On Wednesday May 19th, we had our 6th social media event at HyperArts. We began hosting these “mixers” or “meet-ups” almost exactly a year ago and we have always been amazed by how informative, interesting and fun they are each time. At each event we have invited local social media experts to come and share their strategies, advice and experiences with our guests. I actually met most of the people who have come to speak on social networks like Twitter or Facebook.

Since the beginning, the format of the events has been casual, with 2-3 presentations each night. But for this last gathering, I decided to try something new. First of all, I had 5 prospective guest speakers (from 4 organizations) that I wanted to invite, so the night would get really long if each one presented for 10-15 minutes plus questions. I remember attending a great discussion panel event at Razorfish in the city, and decided to give that setup a try. I knew that everyone would have great things to share, since each organization that I invited really understands the importance of community (not selling) on social networks. Our fabulous guests included:

• Ellen Seebold of Seebold Marketing Communications
• Adam Rozan of the Oakland Museum of California
• Andy Murdock and Rana Freedman of Lonely Planet
• Elisa Williams of the Oakland Visitors Bureau

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