Social Networking vs. Conferences

I tweeted this question yesterday and got a flurry of responses on Facebook. I want to bring you into the conversation. What do you think?

My Tweet: Will social networking make conferences passe?

Chris Howley: No

Ali Bennet Thompson: I don't think so. It's still good to experience things hands-on and hear from leaders/experts who you might not be socially networking with. I think it might make conferences that are just speaking passe, but conferences like How2 where you do a lot of hands-on stuff provide a totally different experience than you can get online.

Courtney Fassler Walsh: oooh, I hope not. Conferences are such a nice get-away, a way to completely immerse yourself in whatever you're learning. I don't get that in my short stints online between changing diapers and feeding kids! lol

Judy Comstock: We are social beings and that includes sitting across the table from another social being, touching, reading their eyes, and on the evidence goes for face-to-face conferences.

Me: Judy, spoken like a great conference-creator!

Selma Johnson: We need that interaction w/each other, to see the passion, caring, seeing something in action is worth a thousand words, also, those attend need to get away and be refreshed.

Me: I'm glad to hear face-to-face isn't a thing of the past. Too many great conferences to connect and learn.

Glen Woods: I would like to see more opportunity for actual face-to-face interaction at conferences, however. Rather, than typical one person lecturing to large group with little opportunity for connection. I say this as a presenter and as an attender. Group seems to be cracking the code on this with the How2 conferences. (how2conference.com)

Judy Comstock: These accomodations will certainly be evident at CPC'10 (incm.org). As with How2, we are recognizing that conference participants want and need time to interact and not just listen.

So...what do you think? Will social networking make conferences passe?

Stay tuned til tomorrow when I tell you what my Twitter friends said.

Comments

[Kenny]

I think the question is looking at the situation in a narrow way. People are always asking, what's going to be the iPhone killer? What's going to make DVD's go away? At times this happens. The CD did eliminate the cassette tape. But this isn't always the case. Sometimes the new technology or new product simply morphs what already exists.

Here's an example. I got my undergrad in a traditional college. I got my masters at a traditional college through online coursework (I never set foot on the campus). We did all our work through BlackBoard, the online/interactive learning software. Although more and more people are going to school online, what I've learned is that scores of traditional schools are now using BlackBoard and other online/social software to enhance the learning process at a traditional school. They get their assignments online, submit their homework and papers online and participate in discussions online all while still going to class. The technology morphed the traditional system into something better.

This year I was a blogger for the Orange conference. I blogged, tweeted and posted videos like crazy during the week of Orange along with 12-15 others. A lot of people who couldn't come to Orange got a lot out of the online/social experience... but it still wasn't the same. For those who attended Orange, it enhanced their experience to some degree.

So, I don't see social media making conferences passe. However, I think social media will continue to morph the conference experience. Social media will help extend the conference experience for weeks after. Social media will also broaden the reach of the conference. This Spring I also experienced two other conference main sessions through video streaming.

I look forward to having richer experiences at the conferences I attend as well as experiencing other conferences through social media. That's my 2 cents.