Take social media from complexity to clarity through this interactive workshop guaranteed to jumpstart your conference experience. This workshop is a great opportunity to advance your learning and network with fellow attendees while taking a hands-on, common sense approach to mastering social media that will enhance your understanding of the informative, case study presentations throughout the entire conference.

Choose A or B or BOTH for maximum value and learning

Social Media 101: What You Need To Know To Start Your Own Organization's Blogging/Podcasting Strategy

Are you planning to launch a blog? Interested in starting a podcast? This workshop will help you think through the questions that you will need to answer before you get started. It will provide an overview of the expanding world of social media including popular tools and destinations like YouTube, Flickr and Digg and with practical advice on how to integrate these into your web presence.

• The state of the blogosphere and other social media
• The steps you need to take to launch a blog or start a podcast
• Strategies for creating content and generating interaction with your readers and/or listeners
• Examples of how to measure success

You'll leave this workshop with blogging/podcasting best practices, policies and procedures, and the tools and skills that you and your staff will need to be successful in reaching your audience.

WORKSHOP LEADER: Kevin Reid is the Vice President of Issue Dynamics, Inc., (IDI) a leading Washington, DC-based public affairs firm which has been aligning allies, connecting voices, and promoting action for more than 20 years. Kevin heads up IDI’s Internet group, which manages online campaigns from design and development to messaging, mobilization and analysis. Kevin also oversees IDI’s Blogger Relations programs, including client blog building, monitoring, advertising and training. Kevin has more than a decade of experience in online communication and mobilization.

12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Afternoon break/lunch on your own.

1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
AFTERNOON PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP B

In this information-packed, interactive workshop on corporate blogging, you will learn the tools and action plans on how to revolutionize your corporate communications through the use of blogs. Whether your organization is already using blogs and social networking tools, or whether you’re still debating how and where to focus, you won’t want to miss this workshop. This workshop will be thought-provoking and will provide actionable plans to help you implement or upgrade your blog with expert tips and techniques for transforming your relationships.

• Successfully build a blog and maximize your blog's structural framework to create competitive advantage by deploying a "tool box" of online content distribution tactics
• Develop a diversification web strategy to deepen relationships with individuals that have recognized content interests with your firm
• Train your team to understand what content makes or breaks a blog
• Capitalize on opportunities to humanize your organization and build a database to measure results
• Get your blog project approved by IT
• Use blogs as community feedback tools to reach desired influencers and customers
• Apply word-of-mouth marketing principles to make blogging more predictable in terms of achieving desired corporate communication goals

WORKSHOP LEADER: Todd Tweedy is the CEO of BoldMouth LLC, a word-of-mouth marketing firm, focuses on how enterprises can leverage community participation and co-creation to support the distribution of product and service recommendations. Todd is a veteran online marketing executive. Some of his recent clients include AOL, Microsoft, The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, BlackStar, LexisNexis, Rolex, and The Motley Fool.