Go Big or Go Home at New Media Expo 2013
2013 is the year that Cover Story Media®, Inc. has decided to go big or go home – in Vegas! In September 2012, we made the decision to send our leadership team to the New Media Expo’s event in January 2013 (formerly known as Blogworld). There we hoped to learn more about how to deliver more engaging content to our readers, ways to use social media more effectively to promote and interact with our followers and maybe even some tips on how to make our brands more powerful. The conference delivered in spades and #nmx quickly went down in my book as one of the best conferences I have ever attended.
Key Takeaways from the NMX Conference
Wondering what you might get out of a blog conference? Our primary takeaways included:
- People want to like people – not static brands – so add more personality into your business to make it more memorable.
- Google Plus may not seem like it will replace Facebook and you are probably right, BUT, it is extremely tied into search results and helps one find new friends who share your passions, not just your alma mater. As Guy Kawasaki said, “Facebook is for People, Google Plus is for Passions.”
- A picture is worth a thousand words so use more photos to engage your audience.
- And, in case you missed the memo (or meme) from the past 9+ months, cats make everything funnier and more sharable.
The Team That Plays Blackjack Together, Stays Together
But, what we did not expect was just how amazing the gift was to have our leadership team meet and hang out – professionally and socially. At Cover Story Media, we all work virtually all over the country and the majority of the team has only met on email, Skype or Google Hangout (the best tool to happen to CSM since Basecamp!). So the opportunity to have the four key day-to-day team members together in one place was the most meaningful aspect of this venture. We enjoyed great meals and drank exotic cocktails, as expected, but who could’ve predicted the whole team playing blackjack late-night at the MGM with our dealer Thom while the pit boss offered to take a photo of our team wearing (and playing with) fake mustaches?!? Team building does not get much better than this, nor do the memories and friendships made.
We also spent some time brainstorming how the ideas learned at the conference fit into our business and how we can incorporate them into 2013. It was an exciting time and one that will launch us right into what we are all inspired to make the best year ever for Cover Story Media. This is the rare time that I can say that every single thing that happened in Vegas will not stay there – except for my lost voice (laryngitis sucks)!