This week I delivered a big hit in social media, but it wasn’t on the blog. It occurred on my Flickr blog in the form of SOBCon 09 pictures. If you include photo views from Friday and Saturday at the conference, photos generated more than 4,000 views or almost 10% of my all time Flickr page traffic. So what does this mean from a content creation standpoint?
There are a few obvious conclusions:
1) The best way to serve a community is to give them stuff they’re interested in. The SOBCon content was great! But at the same time, part of meeting in such an environment is socializing. And what better way to help people enjoy a social event than take great pictures of them so they can remember their time there? Photos are always a big hit at in person networking events.
David Armano and his steed.
2) Learning how to use a media form well makes a big difference. I tried video, and that was hard, but since evolving my photography skills from point and click to manual DSLR shots, my Flickr traffic has increased significantly. In fact, one of the hotel industry’s top blogs picked up my SOBCon Hotel 71 shot and ran it on their blog as a story. I still have a lot to learn, but using a medium well can make a big difference.
The View from Hotel 71
3) My blog writing sucked this week :) Truth hurts, huh?
SOBConners Brat Pack: Shannon Paul, Brian Clark, Jason Falls, Zena Weist, Derek Halpern
4) Thinking about other people is always the key to social media. Liz Strauss reminded me of this at our Morton’s event and once again, it reminds me that others, not being smart, but others is what matters.
Will English IV and Liz Strauss
5) Do what you love online. My favorite creative outlets have always been writing and painting. I can’t pain anymore because I don’t have time, but photography is fulfilling that need. Is it any coincidence that the two things I’m best at online are blogging and taking photos? Do what you love online. Your natural desire and talent will shine through.
Write when you have something to say. Gosh, was it the wait. This is brilliant and beautiful!
When we set off to make SOBCon, our goal was conference built like a blog post … where the conversation among the attendees was more important than the speakers. We wanted people to take it home to talk about it as a part of their lives. Thank you for making us better, for carrying the conversation out into the socialsphere.
I’m grateful.
Liz
4,000 views and they’re all PG-13 pictures. That’s really impressive. Congrats! I don’t think I have 4000 total views. It sounds like you had a good time. I’ll check them out and add to your stats:)
Nicely put and great photos!
Also, you’re knack for capturing peoples’ personalities via the lense, speaks volumes.