I also know now that we of the social media/Web 2.0 crowd can learn a lot from affiliate marketers, and they from us.  In many ways we’re after some of the same things (traffic and a living), and like Jason said in his keynote these folks are smart and creative. They could do some amazing things if they tried.

The social media panel I was on with Sam, Steph, Justine, and Deb went really well I thought.  All predictions for fun and humour were bang on the mark.  I often forget how freakin’ smart these folks are.  Man.  I love Deb’s 10,000 foot level stuff and Justine’s tech perspective (remember she hand-coded her first site in sixth grade).  Sam and Steph bring that bridging between the affiliate world and social media that was key to our panel.

There weren’t as many questions as I would have liked.  I think folks might have been a little skittish.  Not knowing us, I don’t think people knew that we love to be asked the tough questions.

I also got the feeling that people were disappointed that we couldn’t give folks that “magic formula” for social media success.

Before you start thinking “oh they just want to game the system”, remember all the business who wanted the same thing when business blogging started?

They wanted the secret sauce to success.  While there aren’t shortcuts, people want a solution and they want it now.

In the panel we all repeated the mantra of learn, listen, connect, participate, and contribute, but this isn’t satisfying to folks.  Answering the question “how long does it take…” with … “it depends…” isn’t satisfying, but I don’t think we have better answers right now.

Really I think we’re only now getting to the point where we can say something is a “best practice”.  Deb has started working with Proctor & Gamble developing a social media lab, her job has been made so much easier by all the things we’ve tried over the last three years of business blogging.

As a final note, I’d like to thank Shawn and Missy for hosting such a great conference and being awesome hosts.

Post from: EveryJoe

Affiliate Summit wrap up–whole new world and we can learn from each other

How kick butt?  Check out who is on it from Steph’s post yesterday:

In other news…it’s time for Affiliate Summit! I’ll be arriving in Vegas this Saturday, and excited about the Social Media Panel, which I will be on with the following Twitterati: Sam Harrelson (moderator), Deborah Schultz, Chris Brogan, Tris Hussey, and iJustine. Don’t forget to follow @AffiliateSummit and @asw08 (group account) on Twitter.

InternetGeekGirl will also be the hostess with the most-ess in the blog lounge, so we’ll pass them out there as well.Refreshments provided by B5 Media. Source: InternetGeekGirl gets ready for Affiliate Summit in Vegas, Feb 24 – 26

Justine Ezarik is a new member of the panel, which means we are even more kick butt than we were before and we have gender parity.  You might not think gender parity is a big deal, but it is especially at tech conferences.

As a bit of fun for the panel, like we weren’t going to have fun anyway, we’re all going to wear at least one of our favourite Web 2.0 t-shirts.  I think I’ll have on two or three so I can peel one off at a time (I think geekyfantastic will be first, last being b5media).  That’s not all … we want to toss out shirts to the audience during the panel, but not our shirts or shirts from our companies (okay I will have a bunch of b5 shirts), but your shirts.  Specifically I would like some Canadian start up/Web 2.0 shirts to toss out.

You can send shirts to Steph at her hotel (the info is in her post) or to me at mine:

Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
3667 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV 89109 United States

The panel is Tuesday, late afternoon, but I’m not staying at the Rio where the conference is so if you want to send them to me they have to be there Monday night.

I am looking forward to this panel more than any other that I’ve been on.  Heck I’ve been excited about it since I was asked to be on it after BlogWorld.  Not only do we have six of the brightest social media folks around, but we have six (okay maybe five if you leave me out) of the funniest and most engaging speakers around.  I don’t know if Sam is going to be able to keep us all in check (I see Brogan, Deb, and I being real troublemakers).

I had the chance to hear Justine speak, but only briefly, at BlogWorld so I am looking forward to hearing more of her thoughts and insights.

Pictures?  Oh you can bet on that.  Video?  Maybe.  I’m told that if I want to video in the casino I need a shadow/handler at $75/hr.  Now outside, that’s a horse of a different colour.

I’ll have a press pass as well and b5 is sponsoring the refreshments in the blogger lounge so count on some coverage, yes even live, from the event.

Boy good thing I just got new glasses/sunglasses…

All pictures by Brian Solis.

Post from: EveryJoe

Heading to Affiliate Summit next week and I need your t-shirts!