Immersing myself in all things Web 2.0 over the past few months, I have been blogging and reading blogs, preparing to launch a wiki, working on a platform for viewer-submitted video for QNNtv, and considering an interactive directory for the industry. My brain has been grappling with how our audience will use--or whether they'll use-these tools, what benefits they bring and where and how to implement and promote and educate our audience about them. In all this time I have never met anyone traveling this same road. It's all been blogs and articles and books and websites. Until SoCon07.
Naturally, I found out about SoCon07 from a blog post. The description read:
SoCon07 - At this invigorating, thought-provoking unconference, you will meet bloggers, new media pros, academics, and people from across the spectrum of marketing, public relations, human resources and the executive ranks. Together we'll discuss how the very affordable, easy-to-use online tools of Web 2.0 are creating unlimited opportunity and change - around the globe and here in our own backyard.
No matter what your personal or professional take is on technology, you won't want to miss this chance to rub shoulders with the Weberati of our times! Local pioneers will discuss their successes and failures, some of the astonishing ways in which they see the world evolving, and what the new tools of Web 2.0 promise for all of us. Don't miss SoCon07, the first social media mashup of the south!
The conference was everything it promised to be and more. With the "unconference" theme put into practice, at SoCon07 the premise was that the audience is collectively smarter than the panelists. Therefore a mic was passed around so the discussion at SoCon07 was truly collaborative, a la Web 2.0. We covered some important territory, with the participants self-correcting, just as we expect and see online. For example, one of the questions being asked is how Web 2.0 and disruptive technologies will affect us all.
As one would expect, at SoCon07 laptops were open and digital cameras snapping, with reports appearing on blogs as the conference unfolded. And Amber Rhea and Rusty Tanton of The Georgia PodCast Network recorded the conversation to be made available to everyone. The observation was made that with all this real time coverage we won't need to meet physically in the future; it will all be virtual via these fabulous tools.
In true social media form Tony Stubblevine set up a SoCon07 group on his new social networking site Crowdvine prior to the conference. With our profiles, blogs, and some pertinent door-opening questions for all of the participants, Crowdvine became an introduction, opening the door for individual networking at the conference. Having already "met", for instance, Jeff Haynie and Ken Grisnak in Crowdvine, we already had a conversation going when we met in person. It accelerated and increased the benefit of our time together. And after wards the social networking platform is even more powerful, providing each of us an easy way to find and communicate with those we met. Moreover, Crowdvine is the central axis for all of our web sites, individual blogging and video-casting. By linking us all together Crowdvine contains and tells the entire story of SoCon07 and becomes a base for continuing the conversation. It's a perfect example of the power of what brought us all together.
In the end the discussion regarding the need or no-need for physically meeting, we came to the conclusion that there will always be the need for direct interaction. That next year this conference may be even more widely dustributed online, but nothing will ever replace face-to-face. Sharing a passion for beer and food with Ken is rather difficult to do via e-mail. Not exactly the same! And a few conference-goers have kindly offered me their help in thinking through strategy at QNNtv. Are we going to do this online? Nope, lunch!
Many, many thanks to Sherry Heyl for acting on her idea of this unconference. You just never know until you try! And to Jeff Haynie who obviously put a ton of time and effort into making SoCon07 a success. And to everyone at Kennesaw Sate University who made us feel so welcome in their brand spanking new building. The conference was extremely organized. If Kennesaw State U is looking for a way to promote itself look no further than Leonard Witt, Fowler Distinguished Chair in Communications. Shoot, he makes me want to go back to school!
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