Personal Thoughts from Blog World Expo 2010

I hope you’ve enjoyed my blogging about Blog World Expo over the last few days.  Attending a conference like this is a very unique experience. 

I always pick up several tidbits of information that I can use to help my clients and students.  But at the end of it all, I try to look back and think about the real important things I learned.

I usually just note them somewhere in my journal.  But this year I’m sharing them with you.  Perhaps you will benefit from them as well…

1.  Social Media isn’t all that
I’ve had a hunch about this personally for several months now.  But this conference confirmed it.  Social media is just talking on the Internet.  It’s not something you can really control, nor is it all that important.  Don’t ignore it, but let it happen naturally.  What happens, happens.

Don’t get me wrong.  Social media is amazing.  It’s here to stay.  But it’s just talking online.  It’s faster, it’s constant.  But it’s still just talking.

2.  Content is still king
Want to succeed online?  Create quality content.  Simple as that.  Yet, it’s as hard as that.  Creativity and serving others is the name of the game.  Serving others goes a long way, too.

As I always say… (Create + Serve) x Community = Money

3.  Video online is about to EXPLODE
Mobile phones and tablets with apps are growing at an alarming rate.  Watching online video on your TV is about to break loose too. 

Seriously, folks.  I sat on a couch and used Google TV for about a half-hour and it was ground-breaking.  I’ve seen a glimpse of the future of TV and I loved it.  It’s apps, it’s search, it’s on-demand, it’s the Internet and it’s awesome.  Obviously, not everyone will replace their TV (or buy a Google TV box) in the next 12 months.  But they will eventually.

Along these same lines, I asked a great question to three or four podcasters that have been at it for several years.  I asked: What was the thing that grew your audience the most?  They all said that it was not something they did, but an advance in technology.  The growth of iPhones, a new distribution opportunity, etc.

Get it?  You’ve just got to be there when the next big thing comes.  Start now.  Google TV, Apple TV, and just general increased access of video is coming and it’s coming quickly. 

Blog World Expo was like the weather man to me.  It’s coming!  The dark clouds are overhead.  It’s time to plant the seeds and watch the rain pour down to make your audience grow.

4.  Online audio and video is not getting “downloaded”
People are not “syncing” their iPod or iPhone.  (I do.  But apparently no one else does.) 

• They listen (or watch) it live on their computers in the background. 
• They listen to it in their car while it is streaming to their phone. 
• They listen on their tablet while doing laundry, cooking, etc.

5.  Live broadcasting is not all that
This one surprised me.  In general, people are not all that interested in watching or listening to things that are live.  They want good content.  It typically does not matter if it is live.

6.  Social Media can be done by a team
For larger companies, a great illustration was used with regard to handling social media.  One speaker used the example of a sports team.  Every team has players, but also a coach and owner.  The coach (or coaching staff) prepares, trains, and coordinates the players.  But each player is responsible to play his role.

7.  Monetizing content is still difficult
Several presenters agreed.  Unless you have gained huge numbers of followers, advertisers don’t jump on board.  The best way to monetize your content is to sell your own content to your audience.  E-books, premium content, and private paid communities all work best.

8.  Apps are the next big thing
I’ve heard this a lot, but never really understood why until now.  Here are some of the great reasons I now understand.

• They are easily available on phones
• They are the primary tool of tablets
• They are coming on television
• They present content much better than HTML
• They monetize easily
• They integrate well with location-based activities
• They are simple to create, change, and fix

9.  Bloggers and Podcaster are friendly & helpful
I am always amazed at how humble, kind, and friendly these people are, even when they are rich or famous.  (Most aren’t.)  They are true entrepreneurs at heart and want to help others in the same situation.

10.  Social Media Consultants look clicky
I hate to end this top ten list with a negative.  But it does seem as if anyone that is a thought leader in the world of social media looks and talks a certain way.  They all preach to just “be genuine” and “be passionate”.  Most all of them are very interesting and intelligent.  But they do seem to look alike, stick together, and use profanity freely. 

Many individuals look up to them.  But it’s not very appealing to some of the business people that I talked to.  Then again, I think that’s all part of it.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Ok, so this post is a lot longer than I thought it would be.  In fact, it’s now after midnight in Vegas (which is 3:20 AM EST).  But I hope you find this interesting.

Blog World Expo is a very unique experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone that creates any form of content online.

Thank you to all the organizers, presenters, and attendees that made it so interesting for me personally.