Last 20 May was a great day for me and for all the Community Managers working at Expo Milano 2015. I was invited to share my experience in live-covering Europe Day at a social media workshop in Expo.
Europe Day at Expo Milan was a true success and as Head of Social Media Stefano Mirti said “the great thing about the European Union pavilion is that they were really ‘social.’ They managed to perform activities and engage with people in ways that only social media allows.”
It was for an honour to hear Stefano’s words and I take my hat off in front of the guys of the Social Media Team at Expo. They are doing a terrific job not only in informing and engaging visitors at the biggest event of the year but they are creating a proper solid network of digital communication professionals. Bridging the gap between human and digital relations among people is the main purpose of social media.
What I wanted to stress in my presentation was that, no matter how well you can get prepared for live-covering big events, you need to be able to change strategy promptly. Social media nowadays requires flexibility and a reactive mind. All that matters at the end of your event is the overall success and the bonding you create with your team mates. Yes, I say “team mates” because the work we do as community managers is very similar to what sports teams do when they prepare for a big game. All that matters at the end, after the game is over, is represented by the picture below.
The more people digitalize their relations, the more people are surprised to physically get together or even receive a phone call. These regular gatherings, that the Expo team has been organizing, is a great example of what more and more networks of professionals should be doing both in the public and the private sector.
Special thanks go to Mariella Merlino and Manuela Bonfiglio for making this network happen and to Giacomo Biraghi for his continuous effort in making people aware of the great opportunity that Expo Milano represents for Italy, Europe and the world.
Today at #Expo2015, #Socialmedia Participants Workshop. Let’s start! pic.twitter.com/wdbXHVWy4A
— Manuela Bonfiglio (@mbonfiglio) May 20, 2015
#socialmedia participants workshop. @stefi_idlab: #Expo2015 is a platform of plural narratives pic.twitter.com/UwS46aHJls
— Expo Milano 2015 (@Expo2015Milano) May 20, 2015
How can we work together with Countries and make #Expo2015 a polyphonic novel? @Mad_Mariella‘s version! pic.twitter.com/eedBFdua1T
— Expo Milano 2015 (@Expo2015Milano) May 20, 2015
Nice meeting in @Expo2015Milano with all #Expo2015 Pavilion Social Media Manager pic.twitter.com/YXwYUD2m78
— Valentina Rutigliani (@valerutigliani) May 20, 2015