Las Vegas: A Place for Marketers

Having been in the marketing industry for a few years now, I am noticing significant trends at networking events and the differences in people within the industry.

Marketers of the “old school” persuasion usually go to events to:

• buy/sell
• examine competition
• get out of the office
• meet clients
• get free shwag

Marketers of the “new school” persuasion go to networking events for those reasons as well. However, this is the lifestyle. If you are an online marketer, you cannot miss important networking events. Networking= business.

Branding yourself as an online marketer, in Las Vegas at one of the largest conventions of the year is tricky. I see many people here who are really working hard at branding themselves as online marketers and I see many “Superstars” whose faces are well known by everyone, and have celebrity status amongst the convention.

The simplest strategy for online marketers:

1. Come to networking events as a brand. example: Shoemoney has a name, but it doesn’t matter because he has created a successful brand, and everybody in Vegas knows Shoemoney.
2. Get Known in your community. Many people here are great at networking, quick hello, introduction, 30- second pitch, wink, smile, business card, and move on. (This produces links)
3. Start Conversations. The best thing about Pubcon, and other networking events is building relationships. Creating real life relationships with people in the industry are insanely beneficial. These are the people who will vote for your stories, send you traffic, give advice, and buy you drinks- and it is a mutual relationship!

Two days at Pubcon, has really given a crash course on the industry. There are many “to-dos” at the convention, and a lot to learn as the industry keeps changing. One thing that sticks to mind is a quote from Rae Hoffman at her session: “If your an online marketer and you not marketing yourself, how will your clients believe you can market them?”

Since many people say I don’t look like my picture….. If you see me and recognize me… say hello!

Las Vegas PubCon 2007: Day One Recap

Today was day one of Webmaster World’s Pubcon and to kick off the event was Craig Newmark, the creator of Craigslist who now works in Customer Service. Nemark gave a brief history of Craigslist and stated that he developed the brand completely by accident.

Craigslist, is up to 9 Billion page views per month which is only 8 million page views more than it was 8 years ago. I really thought that I would be hearing bigger numbers here, but there is no reason for Newmark to complain.

Craig says: “I kind of suck as a writer”….and of course you can judge yourself by reading his Blog.

His advice to online marketers actually utilizing Craigslist is to not miss use the system and to of course analyze CL culture before you decide to actually use it as a marketing tool. Newmark says that it can be ethical to do SEM on Craigslist but it is important to play by the rules or you will be flagged.

Social Marketing 101 : the Playing Field

Speakers:

• Rand Fishkin, SEOmoz
• Neil Patel, Advantage Consulting Services, Inc.
• Michael Gray, Atlas Web Service
• Cameron Olthuis, Factive Media

This session discussed Personal, B2C, and B2B Social Media strategies for brand value and longevity. It is encouraged to use YouTube, Google Video, etc to promote your business.

Monetizing Social Media Traffic:

Speakers: Vanessa Fox, Michael Gray, Alexander Barbara, Laura Fitton:

• • Fox discussed the importance of keeping traffic by creating viral material but also having secondary content to keep people interested.
  • Fox also spoke about Search Traffic being more valuable than Social Media Traffic because Search Traffic= determined views and Social Media traffic= web browsers with no specific target interest.
  • Gray spoke about generated sales through SMM being most effective for physical products, consumer goods, impulse sales, and gadgets.
  • Gray also stated that if used correctly Digg can generate traffic that is anywhere from 60-100 page views per second!
  • Fitton suggested using Twitter for business. She recommends twittering about sales, and specials.
  • Fitton also suggests that we should look to the future and help people “buy”

Link Building Campaigns & Strategies:

Speakers: Jim Boykin, Rae Hoffman, Roger Montti, Greg Hartnett

• Boykins’ speach discusses submitting sites to directories, writing to people to generate relationships, proving your human, telling webmaster HOW to link back to your site.
• Boykin also discussed the importance of research. It is important to make sure that all link building is relevant to your content.
• Hartnett stated the importance that directories are NOT the same as Paid links. He discusses how good directories have good sites and they are NOT all paid sites. It also helps for relevant traffic. People who use directories are experienced searchers and are looking for something specific.
• Hoffman discussed the ups and downs of outsourcing link development. She thinks it is much better to train in-house link developers and monitor their work carefully until they have their “license”.
• Montti spoke about link buys and banner ads. He also stated how important relevance to content is imperative when buying links.

Social Media & Search:

Speakers: Misty Locke, Chris Winfield, Liana Evans, Bill Hartzer

• Hartzer discussed the keys to a successful SMM campaign: Vote, Participate, Add Friends, and Build Your Profile. “Do your daily homework”
• Evans spoke about starting conversations to introduce your brand. She gave an important case study of the hardships of promoting competitive industries.
• Winfield’s presentation gave terrific examples of why Search Marketing should always be using in conjunction with Social Marketing. He also shared a case study which proved that sales can be generated by Social Marketing if the correct approach is taken.
• Winfield brought up important facts about traffic. Google traffic is sustained but the Digg effect can usually bring 10-50K visitors within 24 hours. Digg having the ability to influence the social media, should always be used along side SEM.

