This is what a trade show looks like before the trade show.
There’s something new afoot for this year’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. Channel Signal has partnered with Outdoor Retailer to give some exposure to the show buzz on Twitter. The official “hashtag” for this year’s show is #ORWinter, so that users who broadcast content via Twitter related to the show can quickly and easily find those tweets.
The most “talked about” brands who are identified in tweets using their username (so, this applies to companies who actually have a Twitter account) will be featured on a ticker updated every half hour during the show, and additional analysis will be shared by Channel Signal.
There’s a lot here that isn’t new. During Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, traffic using the #ORSM09 hash tag went froma trickle slow enough on day one that I could keep up during breaks between meetings, to a flood later on in the show, which even I couldn’t keep up with. People used the #ORSM09 hash tag to share their thoughts about products and brands they’d seen on the show floor, and also to organize impromptu “I’ve got 15 minutes and desperately need some caffiene, who wants to meet by the coffee stand?” tweetups. The Channel Signal / Outdoor Retailer effort doesn’t change that — as long as brands do their social media homework before dipping a toe into the pool.
This is an opportunity for participants to do it right. To organically inspire buzz, and get the word out about what their Twitter username is. Twitter usernames aren’t always what you’d guess because they’re handed out first come first serve.
What’s new is the tracking and compiling data with regard to this feed. It sounds like brands must be mentioned by Twitter username (e.g. @BrandX) as opposed to hashtag (e.g. #BrandY) which will be an advantage for companies who have obvious or easy to remember usernames and a communication opportunity for those who don’t.
I’m optimistic that our biz “gets it” enough at this point that we won’t see companies spamming the #ORWinter tag in an unsophisticated effort to make the ticker. Valid use by the brands themselves to spread the word about buzz-worthy things: Sweet. Despite the best efforts of the show organizers and journalists who do show coverage, the Outdoor Retailer show floor can be a bit like a game of two cans and a string, so having the #ORWinter channel to communicate about events and what’s cool is a fantastic use of the technology, and it’s completely appropriate for brands to use that channel wisely.
As Channel Signal might say… join in the conversation. I don’t know how much time I’ll actually have to listen in this show, since I’m on the clock rather than on my own time. But, this time around, someone is definitely listening.
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Filed under: Social Media
Thanks for spreading the word about the @ORWinter feed, how it’s an opportunity for brands to spread their news, and how to have fun with it and ho to appropriately. It’s for all to use. See everyone at the show and tweet on!
I’m confused. Is the feed based on sending tweets to @ORwinter (as @ORWinter says in this comment), or is it based on sending them with hash tag #orwinter????
Are you saying that #orwinter (or @orwinter) is going to only track tweets of a certain syntax?
I’m willing to bet that people continue to do what they know how to do, which is to use a hashtag to track tweets.
Perhaps one of the @orwinter folks can chime in… I only know what’s been in the press. My understanding based on what I’ve read is that this effort will track tweets that contain the hashtag:
#ORWinter
which, I’d presume, will be case independent, and a company Twitter username in the form of
@companynamehere
It’s possible that I’m reading things too literally, and that they’ll be capturing company buzz through broader search methodologies… but I’m not in the backroom on this one, so I don’t know!
Nice synthesis of the concept Sara. You clearly get it. We can only hope that show attendees embrace this opportunity to demonstrate what this technology can mean for the whole industry. I look forward to your posts.
Hey Sara
Great post.
Now that you are sitting at a different place at the table, does it change your POV? I’m curious.
I don’t have an opinion as much as I have a lot of different thoughts about this flying around in my head that I’m not sure what to do with.
You mentioned in a recent tweet that you were just getting caught up on the twitter/social media action after being tied up at your regional trade show. And I would be willing to guess that same will be true in Salt Lake this week.
What I’m trying to figure out is STILL, how much of this is noise and gossip and wanting to be part of the conversation and how much of it is relevant.
I cannot keep up with it all during trade shows and traveling. I’m two parts too busy and three parts IN THE PRESENT. I’m always listening and observing face to face. If I’m not, well, that’s when I feel like I will miss something.
I’ve been watching the tidal wave or #ORWinter tweeting this week and a couple things have caught my attention. But so much of the time it seems like regurgitation of press releases and self-promotion (which I have certainly participated in). I’m curious if “they” are listening. And will “they” have time to listen at the show where it’s running from one side of the salt palace to another?
