Through Twitter and other Social Media platforms I have online contacts that I have only met virtually. Here I am at WordCamp Toronto 2010 with Susan Varty @wordtree. We’ve been following each other on twitter and now we’ve actually met. Sue is a Technical Writer who also does Social Media training. For me the best part of WordPress Toronto was meeting people.
The Keynote Speaker, Jeremy Wright opened WordCamp with a message that helped set the tone. Jeremy spoke about Why and How Social Media Fails including issues like spam (a reality of social media); twitter interns and automation (cheapens what we do); follower counts (don’t really matter); and hypocrisy.
Jeremy went on to provide some filtering tips for interactions:
- Listen more than you talk
- Give more than you get
- SOCIAL media not social MEDIA
- Don’t approach people with a business card in hand… give it when there is an indication that it is desired
- If you hear the word leverage – stay away
I met great people and found that they were open and generous with their knowledge. WordCamp Toronto was in keeping with the open source spirit and I really liked that.
I really enjoyed the blogging Success Stories that were interspersed between speakers on Day 1; especially the blogging success story: Lunch with Mary.
Here I am with Janet Barclay… we grew up on the same street, went to the same schools and she was good friends with my sister! And we both became web designers. It’s a small world.
You may also be interested in these related posts:
- WordCamp Toronto Day 2 – Trailmeme for WordPress
- PodCamp Toronto 2010
- 1000 Awesome Things – A Blogging Success Story
