I don’t know about you, but over the last few weeks my twitter feed has slowly become a flood of “I’m Attending” or “I’m Speaking at” Social Media Marketing World posts. So that must mean it’s almost that wonderful time of year, where thousands of marketers gather at the mecca of all social media events Once again, Social Media Examiner is hosting the world’s largest social media marketing conference in San Diego. Social Media Marketing World (SMMW) does an amazing job of bringing your social media feeds to life with all the most influential names in social media marketing in one place.
Whether you’re a SMMW regular or experiencing the event for the first time, I have put together a list of the 14 must-attend sessions to help you get the most out of your time in San Diego.
Influencer Marketing Playbook: How to Identify, Qualify and Recruit Effective Influencers
By Lee Odden
You should care because… 84% of marketing and communications professionals had plans to launch at least one influencer marketing campaign in the next twelve months. As an influencer himself, Lee Odden offers first-hand insights into how brands should approach influencers. Lee is also the CEO of TopRank Online Marketing, which works with brands like LinkedIn, Dell, and Marketo on their digital marketing strategies. Before you attend this session, do your homework and read TopRank’s latest ebook 15 Ways to Fail & 25 Ways to WIN with Influencer Engagement.
How to Unleash Twitter’s Marketing Power: 5 Insider Tips
By Neal Schaffer
You should care because… Twitter has given brands the ability to humanize their brand through authentic interactions and real-time engagement. With a highly engaged base of 140K followers himself, Neal Schaffer has mastered the ins and outs of Twitter. Neal is also the founder of Maximize Social Business, a leading resource to help marketers amplify their social media impact. Learn new tactics that your brand should be taking advantage of on Twitter.
How to Know if Your Business Should Get Into Live Video
By Brian Fanzo
You should care because… Brian Fanzo is the king of all things live stream. Whether via Snapchat, Google Hangouts, Periscope or Meerkat, Brian has tried it all. As engagement rates with live video continue to climb there are huge opportunities for brands to be industry leaders in this field. Live streaming opens the door to create unique, memorable, and engaging experiences that audiences will remember and talk about. If you are wondering whether live streaming makes sense for your brand - you can’t afford to miss this session.
9 Essential Tools for Every Social Media Marketer’s Toolbox
By Ian Cleary
You should care because… let’s face it, the marketing technology landscape is beyond overwhelming. Take one look at the Mar Tech Supergraphic and I guarantee your head will start spinning. Taking on the marketing technology landscape and deciding which tools work best, which ones integrate together, and which ones will drive results for your brand is a daunting task. Fear not, Ian Cleary is here to help. Ian is an award winning tech blogger who can help you pick the right tools with ease.
Breakthrough Growth Ideas: How Marketers Can Truly Fly
By Mark Schaefer
You should care because… not only is Mark Schaefer an author of five best-selling books (including Social Media Explained & The Content Code) but his business {grow} blog is one of my personal favorites. Mark addresses real questions that marketers have like Are you becoming an obsolete marketing professional? Or Who is the company voice on social media? Make sure to read up on his blog ahead of time and bring something to take notes with.
Snapchat Marketing: How Businesses are Connecting With Millennials
By Carlos Gil (BMC Software) with Joel Price (Chargers), Shaun Ayala (Best Buy), Shaun McBride, and Callan Green
You should care because… it is no secret that Snapchat is more popular among American teens than Facebook. If your brand targets millennials leveraging this social network could be a make or break moment in your brand’s history. This panel will feature Carlos Gil who is the Head of Social Media Marketing for BMC Software. Pro Tip: Add Carlos on Snapchat at TheCarlosGil before the event for a sneak peak into how he is leveraging Snapchat for his personal brand as well.
How to Get People to Consume Your Content in a Noisy World
By Bryan Kramer
You should care because… Bryan Kramer is the CEO of PureMatter and author of Shareology. If you have never tuned into #H2HChat (hosted by Bryan and co-hosted by Suzi McCarthy) it is truly one of the best twitter chats in the marketing space. This topic is relevant because so many marketers know how it feels to create great content and struggle to get the right people to consume it. This session is sure to provide actionable insights because Bryan is an expert on getting content shared.
9 Advanced LinkedIn Profile Tactics to Boost Your Visibility and Grow Your Influence
By Stephanie Sammons
You should care because… becoming an influencer in your industry will show you how to grow your following, build credibility, and develop your identity as an authority in your field. No matter what your personal brand looks like at the moment, there is always room for improvement. Stephanie Sammons will be the first to tell you to stop marketing and start building influence. Attend this session to understand how you can grow your influence through LinkedIn.
How to Organize Cross Functional Marketing Across the Business: A Panel Discussion
By Bernie Borges with Konnie Brown (Dell) James Moat (Avery Dennison) and Sandy Carter (IBM)
You should care because… organization is key to successful marketing. Whether your team is small or large, having an effective organizational system in place can be make or break. Bernie Borges is the Executive Producer of The Social Business Engine Podcast where he interviews top brands like MGM International, Dell, IBM, and Walmart. This podcast highlights the social thought leaders that represent top brands and agencies. Make sure to attend this session for insights into how these brands organize marketing cross functionally.
Good Content vs. Good Enough Content: A Fight for Sore Eyes
By Ann Handley
You should care because… Ann Handley. But really, if that is not enough of a reason, then consider that only 8% of of B2B marketers rate their content marketing maturity as sophisticated. Most marketers self-identify that their content has a long way to go. Ann has been fighting for quality content for years. In 2014 she published the WSJ bestseller Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content. This session will help you rethink not only your content strategy but also the way your brand talks to its audience.
Content Marketing for Small Businesses: 6 Steps to Create a Massive Audience
By Joe Pulizzi
You should care because… 88% of B2B marketers currently use content marketing as part of their marketing strategy, yet only 32% have a documented content marketing strategy. If you are part of the other 68% that does not have a documented content marketing strategy, this session will truly benefit you. Joe Pulizzi is the CEO of the Content Marketing Institute and Content Marketing World. If you are trying to find this session, follow the man wearing orange, Joe is famous for sporting orange at every event.
How Brands are Telling Stories on Periscope: A Panel Discussion
By Vincenzo Landino with Michael Delgado (Experian), Ursula Ringham (SAP), Artie Beavis (Atmel Corporation) and Adam Rucker (Southwest Airlines)
You should care because… Periscope just hit 200 million broadcasts within its first year. Although this is just the beginning, live-streaming is clearly gaining traction with consumers. Let Vincenzo Landino, the Creative Director at Fifty 2 Creative and live-streaming strategist, explain how brands are getting Periscope right. This panel will illustrate brands who are leading the way in this interactive content and help you decide if live-streaming makes sense for your brand.
How to Create Experiences That Inspire People to Share
By Brian Solis
You should care because… Do you know how your customers experience your brand today? Do you know how they really feel? Brian Solis will challenge you to not only think about your marketing but the entire customer experience. If you would like to read up on building experiences before the session check out Brian’s latest book X: The Experience When Business Meets Design.
The New Age of Influencer Marketing: How Businesses are Fast Tracking Success
By Shaan Puri
You should care because… 92% of consumers turn to people they know for referrals above any other source. As the Co-Founder of multi-stream app, Blab, Shaan Puri is no stranger to the power of influencer marketing. Blab provides a unique way to connect brands with influencers and connects influencers with their audience in real time. Attend this session and learn how influencer marketing is evolving.
Whew! If you take anything away from this post, I hope you are getting as excited for the incredible variety of SMMW sessions as I am. What SMMW session are you most excited about attending? Sound off in the comments section below or tweet me directly @jfeiseee. See you in San Diego!