08 Jan NMX 2014 Highlights, Photos and Top Tweets

Rob and Melonie attended New Media Expo this week in Las Vegas. This time of year is off-season in Las Vegas except for the big conference. They escaped just as the CES crowd began rolling in when it’s really going to get crazy. The weather didn’t help, even flying to San Diego where the weather is GREAT they experienced delays. According to Twitter there are still people still trying to fly home as we write this delayed for days on end…

Whelp #nmx my flight is cancelled again. Anyone want to hang out tomorrow? I’m apparently in vegas until Thursday. — Allison Boyer (@allison_boyer) January 8, 2014

Get home safe Allison. But we didn’t wait to get home to begin putting our conference ideas to work. New Media Expo is formerly BlogWorld, and Rob and Melonie have been attending since 2008. The conference is geared to content creators and is a favorite among podcasters. It also covers blogging, eBook publishing, WebTV and light social media. While we weren’t able to attend all the great sessions we were able to bring home the highlights from our top three. Plus, read on for top tweets and photos to see if you were featured.

the future of the independent blogger

NMX Summary: With more and more blogs populating the Internet, earning a regular readership, gaining popularity, and establishing influence has become more difficult than ever. Driving personal or business benefit from the effort exerted in developing and managing a blog seems unattainable by many. To differentiate and stand out, many blogs and bloggers are turning to multi-author formats, increased frequency, and experimenting with content formats. Others, in order to remain independent and focused, are turning to tribe-blogging cooperatives and extending their reach by pooling promotional activities across their collective audiences.

Panel: Robert Scoble @scobleizer, Dino Dogan @dinodogan, moderated by Bryan Kramer @bryankramer

Is driving for traffic in Adsense and influence driving down trust for personal blogs?

Scoble: Depends on what kind of meal you want to make. There’s hacking emotion to get more likes on facebook and the New York Times. If I want a million people showing up I need to play a different game. Versus putting a video up of some obscure technology that 1000 people will want to watch (what he plans to do).

Dino: the notion that an independent blogger would not be trustworthy is insane to me.

Single author blogs cannot survive the onslaught of tribal blogging, true of false.

Scoble: disagree. If your a person that’s skilled and talented you will be read no matter how many people are on your team. You can certainly make big noise in this world, you just need to be interesting. (Look at Scott Stratten) If you’re looking to build an audience to ignore new platforms like tribr or Facebook doesnt make sense to me. The notion that Facebook is only for family or friends is stupid.

Scoble: [on headline writing] If I can’t get you to click and read what I wrote the world doesn’t happen. You have to write headlines that will get clicked like a NYT journalist.

creative ideas for using your video in ebooks

NMX Summary: You are a blogger, podcaster or video creator not a book author why would you ever want to publish an eBook? Get inspired to create original video content in ways you’ve never thought of or learn how to repackage your existing video content into enhanced eBooks that sell. Learn about the different platforms for self-publishing eBooks. Speaker: Tim Street Highlights:

• Scrivner is a good tool to organize your notes and write your ebook with.
• 25% of the ebook market is in Apple iBook marketplace. The revenue split is 30% Apple, 70% author.
• You can use iBooks Author to create an iBook.
• You can use it to drop a keynote into it and create your ebook.
• If getting a book deal is the goal it does not happen a lot.
• You do not have to have everything organized and written.
• Play with the tools now. Get an outline done before you start writing.
• Set a schedule. A schedule will keep you on task.
• You need an ISBN number if you are creating a paid book, not for a free one. An ISBN number must be purchased and you can buy them in bulk. Costs approximately $125 for one or $250 for ten.
• Select your photos and videos ahead if time.
• What video do you need to shot?
• Are the photos licensed?
• Are you using stock footage?
• Videos and photos can tell the story itself.
• Fill the screen as much as possible, give information and move emotions.
• Prepare for your ebook to get kicked back after submitting it and the time you will need making changes to get it approved. There are various reasons a book might get kicked back and it differs with each platform.

Do not let your family read your book.

Beta readers- do not let your family read your book. They love you or don’t… Find a person who doesn’t love you to be your story editor to get truthful feedback. Craigslist is a good source for finding editors such as retired school teachers.

a casual conversation with mr. brogan

Chris covered last minute for Rich Brooks who was defeated by Hercules (snowed in). The session ended up being a “fireside chat” type presentation where the audience asked burning questions and Chris offered up personal stories and quality marketing advice. Speaker: Chris Brogan @chrisbrogan Highlights:

• Chris Brogan offers an online eBook course and other topics.
• If its taking you more money to do it than what it’s worth to sell it for don’t do it.
• Be your own brand ambassador.
• No excuse for not having time to manage your own brand (Tweeting yourself, answering your own emails). CEOs with multiple billion dollar companies do it so can you.
• Selling triangle: my expertise, ability to find people who are willing to pay for it, offering more value than the price tag.
• Use a money back guarantee when ever possible to back up your product.
• Ask people to think about why they can’t afford something.
• Put value into perspective.
• Don’t ever under estimate the power of getting people hooked on drugs (sales).
• Discounting sales is a race to the bottom. Is there a benefit for a promotion to act fast? You have to train your audience to act fast.
• You can make a Chrisbrogan.com to see the process of how he signs you up for the newsletter promises the warmest welcome for signing up and you won’t want to opt out.

Anyone can email him [email protected], he reads his own emails. He answers his own email. Unless…

Anything with LinkedIn signature goes to the trash not because LinkedIn is bad because people who use LinkedIn are bad.

We don’t think he really meant that but it would have been nice if the session were longer to hear his perspective on the LinkedIn community. We also recommend Eliza Steely’s recap on TopRank of Lee Oden’s session: The What, How and Why of Schema for Bloggers #NMX And, Mitch Canter’s presentation on Schema for Bloggers.

