I just got back from BlogWorld and New Media Expo in Las Vegas. This was my second time at the event and it was well worth the trip. The conference seemed bigger this year over last, and the quality of the people attending and presenting were excellent. I can honestly say that I learned more at BlogWorld than I did at SXSW earlier in the year.
Here are the top 10 things I learned this year at BlogWorld:
1. Seth Godin has it wrong. It’s not all about me, it’s all about we. The people I met were the most gracious, giving folks I have the pleasure of knowing. They don’t just champion themselves, they champion the movement away from command and control of mass media to the conversation first detailed in The Cluetrain Manifesto.
2. Simple wins. “People admire complexity but reward simplicity.” Favorite quote from any presentation was from Ben Huh, CEO of the Cheezburger Network (home of ICanHasCheezburger.com)
3. Social objects win. Providing ways for people to easily connect is invaluable. Fatburger got it with the burger-eating contests, Techset gets it, Techkaraoke gets it. How can social objects work for you?
4. Those who create, win. The biggest rockstars at the conference were all people who pump out amazing content and share their expertise with the world. Get creating.
5. There’s a big difference between meeting someone and building a connection with someone.Chris Brogan (@chrisbrogan) taught me that in a 30-second conversation. It requires a full post, but it changed how I think about things. Completely.
6. Nothing replaces face to face experiences. Twitter and Facebook are great. They help lay the groundwork for more enjoyable IRL experiences – but nothing beats in-person conversation.
7. Embrace the unexpected. The unexpected opportunities and amazing conversations find you when you get out of your bubble and go with the flow.
8. When you start with love it makes everything better. Everyone that I met came in with love in their hearts. They were helpful, friendly and kind beyond expectation. Bringing that mindset to more interactions is something I want to embrace more.
9. Can it last? Some panels were full of people complaining at how hard it is to keep up with the demands and expectations of their legions of followers (no matter the number). Jon Lansner (@jonlan) of the OC Register had a great point. Media companies may be getting killed right now; but they can stay open 24/7 and some will be around for years to come. There’s a full post in here for sure.
10. I’ll be back. With so much good stuff I definitely plan on attending next year. If you’ve been thinking about going hopefully you’ll choose to go next year!