Aloha and a Big Mahalo for
PubCon Paradise 2012
Another PubCon has come and gone, but this social media and search conference was especially memorable.
Memorable because it was set in paradise, thanks to Brett Tabke and the fabulous PubCon team. The setting was perfect at Waikik’s Hilton Hawaiian Village for the event and socializing. But, also memorable because the event felt so exclusive, featuring top-notch sessions in an intimate setting small enough to promote one-to-one engagement, and large enough to send every attendee and presenter home with invaluable knowledge to apply immediately to their profession. Without the typical “trade show” exhibits the entire focus wason the content being delivered in the conference sessions, and the exchange of ideas among all in attendance.
In addition to keynotes by Kayak.com’s Terry Jones and Scott Stratten, the grid of conference sessions was diverse and full of timely, thought-provoking insights, opinions, observations and best practices shared by innovative thinkers and leaders in the social media and search landscape.
Real People Sharing Real-World Insight
Like any event, it is the people that make or break it. I always enjoy listening to, and connecting with thought-leaders to share observations, business strategies and projections of where the evolution of Google Search, Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and countless other platforms will take us.
The best of the best came to share their expertise in Hawaii. PubCon Paradise attendees had outstanding session choices, featuring presentations by experts like Kristine Schachinger, Mark Barrera, Dan Zarrella, David Wallace, Kate Morris, Andy Beal, Tony Wright, Allison Zarrella, and Rob Garner, many of whom I have had the pleasure of presenting or moderating sessions with in recent years.
I can always count on my “SEO” friends to be candid and honest as we fervently cover the latest algorithm changes, announcements, user interface updates and how they leverage the technology to serve the needs of our clients. In addition to intense discussion, there is a tremendous sense of family among those who participate in PubCon events.
PubCon events are successful because attendees travel from around the world to glean insight from the brightest minds in the industry. In my “Future of Social Media and Search” session, we had a few local business people from the Hawaiian Islands, as the rest traveled across the ocean from the continental United States, Europe, Japan and other countries. Attendees are professionals from website development, marketing, social media companies, corporations and small businesses with high expectations for the most up-to-date information to do their job better. And, that is exactly what they get from the speakers, each a recognized expert in their field and part of a mosaic of talent, intelligence and insight that other events would be hard-pressed to rival.
A Big Mahalo!
My sincere gratitude and thanks to the PubCon team for putting on a high-quality conference. I am honored to be among the speakers invited to return to speak at the PubCon events, and hope to continue do so for a long time to come.
Haven’t been to a PubCon event?
I highly recommend you consider attending any PubCon conference…you will be so glad you did!