Connect via Hootsuite: a Recap of the World's Largest Virtual Social Media Conference
Marketing
Marissa Burdett
Marissa Burdett
Between our content source integration and numerous guest blog posts, it’s no surprise that we really enjoy working with Hootsuite, a leading social media management tool and an all-around awesome brand. When they invited us to sponsor their virtual conference, Connect via Hootsuite, we were all in. There was no way we could pass up the chance to participate in the world’s largest virtual social media conference!
With over 25,000 registrants and a speaker line-up that included top thought leaders from Facebook, Microsoft, and Twitter, we were honored and humbled by the experience.
If you weren’t able to attend the full day of presentations and free resources, it’s not too late! You can sign up and visit all of the booths, watch all of the free trainings, and download the guides and eBooks for another two months here.
For those of you who couldn’t attend live (or if you just want to relive it all again), here are some of our favorite moments from the event in tweets:
Great to see @hootsuite open its Connect with Hootsuite conference with two women - Way to go Hootsuite! #HootConnect
— Baylan Megino (@BaylanFilAm) October 5, 2016
Yep, that’s right! The opening session featured two powerful women in tech: Penny Wilson, CMO of Hootsuite, and Janet Kennedy, President of Microsoft Canada. Not only was it refreshing, but it was also super informative and a great way to kick things off.
"93% of shoppers' buying decisions are influenced by social media - because 90% trust peer recommendations." - via #hootconnect @hootsuite
— Elle Marketing (@ellemarketing) October 5, 2016
Talk about powerful. Social media is where you need to be if you’re trying to connect with customers.
Visual of the #CustomerJourney today compared to "#BackInTheDay" via @Patience_Yi #HootConnect #Digital #SocialMedia #DigitalTransformation pic.twitter.com/cNPw9sBaDQ
— Lauren Gitlin (@LeGitlin) October 5, 2016
One of the digital transformations that Nick Sergjeant, Facebook’s Director of Ecommerce, Technology, and Publishing for Canada, discussed was mobile’s role in marketing, specifically in the social customer journey. Thanks to social media, the full sales cycle from awareness to advocacy is completely accessible 24⁄7. Knowing this can help businesses figure out how best to engage with customers in every stage of the process. This accessibility, however, has also changed customer expectations, making it even more important for brands to respond more quickly and efficiently.
Photos are growing on Facebook at 34% each year and video by 90% each year. These change how people are telling stories. #HootConnect
— Jessica Swanda (@jessica_swanda) October 5, 2016
Wow. The numbers don’t lie! Are you adjusting your content with these statistics in mind?
Building a social brand applies to EVERY industry. #HootConnect @hootsuite pic.twitter.com/SDnGQ07Nr1
— meghankeates (@MeghanRKeates) October 5, 2016
Having a social presence isn’t just for brands in tech, fashion, or other “sexy” industries. According to Rob Hamilton, Twitter’s Strategic Partner Manager, over 80% of social customer service requests come from Twitter. Is your brand on Twitter? (We are! Come say hi.)
"Curated Content has recently gained bad reputation this year." It's so true but understand what is too much or too little
— Jeanne Marie Castor (@jem_castor) October 5, 2016
#hootconnect pic.twitter.com/oCjIfS1uaK
The response to our presentation was incredible. We loved how engaged people like Jeanne were! We discussed how to leverage curated content to connect with customers on social media. Though curated content has gained a bit of a poor reputation recently, if collected and shared properly, it can be the missing key to a well-rounded engagement strategy.
How curated content helps you engage and connect — @MarissaBurdett says at #HootConnect — Great for social media #ContentStrategy pic.twitter.com/cK25KtiSde
— Content Strategics (@TheRightContent) October 5, 2016
We are firm believers in curated content being a springboard into deeper, more meaningful conversations, all while supporting others and demonstrating expertise.
Make sure to claim your social profiles, even if it's just a couple of pics and link to your website. #HootConnect #SocialMediaMarketing
— Frank Kerner (@FrankKerner) October 5, 2016
Be sure to protect your brand, even if you aren’t active on that platform yet! There are more fake accounts out there than you might realize and the more successful you are, the more the “bad guys” will be inclined to come after you. Don’t worry too much, though; the best thing you can do is plan for security crises and keep your accounts protected! Hopefully, you’ll never have to use it.
Some great tips by @MariSmith about organic reach! Thanks for sharing #HootConnect! pic.twitter.com/cDuMhpaJbz
— Luke (@THELuKendrick) October 5, 2016
Oh, Facebook. Ever-changing and yet still such a key player. Keep up with these suggestions for organic reach from the great Mari Smith.
Social media marketing key take-aways and a mic drop from @HeidiBullock of @marketo. ;-) #HootConnect pic.twitter.com/2MYeykfyAk
— Dawn McIlvain Stahl (@PurplePenning) October 5, 2016
Heidi Bullock, Global VP of Marketing from Marketo, rounded out the day with a mic drop of great reminders when it comes to social. Remember, social can be used in every stage of the customer journey, so set clear goals, engage with your audience, test regularly, and track everything so you can learn along the way.
There were so many other amazing moments throughout the day, but these were some of our favorites. Again, you can still sign up and experience everything for yourself here.
Don’t have time to watch the presentations, but still interested in the resources? We’re offering a bundle of our Connect via Hootsuite resources just for you. This includes our Content Curation Strategy eBook, a strategy handout, and two of our best posts about S.M.A.R.T. goals and social influence. Just fill out the form below and you’ll be able to download your resource pack right away: