World Bloggers & Social Media Summit 2011 - Day 1

Took two trains down to PWTC for the World Bloggers and Social Media Summit (thanks for MY Events for comping me a ticket, by the way) and didn't have to wait long after registering and getting that all-important delegate tag until the show got on the road around 9.15 a.m. (9.20 on my watch).

Hearing YB Dato’ Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim give the keynote address leaves me with mixed feelings about the guy as his ministry (Information, Communications and Culture) has indirectly affected some aspects of my life, specifically the culture part, and not forgetting he triggered the #yorais trend on Twitter. The man is an eloquent enough speaker, but I can't say the same for the guy before him that butchered the language so badly.

The morning panel ("Managing your Investments in Social Media - Ways to Increase your ROI") was a little slow - it was so cold I nearly fell asleep, and it was after the morning tea break (the thing in popiah skin was unexpectedly delicious) too. So I took a walk outside to get the blood circulation going and get warm. Lunch in one of the rooms was sponsored by the ministry and not much to talk about.

Sit down lunch with a table of strangers when you're alone at these things... AWKWARD to say the least :P

The post-lunch panel ("How to Make Your Blogging Easier and Exciting: Leading Digital Trends & Gadgets") wasn't too bad as local musician-comedian turned Tune Talk CEO Jason Lo spiced things up a little until Advertlets MD Josh Lim mentioned that one of the founders of YouPorn* used to work for him... and it's not a guy (so he says, and I'll file this as "allegedly"). Hokay then.

Man of many talents - Musician turned CEO Jason Lo

Advertlets MD, Josh Lim

After the afternoon tea break (chicken wings, mini custard puffs and small squares of butter cake), then there was the second afternoon panel of basic self-promotion ("Lifestyle Blog – Imagine If There Is No Facebook or Twitter or Travel & Fashion Blogging?") as some of the country's lifestyle bloggers (half of them I've personally never heard of, and I don't really follow the local blogosphere too intensely to begin with, so meh) went on a little too much about all the opportunities and free stuff they got out of blogging (among other things). Well la-di-da, good for them. Decided to take my leave during the last Q&A to beat the rush hour crowds on the trains.

What did I learn today? Jason Lo's Ajinomoto anecdote and the thing about YouPorn. Well okay, probably some of the more technical aspects of social media marketing, perhaps. But not much else, really.

Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow - Former PM Tun Mahathir's speaking tomorrow morning.

*YouPorn only came up because Jason Lo joked that he was up late last night on it, which cracked everyone up... everyone who knows what it is, that is. 

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• World Bloggers & Social Media Summit 2011 (lifeasacynic.blogspot.com)