I’m happy to be back at the Online Marketing Summit this year in sunny San Diego. I’ve been attending this conference as an avid learner since 2008 so it is great to see how much it has grown and connect with so many  industry leaders.  There’s no denying that in addition to the amazing content you’ll learn and connections you’ll make, the gorgeous sunny San Diego view is a big draw. I love meeting people who are traveling here from across the nation but I’m also grateful that I can proudly call San Diego my home when asked the ever so popular question, “Where are you from?”

I often get asked by people how I stay up to date with the latest changes in social media and technology. The answer is that I’m constantly open to learning and constantly seeking opportunities to expand my knowledge and network. Part of how I learn is by sharing, speaking and teaching others. I find that when I’m talking to others, or even writing, I often catch myself saying things that I need to implement myself. Thus in an effort to learn and teach, I’m thrilled to share with you all the top 5 things I learned from the Online Marketing Summit 2013.

1. ROI is complex, not just one number or a perfect algorithm- This is a takeaway I got from today’s afternoon keynote, Heidi Melin. It’s something very important for marketing professionals to keep in mind when we work with clients. Many people who want to start using social media to grow their business, automatically assume that the ROI can be easily measured. They want a quick fix and they want to see a direct ROI immediately. The challenge with social media and many other online marketing tools is that they are not designed to to be a quick fix. An investment in your online marketing and social media will ensure a stronger brand image, help you grow a loyal following and over time will ensure your business continues to thrive. This is something that marketeers need to understand so they can effectively explain it to clients. This is also something business owners need to understand so they can make a smart investment in their social media without freaking out if they don’t see a significant revenue increase as soon as their social media campaign is launched.

2. Easily find discussions about a keyword or phrase people may be searching for when they are interested in your service– I learn something new every day and this is one of my favorite tricks I learned today from Arnie Kuenn’s talk about creating blog content. By doing a Google search under discussions you can easily discover people asking questions and seeking advice for challenges you many easily be able to solve with your product or service. Simply take your keyword phrase and do a Google search. Scroll to the right of the navigation bar and under “More” click on “Discussions”. This will show you all the places people are talking about you. Long tail searches are the key to success in this case. There is a lot you can do with this data. You can create blog content that answers many questions people are asking and you can also directly reach out to people and let them know you are available to help. The more you understand what questions about being asked, the easier it is for you to respond and be a true resource.

3. Brand your laptop– I’ve seen this done before, but it really stood out to me today. What a great way to increase visibility for your brand on something that you’re always using. This is also great if you’re speaking and giving a presentation with your laptop. The audience has a constant reminder of who you are. I asked Chris from Wider Funnel where he got his custom laptop sticker and he couldn’t remember the company. Does anyone know of a company that can do this for me?

4. Some of the best networking happens during lunch– Many of you are so busy that you barely have time to attend a conference. Every moment that you’re not in a session,  you get back to work.  You return phone calls,  you find a quiet place to return emails and you skip lunch. Don’t skip lunch! Some of the best connections are made during lunch because people aren’t distracted by sessions. You have an opportunity to talk to people on a more personal level and people are more likely to be friendly during break time! During lunch today, I was able to meet everyone at my table and made some great connections. I happened to be one of the few San Diegans in my lunch group so it was also interesting to learn about where everyone was traveling from.

5. When you get advice, take it as a guideline. Step back and think about if and how it applies to your business. This is valuable advice I learned from Intel’s Pam Didner in her Social Media Mash- Up session. With information overload, we are constantly receiving advice from so many different sources. We often receive conflicting advice about the same topic. Instead of immediately accepting advice from the first place you receive, think about how the advice applies to your own business and the goals you’re trying to achieve. You may receive some great advice, but if it has nothing to do with your goals, then it may not be something you want to take action on.

I definitely learned a lot more than just 5 things today, but I trust that just the tidbit of information I’ve shared will help you in some way, inspire you to take some action and encourage you to keep learning every day! Last but not least, I want to end by sharing a few fun things! I was extremely happy to see our hashtag #OMSummit trending! This takes me back to memory lane since I actually created the Twitter account for the Online Marketing Summit and starting using the hashtag 5 years ago!

The Expo Hall has a lot of stuff going on. The Crimson Hexagon booth hired a Caricature Drawer to use their technology and draw fun photos of everyone. Here’s my digital caricature. I don’t think it looks like me at all, but I’ll let you guys decide. I do like the flower in my hair! Overall, I’m grateful for another opportunity to attend the Online Marketing Summit. I am always so excited to continue advancing my knowledge in the online marketing space and I’m happy that my blog allows me to share what I learn with my readers. Thanks for reading and if you’re at the Online Marketing Summit, please make sure to connect with me!