Category: UMSL Student Blogs

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The Top 3 Things I Learned from Volunteering @ #MDMC16

By: Amy Cabanas
FishbowlThe Mid-West Digital Marketing Conference this year allowed me the ability to introduce myself to such a wide array of diverse potential employers, colleagues, and marketing professionals that I can honestly say it was nothing short of a networking extravaganza!
1. “Treat every networking event like it is your own personal party and you’re trying to be a good host. Walk up to people and make sure they have everything they need and ask if they are having a good time. My mentor Matt Coble, CEO of G Inc., a who was also on the planning committee, spoke to us regarding this tactic in our pre show training meeting. This works, I used this tip throughout my day volunteering at registration. As things slowed with registration, as the day wore on, while walking tech ally I was able to approach many people with that tip in mind, which resulted in new contacts.
2. “Trust your instincts,” is another rule of thumb when preparing for your volunteering position at a conference this size. I was able to maneuver my way through many situations that transpired without having to bother my lead and/or Perry and Cara. I think we all as humans second guess ourselves, but 9 times out of 10, you can handle it, so go for it.
3. I recently was lucky enough to sit in on a marketing presentation where I learned that “it is less important about who you know, and more important about who knows you?” Naretha Hopson, CEO of Ever-Appropriate Etiquette Institute, also mentioned that your concerns should lie in what people are saying about you when you leave the room and/or conversation. So make sure you present yourself well and when you leave have the same in mind.
So needless to say, I had a blast being a volunteer this year for #MDMC16. I not only learned a great deal but I made new contacts, built new relationships and fostered current friendships. This being my last semester as an undergrad business/marketing student I am happy that I signed up for, not only the UMSL Digital Lab, but volunteered for the conference. I would highly recommendation the experience to anyone interested!
chase&amy

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From Social Media Dud To Social Media Extraordinaire In Just Three Infographics

By: Melissa Palmer
It all came crashing down in an instant.  The first day of my first class the professor was talking and kept using a term “SEO.” I thought, I wonder if that is important.  So, I raised my hand and asked what SEO stood for…Oh….Search Engine Optimization.  At that exact moment I realized I was way out of my league.  As class continued, I realized I was WAY, WAY out of my league. It happens to the best of us. Continue reading “From Social Media Dud To Social Media Extraordinaire In Just Three Infographics”

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#MDMC16 Recap: An UMSL Student’s Perspective

By: Kathrin Hanke
Together with over 1300 other people I attended the Midwest’s largest digital and social media marketing event – #MDMC16! It was held on April 21st at historic St. Louis Union Station.
After picking up my badge and swag bag I made my way through the exhibitor booths and tech alley to Dan the Pancake Man. Being amazed by his skills and creativity I wandered off to meet some of the startups and sponsors, and it was then when I saw all these tiny gold fish in their bowl. What great branding!? #MDMC16 could not have made it better – and the best part, you were able to adopt Louie, Ted and all the other little fish.
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The day was kicked off by keynote speaker Travis Sheridan and then followed by the first round of breakout sessions. In addition to the three keynotes, there were 40 different sessions throughout the day, split up in seven rounds, each having five to six sessions running concurrently. The big question was: Which sessions do I attend? Making a decision was definitely not easy since there were so many great speakers and topics! Eventually I attended seven breakout sessions and made some notes for everybody who was not able to attend them. Check out my three biggest takeaways below:
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#1: “Livestreaming grows at the know- like- trust factor exponentially faster than any other social media platform out there.” – Bonnie Frank, Live Stream Broadcaster
Bonnie Frank believes that Livestreaming absolutely changed the Face of Communication, especially the conversation on Social Media. As a matter of fact, if you are broadcasting with Periscope it will appear in your Twitter – Twitter bought Periscope about five days after launch. Frank also mentions Facebook Live, which allows you to directly live stream to Facebook. FYI: #MDMC16 live streamed parts of the conference on both of these channels. What a great way to engage with the audience outside Union Station, which for whatever reason could not make it to #MDMC16! Frank then shared some advice with her audience: “You gotta know what you are saying you know!” and explains that you have to gain you audience’s trust. She herself just talks about four things on a daily basis and is able to answer every question the audience might have – the key to gain an incredibly exposure without paying a penny.
#2: Creating relevant content is key to success.
We all have heard it a hundred times: You have to create content that is relevant to your audience. Once you have your content you have to make sure that you push it out on the right channels at the right time. But how? Todd Budin from Nielsen shared some tips on how to create memorable ads and how to be successful with your digital advertising.
Memorable Ads:
1. Tell as simple story
2. Use relatable characters and contexts
3. Show identifiable situations with a unique twist
4. Utilize strong imagery
5. Engage emotions
Digital Best Practices:
1. Maintain campaign/brand consistency
2. Align metrics across channels
3. Understand optimal frequency
#3: “Pinterest is not a social network, it’s a catalog of ideas.” – Raashi Bhalla, Pinterest
Raashi Bhalla introduced her audience to the “Art and Science of Using Pinterest” by explaining that Pinterest is THE place to go to when looking for ideas, inspirations and solutions. Pins showcase products with additional advice on how to use or make them. A detailed description or instruction would complete a Pin. She also advises to use text overlays in order to make the picture identifiable. Users are able to create lists and pin their favorites for later use – this allows Pinterest to target at key moments, regarding to life stage, interests and search inquiries. She also says that you don’t need to use Hashtags in your Pins because Pinterest’s “discovery engine” is already so advanced that it will identify and then categorize, as well as associate the Pin with related terms. Nor should you use Hashtags in your Pins because Pinterest might identify Pins with too many Hashtags as spam!
kh3The Midwest Digital Marketing Conference was a great event that had a lot to offer. Besides all the amazing speakers, 12 Arch Grants startups showcased their innovations and business ideas and competed for a $1,000 prize. At the end of the day Swizzle was the winner – a tech startup that does everything from influencer marketing research to app development. Congratulations!
Make sure to sign up for updates all things #MDMC so you won’t miss the even bigger #MDMC17!

