TAG, YOU’RE IT:
Use Tagging to Reclaim the Conversation,
Tag,;You’re;It:;Use;Tagging;to;Reclaim;the;Conversation,;Revitalize;the;Con-ference By John Chrastka
By;John;Chrastka
Meetings;and;events;are significant;drivers;for;both membership;recruitment and;retention;—;espe- cially;when;attendees;talk
about;their;conference;experiences.
It’s;true:;Positive;word;of;mouth
about;conferences;stimulates;new
attendance,;while;a;productive,;fun;and
interesting;meeting;does;more;for;mem-ber;recruitment;and;engagement;than
any;marketing;campaign;ever;could.
And;with;the;advent;of;social;media,
generating;word;of;mouth;—;that;is,
members;talking;to;members;—;is
easier;than;ever;before.
Indeed,;the;speed;at;which;a;good
or;bad;conference;experience;can;be
transmitted;via;Twitter;or;Facebook;is
incredible,;which;has;more;members
saying,;“I;was;there,;and;here’s;what;I
thought;of;it.”
To;take;advantage;of;members’
word-of-mouth;impulses,;the;American
Library;Association;recently;decided;to
“reclaim”;the;online;conversation;sur-
rounding;its;ALA;Annual;Conference;by