Loathing in Las Vegas

Thank goodness for meditation. This morning’s 6 hours flight into Vegas flight like so much more. Heavy winds out of JFK delayed take off and the flight took forever. I got into Las Vegas today around noon and I am so anxious for PubCon to start!

The Las Vegas Hilton is swarming with old ladies smoking Capris and PubCon early birds. There aren’t many places to eat at the Hilton but at least it is very close to the Convention Center.

My hotel room has two mysterious doors that are locked and lead to other rooms. That is something I do not like. But at least I got a King Size bed!

I plan to update sporadically about the conference and take as many pictures as possible for those of my friends who couldn’t make it out here.

Here are some pictures:

I am really looking forward to meeting the SEO Chicks, Dave Davis, Brian Darrow, Jeannine Crooks, and other Facebook friends!

If you are in town, send me an e-mail. Let’s hook up!

Countdown to Pubcon Las Vegas 2007!

There is only one week left until my very first convention in the online marketing industry.   As I previously posted, I am attending alone and representing Flower Publishing & myself.  I am very excited but also very nervous.  Not only is this the first time I am traveling completely alone, but also being the first convention I am attending I am curious as to what to expect.

I am most interested in hearing Matt Cutts speak.  I am an avid reader of his blog and his important advice on the industry is extremely valuable. Of course, I am also looking forward to seeing Craig Newmark of Craigslist.

As an online marketer, I am most interested in networking.  I am very excited to meet and talk to other online marketers.  I want to hear success stories, as well as “not so much success” stories.  Being new to the industry, I am experiencing many hardships that I am sure my seniors have gone through and it would be great to hear some motivating stories rather than popping an Advil at 3AM due to a client headache.

I can’t wait to meet the people behind the ranking.   The people behind the top Sphinns,  the publishers of my favorite blogs and sites, and the experts.

I will be staying at the Las Vegas Hilton and I arrive on Monday at Noon.  If anyone else will be attending PubCon and has any advice for a “Newbie” please comment.

I want to know everything!  How many outfits should I bring? What is the dress code for sessions? What is the food like? How much extra money should I expect to spend? How do I get free shwag? What is an average drink price?… Things like that.

Any knowledge is greatly appreciated!

Going to Webmaster World’s: PubCon 2007 Las Vegas

I found out about PubCon in Las Vegas and at first thought that I wasn’t ready to attend such a grand event. But, why should I think that?? The site, clearly states:”Who should attend?

If you are involved in the production, marketing, or management of a internet web site - this is a must attend event.

Topic Areas To Be Addressed and Discussed:

* Search Engine Marketing, Optimization, Advertising, and Usage.
* Website Publishing. Technical grit as well as overall management.
* Website, domain, and Ecommerce site management.“

During the time of the convention I will be managing 3 websites (2 being E-Commerce)and overseeing the development. * This was an old post on my other blog, and since then I have obtained new clients!

I have really learned a lot just through eBooks alone, but of course I’m still a beginner. I work side by side now with a development company and they have taught me so much.
I might not write code for my websites, but I have A LOT to do with every little thing. It’s become something I have a real passion for and I want to absorb it all! What better way than by just jumping in. I really look forward to this convention being extremely educational as well as a way to meet people who are doing what I want to do.

At first I was a bit intimidated by going to something like this, but having the support of my employer and the drive to learn more has definitely made me very confident that it will be tremendous for me. Also, it will definitely prep me for my Certificate in Internet Marketing.
I’m very excited but also very nervous. This will be my first ever business trip and I will be going alone to Las Vegas for 4 nights! I’m not so much interested in the night life part of it (I know this sounds like a lie), but more interested in waking up by 7:30 to be able to attend all the speeches on topics like: Brand Management, Affiliate Strategies and Content Strategies, E-comerce and Shopping Cart Optimization, Word of Mouth Marketing, Press and Public Relation Campaigns, Travel Sites, and more…
I booked the Las Vegas Hilton which is a short walk from the Convention Center with hopes of networking with other people who are attending the convention. My plans are not to drink or gamble but to mingle and learn. (* Well…. )I look at PubCon as a huge opportunity to learn and create.

I am really excited to go with my ever so talented friends at 10e20, Chris & Danielle Winfield. Chris will be speaking at the convention on the first day… So don’t miss him because he is so smart when it comes to SEO. He recently spoke at SMX and got amazing reviews. I have been lucky enough to receive great pointers from him when it comes to SEO and SMM.

I look forward to seeing everyone at Pubcon, networking, drinking and learning. If you will be attending, contact me! I will be staying at the Las Vegas Hilton, across from the Convention Center.  Add me as a Facebook Friend!