Category: na meáin soisialta/ social media

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Date set for Congregation 2014 #cong14

I posted last December about a great event I was at in November called Congregation. I recently got an email from the organiser, Eoin Kennedy, to let me know that the date is set for Congregation 2014: November 29th. If you are interested in attending this unique event you should express your interest via this handy wee form.

Eoin is also pulling together the social media hacks we shared on the day at #cong13 in an eBook so keep your eyes peeled for that one as well. This is my contribution:

Buffer logo
Buffer logo

I have been using Buffer on my desktop browser, my phone browser and through it’s native app and lovely integration with Feed.ly for over a year now (https://bufferapp.com/extras). I would highly recommend it if you are responsible for pages on social networks including Google+ (a premium service). Their blog is a wealth of social media and time management information and advice too. If their own extensions aren’t enough for you you can set up your own bookmarklet for iPad too.

 

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Congregation Social Media Gathering 2013: Unique

Bernie Goldbach uses all the devices at Congregation 2013

I have just spent the weekend in a tiny wee place in the west or Ireland called Cong. Population 35 (apparently) and setting for The Quiet Man (famously). As mentioned in a previous post I was headed there to take part in Congregation Social Media Gathering, an unconference on the theme of social media. I would highly recommend perusing some of the blog papers submitted as entries to the unconference because you will definitely learn something new and at the very least you will get an understanding of how unique an event Congregation was.


While there was a certain amount of trepidation around the format (4 rotating huddles with 2 different speakers at each throughout the day) it actually worked splendidly. With 50 attendees I think there was only maybe one or two present that I didn’t interact with in this quasi-formal setting but tried to catch up with them during the even more social aspects of the weekend.

I heard presentations about affiliate marketing, about why the digital native/ migrant nomenclature is all wrong, about questioning Google’s omnipotence, about using social media in the classroom (my favourite in fact), about online donations and about developing content strategies. My own presentation is below which was developed from this article I wrote for Pixel Design about making the most of sponsored stories on Facebook, promoted tweets on Twitter and promoted posts on LinkedIn.

UPDATE June 2014: The organisers are now calling for Expressions of Interest for #Cong14 so get in touch with them ASAP. I reckon there will be huge interest this year after the success of last year.
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None of your holiness at CongRegation

I’m still involved with the IIA in a very roundabout way: I remained a member of the Social Media Working Group. Like any voluntary group it is active in fits and starts. I was very happy recently to get a notification about an upcoming meeting. As usual I learned tonnes and hope I shared some information myself. There was a few things that are  well worth looking at if you are interested in social media so click on to read more.

  1. Eoin Kennedy, the group chair gave a presentation about Managing a Social Media Crisis, which is well worth a look at if you fear the worst. (But I was at pains to point out that your company is more likely not to get this amount of attention. As a complete aside I would love to do some research about how badly affected companies really are by Social Media Crises similar to those Eoin covered. I know Schoolbooks.ie didn’t seem to be… but I wonder how honest the companies themselves would be in responding to research questions.)
  2. Lisa Jackson of Leman Solicitors. gave a presentation about the legal aspects of creating Social Media Guidelines for the workplace. This includes very helpful tips and advice and is well worth a look. Also lovely use of Prezi 🙂
  3. Lastly the aforementioned Eoin Kennedy has taken it upon himself to organise a social media gathering in Cong, Co. Mayo which he is dubbing CongRegation. Here’s the deal from the CongRegation.ie website:

“CongRegation is a one day ‘un-conference’ social media gathering taking place in Cong, Co Mayo on Saturday November 30th.

This free ‘earned entry’ event focuses on peer to peer sharing of quality information and social media insights through a ‘huddle’ style collaborative structure.

Congregation also creates a fertile base for true social engagement and connection.

The un-conference takes place in the village of Cong in County Mayo with 100 speakers spread over 7 venues with 4 sessions.

With CongRegation:

  • Tickets cannot be purchased.
  • You pay with your insight.
  • You blog your way in.
  • Everyone is a speaker.
  • Open sharing of insights.
  • True social setting.
  • Inclusion in post event eBook.
  • All attendees are equal.”

I think this is going to be a very interesting, insightful event and would highly recommend that you get your thinking cap on and “blog your way in“. I hope to be there once I get my rant on…