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#MDMC16 Interview: Marc Bowers of St. Louis Makes

By: Dan Feeherty
Among the many minds and companies spearheading innovation in St. Louis is none other than St. Louis Makes. Acting as an innovation help desk, St. Louis Makes provides resources to the products and ideas that need it most. UMSL MBA student Dan Feeherty recently interviewed Marc Bowers, founder and director about growing innovation within the community:

 

 
St. Louis Makes will be on hand at #MDMC16 to showcase and chat with attendees. Follow @StLouisMakes on Twitter! 
 

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Tips for Students with a Passion for Social Media

By: Amy Cabanas, Matteo Fialdini, Kathrin Hanke, Andrew McClure and Jacqueline Williams
1Sarah Dalton works as both a Marketing professor at UMSL, where she graduated with her MBA in digital marketing, as well as in the marketing field. She describes herself as organized and creative, and is an active user across social media platforms, as well as, a blogger on her personal blog www.socialseconds.com.
When Sarah found out about the opening for a social media professor, she took the opportunity to spread her passion about social media to UMSL students. Sarah is excited to be contributing to the UMSL Digital Marketing Conference which will be held on April 21, 2016. We caught up with Sarah to ask her about her career, her love for social media, and her thoughts on St. Louis’ growing digital marketing scene.
Check out the interview below!
1. Do you feel UMSL’s digital marketing MBA program helped in preparation for your current job and teaching?
I don’t think I would be anywhere without my Digital Marketing Certificate. Those classes really took me to another level. When I went to school we didn’t have those classes in undergrad. So, they really rounded out my marketing education and taught me things like blogging, digital marketing, digital strategies, measurement of digital media and of course more social media. Without those subjects I don’t think I would be where I am today.
2. Where do you see St. Louis going in the digital marketing scene, and how does UMSL fit into that?
We are in the Midwest so we might not always be in all the trends like they are on the east and west coast, but I think we are definitely getting much closer. With all the great people around, it’s so easy to collaborate on ideas and with local agencies. I see the digital scene getting stronger and stronger in St. Louis, and UMSL could not be doing any better. You don’t see these kinds of classes at other schools. As UMSL continues to grow these programs and add classes, the UMSL digital marketing students will continue to be a step ahead!
3. You have your own blog, www.socialseconds.com. Do you think having a personal blog is essential for social and digital marketers?
Yes, I think a blog is a great way to spread the word about what you think about social. Even if you don’t necessarily know what to say, you could talk about things you see other people do, provide recaps, or blog about guest speakers. It’s a great place to showcase your writing style and what you care about in social media. If you are too afraid to start a blog or don’t think you have the time to maintain it, you can always publish on LinkedIn Pulse.
Sarah also shared some other interesting thoughts and advice with us marketing students. “Having your own blog really shows companies that you know how to build a WordPress site, that you understand content, and that you have written a few blogs. It’s just a really easy way to showcase yourself,” Sarah said.
Sarah also often references her own marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk, author of Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook – “Gary started from the bottom and built up his social media enterprise into what it is today,” said Sarah.
Lastly, Sarah highly recommends marketing students get involved with the AMA St. Louis-The American Marketing Association, and attend the UMSL Digital Marketing conference on April 21, 2016. “MDMC16 will be a full day event of all things digital marketing. People come in from all over the country to speak to us. It’s a better value than any other conference I can think of,” she said. “And it is FREE for UMSL students (but unfortunately now sold out)!”
Follow Sarah on Twitter: Sdaltonstl

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#MDMC16 Interview: Jesse Kemling

By: Dan Feeherty
UMSL Digital recently visited the St. Louis Science Center to talk innovation & the Youth Exploring Science (YES) Program. The YES program works with underprivileged youth in the metro St. Louis area to collaborate and peruse careers and innovation within STEAM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics).
Among the 1200+ attendees at MDMC this year will be none other than Jesse Kemling, Senior Educator of Technology for the YES program. Listen to the informational interview below:

 

 
 
Follow @YESslsc on Twitter!