2014 has been all about putting the “social” back in social media: Meeting social media professional IRL highlights

As we are seeing the end of 2014, we are seeing a lot of lists come out right now on social media. Top posts shared, top videos and ads of the year, etc – which got me thinking about what are some of the major takeaways from 2014 for me.

I have to say – 2014 has been an amazing year for me. I have been able to do what I love as a professor and that is teaching, mentoring, and doing research in a field I am passionate about. 2014 has been a year of lots of travels – I was able to go to several places this year I had not been to before.

Along with these great adventures and experiences, I also had the opportunity to mark of a checklist off my bucket list, and that was to finally get a chance to meet some amazing professionals in person. This has truly been what I called a truly “social” year – where I have been able to meet fellow social media professionals in person after following and corresponding with them on social media.

So, here are six PR professionals I am very thankful to have met finally IRL this year:

• Stephen Waddington: If you are not following Stephen on Twitter (@wadds) or reading his blog, you definitely should be. I had a chance to hear Stephen’s keynote presentation at BledCom this year and had a chance to chat with him over breakfast at the conference – which was a highlight for me at the conference. Stephen is a professional that not only is a visionary, but he understands the needs/trends/expectations for practitioners and professors, and is generous to share his insights and resources with the community in social media and PR.
• Melissa Agnes: I was THRILLED when I found out that the annual AEJMC Conference was going to be in Montreal this year and I had the chance to finally meet one of the most creative, innovative, and fabulous people I know in social media and crisis communications, Melissa! We had coffee several times and spent time at the conference chatting for hours. My time in Montreal was such a highlight and primarily has been due to having the opportunity to meet Melissa in person.
• Rachel Miller: I had a chance to meet up with Rachel this summer in London after years of corresponding on Twitter. She’s one of the best professionals in the business and an expert when it comes to internal communications and social media. We had a chance to have tea together along with my fellow research colleague and friend Sabrina. It was a wonderful experience and truly a highlight for me this year!
• Lee Odden: I have been a big fan of Lee’s for years with his Top Rank Marketing Blog, and I was thrilled to hear he was going to be a speaker at the Integrate Conference. I had a chance to hear his presentation and I knew right away he was the real deal. Plus, he’s also a coffee enthusiast, which is even more fabulous! Was great to finally meet Lee in person in West Virginia.
• Gini Dietrich: Gini is also one of the most innovative and strategic thinkers today when it comes to social media and PR. We had been corresponding for years on social media (it actually started when I was sharing resources on Twitter from my Pinterest account for my social media classes) and we had a chance to meet in person as well at the Integrate Conference. Another huge highlight for me as well! Also great to meet Gini at the Integrate Conference as well this year!
• William Ward: If you looked up the definition of a social media professor in the dictionary, you’d see Bill’s face right there. Bill is an innovator, leader, and visionary when it comes to social media education. I had been following Bill for years on Twitter and was always impressed not only with what he was doing in his classes at Syracuse, but how he truly transformed the relationship professors have with big brands like Hootsuite. He was the one who got me involved with Hootsuite University, and I couldn’t have been happier. I had a chance to meet up with Bill in Montreal over coffee – and he’s truly as amazing in person as he is online. Another highlight for me in Montreal!

Along with this list, there are some other professionals I had a chance to meet with as well in person (Matt Kushin and Kirsten Bailey) and they were both a highlight for me when I was in Montreal this past summer at AEJMC.

Overall, this has been a truly amazing and “social” year for me. I think along with New Year’s resolutions, I think for all of us who work, research, and teach in social media – we should consider having a list of professionals we would want to meet IRL that we have connected with on social media over the years.

I have already started a list for 2015 and the upcoming year already, so we’ll see how that goes in a year. 🙂 So, who would be on your list for next year to try to meet in person from social media?

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and Merry Christmas! 🙂

Best Wishes,
Karen