First timer advice for SXSW š¤
And are there more wheels or doors in the world? The internet demands an answer
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You are reading Social Signals, Gregās weekly email about creative, technology, and cultural signals worth noting. Todayās email was written to American Dream by LCD Soundsystem. If you havenāt already subscribed, thereās a big button right here!
South by Southwest (SXSW) starts this week and is hybrid this year, including online and in-person events. Vaccination and masks are required, and although the pandemic is far from over, Iām excited about attending again in person.
I know firsthand from 14 years of attending (13 in-person, 1 virtually) the value of this event. In that time Iāve spoken four times, helped multiple brands activate and engage at the conference, attended the inaugural SXSW V2V in Las Vegas, and have served as a member of the SXSW Advisory Board for seven years.
And no, the best days arenāt behind us and the event has not jumped the shark. I directly credit SXSW, the connections Iāve made there, and the things Iāve learned with impacting my career in significant and measureable ways. But if youāre going and want it to be a succeess, you have to put a lot in to get a lot out. Check out my updated my advice for 2022 you can read belowā¦
Iām organizing the 3rd Annual Minnesota Meetup again this year. Even if you aren't from Minnesota, you are invited. That's what Minnesota Nice is all about. Details and RSVP here.
And thank you to the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA), for stepping in to pick up the first drinks. MIMA is the longest-standing digital marketing association in the country and creates opportunities for digital marketers in Minnesota to collaborate and learn from one another. Learn more and attend an event at MIMA.org.
Not going to SXSW but interested in the trends, launches, and synthesis of global knowledge coming out of the conference? Iāll be sharing key insights and takeaways on behalf of The Social Lights soon. Sign up for the TSL newsletter here to find out more about those opportunities. Yeehaw. -Greg
š¤ Some Good Socials
š„ Quick Hits
Instagram is adding new tags to help ensure Black and underrepresented creators receive credit for their work.
TikTok will now market and distribute music to other streaming services.
Twitter is piloting Twitter Shops, where merchants can highlight up to 50 products on their accounts.
Metaās fitness app now lets you track workouts outside of VR (including Apple Health!).
Samsung is reportedly making an AR headset to compete against Apple and Google.
Substack launched an app, and Iām missing Google Reader all over again.
LimeWire is relaunching...as an NFT marketplace.
The Sandbox metaverse hits 2M users and launches Alpha Season 2.
TikTok owner ByteDance doubles down on Pico as it moves senior managers to virtual reality unit.
Are there more wheels or doors in the world? Why we canāt resist an internet debate.
Easter Eggs of the Week: Google Mirror creates, restores, and discovers interactive Googleās Easter Eggs.
Tool of the Week: Blockchain Transaction Visualizer (h/t @tbrunelle)
TikTok of the Week: Subway Metaverse Employee
Game of the Week: Heardle, itās like Wordle for music.
See you on the internet!
Greg
PS: If you liked this, do me a solid and click and smash that āLIKEā with the little heart. And share it. TYSM šš»
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