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| Gnomedex: cool logo, lots of people on computers |
Consider that we have BlogWorld in October, Gnomedex this weekend in Seattle (missing that), Web 2.0 Expo already happened (skipped that), but Web 2.0 is approaching (not interested), and then there's SXSW next year (which I ranted about), and a whole slew of conferences not even mentioned until then.
Do we really need all of these blog, new media, and social media conference conferences? There are only three things all of these events have in common: 1) the are offline gatherings of humans, 2) they cost money to attend (and in some cases a lot of it, upwards of $300 per person) 3) they have speakers on panels in the pedestal format I've come to just hate, 4), oh, and they concern blogs, new media, and social media.
Why?
What does one get out of all of these conferences?
Here's my rant again:
It seems to this blogger that the number of these events has increased because the producers of them need the money. Think about it. Some one says "Well, I'm really not making the money from blogs, new media, and social media that I want to, so I'll do a conference. After all, I've got a lot of Twitter followers."
And so it begins.
No Way To Determine What's Worth Attending
There's no freaking way to determine which one of these events is worth going to. BlogWorld's in Las Vegas, so that seems like a no-brainer because, well, it's Vegas. Gnomedex? Well, Gnomedex is in Seattle, and it's got a cool logo. But for a profession that's supposed to be online, it seems like there would be some kind of online way of determining which one of these offline things one should go to.
Some kind of informal network should just "be." Something that saves us from all of this event junk in our midst.
If we're really good at this online deal, then we're got to start using it to weed out this stuff. ASAP.
I will let the organizers of the other events explain that their events are about but I can give you the very short version of why we started BlogWorld. I started a political blog as a hobby. I was fairly successful, one thing led to another, I was receiving free books from publishers, selling books through Amazon, ad networks wanted to sell ads on my blog so I went looking for the blogging industry event, that could teach me what I needed to know to create, distribute and monetize my content (I didn’t even know the term monetize then btw) I wanted to know what the latest tools were that could make my blog better, I wanted to learn how to start using audio and video on my blog and just learn from the experts. I also wanted to meet all of my peers. It didn't exist.
ReplyDeleteAs it turns out I have attended, exhibited and organized some of the largest industry events in the world. I knew I could put together an event but did anyone else want to attend? So I asked some friends if they would go to an event like this. Everyone said yes. So BlogWorld & New Media Expo was born. It was built to be an event that represents all aspects of new media. Blogging, podcasting, internet radio and TV, YouTube, social networking, and how businesses can use social media.
Out of the 3 others you named, I would say Web 2.0 Expo is the least similar. It is an enterprise business event that does encompass new media, but that is hardly the focus and it certainly isn't an event built for bloggers.
Gnomedex is awesome. Patti is on her way there right now. But it is meant to be an intimate gathering. Less than 1,000 people I believe.
SXSW would be the most similar and our entire team attends every year but it also has a much broader focus than just new media imo.
By the way, you left off another great blogging event; BlogHer.
Rick Calvert
CEO & Co-founder
BlogWorld & New Media Expo
Rick! Thanks! Yes, BlogHer's a great event. But the overall point I was making, and thanks for your valued input, is that there are so many events, some, like Web 2.0, that claim to be in the blog and social media space, that its hard to figure out where to go. One could spend each month going from event to event.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had come back and commented a long time ago Zennie but this was close to the show and I was preoccupied with that.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, you could spend each month going from event to event. We do exactly that =p.
There are tons of small local blogging events out there now but if you are looking for an industry wide event, with all segments of new media, an exhibit floor featuring blogging platforms, ad networks, plug ins, and sessions geared toward creating, distributing and monetizing content, then BlogWorld is the event imo.
Chris Pirillo announced 2010 was the last Gnomedex which is a shame. SXSW is more of a general internet/interactive event. That definitely incorporates social media, but a lot of their subject matter is not about new media (again imo), As I said before Web 2.0 expo is definitely not a blogging event. It was built and is marketed to business owners and executives looking for web 2.0 solutions. Again that includes some social element but teaching bloggers how to earn a living or reach a larger audience is definitely not their mission.
BlogHer definitely fits that bill, but as their name suggests they focus on women.
btw, I have been to all of these events. I don't attend Web 2.0 Expo anymore simply because there seems to be something more relevant to me at the same time every year. Our team sends multiple people to SXSW and BlogHer every year.
Rick
CEO & co-founder
BlogWorld & New Media Expo