Every Social Media Event in 2011: YIPES

Check out this mother-load of social-media events and conferences compiled by JD Lasica (yes he’s alive and kicking, thank you). If it isn’t a complete list, then there are far too many damned social-media events. If it is complete, there are still too many damed social-media events.

What’s clear to me is that it’s time to narrow not broaden the scope of “social media” conferences, and start niching into either industries, medium (blogs/video), function (PR, advertising, marketing, journalism) or specific regions. I can’t envision 500 national cross-industry internet marketing conferences in 2011, can you?

I’m staring at this list and about each event I’m thinking:

“This could be the best place to network, stay current, share my goods.”

And simultaneously thinking, “this is going to be one of those awkward events with a vendor/buyer ratio of 39:1, 11 non-English speakers in each breakout room, and I’ll literally get dumber by the minute listening to some newly self-appointed social media expert.”

Perhaps I’ll just stay in a local hotel and read the Stupidest Article About Social Media ever. Hey maybe it’s time for a rewrite of this year-old piece of poetry. (Checks article). Nope, it’s all still perfectly accurate and useless.