I wonder that for me and I know I’m slightly crazy but I’ve gotta think I’m not alone here.
You know that I’m totally on board with the Social media gig and have been and early adopter. I’m guess I’m trying to figure out what it all means.
Hey, Megan!
I’m still figuring out how / if my POV is changed. Perhaps that’s a topic for another time, though.
I don’t anticipate I’ll be able to “cover” this show the way I “covered” #ORSM09. I do anticipate there’ll be some “new influencer” out there on the show floor, there on her own dime, hustling for appointments and looking for what’s new and cool and trying to get the word out. I may be too much of an optimist, but it’s entirely possible that the genuine, organic chatter from those folks who do this show the way I did the summer show may outweigh the intentional efforts by companies. We’ll see. There’s also a segment of folks at home who listen in on the OR traffic without the distraction of actually being there. So, the “they” I imagine are the folks at home, and the influencers. There’s also going to be content coming from inside — the lead time on the story on SNEWS ensured that.
I’m trying to figure out what it all means, too.
PS… while we’re on the topic, sort of, I seriously question whether @ORWinter needs to rebroadcast #ORWinter tweets at this point. I think that’s contributing to the tidal wave. Am I wrong?
As usual, you just managed to say something that made complete sense to me. I’m there, and though I’m not new anymore, I’m still trying to forge my way. I’m there on my own dime and working hard to get to the top and maybe, twitter and SM is another tool for me. And maybe, there’s someone else on the other end of my can and string that will be the next step for me.
I hear you on the rebroadcasting. It’s a little overwhelming.
I’ve been eavesdropping your exchange ladies and I really appreciate each of your comments. Your points are well made and I believe you’re expressing a lot of the apprehension many of us are feeling in all of this. I’m working up a blog post for Monday that I hope allay some of the misgivings in making the most of Social Media. At least I hope to explain what I and the team at Channel Signal hope to accomplish at the show. Personally I hope that we can raise the level of conservation beyond gossip and retweeting clever catch phrases. I want us to talk about substantive topics about new industry developments. Sure everyone has a “great new product!” But I would like to have people in the feed explaining exactly why they think so, especially if it’s a product they’re not selling. I want to her people argue between one company’s use of a particular technology and that of another. Do we care about product material stream transparency? GoLite seems to be betting the farm on it. Will it matter to consumers? Are they doing anything differently than Patagonia and it’s “Cleanest Line.” Let’s talk about it. My job and our goal at Channel Signal is to help direct the conversation. We’ll push where we need to by raising important questions, but mostly we aim to pull from the feed what people are thinking. I’m counting on people like you to participate. So Please let me know if you have any questions.
So interesting… since mostly the conversations I’ve been having are about how none of US are going to have time to actually communicate during the show… I feel almost like I’m passing the torch to whomever follows in my footsteps as an outsider coming in. I’ll do what I can — and I’m enjoying really lovely support from my company and the brands I work with, to spend some time doing what I do in social media even though they need my attention on the “business” of the show also.
I look forward to your post, James!
You make my point for me exactly, James.
You use the recent tweet (from me and other media presumable, as GoLite has no twitter fees) of my promotion of GoLite’s sustainability review.
GoLite is not betting the farm on it. In fact, I think that they are under-marketing it but they don’t want it to be a marketing ploy. I was simply trying to promote something that they are doing as a company to highlight just what kind of company they are at the core.
Will it grow sales? Dunno. Will the tweet resonate with buyers? Dunno. But it clearly gave you the wrong message. Is that because I’m limited to a 140 characters? It is because I’m not a good communicator in 140 characters? Or is because you are relying on the tweets and not going the for the whole picture before forming your opinion?
This is where I fear that so much of twitter in insider (inter-tribal?) talk and really not much different than passing notes in high school. Except, now they text. Huh– texting is 140 characters and so is tweeting. Interesting.
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Megan. didn’t know you had posted anything on GoLite’s Transparency review. I only used it to illustrate something new that we should be talking about as an industry. I think this example in particular is important because it relates directly to the interests of consumers. I’ve long believed that we don’t do a very good job talking outside of our own little cliques of influence. I hope that we can use this show and the technology of social media to move the discussion up a notch or 20 and actually discuss something of consequence.