece of a successful content strategy, 58% of marketers say that original content is still the most important content asset for their business. Blogging is a great way to speak, find your unique voice and keep sharing! Your blog can be a mix of mediums including textual content, but also video, images, and podcasts. Find what resonates with your audience and meet them with that medium!
Social Overwhelm
Marketers continue to struggle with the 24/7/365 nature of social media. Added to this is the speed of change. New social networks, changes in ways networks work (Facebook anyone?) and a steady stream of new tools and features mean that nothing ever stays the same. Within that, businesses are needing help to clarify what is truly important, and to narrow down their focus to what is important and doable.
The takeaway is that we need to narrow down our focus and not be all things to all people, or believe we need to be everywhere.
Take stock, reflect on the big picture, identify your priority audiences and where they spend time, and focus on that!
Marcus Sheridan's key note made it really simple: They ask, you answer!
Soon on last flight home #smmw14. Reflecting on @thesaleslion keynote.. 'Why do you do what you do?' 'Help solve problems..' Thx Marcus!
— ➡ Mike Gingerich (@mike_gingerich) March 30, 2014
Google Plus on the Rise
Google Plus has been lurking in the background and not the first go-to location of a majority of brands and personalities.
Now, however, according to recent research from Social Media Examiner, Google+ tops the list of social networks that marketers want to learn more about and master in 2014. With YouTube comment integration, search benefits from Google+, Hangouts on Air, and the growing power of G+ Communities, this network is gaining steam.
Central to Google+ success is setting up Authorship and in not simply broadcasting but rather investing time in communities to help, get to know, and share others content. This can build credibility, trust, and rapport that is then reciprocated.
Podcasting Continues Rise and Reach
Mike Stelzner noted how the Social Media Marketing Podcast has turned into one of his company’s most important marketing assets. In Michael's words, ‘podcast listeners are super fans’, which he backed up with some impressive stats, including that 75% of SMM podcast listeners are also blog subscribers and 26% of them were #SMMW14 attendees.
One of the key advantages of podcasts is that the format lends itself to reaching your audience at a time when few other digital channels can, in the car, or while exercising. No other channel offers you the opportunity to regularly engage with your audience in an intimate environment for an extended period of time (the avg podcast episode is 45 minutes)!
Mike noted automaker developments and news that coming vehicles will have podcast support built in, making NOW a great opportunity for marketers and businesses to get in the podcasting arena and build an audience to be ahead as the ways to listen only grow and become even easier.
View my posts on #SMMW14 here:
Twitter: @Mike_Gingerich
Facebook: Facebook.com/MikeGDigital
Instagram: Instagram.com/mikegingerich
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/mikegingerich
I'm crowd-sourcing content on List.ly and here is the link to the shared list:
The official conference hashtag is #SMMW14. You can follow the hashtag on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Google+.
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