VVF Takeaways from SXSW Interactive 2011

Imagine an arena of skinny jeans, Converse sneakers, and Ray-Bans. Now add a million iPads and mobile devices. Combine that with cutting edge technology displays, industry leaders under the age of 30, and the world's Mecca of interactive geeks and you have the South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) conference in Austin, TX.

This past month, I ventured to Austin on behalf of the Vail Valley Foundation to gather insight as to how to use emerging technology to the best of our ability for our community. I was interested just to catch a glimpse of the next decade from some of the brightest thought leaders and start-ups in the industry, as well as network with other non-profits and learn from their campaigns. While at times overwhelming with the amount of content (and streaming live tweets!), it was a solid growing experience and I walked away with a few key takeaways.

SXSW in bullet form:

• Technology is getting (even) smarter - this means it knows where you are, when you got there, and who's there with you. The next phase of web-based applications will coordinate this data seamlessly to provide you with relevant information, tailored to your needs (I'll be honest, this freaks me out!)
• Social media has become de-humanized, full of spam and irrelevant content that clutters our brains and wastes time. If we use it for conversation and to say thank you when appropriate, it serves a better purpose.
• Facebook, Twitter, etc. for non-profits are most meaningful when used to tell stories - whether that be through pictures, contests, discussions - to help give an inside look to the organization and empower our community.
• "Game mechanics"  was one of the most talked-about phrases at the conference, referring to the ability to gather people around incentive-driven campaigns (do you use Foursquare and win badges at different locations?)
• Location-based services are the biggest mover and shaker in the industry, using QR codes to scan in to events or receive recommendations from friends in the area from your phone. We hope to make our events easier to share with friends through these services.

While this information may not be relevant to you, I'm writing just to say that for the Vail Valley Foundation, this information will help us better serve the community in a way that is innovative and consistent with our digital age. Our mission to enhance and sustain the spirit of the Vail Valley allows us to be leading in this front and hopefully connecting with you in new and better ways. After all, the underlying theme of emerging media is a desire for sharing, communication, and connection - which is just what the VVF is all about.
-Melissa 

Posted in: Education,Facebook,social media,Vail Valley Foundation