An Introvert’s Experience of Leveraging Social Media to Optimize Her SXSW Experience   

South by Southwest Interactive (SXSW) is the conference to attend if you want to keep yourself on top of digital communications trends. Regardless of career, digital fluency is mandatory for professional growth and success today. I have attended SXSW for the past six years, and I have seen firsthand how the event has grown, brands have gotten more involved, and the attendees have changed.

Once known as “spring break for geeks,” SXSW is now attended by not only all the coding geeks, but by entrepreneurs, style bloggers, ad agency execs, marketing professionals from all industries, authors, journalists and even those “badge-less” hangers-on who are happy just to be on the fringes of the excitement.

You will hear people say that SXSW is all about networking. And others say it is all about the parties. For me, it is all about finding the right speakers, great books to read, and seeing new technology in action. And I must admit that I am always scoping out fashion at SXSW, since the people who attend are forward-thinking and trendsetters. The point is: it is different for every attendee, and is, of course, what you make of it.

In 2009, I felt that I — female, non-technical, type-A, over 30-years-old — was in the minority among the bearded hipster males, mostly in their 20s. In 2010, I remember that Justine Bateman was there as a moderator for a panel discussing the famous Old Spice campaign, and she took pictures of every male with a beard that she saw, which meant she was taking pictures the whole conference! This year the attendee make up seemed more diverse — an seemingly equal mix of young, old, male, female, the techies, the non-technical — making me feel like I fit right in (meaning I could blend into the crowd, my preferred approach).

Confessions of a Wallflower (with – Thankfully — Major Digital Skills)

That’s right, I am an introvert. At the thought of being thrust in a throng of 33,825 attendees (number of interactive badge holders for 2015) for five full days, I literally become nauseous. It wasn’t until my fifth year that I actually crossed the threshold of the trade show room for fear of having to talk to people at the booths. I pack my own microwavable food so I don’t have to risk talking to a stranger at a restaurant.  But the appeal of learning and experiencing are stronger than my introverted pull to the inside of a hotel room.

I am one of those solitary types for whom social media is a godsend, allowing me to feel like an extrovert. A great deal of my overall experience at SXSW is through social media: tweeting, photo-sharing, and blogging about the experience. I am on group chats with other attendees, talking about what we are doing — without ever seeing them in person.

Social media has opened the universe of connections that we make, and experiences that we share, essentially making the world a smaller and less scary place. Yes, there are risks to opening yourself, your brand, or your company to the world, but the benefits are much greater. This year, social media continued to be a main topic of discussion at SXSW, as it has for the past eight years. It has now become synonymous with the term “digital.” A company, brand or person cannot be digital without being social. Nor can they be social without being digital. 

An Introvert’s Take on the Newest Streaming Video 

A trend that stood out this year was live streaming video. Streaming video live has been available for some time now: UStream, Livestream, Google Hangouts on Air and countless others. The difference in those platforms and the ones that were hot topics at SXSW this year is the set-up, planning and coordination that is involved.

Meerkat and Periscope — the two live streaming video apps that we can’t stop talking about right now — are mobile-ready, broadcast immediately to your Twitter stream.  My inner introvert cringes with fear, but my extroverted marketing side rejoices! On the spur of the moment, we can now catch events, product demonstrations, testimonials, behind-the-scenes experiences, interviews with company executives, wish-you-were-here opportunities and so much more. No set-up, no expectations for perfect lighting, high quality sound or length — and we can immediately share the content with our fans and followers, meaning these are high-value engagement opportunities.

For my inner introvert, there is the nagging fear that someone will be broadcasting me at my worst moments, and I might never know. I don’t mind being on video, but I like to be prepared. An in-the-moment live-streamed-to-the-world video is now added to my daily list of worries. But soon I will comfortable with the tools and “live stream” elements of my life and work, just as I capture and share photos throughout the day. I will do this because it is a way to feel like I have my introverted voice heard.

To be fair, I have learned to act more gregarious as I have grown in my career. Though it is truly exhausting and drains every ounce of my energy, I believe it has helped me become more successful. And I owe a great deal of the ability to move around outside my comfort zone to social media tools. I will continue to attend SXSW to learn, experience and grow — with the ultimate goal of being able to interact more easily person-to-person, sans social media.

Written by: Emily Reeves, Dir of Digital Innovation & Insight Planning  Stone Ward Advertising (@reeves501)