Antonia & Maggie at South by Southwest

What is SXSWi? 5 day interactive festival with panels and discussions. Topics: design, social networking, online communities, digital marketing, usability, blogging, wireless innovation and new technology business models. Attendees: digital creatives, marketers, content developers, web designers, ad agencies, programmers, bloggers, wireless innovators, gamers, tech entrepreneurs, investors, educators and anyone else who’s interested in interactive.

5 day interactive festival with panels and discussions.

Topics: design, social networking, online communities, digital marketing, usability, blogging, wireless innovation and new technology business models.

Attendees: digital creatives, marketers, content developers, web designers, ad agencies, programmers, bloggers, wireless innovators, gamers, tech entrepreneurs, investors, educators and anyone else who’s interested in interactive.

What did we learn?

1. Social networking is big. “ A set of people (or organizations or other social entities) connected by a set of social relationships , such as friendship, co-working or information exchange. People join networks if they already have friends on them. Sharing is important. People will collaborate online, if they trust each other. Examples: Sheraton, Proj Runway/Levi’s, Nike+

“ A set of people (or organizations or other social entities) connected by a set of social relationships , such as friendship, co-working or information exchange.

People join networks if they already have friends on them.

Sharing is important.

People will collaborate online, if they trust each other.

Examples: Sheraton, Proj Runway/Levi’s, Nike+

2. Be authentic. Mantra of online communities. Brand is a promise of an experience. Transparency is key (if possible). Be very upfront with why you are starting or joining a community. Advertising disguised as content rarely works and vice versa. Example: Starbucks

Mantra of online communities.

Brand is a promise of an experience.

Transparency is key (if possible).

Be very upfront with why you are starting or joining a community.

Advertising disguised as content rarely works and vice versa.

Example: Starbucks

3. Know where you belong. Find the right mediums and don’t force it. Be smart about your presence. Don’t be there just to be there. Examples: WalMart vs. Target/Victoria’s Secret Pink on Facebook

Find the right mediums and don’t force it.

Be smart about your presence.

Don’t be there just to be there.

Examples: WalMart vs. Target/Victoria’s Secret Pink on Facebook

4. Users have control. Be open that not everyone will love what we do and not control it. Let the users express their opinions freely. You can set ground rules, but in the end, the users have the power. Examples: Digg, Wikipedia

Be open that not everyone will love what we do and not control it.

Let the users express their opinions freely.

You can set ground rules, but in the end, the users have the power.

Examples: Digg, Wikipedia

5. Stick to your mission. Simplicity is key. Be clear about your objective. We can’t be everything to everyone, and we can’t do everything for everyone. Example: LOLCats

Simplicity is key.

Be clear about your objective.

We can’t be everything to everyone, and we can’t do everything for everyone.

Example: LOLCats

6. It’s all about word of mouth. People are influenced by other people’s opinions. Encourage customers to have a dialogue with each other. 43% of users always read customer reviews before product purchases. Examples: Yelp, American Apparel

People are influenced by other people’s opinions.

Encourage customers to have a dialogue with each other.

43% of users always read customer reviews before product purchases.

Examples: Yelp, American Apparel

7. Mobile is the third screen. Mobile is personal - always attributable to one single person. Mobile is immediate - you can reach people anytime, anywhere. Provides a wide range of marketing tools - SMS/text, web, bluetooth, location based marketing and QR codes. Examples: McDonald’s, BBC, Coldplay

Mobile is personal - always attributable to one single person.

Mobile is immediate - you can reach people anytime, anywhere.

Provides a wide range of marketing tools - SMS/text, web, bluetooth, location based marketing and QR codes.

Examples: McDonald’s, BBC, Coldplay

8. Austin is cool, especially the food. Maggie and Antonia gained a collective total of 8 pounds in 5 days.

Maggie and Antonia gained a collective total of 8 pounds in 5 days.

9. There are a lot of cool sites: http://www. icanhascheezburger .com http: //nikeplus .nike.com http://www. mystarbucksidea .com http://www.sheraton.com http://www. unboxing .com http://www. digg .com http://www.twitter.com http://www.upcoming.com http://www. postsecret .com

http://www. icanhascheezburger .com

http: //nikeplus .nike.com

http://www. mystarbucksidea .com

http://www.sheraton.com

http://www. unboxing .com

http://www. digg .com

http://www.twitter.com

http://www.upcoming.com

http://www. postsecret .com

10. And even cooler, our blogs: http: //antoniaatsxsw . blogspot .com http: //maggieatsxsw . wordpress .com

http: //antoniaatsxsw . blogspot .com

http: //maggieatsxsw . wordpress .com

Thank you!