Here at NMS, we're getting pretty excited for South by Southwest Interactive, the year’s biggest social media expo. We’ve packed our bags, planned our schedules, and RSVPed for parties. We're excited to have fun and learn a lot about the latest in the social media space.
What will we be watching? Here’s a list of some of the things we’re most excited about at this year’s SXSW:
Geosocial: Geosocial played a big role at last year’s SXSW, and it will continue to play a large role this year. Mashable’s Pete Cashmore is interviewing Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley. Foursquare co-founder Naveen Selvadurai will talk about the future of location apps and how they better connect people. And there will be plenty of talk about location-based marketing strategy. Plus, nereds that we are, we can't wait to collect some new Foursquare badges!
“Old school” social media: Sometimes it’s not always about “the next big thing” – it’s about mastering the basics. For most brands, audiences are still largely on Facebook – not necessarily Foursquare or Quora or Instagram. And it’s more important than ever that before you experiment with the plethora of new tools out there, you master the basics of Facebook and Twitter and do them well. So we’re excited to hear from Facebook’s CTO Bret Taylor and discuss the perceived “value” of a Facebook fan.
Mobile: From mobile apps to mobile search ads to iPad-only newspapers, everybody is going mobile right now. We’re excited for panels that talk about mobile web vs. mobile apps, mobile commerce, and the intersection of mobile and TV.
Social media for social good: Although we’re marketers, at the core we know social media is ultimately about connecting people. Our own CEO Pete Snyder will be speaking on a panel about how social media is changing activism, media, and politics. We’re also looking forward to hearing about social media’s role in the current protests in the Middle East, and how Twitter can be used for good.
If you’ll be at #SXSW, we can’t wait to see you!