Things I learned at TweetCampSA

TweetCampSA was held on the campus of Trinity University on Saturday, July 18. As I packed up and headed off to camp I wondered where the day would take me and I couldn’t wait to find out who I’d meet and what I’d learn. TweetCampSA more than delivered. Here are a few of the things I learned while away at camp:

1. San Antonio’s Social Media scene grows bigger every day and it’s reaching far beyond our 1604 border.

We had nearly 150 people attend TweetCampSA, the largest gathering at any camp ever in San Antonio, according to Jennifer Navarrete, TweetCampSA co-organizer and local camp maven. People new to Twitter as well as Twitter vets were hungry to share, learn and grow and it showed. People arrived early and stayed late. Sessions were packed and filled with people willing to ask questions and contribute their expertise and points of view. And it wasn’t just people from San Antonio who were hot for more social media info. Tweeps drove in from Dallas, Houston, Austin, and Corpus Christi to take part in the first camp of its kind held in Texas. San Antonio is blazing new social media trails and with TweetCampSA we’re just getting started!

2. To build a sense of community: invite the community.

TweetCampSA was an educational event to which the community of San Antonio, and beyond, was invited to attend for free. People from all walks of life and all levels of Twitter experience attended TweetCampSA. And, just like at tweetups, TweetCampSA was a great place to meet, in real life, with those people we’re tweeting with online as well as those we weren’t following on Twitter up until that point. Shrieks of, “Oh my God! It’s so great to finally meet you in person!” filled the air almost as often as the quieter revelations of, “I’m so glad I met you. We need to start following each other.”

And, for those who couldn’t attend in person, streaming video of all TweetCampSA sessions was provided so people at home could attend and ask questions via chat. You didn’t even have to be onsite to be a part of the community!

3. How to be a part of the “in” crowd.

Many of us who’ve been on Twitter for a while have had opportunities to meet in person at tweetups. Those face-to-face meetings tend to make our online conversations that much more familiar, more casual, and more fun. But there are lots of people on Twitter who witness these conversations every day and wonder why they’re not part of the “in” crowd or the “cool” group. Here’s a hint: We’re ALL the “in” crowd (yes, you too!) because we love Twitter and we want to learn more about it. Don’t be shy about jumping into Twitter conversations. That’s how we get to know each other. And, while not mandatory, meeting in person does help build the community. So, even if you weren’t able to attend TweetCampSA, make it a point to attend an upcoming tweetup to chat with your fellow tweeps in person. This is *social* media after all.

4. Working for free pays off.

As a co-organizer of TweetCampSA I was a volunteer. But my hard work was returned to me in spades by the caliber of social media information I heard and by the amazing people I met at the event. I made many new friends and potential business connections.

Sure, organizing an event like TweetCampSA takes work. But sometimes, when you come up with a great idea, you can’t sit around hoping and wishing that someone else will execute it. Be willing to be the person who takes the reigns and steers an idea to fruition. You may not find yourself cashing a paycheck from your efforts, but you will be paid back in ways you never imagined.

5. Volunteers and attendees make the best tour guides.

Andi, Jennifer and I drove the TweetCampSA bus but our amazing volunteers (they showed up at 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday!) and our brilliant attendees (seriously, Facebook connect and the API!) showed us which direction to drive. Without the help of volunteers the event wouldn’t have run smoothly or been documented so thoughtfully. And without the attendees TweetCampSA wouldn’t have had sessions or speakers or contributors or anyone to spark interesting and thought-provoking conversations (Branding, anyone?). TweetCampSA was about YOU and delivered by YOU. You not only showed up. You put up. TweetCampSA’s success is *your* success.

6. There’s no rest for the weary.

TweetCampSA not only satisfied our thirst for knowledge about all things Twitter. It also sparked our hunger for more—more education on social media, more time to meet new people who share similar interests, more time to make business connections, more laughing our heads off about Tweeting Too Hard (Oh. Maybe that’s just me.). Rest assured that TweetCampSA is not the last chance you’ll have to grow your social media knowledge. There are ongoing events around San Antonio (Social Media Breakfast, Social Media Club, San Antonio Media/PR/Business Tweetup, San Antonio Healthcare Tweetup) to keep you on your social media toes. And, Jennifer and I have a few ideas in the works that I think you’re going to like (stay tuned…).

*photo of TweetCampSA attendees that accompanies this post on the homepage courtesy of Nick Mistry.