 

photos

View all of our NMX 2014 photos on Facebook. See if you were featured and tag yourself and friends.

 

top tweets

Our favorite session take aways and clever quips from fellow conference go-ers.

@unmarketing overhearing a c-level team brag about using the Costa Concordia disaster to drive traffic and my anger isn’t Canadian… #nmx — Brian @ CatalystMLM (@CatalystMLM) January 8, 2014

 

It’s difficult to be truly original in this era of content re-purposing. As a result, few ideas are truly original. ~ @chrisducker #nmx — Kaya (@OnlineMarketing) January 7, 2014

 

Twitter reach: 10% of your followers will be online, 10% of those will see your tweet, 10% of those will engage. via @unmarketing #nmx — Kristi Hines (@kikolani) January 6, 2014

 

Social media give us, as consumers, a collective voice. @unmarketing #NMX — Kylene Kaelin (@kylenekaelin) January 5, 2014

 

If something bad happens, shut up or support. Don’t leverage tragedy, pain, suffering. @unmarketing #NMX — Kenneth Edward Piner (@kennethpiner) January 5, 2014

 

From @unmarketing When you schedule social messages its like sending a mannequin to a networking event. Youre there but not really #nmx — New Media Expo CEO (@blogworld) January 5, 2014

 

“Brands have been coming to me for a decade asking me to make their video viral like I’m Harry Potter” – @unmarketing #NMX — Justin Levy (@justinlevy) January 5, 2014

 

Partied until 4am in Vegas last night, clubbing. Just kidding, fell asleep with pizza crust on my bed at 10pm #NMX — Scott Stratten (@unmarketing) January 5, 2014

 

“Two things are true: 1. The world keeps getting better and 2. People keep thinking its getting worse.” @pennjillette #NMX #truth — Melonie Gallegos (@melonie) January 5, 2014

 

“When I was doing terribly, I thought I was doing fine” ~ @pennjillette Your perception of your world is all that matters. #NMX — Brian @ CatalystMLM (@CatalystMLM) January 5, 2014

 

A lot of what we do in life is pinball. If we do it well, we get to do it again. @pennjillette #NMX — Barbara Rozgonyi (@wiredprworks) January 5, 2014

 

If you wonder “should I be a writer”, then you probably shouldn’t be. It should be something you just wake up and do via @PennJillette #NMX — Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) January 5, 2014

 

Penn: there are lots of questions about crowdfunding that no one knows the answers to yet (e.g. taxes). #nmx — Chris Lester (@etherius) January 5, 2014

 

Penn: Horror allows the intellectual to hitch hike along with the big ideas, & I was unwilling to not be part of that. #nmx — Chris Lester (@etherius) January 5, 2014

 

“There is a VERY good reason to NOT do your own movie or podcast and that is if you suck!” via @pennjillette #nmx — Brian @ CatalystMLM (@CatalystMLM) January 5, 2014

 

Penn: there’s no big plan we’re building toward. All I ever wanted to do was have ideas & give them to other people. #nmx — Chris Lester (@etherius) January 5, 2014

 

Penn: We’re becoming unstuck in time. I have listeners who hear my podcast every week at the same time, & it’s not the time I record it #nmx — Chris Lester (@etherius) January 5, 2014

 

Penn: you will burn some of your goodwill in crowdfunding b/c you’re repeatedly asking for money. You really can’t get around that. #nmx — Chris Lester (@etherius) January 4, 2014

 

“If you want to crowdfund, the 1st thing u want to do is fail the other way.” – @pennjillette re: crowdfunding vs. traditional funding #NMX — Sandra Payne (@SPwrite) January 4, 2014

 

Penn: My Twitter has always been done by me alone, w/o much idea of what I wanted to accomplish with it. #nmx — Chris Lester (@etherius) January 4, 2014

 

“It is so sad & cynical and heartbreaking…the number of people I know in show business who show contempt for their fans” @pennjillette #nmx — Aaron Hockley (@ahockley) January 4, 2014

 

We’re carnie trash so we just meet everyone after the show! @pennjillette #nmx he’s hysterical, relatable and you want to know/play with him — Adryenn Ashley (@adryenn) January 4, 2014

 

Penn: You have to be nice to lots of people in crowd funding, too, but they’re generally decent, sane ppl who want to see the film made #nmx — Chris Lester (@etherius) January 4, 2014

 

Penn: You have to kiss a lot of ass to get a movie funded in Hollywood … mostly with a group of about 7 dangerous psychotics. #nmx — Chris Lester (@etherius) January 4, 2014

 

I want to watch Director’s cut 🙂 enjoying @pennjillette ‘s keynote #nmx #crowdfunding pic.twitter.com/pvJXCK1UKg — Misty B. McPadden  (@mistygirlph) January 4, 2014

 

Penn: Almost 10 percent of movie’s budget goes to the rewards/incentives for contributors. #nmx — Chris Lester (@etherius) January 4, 2014

 

View from the Penthouse of the Rio #NMX #Afterparty @ Rio Masquerade Tower http://t.co/AZ9Uniyazx — ♛DowntownRob♛ (@DowntownRob) January 5, 2014

 

Me too —> Disclaimer: If I look at you weird at #NMX it’s because I’m trying to see if I know you from the internet. (via @ErikJFisher) — Tyler Anderson (@tylerjanderson) January 4, 2014

 

Good content generally wins. @Scobleizer #NMX (in reference to content filtering to the top in feeds) — Melonie Gallegos (@melonie) January 5, 2014

Then there was the epic dance off…