This is my first year attending SXSWi so I’m getting really excited (as my Twitter feed keeps reminding me how close it’s getting!) I want to not only learn new things during my two-day experience but also be able to take some away some valuable knowledge to use apply to my job and career.

I am fairly new to the world of social media marketing….professionally that is.  People in the media, advertising and marketing world are finding themselves a little lost these days. Companies want to get on the “social media marketing” train but few know how to start or navigate through the sea of the web. Perhaps not overly “monotize” it but to at least have some value and exposure for the company.  The first biggest roadbump is understanding that this new form of communication is interactive – not like traditional media. It’s hard for companies to sort of “let go” of the reins and allow the communications to be more organic in nature and stray ever so slightly from the “corporate” guidelines. I’ve tried to pull some enlightment on the best way to approach this from various sources such as websites like The Best and Worst Social Media Marketing Practices  and and books like Social Media Marketing an Hour a Day. but I am always looking for new ideas and inspiration. That’s why I’m super excited about the book reading, Social Media Marketing, on March 14 from 10:30-11:00am with Alan Moore, founder of Smlxl.

Alan Moore, Smlxl

I’m also really looking forward to seeing Old Media Finds New Voice Through Twitter on Sunday, March 15th from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm. The conversation will talk about how Statesman.com and Austin360.com are using Twitter as an interactive, personality-driven tool to communicate with their readers. The Statesman has close to 5,000 followers on Twitter which showcases their ability to take risks and try new ways of providing news to their readers. The conversation will feature  Robert Quigley, the Internet Editor at the Statesman (who is a journalist and the main person behind the Twitter account @statesman) and Daniel Honigman  from Tribune Interactive.

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