Social Media Marketing World 2019: the World Conference.

ARTICLE/OPINION/CONCLUSION by Rik Raats – No doubt this event has evolved into the most significant gathering of the world’s experts and marketing professionals.  This year’s edition was a top-notch event with the highest attendance since the birth of this wonderful initiative.

What I feel free to describe as ‘The art of connectivity’ was most probably the unwritten underlying theme that was omnipresent at this edition. On stage, in the speakers’ notes at the podium and consequential among attendees. 

“The best way to grow your business is to have your customers do it for you,”  ‘Talk Triggers’, the pet peeve of author Jay Baer , encouraging customers sharing online and IRL (in real life), focusing on experiences that are “remarkable, repeatable, reasonable and relevant.”

Tyler Anderson (CEO Casual Fridays) “Make your customers successful by creating sharable experiences.” Remarkable statement was; “ads don’t inspire people to buy – seeing other people using and enjoying the product”.

“Make the customer the hero of your storytelling in marketing,” Scott McKain (CEO Distinction Institute) . “The connection that we make with customers significantly transcends any individual transaction.” Great was his focus on his C’s – Clarity, Creativity, Communication and Customer Experience.

Brian Fanzo, (CEO of iSocialFanz) “If you don’t have time for your current customers, your current customers won’t have time for you.” a clear and brief truth that a keen marketer most probably knew but too often has forgotten in the midst of all the distraction that comes across.

A new and wonderful adage launched by the Canadian-Scottish Facebook expert Mari Smith. “Content is king, but engagement is queen and she rules the house,”

Mari Smith accentuated Facebook’s plans in regards to the merger of Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp. And of course the importance of Instagram.

Facebook the #1 Soc Media Platform

Michael Stelzner (CEO Social Media Examiner) focused on the center-of-the-social-media-universe: Facebook.

“Facebook is a platform that thrives on people connecting, not on content, In order to influence, we must connect with people.” Which may speak for itself, and every marketer and for sure every creative soc media professional should be able to see the challenge and foremost the opportunity in this conclusion that nails Facebook in full from the marketing perspective.

By the way; Stelzner mentioned the massive number of hours and minutes of consumers watching video on YouTube.

Twitter

Dan Knowlton, (KPS Digital Marketing) ‘Talk like your customers talk, share how you feel. Express passion,’ Dan Knowlton advocated a more human approach. ‘It’s all about how you make people feel’

LinkedIn

John Nemo (CEO Nemo Media Group) touched a topic that is hotter than most marketers know; ‘How to Generate Leads and Sell on LinkedIn Without Being Spammy’ Engaging with others was the logic in answer to this challenge.

Telling stories via LinkedIn that create curiosity, were suggestions to evoke engagement.

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If I have to conclude this ‘Conference that Impressed and Scored Beyond Expectations’ in one line or even in one word, I think I’d write ‘Human’. ‘If you want to connect with customers, no matter whether this is in a consumer, trade or b-to-b context, the human factor is key (and has always been)’ It’s touching to see that an industry that is built on technology concludes that the human factor will guide us to the next level.  –Rik